Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog

US 9 Dutch 3.

You don’t normally see a brushback thrown at a team when it is down 8-2 in the top of the 8th. I think it was strictly bush league on the part of the US, but a win is a win. Once again the Dutch shows some offense but couldn’t get the hits with runners in scoring position.

The US however did the one thing that no other team was able to do with the dutch and that is getting hits with runners in scoring position.

So tomorrow they will face either Puerto Rico or Venezuela, both are going to be tough.

Japan 6 Cuba 0

Japan showed why they are the champs and Dice-K brought smiles to the face of any Red Sox fan with 6 incredible innings as Cuba was spanked by Japan. It seemed to me that the entire game the Cubans were trying too hard, lot of young players trying to push things rather that take what was offered.

Ichrio was 0-4 despite being talked about every 3rd word. I’ve never seen a game with back to back pickoffs at first. If it hadn’t been for that then they might have mercyed them.

So it’s Mexico or Cuba out. If the Cuban team gets bounced by Mexico they could consider defecting en-masse. Oh and I loved when they said the “cultural differences” line that was used. I suspect they were contractually obligated not to hit them but it was done well.

I fell asleep with Mexico up last night and woke up to find that the Koreans’ came back to crush them. This sets up yet another Japan Korea meeting. They are the Yankees/Red Sox of this tourney. I don’t know how they do the final seeding but there is every possibility that they could meet in the finals.

I certainly didn’t anticipate the US being mercyed by Puerto Rico, but then again I didn’t see Mexico having the same issue with Australia.

Today at 4 we have the Cuba Japan rematch of the previous final. This is likely going to be the best game of the series. Both my guts and my desire says Japan wins here.

After the 7:30 game either the US or the Dutch will be going home. Both have several disadvantages. The US will be facing a Dutch team with solid pitching while their pitching has been iffy, in addition they haven’t seen the dutch pitchers before and last year’s MVP Dustin Pedrioa is hurt.

The Dutch are facing a US team as strong as any other in the tourney on paper that is itching to prove that yesterday’s loss was a fluke.

I really can’t see the US blowing this one.

Korea Mexico at 11 p.m. I’m going to miss since I have a breakfast engagement tomorrow. My gut says Korea wins this one.