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Pool F
in San DiegoChampionship RoundGM 1 Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico1
3F Tue, Mar 14
9:00 PM EDTTue, Mar 14
6:00 PM PDTgameday watch Gm 2 Venezuela
United States2
4F Wed, Mar 15
9:00 PM EDTWed, Mar 15
6:00 PM PDTgameday watch Gm 3 Venezuela
Dominican Republic0
3F Thu, Mar 16
10:00 PM EDTThu, Mar 16
7:00 PM PDTgameday watch Gm 4 United States
Puerto RicoFri, Mar 17
10:00 PM EDTFri, Mar 17
7:00 PM PDTBuy Tickets Gm 5 Puerto Rico
VenezuelaSat, Mar 18
3:30 PM EDTSat, Mar 18
12:30 PM PDTBuy Tickets Gm 6 United States
Dominican RepublicSat, Mar 18
10:00 PM EDTSat, Mar 18
7:00 PM PDTBuy Tickets Gm 7 * Pool F TBD
Pool F TBDSun, Mar 19
6:00 PM EDTSun, Mar 19
3:00 PM PDT
Gm 1Netherlands
Pool F WinnerMon, Mar 20
9:00 PM EDTMon, Mar 20
6:00 PM PDTBuy Tickets Gm 2 Pool F Runner-Up
JapanTue, Mar 21
9:00 PM EDTTue, Mar 21
6:00 PM PDTBuy Tickets Gm 3 Semi 2 Winner
Semi 1 WinnerWed, Mar 22
9:00 PM EDTWed, Mar 22
6:00 PM PDTBuy Tickets Comment -
Championship Round
Dodger Stadium hosts the Championship Round March 20-22.Comment -
sure have been a lot of sites for this[quote=jjgold;5683305]I win again like usual
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[quote=Whippit;7921056]miami won't lose a single eastern conference game through end of season[/quote]Comment -
Huge, must see match on Saturday night between the DR-USA.Comment -
The Tigers are continuing to scan the market for center field upgrades, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Detroit has been looking around for more options throughout camp, though perhaps the time isn’t quite ripe to make a move with other organizations holding onto their depth until their own situations are resolved. Rosenthal notes that JaCoby Jones has shown most impressively thus far among the in-house competitors with a .346/.393/.615 batting line. Alex Presley has also hit well this spring, though he has spent most of his time in the majors in a corner spot, while fellow competitors Tyler Collins and Mikie Mahtook have each struggled at the plate in game action.
Here’s more from the central divisions:
- Miguel Cabrera left yesterday’s WBC action with back tightness, but Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he’s not concerned with his star’s health, as Evan Woodberry of MLive.com reports. Team Venezuela skipper Omar Vizquel, who’s also a member of the Detroit coaching staff, notified Ausmus that it’s nothing more than a minor issue.
- The Indians received positive health updates on two critical players, as MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports. Carlos Carrasco is ready to begin throwing again, with the organization expressing optimism that his elbow soreness was little more than a blip. Meanwhile, outfielder Michael Brantley “feels good” after a five-inning appearance on the minor-league side of camp. His shoulder health remains a major variable for the defending American League champs.
- The Brewers pulled center fielder Keon Broxton from the team’s game today after he experienced soreness in his surgically repaired wrist, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports (Twitter links). Fortunately, though, it’s just a minor bone chip that’s said not to represent a significant concern. Broxton impressed in his limited time in the bigs last year and is hitting a scorching .395/.489/.737 in 14 games this spring, so the club is undoubtedly relieved that it can still look forward to a full season from the 26-year-old.
- Of course, the Brewers are also hoping that another wave of young outfielders will push Broxton and others before long. The organization plans to field a Triple-A outfield of Lewis Brinson, Ryan Cordell, and Brett Phillips, Haudricourt further writes. That’s at least somewhat surprising in the case of Phillips, Haudricourt notes, given his rough 2016 campaign at Double-A.
- Twins GM Thad Levine spoke with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand about a variety of topics in his first spring with his new organization. He says the Twins are hoping to avoid the lengthy rebuilding processes that some other organizations have pursued in recent years, citing the “wealth of young talent” the club will field at the major league level. The 103-loss 2016 campaign was something of an anomaly, he suggests, given the talent level. While the hyped Minnesota position players are well known, Levine also suggests there’s some cause for optimism in the pitching staff. He suggests there’s “some burgeoning pitching talent” on hand and also notes that he expects better health — and results — from Phil Hughes and others. There’s plenty more to digest from the interview for the Twins’ faithful.
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I'll take Dominican in a heartbeat.Comment -
Good game by the USA to advance and eliminate the DR.Comment -
The Athletics optioned highly touted shortstop prospect Franklin Barreto to Triple-A on Friday, though it seems he could enter the picture in Oakland sometime this year. “I think we’d all like to see him up here at some point and that’s our anticipation,” executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane said of Barreto, who slashed .481/.500/.667 in 27 spring at-bats (Twitter link via Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). Because Marcus Semien occupies short for the A’s, Barreto’s major league debut is likely to come at second base, per Beane, who noted Friday that the keystone is “probably his quickest path to the big leagues” (via Joe Stiglich of CSN Bay Area). The 21-year-old Barreto, whom Oakland acquired from Toronto in 2014 in the A’s ill-fated Josh Donaldson trade, tops out as Baseball America’s 40th-ranked prospect.
More from the American League:
- Beane also revealed Friday that the Athletics aren’t going to react to right-hander Sonny Gray’s lat strain by attempting to acquire pitching. Rather, Beane’s confident in the depth the A’s have on hand. “I don’t think it’s necessarily a fertile market to be diving into right now anyway this time of year,” he said. “I think we prefer to stay in-house and give maybe somebody an opportunity.” Kendall Graveman, Sean Manaea and Jharel Cotton are set to comprise the A’s top three starters in a temporarily Gray-less rotation, leaving the final spots to two of Jesse Hahn, Andrew Triggs or Raul Alcantara, writes Stiglich. One hurler who won’t factor into the rotation is righty Frankie Montas, who will work as a reliever this year, according to Beane. However, the A’s still see him as a long-term starter (Twitter link via Slusser).
- Although Red Sox first baseman/designated hitter Hanley Ramirez hasn’t been able to play the field this spring because of a shoulder issue, manager John Farrell doesn’t regard it as a serious injury, relays Rob Bradford of WEEI. “We feel like there’s been a little bit of a breakthrough here,” Farrell said Saturday. “We’re anticipating that throwing to continue to progress and ramp up. The goal, obviously, is still to get him games at first base while in camp, and we’re moving towards that.” Ramirez hasn’t been able to throw, but Farrell pointed out that “he still continues to drill work and ground balls at first base.”
- The Rangers won’t need a fifth starter until April 15, meaning they could opt for a four-man rotation until Andrew Cashner returns, per skipper Jeff Banister (via Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News). Cashner has made encouraging progress since he suffered a setback in his recovery from biceps tendinitis on March 9.
- One of Cashner’s teammates and fellow starters, Chi Chi Gonzalez, was diagnosed with a partial UCL tear on Friday. That left Gonzalez “stunned,” writes Grant, who adds that the 25-year-old is likely to get a second opinion. “I had some soreness, but thought it was the usual spring training stuff,” Gonzalez told Grant. “I thought it was something minor. And it’s something people often can’t even throw with and here I was pitching. It’s disappointing.”
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Usa usa usaComment -
US / Japan tuesday night from Dodger stadium .
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Mon 3/20
1601 Netherlands +140
1602 Puerto Rico -160
in the other semi...
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who here is gonna make 100+ units on beisbol this year?Comment -
The Red Sox’s rotation will already be without left-hander David Price to begin the season, and fellow southpaw Drew Pomeranz could join him on the shelf. Pomeranz left his start Sunday after two innings with tightness in his left triceps, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal was among those to report. Pomeranz doesn’t believe it’s a serious injury, but considering he dealt with forearm stiffness late last season and then had a stem cell injection, Boston “must be wary,” opines Scott Lauber of ESPN.com. Injuries have been the story of Pomeranz’s tenure with the Red Sox, who acquired him from the Padres last July for high-end pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza. The Sox then complained that the Padres withheld medical information on Pomeranz, leading Major League Baseball to suspend Friars general manager A.J. Preller for a month. The league also gave Boston a chance to undo the trade, but the team turned down the offer, in part because the trade deadline had already passed.
For the Red Sox, beginning the season without both Price and Pomeranz would force them to slot Kyle Kendrick into their rotation. The 32-year-old last pitched in the majors in 2015, when he started in all 27 of his appearances with the Rockies and posted a 6.32 ERA in 142 1/3 innings. Kendrick joined Boston in January on a minor league deal, which includes opt-outs on June 15 and Aug. 15.
More injury news:
- Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez went for an MRI on his mid-right foot sprain on Sunday, but the team didn’t release the results. Instead, it sent Martinez to see a foot specialist for a second opinion, according to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. The Tigers could find out Martinez’s fate as early as Sunday, said manager Brad Ausmus; although Martinez doesn’t have any broken bones, ligament damage is a possibility, notes Fenech. That could be disastrous for both team and player – Martinez is an integral part of Detroit’s lineup, and he’s entering a contract year. Based on potential earning power, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes ranks Martinez as the sixth-best player who’s scheduled to hit the open market next winter.
- Hoping to make a quicker-than-expected return from a lat strain, Athletics right-hander Sonny Gray will head to Chicago on Monday to visit Dr. Anthony Romeo, a latissimus dorsi expert, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Gray’s goal is to receive clearance to begin throwing again. The A’s shut down Gray for three weeks on March 9, but if his visit to Chicago yields good news, he could make his season debut in the middle of April instead of at the end, per Slusser.
- Padres lefty Christian Friedrich has been dealing with “overall soreness from the shoulder down through the triceps through the elbow” this spring, manager Andy Green told AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Consequently, Friedrich could have difficulty making good on his effort to crack the Padres’ rotation. Friedrich led the Padres in starts (23) last year, when he logged a 4.80 ERA, 6.96 K/9, 3.62 BB/9 and a 44.9 percent ground-ball rate over 129 1/3 innings.
- Outfielder Jaff Decker’s spring bid to win a roster spot with the Athletics could be in jeopardy on account of an oblique strain, writes Slusser. Decker has been competing with Alejandro De Aza to serve as Oakland’s fifth outfielder (if the team carries one), but the former’s attempt might go for naught if the injury keeps him out for more than a few days. “It’s unfortunate: He was having a good camp, he was impressing,” manager Bob Melvin said of Decker, who has hit .304/.407/.408 in 23 spring at-bats. “There’s still a spot to be won out there whatever potentially the 25th spot is, the 12th or 13th spot as far as the position players go.”
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I can't believe the Rangers spent $10M on Cashner. Dude will be lucky to have 5 quality starts. That will be $2M per quality start.Comment -
5dimes
Netherlands vs Puerto Rico - World Baseball Classic - Championship Round - Dodger Stadium - Los Angeles, CAMon 3/20 1601 Netherlands +1½ +110 +190 o9½ -110 9:00PM 1602 Puerto Rico -1½ -130 -230 u9½ -110 USA vs Japan - World Baseball Classic - Championship Round - Dodger Stadium - Los Angeles, CA Tue 3/21 1603 USA +1½ -175 +110 o8 -115 9:00PM 1604 Japan -1½ +155 -130 u8 -105 Comment -
Wow ... Puerto Rico -160 to -230Comment -
Gonna watch PR kick some ass tonight !!
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I guess I overestimated the Dominicans.Comment -
Is the WBC even worth it? No lines in Vegas, was barely on tvs in the sports book.Comment -
The White Sox are engaged in extension talks with young shortstop Tim Anderson, according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin (via Twitter).
Just how far along the sides are isn’t clear at this time, though Anderson has been out of action for what the team has labeled “personal reasons.” A team source would neither confirm nor deny the discussions with Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter), but did note that no announcement is expected today.
Anderson, 23, hasn’t even yet reached a full year of MLB service time. He picked up 115 days on the active roster in 2016, which means he’s on track to reach arbitration eligibility in 2020 and qualify for free agency in 2023.
Long considered a quality prospect, Anderson provided a strong debut season last year. Over 431 plate appearances, he posted a .283.306/.432 batting line with nine home runs and ten stolen bases. He also delivered 22 doubles and six triples in his first go at the big leagues.
Anderson also showed stellar glovework at short, racking up well-above-average ratings from both UZR and DRS despite recording 14 errors. That sets a solid floor moving forward, though it remains to be seen just how much offense Anderson will deliver over the long haul.
The big question with Anderson’s bat is whether he can improve upon (or overcome) his rather ugly plate discipline marks. In 2016, he recorded a 27.1% strikeout rate while walking in just 3.0% of his plate appearances. That continued a long history of less-than-ideal K/BB rates in the minors.
Further, though he has long run a lofty batting average on balls in play in the minors, Anderson’s .375 BABIP seems likely to regress. Just three qualifying hitters posted higher marks last year. It remains to be seen, too, whether Anderson can continue the power boost he showed in 2016; his 13 dingers between the majors and highest level of the minors were easily a personal best, and his .149 isolated slugging mark also outpaced his typical levels.
That said, there are perhaps some reasons to believe Anderson can continue to grow as a hitter. The former first-round pick and consensus top-100 prospect certainly has the pedigree, and it’s promising that he was able to produce in the majors despite a fairly aggressive promotion up the ladder. Plus, he might add yet more value on the bases, as he did swiped 49 bags in 125 games at Double-A in 2015.
Prospective terms aren’t yet known. It’s rare to see extensions occur at this early stage of a player’s career, and no player with less than a year of service has scored more than $20MM guaranteed. That’s how much Chris Archer took home in the spring of 2014; he’s just one of four such players to score a long-term deal since Evan Longoria’s six-year, $17.5MM pact back in 2008.Comment -
i'm not too sold on Tim AndersonComment
