Anyone excited about the World Baseball Classic?

[Fico]

Originally posted by Rob_Gee:
  Ok, now that we are out, let the real season begin. My draft is this next weekend.  Hopping a flight to Maine and drafting a great team.

I think the best baseball of the season is being played...a shame if you can't appreciate it just cos team USA is out...
 
 I bet A-Rod is wishing he played fer the OTHER team...jojojojojo...GO DOMINICANS!

[brennser]

Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:
  GO GO MEXICO!!!!! GO GO MEXICO!!!!!
 
           

[brennser]

I bet A-Rod is wishing he played fer the OTHER team

A-Rod is a fraud....
 
   <img src="http://home.comcast.net/~massbackwards/purse.jpg" alt=" - " />

[ratioci nation]

I never thought the US team would do all that well, on paper they were just not as good, and had too many question marks.  I just like the fact that Encarnacion and Pujols are getting some early competitive at bats.  Although neither seem to be swinging the bat that well.
 
 It was also nice to see Molina show off his defense in the late innings for Puerto Rico and the man I hope is the Cardinals future manager get some more experience, Jose Oquendo.

[Fico]

Originally posted by pdx pollard:
  I never thought the US team would do all that well, on paper they were just not as good, and had too many question marks.  I just like the fact that Encarnacion and Pujols are getting some early competitive at bats.  Although neither seem to be swinging the bat that well.
 
 It was also nice to see Molina show off his defense in the late innings for Puerto Rico and the man I hope is the Cardinals future manager get some more experience, Jose Oquendo.

Don't forget Placido Polanco....isn't he a Cardinal now??...he took the starting slot from Soriano...

[Guiny]

Originally posted by Fico:
 I think the best baseball of the season is being played...a shame if you can't appreciate it just cos team USA is out...
 
 I bet A-Rod is wishing he played fer the OTHER team...jojojojojo...GO DOMINICANS! [/QB]

Don't worry, I appreciate it, I just love drafting my team and watching my players.  Even if USA advanced, theirs no way they would have competed with the Dominicans or Cuba, the Dominicans are stacked!!!!!!!!!!

[Guiny]

Originally posted by brennser:
 can sissy football be far behind??
                 [/QB]

Sissy Football = Soccer   :p

[ratioci nation]

Originally posted by Fico:
 Don't forget Placido Polanco....isn't he a Cardinal now??...he took the starting slot from Soriano...

no, was a few years ago, he was part of the trade for scott rolen, then the phillies traded him to Detroit last year

[Guiny]

Originally posted by pdx pollard:
  I never thought the US team would do all that well, on paper they were just not as good, and had too many question marks.  

Especially the players that play their home games at Arlington Stadium. (Texiera & M.Young)

[Guiny]

Originally posted by pdx pollard:
 no, was a few years ago, he was part of the trade for scott rolen, then the phillies traded him to Detroit last year [/QB]

And did great with the Tigers actually getting a full time starting job.

[HoyaSaxa03]

i think one of the keys is that many of the latin hitters played winter ball and had a chance to get in a rhythm ... in the spring, pitchers always have a huge advantage over hitters because hitters simply take time to get into a rhythm ... US had absolutely no offense

[Fico]

Originally posted by All UNI Base Are Belong To Us:
  i think one of the keys is that many of the latin hitters played winter ball and had a chance to get in a rhythm ... in the spring, pitchers always have a huge advantage over hitters because hitters simply take time to get into a rhythm ... US had absolutely no offense

That is true...someone like Miguel Tejada is the Dominican's Cal Ripken, despite being an all-star and constant MVP candidate for the past 5 years he suits up from day one to play the full winter leage season that starts in October...he is the most respected ballplayer in the DR right now..
 
 I know it's impossible to be in top shape right now, but the WBC wasn't obligatory...players volunteered and the tournament was annonced many months ago...if I was a player representing my country and agreed to take part in the classic I would've been working out for many weeks in advance like a lot of the latin players did (and Roger Clemens from the US)..as much as I would've liked to have someone like Manny on the line-up he did the right thing in saying he wouldn't be in shape and wouldn't take part in it...I think every player owed their national team to be ready for this tourny...using the not being in top-form excuse sounds like a poor/irresponsible excuses to me..

[ratioci nation]

Originally posted by Fico:
 That is true...someone like Miguel Tejada is the Dominican's Cal Ripken, despite being an all-star and constant MVP candidate for the past 5 years he suits up from day one to play the full winter leage season that starts in October...he is the most respected ballplayer in the DR right now..
 
 I know it's impossible to be in top shape right now, but the WBC wasn't obligatory...players volunteered and the tournament was annonced many months ago...if I was a player representing my country and agreed to take part in the classic I would've been working out for many weeks in advance like a lot of the latin players did (and Roger Clemens from the US)..as much as I would've liked to have someone like Manny on the line-up he did the right thing in saying he wouldn't be in shape and wouldn't take part in it...I think every player owed their national team to be ready for this tourny...using the not being in top-form excuse sounds like a poor/irresponsible excuses to me..

do people think any less of Pujols because his family left the Dominican when he was a teenager and he went to school here?

[Fico]

Not at all...
 
 You can't hold a grudge on him or his family for seeking a better living (I'd say over 95% of the Dominican players come from poor to extremely humble origins)..and it wasn't a choice he as a teenager had a saying on...most importantly, he has never neglected the country.. and as people in St.Louis know, he's an outstanding chap off the field as well...
 
 People home really feel proud about poor people done good... would people in say PG county be upset if one of their own made it big and moved to a mansion in Potomac?? (genuine question btw, wasn't raised in the states so not sure how it works...still baffled by the keeping it real ethos..)

[ratioci nation]

Originally posted by Fico:
  Not at all...
 
 People home really feel proud about poor people done good... would people in say PG county be upset if one of their own made it big and moved to a mansion in Potomac?? (genuine question btw, wasn't raised in the states so not sure how it works...still baffled by the keeping it real ethos..)

I think some would certainly resent it, but I think it would be more based on how the person with new found wealth acted towards those who were still poor, I think there is pretty poor class relations in the us in general
 
 Pujols does seem to be a great guy off the field, although I have never met him, just seen stories about his charity work.  I just didnt know if he was held to the same respect as guys like Tejada and Ortiz back in the Dominican.