3 minutes ago, Jake said:

Wonder whether Antonacci should have been throwing to second on that game-tying play

Almost impossible angle/pivot to get it there to second...but should have just put in his pocket.

Edited Tuesday at 02:14 AM2 days by caulfield12

Sheer talent is winning out here.

Shouldn't be a shocker...Lorenzen only had the one decent offer ($8 million) from Colorado of all teams.

 

“It's always been interesting to me. I've always wondered what it would take to pitch at Coors more so on like the pitch shapes, how the ball moves, ball flight. … Just to be able to put it into practice and see what works, what doesn't, is exciting to me,” Lorenzen told Jake Peavy in an MLB Network special.

Edited Tuesday at 02:21 AM2 days by caulfield12

Surprised by how many times I saw Antonacci whiff on pitches in the zone the last handful of games (insofar as I thought that never happens)

Sucks that Antonnacci was the last out, but what a tourney for him.

https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/2026/03/the-plot-twist-nobody-saw-coming-brayan-rocchio-joins-team-italy-and-now-faces-venezuela-in-wbc-semis.html

Should probably have started Roccio at SS.

Might have helped prevent that three run inning.

Natural SS.

11 hours ago, Quin said:

Sucks that Antonnacci was the last out, but what a tourney for him.

For people who watched this, was it the difference between facing meh and star talent?

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

For people who watched this, was it the difference between facing meh and star talent?

Probably.

He had those two huge XB hits and five runs scored early...then that deking the runner for an out as well as some aggressive base running.

Better play at SS than expected, a but like Meidroth.

Limited arm at that spot for sure.

Hot torn apart by much better pitching last two games.

Cervelli trusted him too much coming out of pool play (sat once for Berti), then refused to play Brayan Roccio when he was added to the roster at the last minute.

Could have changed the entire complexion if that three run inning scoring all those runs with two outs...first one was I'll advised throw to 1B on Acuna allowing tying run to score (also didn't even look for forceout at second).

Looked like a AA player these last two games...which is what he is.  Periphery of Top Ten prospect but needs to show power and OBP because of limited physical tools that put a ceiling on his utility to the team.

Maybe comparing every SS to Witt Jr and Tovar by nature of watching them so much recently doesn't help lol.

Henderson Raleigh PCA on the bench

Batters VEN	B	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OPS
Acuña Jr.RF	R	-	-	-	-	-
Garcia, M3B	R	-	-	-	-	-
Arraez1B	L	-	-	-	-	-
Suárez, EDH	R	-	-	-	-	-
Torres2B	R	-	-	-	-	-
TovarSS	R	-	-	-	-	-
Abreu, WLF	L	-	-	-	-	-
Perez, SC	R	-	-	-	-	-
Chourio, JacCF	R	-	-	-	-	-

Batters USA	B	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OPS
Witt Jr.SS	R	-	-	-	-	-
Harper, B1B	L	-	-	-	-	-
JudgeRF	R	-	-	-	-	-
SchwarberDH	L	-	-	-	-	-
Bregman3B	R	-	-	-	-	-
AnthonyLF	L	-	-	-	-	-
Smith, WC	R	-	-	-	-	-
Turang2B	L	-	-	-	-	-
BuxtonCF	R	-	-	-	-	-

Sure would be nice to have Skubal instead of almost a rookie pitcher in McLean.

WBC has to be the best of the 4 major sports "add ons" over the last twenty years or so. Has gone from an Asian thing (Japan/Korea) to a truly international spectacle.

One big way to grow sport if American teens and twenty somethings aren't as interested as previous generations.

Edited yesterday at 12:15 AM1 day by caulfield12

22 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Antonacci missing the Witt Jr/Tovar arm strength...

Same would have happened to Meidroth or Sosa on that play.

Ant and Meidroth do not have the arm strength to play Short. By comparison, Sosa has a gun for an arm. Not in any way suggesting Sosa should be a SS, just comparing arm strength.

Ant showed a quick bat with power but I thought his quirky footwork and lack of arm strength might keep him in the minors for a while. Ant's failure to throw out Ron Acuna Jr. in the 7th was a turning point. He had another throw from short that was a ground ball to the first basemen.Not sure why Italy was even playing him at short.

Edited yesterday at 12:30 AM1 day by tray

14 minutes ago, tray said:

Ant and Meidroth do not have the arm strength to play Short. By comparison, Sosa has a gun for an arm. Not in any way suggesting Sosa should be a SS, just comparing arm strength.

Ant showed a quick bat with power but I thought his quirky footwork and lack of arm strength might keep him in the minors for a while. Ant's failure to throw out Ron Acuna Jr. in the 7th was a turning point. He had another throw from short that was a ground ball to the first basemen.Not sure why Italy was even playing him at short.

They didn't have Rocchio until semi final and Berti's no longer a SS.

Man, that stadium is loud for Venezuela...

Well that's probably it for McLean.

Abreu the WBC MVP arguably.

Edited yesterday at 01:23 AM1 day by caulfield12

Come Us - comeback time

Game on.

432

Awesome - let’s go!!! That was a bomb

US with last bats due to coin flip

extra day of bullpen rest

a certain Cubs' closer can only pitch in a save situation

just can't afford to bounce that throw

now big time problems

could just hear Harrelson swearing at home over lead off walk by Red Sox pitcher

Edited yesterday at 02:41 AM1 day by caulfield12

Got to hold it to 1 and get some runs

quite fortunate Gimenez couldn't get bunt down

Tovar's a tough out though...or not lol

4-5-6 for US due up

Edited yesterday at 02:43 AM1 day by caulfield12

That was a very bad last challenge.

would not historically work for White Sox to face Perez in this situation...

Edited yesterday at 02:47 AM1 day by caulfield12

Alright let’s get a run or more!!!

schwarber

bregman or Henderson

Anthony

Smith or Raleigh (hitless in wbc)

turang against NL Central foe?

Edited yesterday at 02:49 AM1 day by caulfield12

Way to go Venezuela!

not enough baserunners/leadoff hitters reaching

not enough clutch hits

had to take down a relatively unknown Venezuelan starter early...couldn't execute

all good vibes for Venezuelan baseball

Skubal/Boras Corp is the goat of this one

Venezuela just wanted it slightly more

Edited yesterday at 02:58 AM1 day by caulfield12