USA Baseball loses in Medal Round

[CubFanBudMan68]

Lost 10-2 to Cuba. Top draft prospect Stephen Strausburg from San Diego State took the loss.

 

Any big shock here? No one ever thinks that Cuba is all that good and they mop up in International competitions.

 

Does anyone wish that Team USA were made up of the best college players instead of a mix and match group of minor leaguers? There were only about 2 or 3 players on that team that I would have considered "top" prospects.

[Cynosure]

Oh well, Olympic baseball isn't real and doesn't count.

 

It's all Minor Leaguers and scrubs on the American team and negative fun to watch.

[nilodnayr]

Oh well, Olympic baseball isn't real and doesn't count.

 

It's all Minor Leaguers and scrubs on the American team and negative fun to watch.

 

There are quite a few excellent prospects on the team.

[Cynosure]

Oh well, Olympic baseball isn't real and doesn't count.

 

It's all Minor Leaguers and scrubs on the American team and negative fun to watch.

 

There are quite a few excellent prospects on the team.

 

That's great... but what if our ACTUAL player played?

[nilodnayr]

Oh well, Olympic baseball isn't real and doesn't count.

 

It's all Minor Leaguers and scrubs on the American team and negative fun to watch.

 

There are quite a few excellent prospects on the team.

 

That's great... but what if our ACTUAL player played?

 

Then we'd call it the WBC and get crushed?

[Cynosure]

Oh well, Olympic baseball isn't real and doesn't count.

 

It's all Minor Leaguers and scrubs on the American team and negative fun to watch.

 

There are quite a few excellent prospects on the team.

 

That's great... but what if our ACTUAL player played?

 

Then we'd call it the WBC and get crushed?

 

Nope, WBC doesn't have our best players.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Oh well, Olympic baseball isn't real and doesn't count.

 

It's all Minor Leaguers and scrubs on the American team and negative fun to watch.

 

There are quite a few excellent prospects on the team.

 

That's great... but what if our ACTUAL player played?

 

Then we'd call it the WBC and get crushed?

 

Nope, WBC doesn't have our best players.

I'll bite, what does it have?

[Cynosure]

Wash ups that are risking injury for playing for a pointless reason.

 

Griffey

Damon

Winn

Schnieder

Barrett

Jones

Willis

Leiter

Lidge

Timlin

Wheeler

Majewski

 

AMONG OTHERS

 

Among a bunch of other pitching wash ups trying to make a name for themselves.

 

The only thing that matters is the MLB, why should a stupid summer/winter league matter to anyone?

[weis21]

Wash ups that are risking injury for playing for a pointless reason.

 

Griffey

Damon

Winn

Schnieder

Barrett

Jones

Willis

Leiter

Lidge

Timlin

Wheeler

Majewski

 

AMONG OTHERS

 

Among a bunch of other pitching wash ups trying to make a name for themselves.

 

The only thing that matters is the MLB, why should a stupid summer/winter league matter to anyone?

 

Did you only look at half the roster? You conveniently left out:

 

Roger Clemens (2006 version)

Brian Fuentes

Brad Lidge

Joe Nathan

Jake Peavy

Huston Street

Chipper Jones

Derrek Lee

Alex Rodriguez

Mark Teixeira

Chase Utley

Michael Young

Matt Holliday

[VanceJergins]

Freaking Al Leiter was starting games. Our WBC team wasn't bad, but it had a lot of stupid choices. Leiter and Willis basically blew the whole thing for us.

 

Edit: Also, they should have it in November or something so they don't have to worry as much about injuries and such.

[chuckywang]

Also don't forget the quality MLB players for foreign teams.

 

 

I think the reason you didn't see more quality MLB players is because the WBC was an unknown for the first go around. Nobody knew if it would succeed or not. Suffice it to say, it was an astounding success, and I think as it gains popularity, more MLB players will want to play.

[Cynosure]

Also don't forget the quality MLB players for foreign teams.

 

 

I think the reason you didn't see more quality MLB players is because the WBC was an unknown for the first go around. Nobody knew if it would succeed or not. Suffice it to say, it was an astounding success, and I think as it gains popularity, more MLB players will want to play.

 

I agree... but I don't believe WBC or Olympic Baseball should even exist... it's a pointless risk for injuries. It doesn't mean anything at all, either. 10 years from now any Latin American team would wipe the floor with any American team.

 

Just play MLB.... stop trying to make more money, that's all the WBC was.

[big_shooter17]

Wash ups that are risking injury for playing for a pointless reason.

 

Griffey

Damon

Winn

Schnieder

Barrett

Jones

Willis

Leiter

Lidge

Timlin

Wheeler

Majewski

 

AMONG OTHERS

 

Among a bunch of other pitching wash ups trying to make a name for themselves.

 

The only thing that matters is the MLB, why should a stupid summer/winter league matter to anyone?

 

At least some of these guys were not washups at the time including the likes of Willis (coming off of a cy young runner up year and heading into a sub 4 ERA season), Damon (wbc was sandwiched between a couple of decent years), chipper (still not washed up, just a constant injury risk), and Barrett (coming off of a silver slugger campaign and going into another nice year). This is not to say that there certainly were better players out there, but every team was missing some of their potential stars. Canada didn't have Dempster, who was becoming a solid closer, Gagne, and others. I'm sure that many teams had a mix of this, but the truth is that in a tournament like this, much like the playoffs (but there to a lesser extent), hot and cold streaks affect the outcome. If I remember right, Japan also began preparing for this much earlier than other countries, which clearly aided them. This is not to say that I didn't love the last tournament and can't wait for the next.

[Cynosure]

Wash ups that are risking injury for playing for a pointless reason.

 

Griffey

Damon

Winn

Schnieder

Barrett

Jones

Willis

Leiter

Lidge

Timlin

Wheeler

Majewski

 

AMONG OTHERS

 

Among a bunch of other pitching wash ups trying to make a name for themselves.

 

The only thing that matters is the MLB, why should a stupid summer/winter league matter to anyone?

 

At least some of these guys were not washups at the time including the likes of Willis (coming off of a cy young runner up year and heading into a sub 4 ERA season), Damon (wbc was sandwiched between a couple of decent years), chipper (still not washed up, just a constant injury risk), and Barrett (coming off of a silver slugger campaign and going into another nice year). This is not to say that there certainly were better players out there, but every team was missing some of their potential stars. Canada didn't have Dempster, who was becoming a solid closer, Gagne, and others. I'm sure that many teams had a mix of this, but the truth is that in a tournament like this, much like the playoffs (but there to a lesser extent), hot and cold streaks affect the outcome. If I remember right, Japan also began preparing for this much earlier than other countries, which clearly aided them. This is not to say that I didn't love the last tournament and can't wait for the next.

 

I was talking Todd Jones who had ONE good season with a 2.10 ERA and 40 Saves in 05 and was selected. Still washed up.

[fromthestretch]

Also don't forget the quality MLB players for foreign teams.

 

 

I think the reason you didn't see more quality MLB players is because the WBC was an unknown for the first go around. Nobody knew if it would succeed or not. Suffice it to say, it was an astounding success, and I think as it gains popularity, more MLB players will want to play.

 

I agree... but I don't believe WBC or Olympic Baseball should even exist... it's a pointless risk for injuries. It doesn't mean anything at all, either. 10 years from now any Latin American team would wipe the floor with any American team.

 

Just play MLB.... stop trying to make more money, that's all the WBC was.

 

It's also a great way to promote baseball around the world. More countries get interested in it, become better at developing players, and a greater talent pool becomes available.

[Cynosure]

Also don't forget the quality MLB players for foreign teams.

 

 

I think the reason you didn't see more quality MLB players is because the WBC was an unknown for the first go around. Nobody knew if it would succeed or not. Suffice it to say, it was an astounding success, and I think as it gains popularity, more MLB players will want to play.

 

I agree... but I don't believe WBC or Olympic Baseball should even exist... it's a pointless risk for injuries. It doesn't mean anything at all, either. 10 years from now any Latin American team would wipe the floor with any American team.

 

Just play MLB.... stop trying to make more money, that's all the WBC was.

 

It's also a great way to promote baseball around the world. More countries get interested in it, become better at developing players, and a greater talent pool becomes available.

 

True... but we don't really have much room for people coming from all countries... unless we expand the league.

[SouthSideRyan]

Also don't forget the quality MLB players for foreign teams.

 

 

I think the reason you didn't see more quality MLB players is because the WBC was an unknown for the first go around. Nobody knew if it would succeed or not. Suffice it to say, it was an astounding success, and I think as it gains popularity, more MLB players will want to play.

 

I agree... but I don't believe WBC or Olympic Baseball should even exist... it's a pointless risk for injuries. It doesn't mean anything at all, either. 10 years from now any Latin American team would wipe the floor with any American team.

 

Just play MLB.... stop trying to make more money, that's all the WBC was.

 

It's also a great way to promote baseball around the world. More countries get interested in it, become better at developing players, and a greater talent pool becomes available.

 

True... but we don't really have much room for people coming from all countries... unless we expand the league.

 

What?? Did 1940s baseball not have room for black players?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

True... but we don't really have much room for people coming from all countries... unless we expand the league.

if they're good, there will always be room

[Cynosure]

Also don't forget the quality MLB players for foreign teams.

 

 

I think the reason you didn't see more quality MLB players is because the WBC was an unknown for the first go around. Nobody knew if it would succeed or not. Suffice it to say, it was an astounding success, and I think as it gains popularity, more MLB players will want to play.

 

I agree... but I don't believe WBC or Olympic Baseball should even exist... it's a pointless risk for injuries. It doesn't mean anything at all, either. 10 years from now any Latin American team would wipe the floor with any American team.

 

Just play MLB.... stop trying to make more money, that's all the WBC was.

 

It's also a great way to promote baseball around the world. More countries get interested in it, become better at developing players, and a greater talent pool becomes available.

 

True... but we don't really have much room for people coming from all countries... unless we expand the league.

 

What?? Did 1940s baseball not have room for black players?

 

 

Latinos, Japanese, Chinese, Europeans, Australians, and possibly Africans.

 

Little bit more than blacks don't you think?