Team Cuba was knock off the World Baseball Classic by Japan 5-0. What happened there? This is a team that has never finished lower than third in international competition dating back to 1951! According to statistics supplied by the World Baseball Classic organizing committee, it's the first time since 1951 that Cuba didn't secure a least a finals berth in one of four major international tournaments: the International Baseball Federation World Cup, the Intercontinental Cup, the Olympics and the Classic. It broke a streak of 40 consecutive trips to the finals in those four events. I'm sure nobody is shedding a tear. This is reminiscent of the New York Yankees failing to make the playoffs last year after a 13 years run. Japan is now 3-0 against Cuba in Classic play, including two shutouts wins in this Classic. How odd.
The final four teams are now set though, with Japan now joining Korea, Venezuela and the U.S.A. There will be another round two game tonight to determine the pool winner with a fourth game between the Asian powerhouses of Japan and Korea (Korea has the advantage 2-1 so far). The winner of that game will then play a hobbled U.S team, who might miss one of their biggest threat in Kevin Youkilis due to a sore left ankle, for a spot in the final. Venezuela will play the loser in the other semifinal. Who do you think is going to win it all????
No comments:
Post a Comment