The World Baseball Classic got underway last night, as the mercy rule had to be evoked in Japan’s destruction of China. The game was called in the 8th inning with Japan leading 18-2.
Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Kosuke Fukudome (no, fuck YOUR dome) had back-to-back home runs for the Japanese team.
I’m kind of excited for the World Baseball Classic… I’m a sucker for international sporting competitions, what can I say. These are tremendous opportunities to break out absurd cultural stereotypes when cheering against other teams. For instance, I think the Chinese probably would’ve won last night if they had gotten better fortunes in their cookies following their pregame meal.
I think every sport should have a World Cup type event every 4 years… including American football. I don’t know how much of this I’m actually going to watch, but I’ll follow it… I’m trying to get back into baseball anyway, so I don’t have to spend summers here talking about Arena Football.
The Dar
Seriously, a mercy rule? Couldn’t Japan at least let the Chinese parents come in to pitch underhand to their kids?
March 3, 2006 at 12:39 pm
BoSox Siobhan
When the score was something like 14-2, I wondered aloud whether or not there was a mercy rule in the WBC. Mercifully (ahem), there is.
March 3, 2006 at 2:36 pm
The Big Picture
after the game was over — due to the mercy rule — did the parents hand out capri suns and orange slices?
March 3, 2006 at 3:07 pm
Unsilent Majority
what if football were a world sport. i could see the island nation of samoa giving us trouble.
March 3, 2006 at 3:24 pm
Vandy2004
Actually, there is a “World Cup of American Football”, but the U.S. and Canada do not participate. Surprisingly, Japan has won both World Cups held thus far.
March 3, 2006 at 5:37 pm
Andy
Not even a Great Wall could have stopped the Japanese sluggers, who stomped everyone like Godzilla in Tokyo.
I now have the sudden urge to play Mike Tyson’s Punch Out. Oh, and you can also talk about the WNBA during the summers.
March 4, 2006 at 7:34 am
patricio
MJD, don’t forget the Cricket World Cup that is being hosted by the West Indies, but with some games being played in Florida. Yeah, World Cup Cricket in Florida.
March 5, 2006 at 12:05 am
Matt O.
China lost their third game, giving up a total of 40 runs in 3 games. Still, they could beat half the NL West and the Royals.
March 5, 2006 at 4:52 am
the sockk
None of the ICC Cricket World Cup matches will be held in Florida.
March 5, 2006 at 1:51 pm