Pyle of List

Well, that was a fun dream while it lasted.

To be fair, Team America was in a no-win situation in this WBC. If they go out and dominate, like some expect they should, then the tournament eventually folds from lack of interest. But if they don’t blow everyone away, they get lambasted for cashin such huge paychecks and not truly being the best in the world.

Now, was this the best starting 9 we could put together? Of course not. Injuries and MLB teams and general disinterest prevented that from happening. Pitchers were in spring training form, which is usually not a good thing.

All in all, when Japan pulled ahead in the 4th inning, I wasn’t surprised. I expected this team to fall short, but I don’t know why. I don’t know why I quit on this team after trying to get others fired up about it. Maybe I just felt they had quit on me first.

Oh well, there’s always next year fantasy baseball to keep me occupied.

Game 8 USA 4, Japan 9

We were right there…for about 3+ innings. Then we just couldn’t hang with Japan’s consistency. And it wasn’t some sort of secret weapon they threw out there, it was Dice K. The guy most of these guys had seen for two seasons know. He of the tendency to walk guys and throw a shit-ton of pitches.

Didn’t matter. Even when DeRosa pulled us within two in the eighth, the defense gave it all back. Jeter’s throwing error opened the door for Japan who politly took their shoes off and kicked our crotches up into our necks. Add that to the idiotic move of having Longoria (a right hander) pinch hit for Granderson (a left hander) after sitting on the bench for two hours and never having a WBC at-bat against a right handed specialist and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

But don’t worry, the pitching brought it’s own drink to the crap party. Oswalt gave up six runs (4 earned) in 3 2/3 IP. He was basically just mediocre. And the bullpen that once read like a who’s who of relief pitchers now reads like a line of guys you’ve never heard of. Probably because it is. Grabow, Howell, Thornton, Hanrahan, and Shields isn’t really a murder’s row of arms.

USA Player of the Game: Jimmy Rollins (4 for 4, triple, BB, run scored)

USA Goat of the Game: Adam Dunn (0 for 4, BB, 3K, 4 LOB)