Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog

I have to admit it, when the Dutch right fielder missed the ball in the 11th allowing the Dominicans to score against Boyd I didn’t think there was much of a chance of a comeback. Apparently the Dominicans felt the same because they not only got sloppy but the put in a Pitcher from the Chicago Cubs with playoff elimination on the line.

Apparently the curse of the Goat sticks with you as long as you stay on the roster. First a double then a single then a bad throw then an error at first. Presto 2-1 loss.

Seriously I felt bad for Aybar who was one of the people on that Dominican team who had really performed, the fact that he would make the miscue that would allow the winning run to score was a surprise.

Congratulations to the Dutch, even if they don’t win another game they have made baseball history! They left 35 opposing players in scoring position. An awful lots of walks but you know, its hard to score from 2nd on a walk.

As for the Dominicans, Lets not forget that their pitching didn’t give up any runs in the first 10 innings either. The Dominican pitchers gave up one earned run in three games. That is an incredible figure that is 4 less than the Dutch. The pitchers can generally hold their heads high. Their hitters however just couldn’t deliver with men in scoring position and their defense or lack thereof cost them both games.

The team is going to get a rough reception back home:

“Oh, God, thank God I don’t have to go back home for a while,” (David) Ortiz said. “I’m telling you right now, in the Dominican, there had to be a blackout right now.”

Felipe Alou, the Dominican manager, told Delmonico and other Netherlands players that he would be watching them and rooting for them. But Alou, 73, has been agitated with the Dominican players who did not participate in the Classic and how that impacted his roster.

The names that didn’t make it are going to hear about it back home, almost as much as the team is going to.

On the other hand, this is a bitter blow for baseball mad Dominican, which received a huge hit at the outset of the tournament when Alex Rodriguez had to pull out. They were already without another superstar, Albert Pujols, who couldn’t get insurance to cover his participation. Adrian Beltre, the logical A-Rod successor at third base, stayed in Arizona at the behest of the Mariners. Also missing: Manny Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano, and Aramis Ramirez.

It will be remembered that those guys weren’t there.

If I’m the Dutch manager I rest my best pitchers tomorrow and have my best ready for round 2 but as has been demonstrated he certainly doesn’t need my advice.

Update: David Pinto hits the nail on the head and has the best line of the night:

I’m stunned and happy. This game just put the World Baseball Classic on the map.

By the way, Felipe Alou joins John Thompson in the crappy international coach Hall of Fame.

It’s not quite 2004 but it’s damn close. Marvelous.

Some great games on tap for today:

5 p.m. Italy vs Venezuela

Hugo’s boys took Italy lightly and played a little sloppy early but the Italians failed to take advantage of men on base. I still get the feeling that they take them lightly, and the Italians have shown they can put runs on the board.

If Italy can score early then its anyone’s game. The Italian defense is going to be the key here. I’d like to see Italy bounce Hugo’s boys but I wouldn’t be willing to bet money on it.

5:30 p.m. Netherlands vs Dominican Republic

When they scheduled this game It was expected that it would be Panama vs Puerto Rico instead Panama is already out, Puerto Rico is in and the Dominican Republic wants revenge for its most humiliating defeat ever.

They will be gunning for the Dutch and look to put them away early, It will call come down to the Dutch starter in that respect. If they fall behind again I think they might crack like an egg. Robbie Cordemans being available might make all the difference.

The Dutch have to score period! If they can’t score they can’t win.

10:00 p.m. Cuba vs Australia.

Tonight we find out if the crushing of Mexico was a fluke or not. If Australia can put up the numbers against Cuba then there will be sweating in Mexico tomorrow.

I feel bad for the Cuban convict team. It’s hard to spend your life in a prison and know that if you try to escape your family will suffer, it must be even harder to have to play for your jailer. The sheer joy of Baseball is a partial release but its still a convict team playing under guard.

My take, I have no problem with them advancing if it means some of their guys can jump the fence and escape, if they are just going to stay prisoners, they might as well get bounced now and go back to prison.

A quick roundup of the games.

Puerto Rico 3 – Holland 1.

When I heard that Manager Jose Oquendo what asked how he would handle his pen if he was trailing was beside himself at the suggestion that he would be trailing, that insulted me as a fan and made me adamantly a fan of the Dutch, They held to that one run lead in the 8th thanks to incredible pitching and defense including two men thrown out at the plate but there are only so many walks you can give up before a good team is going to break through.

I’m not sure if holding back Robbie Cortemas is going to haunt them but if they can somehow get a lead against the Dominican team that is out for revenge big time, keeping him back is going to turn out to be a stroke of genius.

I hit the sack and didn’t watch the South Africa/Mexico game. It was not any kind of a surprise to me. What will be interesting is who they are going to be playing.

I couldn’t watch the Italy Canada game. If anyone told me that Canada was going to be the first team bounced from the tourney in group C I would have laughed at the suggestion. The Canadians aren’t laughing now. Italy apparently played a good game. The question is will they be underestimated again?