Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog

The 2nd Round of the WBC begins Saturday. Here is what we see.

Hugo’s boys play the Dutch at 1 p.m. They will be facing the Dutch A team. I don’t know they they are going to take the Dutch lightly or not. Bobby Abreu is likely going to walk every time at bat. Hugo’s boys have to be considered the favorites in this one. However with the relationship between Hugo & Fidel and the game being in Miami you’ve got to believe that the Dutch is going to have the crowd with them.

US vs Puerto Rico. This is going to be a pretty solid game. All these players know each other and have likely faced each other. In my opinion the significance of this game is it’s potential to setup a 3rd Dutch vs. PR game. It is very hard to beat a team 3 times in a row. Because of this I think this game is much more important for the Puerto Ricans to then the US. They would much rather face the Dutch again in a non-elimination situation.

You have to favor US and Venezuela in this round but I actually wouldn’t be surprised to see anything happen.

I find the seeding games boring because they don’t mean anything.

Japan and Korea was interesting since the two teams hate each other.

Cuba and Mexico first meeting of the tourney is today, that might have some interest because of that but I likely won’t watch it.

Dutch vs Pureto Rico. Puerto Rico won 5-0 It was the worst pitching performance of the tourney for the Dutch as they played their B pitchers and their B catcher. The PR team seems to have taken the Dutch much more seriously than the DR did. However I’d still be a bit worried. It is very hard to beat a team 3 times in a row. Remember the 62 Mets did win 40 games about 1 out of 4.

Hugo’s boys beat us 5-3 in a pretty good game. That earns them the Dutch and I’m hoping they have the same luck the Dominicans did.

At the WBC Mexico avenged their defeat to the Aussies 16-1 in 6 innings. After seeing the humiliation of the Dominicans they didn’t wart a part of it. Things being how thing are in Mexico these days they might have been afraid of being shot.

With two opposite mercy defeats I would have liked to see a 3rd game.

Now Mexico plays for the right to face Korea or Japan. I don’t know which one i would rather face myself. I’m sure the Cubans would love a chance to avenge their defeat in the final 3 years ago but they aren’t going to lie down against Mexico to do it.

Well Italy was good enough to bounce Canada but wasn’t good enough to defeat Hugo’s boys as the Venezuelan team stomped the 10-1 to clinch a 2nd round berth.

Between these guys and the Cubans Latin American dictators are having a pretty good series. That’s one way to get people’s minds off their troubles.