world-baseball-classic Page 5 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Bruce Chen Is Switching Teams For The World Baseball Classic
When you think of Bruce Chen, you think: trailblazer. The journeyman starter may have to fight to crack the Royals' rotation in spring training, but he's going to make some baseball history in March. Chen will become the first major leaguer to play for China when he pitches in the 2013 World Basebal...

Someone Needs A Refund
Sir Sidney Ponson, in the midst of leading the Dutch Honkball team to the quarterfinals of the WBC, tested positive for Phentermine, a stimulant and appetite suppressant. He's also the reason we invented Deadspin widescreen. [AP]...

Congratulations To Our Japanese Baseball Overlords
Ichiro Suzuki drives in the game-winning RBI as Japan wins the WBC again. Why do we call it the "World Series" when Japan is the only country that's good at this game? [MLB]...

Tommy Lasorda Can Do This Interview In His Sleep
Tommy Lasorda has an impressive amount of energy for a man his age, but he does seem a little lethargic in this interview—and by lethargic, I mean, he can barely hold his own head up....

It's Chipper Jones Vs. The City Of Toronto. Let's Watch The Fun
If you play for the Braves and you're going to be at war with a city, it might as well be a Canadian one. On the whole, Chipper Jones would rather be in Atlanta....

U.S. Rallies In Bottom Of Ninth To Defeat Tiny Island
David Wright's two-run single fuels three-run rally as U.S. beats Puerto Rico 6-5 to advance to semifinals. Any other self-governing unincorporated territories want to mess with us? [NBC Sports]...

Mercy Is For The Weak. (The U.S. Is Weak.)
Thank to the Little League mercy rule, the United States was spared nine full innings against a country that we literally own, but cannot beat in baseball. Just wait until Tommy Lasorda hears about this....

Venezuela Defeats Upstart Dutch. Good.
The cuddly Dutch honkballers lost to Venezuela, 3-1, in this afternoon's edition of the World Small Sample Size Bingo Tournament, which means the Netherlands' Cinderella run may soon come to a close. Dank God....

Meet Your New Dutch Baseball Overlords
The Dominican Republic, a team stacked from top to bottom with MLB talent, will not make it out of the first round of the World Baseball Classic because they couldn't handle the puny Netherlands....

Dan Serafini Wins One For Team Italy
Much head scratching over Italy's defeat of Canada in the World Baseball Classic on Monday. How could such a thing happen? Easy. It was pretty much just a glorified MLB spring training game....

Wacky Dutchmen Upset Dominican Republic
The Netherlands gets three off Edinson Volquez in the first and make it hold up (Sidney Ponson!) to upset the D.R. juggernaut in the WBC. Naturally, I blame A Rod. [ESPN; Canada/US liveblog here]...

Tommy Lasorda: Clinically Delusional At Any Altitude
For those who think that Tommy Lasorda should pack up his follow-the-flag, I-love-the-good-ole-USA act and ship off to a nice assisted living community, here's more evidence to have him sent away....

World Baseball Classic Will Only Happen In Your Dreams
The World Baseball Classic has begun! Too bad you were asleep and missed the whole thing. [MLB.com]...

Cyst May Force Alex Rodriguez To Cease
Alex Rodriguez is having a bang up year in 2009. The latest calamity? A bone cyst that may force him to bail on Team D.R. at the World Baseball Classic....

It's Not Easy Being Byung-Hyun Kim
Byung-Hyun Kim lost his passport, so he won't be able to play in the World Baseball Classic. Did they try looking in the right-field bleachers at Yankee Stadium? [Korea Times]...

Sammy Sosa Does Not Come To You For A Contract Offer
Sammy Sosa is now 40 years old. And despite hitting a serviceable 21 homers and 92 RBI in limited action in 2007, he didn't play last year, and he probably won't play in 2009, either. Especially when he thinks that teams should be chasing him. These are the misunderstandings that occur when times ge...

Roger Clemens' Multinational Laundry
Yesterday, perpetual retiree Roger Clemens was in Houston to receive his National League Championship Ring. As usual, Clemens was asked about his plans for this season, whether he'll retire, whether he'll play, who he would play for, so on, ad nauseum. But then the conversation took a bizarre, and...

World Baseball Classic Lines MLB's Pockets
In case there was any doubt left as to the success of the World Baseball Classic, the number's closed the case: Lots of people made lots of money off this thing....

On Scene At The World Baseball Classic
Not that they would have ever hosted the World Baseball Classic at Shea or anything — too many rats — but we're very envious of anyone who went to the WBC Final in San Diego last night. On television, it looks like endless fun, and in person, it seems endlessly entertaining....

Bobby V's Day To Shine
Japan beat Cuba 10-6 last night to win the inaugural World Baseball Classic, a tournament that — save for the Jay Mariottis of the world — was an unmitigated success for everyone involved, save for maybe Al Leiter and Buck Martinez. Japan's victory assures even more players to migrate over to the ...