3/8 - WBC: Canada (Loewen) @ U.S. (Willis) 3 PM CT on ESPN2

[Omar]

http://www.virtuallandmedia.com/flags2-2/canada/CANADA2.GIF Vs. http://www.hellasmultimedia.com/webimages/fourthofjuly-htm/fourthofjuly/images/flags/usaflag6.gif

 

This time U.S. will be facing their neighbors to the north. It will also be hosted at Chase Field (formerly The BOB) in Pheonix, Arizona. United States will once again get home field advantage.

 

This game will start at 3:00 P.M. Central time. It will also be televised on ESPN2.

 

United States preview[/url]"]Starting lineup: Manager Buck Martinez made a few changes in the lineup for Wednesday's game against Canada: Michael Young (2B), Jeter (SS), Ken Griffey Jr. (CF), Derrek Lee (DH), Jones (3B), Mark Teixeira (1B), Vernon Wells (RF), Jason Varitek ©, Matt Holliday (LF), and Dontrelle Willis (P) for the first three innings, with Al Leiter behind him for the next two.

 

"My feeling about the game is, every chance I get to go out there and play, I'm going to pour my heart out, whether it's in a USA uniform or a Florida Marlins uniform," Willis said. "If I get a chance to make a play and dive into the dugout, I'm going to do that. You want to play within reason. That's the type of baseball I play."

So there you have it:

2B - Michael Young

SS - Derek Jeter

CF - Ken Griffey Jr.

DH - Derrek Lee (Finally batting higher, and DH)

3B - Chipper Jones

1B - Mark Teixeira

RF - Vernon Wells

C - Jason Varitek

LF - Matt Holliday

and Dontrelle Willis taking the mound.

 

Canada preview[/url]"]SCOTTSDALE -- The mantra up north has been to focus on one game at a time, but with Korea upsetting Japan to take top honors in Pool A of the World Baseball Classic, Canada manager Ernie Whitt has juggled his pitching rotation with his eyes fixed on the Round 2 matchups.

 

The new rotation puts the ball in Erik Bedard's hand for today's opener with South Africa, flip-flopping him with Adam Loewen, who now gets the call to face Team USA on Wednesday.

 

The line-up for this game hasnt been posted currently, because South Africa Vs. Canada is taking place right now. If you do it, please post it here.

 

Noteworthy Match-ups (Canada) Vs. Dontrelle Willis (LHP, 22-10, with a 2.63 ERA in 2005 for the Florida Marlins)

Pete Orr: 0 for 3 with 3 SO (.000)

Jason Bay: 3 for 12 with 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 4 SO (.250)

 

Noteworthy Match-ups (United States) Vs. Adam Loewen (LHP)

Loewen has yet to throw a major league pitch... But he's only 22 starting a game in the WBC... No pressure, though.

Edited March 8, 2006 by Omar

[Brian]

ugh, i still don't understand how Leiter is on this team and now they are going to try and get 2 innings out of him.

[Brian]

urgh wrong thread. Edited March 8, 2006 by Brian

[Brian]

urgh wrong thread. Edited March 8, 2006 by Brian

[jjgman21]

was Dempster invited to pitch for Canada? if he wasn't, I don't know how that is. I'm also surprised, and disappointed, that Larry Walker didn't make this WBC his lasts hurrah.

[jjgman21]

two righties out of 17 position players? that's crazy.

[jam1975]

was Dempster invited to pitch for Canada? if he wasn't, I don't know how that is. I'm also surprised, and disappointed, that Larry Walker didn't make this WBC his lasts hurrah.

 

Dempster was invited and I believe pulled out a couple of weeks ago.

 

Start time is 3 pm Central, not 5.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

urgh wrong thread.

 

Haha, I was wondering what that was about...

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Blame Canada!

[BCVM22]

was Dempster invited to pitch for Canada? if he wasn't, I don't know how that is. I'm also surprised, and disappointed, that Larry Walker didn't make this WBC his lasts hurrah.

 

Dempster was invited and declined, preferring to focus on getting strong for the season. Walker decided his body just couldn't handle playing anymore. If I recall correctly, he tried some baseball-like activities over the winter and even those hurt too badly to continue. He is a coach for Team Canada, though.

[Brian]

He is a coach for Team Canada, though.

 

Hitting coach to be exact.

[Balsa]

This game will be easier to see for some, because it will start at 5:00 P.M. Central time. It will also be televised on ESPN2.

 

Nope. 3 PM CT.

[da bears]

Hopefully the US offense gets rolling early, and Dontrelle shuts down Canada for the 3 or 4 innings he pitches today. GO USA!

[goonys evil twin]

How hard is Bay going to hit Leiter? He's got a 1500 OPS against him, but not HR yet. Morneau is at 1000.

[Jehrico]

DLee is a gold glove 1B with a considerably longer reach than Texiera. Tex is not a bad defender at all, but not quite what I would call gold glove material. Why is DLee, a gold glover, DHing? Doesn't make sense to me. I'd have DLee starting at 1B and DH Tex 7 days a week, and twice on Sundays.

 

On the other hand, I'm glad DLee will not be in the field, less chance of freak injury.

[goonys evil twin]

DLee is a gold glove 1B with a considerably longer reach than Texiera. Tex is not a bad defender at all, but not quite what I would call gold glove material. Why is DLee, a gold glover, DHing? Doesn't make sense to me. I'd have DLee starting at 1B and DH Tex 7 days a week, and twice on Sundays.

 

On the other hand, I'm glad DLee will not be in the field, less chance of freak injury.

 

I think Buck is treating this like a spring training game, possibly interviewing for his next job to show he knows where the bread is buttered.

[jjgman21]

was Dempster invited to pitch for Canada? if he wasn't, I don't know how that is. I'm also surprised, and disappointed, that Larry Walker didn't make this WBC his lasts hurrah.

 

Dempster was invited and declined, preferring to focus on getting strong for the season. Walker decided his body just couldn't handle playing anymore. If I recall correctly, he tried some baseball-like activities over the winter and even those hurt too badly to continue. He is a coach for Team Canada, though.

 

thanks for the info. I thought Walker was helping in Cardinals camp, but I suppose that doesn't have to be an exclusive gig.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

DLee is a gold glove 1B with a considerably longer reach than Texiera. Tex is not a bad defender at all, but not quite what I would call gold glove material. Why is DLee, a gold glover, DHing? Doesn't make sense to me. I'd have DLee starting at 1B and DH Tex 7 days a week, and twice on Sundays.

 

On the other hand, I'm glad DLee will not be in the field, less chance of freak injury.

 

I think swapping Lee and Tex around is to give both players time in the field. I can't imagine Texas would be pleased if their first baseman lost 2-3 weeks of ST and didn't get any field time at first base. Under normal circumstances, I agree that Lee should be at first and Tex at DH, but it's not as if Tex is a horrible firstbaseman. He's above average defensively.

[Rusch33]

Who are the star players playing for Canada anyways?

[goonys evil twin]

Who are the star players playing for Canada anyways?

 

Jason Bay is the best.

 

Koskie, Morneau and Stairs are probably the next group of well knowns. The pitchers are rather mediocre or unknowns.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Who are the star players playing for Canada anyways?

 

Morneau and Bay are the biggest names, I think.

[jjgman21]

Who are the star players playing for Canada anyways?

 

Stubby Clapp.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Someone delay the game - can't get home until 4:30 EST. :(

[da bears]

Someone delay the game - can't get home until 4:30 EST. :(

 

Hopefully US will be up big by then.

[da bears]

And US down 1-0 alread, on an error by Teixera, according to the announcers.