The Baseball Files » WBC

TBF is back with some Toronto baseball news

Sam Stevens — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:27:11 +0000

With just seven days to go before Opening Day (w00t!) it's time to put some life back into The Baseball Files! During the off-season I continued to follow trades and rumors on other blogs, but was too caught up with other things to be posting commentary. All this changes today with some Toronto baseball news:

Toronto has been selected to host first round games of the 2009 WBC! March 5-9, games will go down between Canada, USA, Venezuela and Italy. If I felt like doubling the travel time, I could catch games in Tokyo instead of Toronto, which is also hosting first round action. I would LOVE to be part of a baseball crowd in Japan!

Ouch, this hurts! Newly acquiried Jays 3B Scott Rolen broke his finger in a fielding drill yesterday. He is out indefinitely. Marco Scutaro will fill in for the time being.

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Former Jays ignite Puerto Rico in the 8th

Sam Stevens — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 03:29:55 +0000

It's an excitement moment: Carlos Delgado's first at bat in the WBC! Jose Cruz Jr. is on first… also a former Jay. Delgado's first swing is… a single! Beautiful swing, just beautiful. Nice big smile, too. Cuba leading Puerto Rico 4-3… but the ball is bobbled, and PR has the bases loaded!

UPDATE: Alex Cintron hit into a double play, and so we got to the ninth. This has been a thrilling game!!

UPDATE: Cuba shuts out PR in the ninth and wins it, 4-3. I'm sad to see PR out, but that was a great game nonetheless!

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Canada's fate rests with South Africa

Sam Stevens — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 19:28:56 +0000

Game time is less than 30 minutes away and the excitement–in this office, at least–is building. Roger Clemens gets the start for Team USA, in what could be his final professional performance. Yes, we've all heard his retirement threats before–the real thrill of this game is that a South Africa win will send Canada on to the next round (while a loss will advance the Americans). I'd like to see the best pitcher of all time have a great game, but go Canada… I mean South Africa!

UPDATE: Second inning… has Roger Clemens ever given up a 10 run lead? It's looking grim for the Canucks…

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Canada shakes up Pool B with win over USA

Sam Stevens — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 04:11:39 +0000

Team Canada pounced on Dontrelle Willis and took a 5-0 lead in the third. Canada's Adam Stern almost hit for the cycle, but settled instead with an inside-the-park home run and four RBIs. The Americans stormed back and scored 6 runs in the fifth inning–including a grand slam by Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek–but they never managed to catch the Canucks.

Adam Stern said it best: "We're not just a hockey country."

The excitement continues tomorrow when Canada plays Mexico at 8pm EST.

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Canada edges South Africa

Sam Stevens — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 17:44:50 +0000

That was close! Canada narrowly averted what would have been a difficult loss to the surprisingly effective South African team in its opening game of the inaugural World Baseball Classic on Tuesday. Team Canada was sloppy on the field, and Paul Quantrill turned out a disappointing performance in relief, but Canada rallied for four runs in the ninth to win the game.

On a more encouraging note, Canada's men in the middle of the lineup showed their strengths: Jason Bay and Justin Morneau got the four-run seventh started with with back-to-back doubles, Corey Koskie hit a towering home run to right field, and Matt Stairs went 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

For more about this game, see: Canada given scare in WBC opener (CBC.ca) and Canada escapes South African rallies (MLB.com).

Canada will play Team USA at 4pm ET today.

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