ESPN / ESPN2 will carry some of the games. most games start after 1:00p.m.

3 through 6 hitters for the US maybe the most dominant in The WBC.

.....and Derrick Lee has serious opposite field power.

DR beats Venezuela in what was reported as a wild one . . .

David Ortiz's OPS for the day: 3.467, 2 HR (off 2 LHP) - he's completely and utterly sick.

I think the Dominican has us beat there...there 1-6 is just flat out scary. Soriano, Tejada, Puljos, Ortiz, Alou, and Beltre. Overall I still think we have the better team with more depth, but that portion of their lineup is just scary. I bet these pitchers are glad they dont have to face this lineup for an entire season.

Ill make my case for a better US liineup at the leadoff and number 5 spots. The rest is pretty much dead even, with maybe an exception at the 3 hole, with Pujols over Griffey....however when Griffey is healthy, there may not be a better CF.

Soriano is not a good lead off hitter. He is very subpar when compared to Damon and Michael Young. Soriano strikes out way too much and chases bad pitches. Young and Damon are solid contact hitters and will have much greater obp. In the 5 hole, Moises Alou, at 40, is still good, but he is no Mark Teixera. Gold Glove first baseman, 300. + avg. and 46 homeruns, plus he is a lefty.

Georgio,

Both lineups are sick, but I would have to give the Domincan lineup the edge. 1-6, 3-6 whatever it is. But that is not a knock on the US lineup. The scary thing is, the domincan lineup doesn't even have Vlad or Man Ramz and it could of had Arod.

But the US has by far. BY FAR the best pitching. BY FAR. that with our sick lineup gives us a great chance. And to think, we don't have all of our best pitchers too.


I love this thing. And I wish Zambrano would have beaned one of the Domicans so I could see a nation brawl. I swear I thought the people in the stands were about to kill eachother.

Their lineup isn't as good at key positions, especially leadoff. Our pitching is better, and our catching is better in Jason Varitek and Michael Barrett.

what you see with the Dominican lineup is something that I have noticed a lot of college baseball coaches doing over the past few years...they use their prototypical "leadoff guy" (in this case Willy Taveras) in the 9 hole and put someone that is more of a two hole hitter in the 1 spot. In reality the leadoff guy only starts an inning what once or twice a game, so putting Soriano, a pretty good hitter, in the 1 spot in hopes of putting some runs on the board in the first inning isnt a bad move. Now Soriono batting leadoff for a national league club for an entire season is not a move I would make but with a DH in a sort series it isnt that bad of a move, especially with the low pitch counts allowed to pitchers in this tournament.

and I agree Texeria is better right now, but he is still young (only 25) and doesnt have the experience that Moises has. Texeria has only been in pro ball for what 4 years (I know he spent at least 3 at Georgia Tech before signing a pro contract) and there are some situations in the game of baseball where talent is one thing, but it doesnt help you out as much as experience does.

The at-the-plate difference between Varitek and a league-replacement catcher is probably about the same as between Griffey and Pujols right now (and possibly Teixeira too, who is GREATLY helped by his ballpark) - not that Varitek isn't very good, but it's just that he's very good for a catcher . . . now, calling the game is a different story, but I can't quantify that.

I just don't see the holes the same way you do - if anything, the US has similar holes in the OF (CF and RF, plus Damon is subpar if you consider him against strictly LFers).

I'm not sure exactly what you are trying to say here. Maybe clarify it up a little. I really doesn't matter who you match Varitek up against, replacement or not, because at this point in his career he is the best catcher in baseball....hitting, defense, calling a game....he's got it all. I caught for a year in college so I can see alot of the difference between him and other players. Regardless of the ballpark, Tex is still going to be dominant for years. Ballparks don't help you win gold gloves.....they may help you hit 45 HR's, but you still have to have the ability, like him, to hit .315 - .325.

OF - The Dominican's one advantage was Vlad in RF, but he's not playing. Ill take Randy Winn, Damon, and Griffey over Juan Encarnacion, Willy Mo, and Moises Alou any day. Damon is consistent, and that makes him so good. He doesn't make errors, gets on base, steals bases. He is also not a true LF, so I can't really compare him. Griffey, like I said, is one of the best when he is healthy, and he is. .305 with 35 hr's last year, not bad. Winn, is the same as Damon pretty much, with more speed and a slightly better arm.......however none have the arm of Alou, who still has a friggin cannon.

-Pujols is the best player in baseball, no arguing that. He can do it all.

Thank goodness - Team USA is finally getting some runs on the board.

JASON VARITEK HITS A GRAND SLAM!!!!!!

Team USA now only down by 2....it's a ballgame again!

CANADA SUCKS!

Wow. biggest upset of the classic....

:mad:


I missed most of the game. I saw us get down 0-7, came back home to watch us lose in the 9th :(


you know what was pretty cool about that game though? was Steve Nash drinkin a beer in the stands cheerin on his country