Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog

If there was ever a time when Castro’s son might be tempted to defect it would be now as not only has the Cuban team failed to make the final 4 but given the change to avenge their defeat to Japan of three years ago managed to be shut out twice!

Might I suggest that this would be a great time for the lot of them to decide to hang around in the US. Perhaps Castro won’t want them back after this.

On the bright side for Latin American dictators Venezuela continued to impress defeating the US in the seeding game winning it’s 5th straight. The game is meaningless (I actually think they should drop the seeding game myself).

The last seeding game puts Japan against Korea for the 4th time in the tourney. It appears that Korea, Japan’s arch rival has been the only team that can handle them. I must say I have absolutely no idea who is going to win this one. The winner gets the US and the loser gets Venezuela. Since they have split their games lets say Japan wins and faces the US and Korea faces Venezuela. I would not be surprised to see a Japan Korea final although MLB would consider that it’s nightmare scenario.

Considering that Puerto Rico is a part of the US it amounts to beating yourself but an amazing 9th inning comeback brought the US from the brink of elimination to the Final pool of the WBC.

Now the question who do you want to play in final round Korea, Japan or Cuba? All are nasty.

On the other side of the country a sloppy first inning made the difference as Korea beat Japan to clinch their spot in the final four.

This sets up the last meaningful game of this pool tonight Japan vs Cuba at 11 p.m.

This is Cuba’s last chance to avenge their defeat of last year and their shutout by Japan earlier this round. I’ve got to give Japan the edge here.

The tune-up game between US and Venezuela this is their 3rd meeting in the tourney and it’s anybody’s game. It will be good baseball but this is the “scrubs” game. You’ve gotta be holding back your best for the one and out game this weekend.

Anyone who thought these games would be boring has been proven very wrong.

If Cuba was a free country watching this Cepeda might be as well known as his HOF namesake. As it is he will have to settle for picking up the Cuban team and putting it on his back.

Cuba used his key hitting to knock out Mexico 7-4. I frankly don’t see it being enough to take them past either Korea or Japan but in a single game anything can happen.

It remained a good day for dictator’s teams as Venezuela edged Puerto Rico 2-0 on outstanding pitching. Hugo’s team will be cheering for Korea today big time today.

Due to the injuries to the US team I have to give the PR team the edge against the US in the elimination game.

Korea and Japan is a wash today. I have to think Japan is the better team but a Korean win wouldn’t surprise me.

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.