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Venezuela vs. Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic showdown is a must-win for both teams
Thursday’s Say Hey, Baseball features two 0-1 teams facing off, Adrian Gonzalez complaining, and figuring out who the second-best starter in MLB is.
Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images
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The Dominican Republic lost its first game of round two of the World Baseball Classic to Puerto Rico. Venezuela lost its round two contest against the United States. Now, the Dominican and Venezuela face off at 10 p.m. ET on Thursday in a game that is likely to leave one team on its way out of the tournament, as two losses will end up being too many for advancement into the semifinals.
Since Puerto Rico and the U.S. still have to face each other, though — meaning, one of them is guaranteed to lose at least once in this round — whichever of the Dominican or Venezuela can win on Thursday is right back in this thing.
The Dominican Republic was considered to be, if not the favorites to win the World Baseball Classic this year, at least one of them. The team pushed through the first round with little trouble, too, going 3-0 thanks to a comeback win against the United States and by eventually unloading on Colombia in extra innings after failing to put them away earlier.
Venezuela isn’t to be taken lightly, however, given its talents like Miguel Cabrera and Jose Altuve. It did want another pitcher in round two in Eduardo Rodriguez and couldn’t get him — he’s fighting for a rotation spot on the Red Sox after a strong backend of 2016 — and already used Felix Hernandez on Wednesday, so Venezuela will have to hope whomever it rolls out against the Dominican’s powerful lineup can hold the team in check.
Pool F — where all of the above teams reside — is unlikely to be sorted out until the weekend, as Puerto Rico faces the United States Friday, and then Saturday features Venezuela vs. Puerto Rico and a rematch from round one as the U.S. takes on the Dominican Republic.
If a tiebreaker is necessary, it will be played on Sunday. Pool E, on the other hand, began earlier in the week and is already finished: Japan and the Netherlands advanced, and Japan will face the runner-up of Pool F whereas the Netherlands will take on its winner in the semifinals, starting Monday in Los Angeles.
- Things weren’t looking great for Team USA against Venezuela, at least until Adam Jones and Eric Hosmer changed that with a pair of homers that you can watch here.
- Don’t get Grant Brisbee wrong: The WBC is fantastic. He’s just wondering if maybe it could be even better.
- Adrian Gonzalez, though? He doesn’t like the WBC even one bit and went off on it on Wednesday following Mexico’s controversial elimination from the tournament.
- Here’s the thing, though: All this tiebreaker nonsense wouldn’t have come into play if Mexico had managed to record even one out before it let Italy score five runs in the ninth inning of a come-from-behind, walk-off win. So yeah, clearer rules and communication from the WBC would be good, but also, maybe play better?
- Also, one of the FIFA World Cup’s tiebreaker scenarios is “draw lots” whereas Little League’s system seems to be pretty well thought out, so pick better comparisons, Adrian.
- Here’s the sneaky impact of bunting for a hit. Sorry about your MCM’s “Never Bunt” T-shirt.
- The Giants finally hinted that Matt Cain might not win the fifth starter job.
- Are the Yankees changing the way they handle spring training position battles?
- Here are the joys of a low-expectations team, from the perspective of the A’s.
- Dan Warthen thinks Matt Harvey is on track to get his velocity back.
- Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball, duh, but who is the second-best? Michael Baumann is on the case.
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