Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Big Games? They're All Big Games

Two very important baseball games are being played tonight and tomorrow night in the Estadio Nacional in far-off Panama City, Panama.

Team Canada, already guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals of the Americas Olympic Baseball Qualifying Tournament with a 2-0 record, can secure first place and a favourable route to the finals with wins over Mexico tonight (at 8:00) and Cuba tomorrow (at 3:00). Mexico lost 5-4 to Cuba in 13 innings yesterday, so hopefully the big Canadian bats will feast on a tired bullpen.

Team Canada won their first game of the tournament, beating Puerto Rico 8-5 on a three-run outburst in the 11th inning, including a homer by Todd Betts of Scarborough (and the Yakult Swallows of Japan's Central League). Minnesota's Justin Morneau hit two home runs in the win. The Puerto Ricans went on to beat Mexico 5-1.

Canada's subsequent game against the Bahamas was forfeited as the Bahamian team had visa problems.

Canada's roster, which you can see in this story from Baseball America, is loaded with big hitters, including Betts, Morneau, Devil Rays catcher Pierre-Luc (Pete) LaForest, and Jeff Guiel of the Angels. Perennial fan favourite Stubby Clapp is also on the team, and a number of former major leaguers including Jason Dickson, Mike Johnson (who will start tonight), Rob Butler, and Rob Ducey.

Two Jays prospects, New Haven 1B Matt Logan and New Haven reliever John Ogiltree, are on the club (Alexis Rios was on the Puerto Rican team they beat on Friday). Canada's manager? It's none other than the man, the myth, the legend... Ernie Whitt.

As I said above, Mike Johnson (4-3, 3.72 for AAA Fresno in 2003) is expected to start against Mexico tonight, and Reds prospect Brett Gray (5-3, 3.94, 14/57 BB/K for AA Chattanooga in 2003) is likely to go against Cuba. Canada will apparently face Rigo Beltran (5-4, 2.71 for AAA Ottawa in 2003 and a former Cardinal, Met and Rockie) tonight and Cuban lefthander Ediel Polma on Wednesday. Polma could pose a problem as most of Canada's lineup is lefty hitters.

Only the top two finishers will qualify for the Athens Olympics (how stupid is that, that only two teams from the Americas will play at the Olympics?) so Canada must make the final in order to go; finishing first would mean that they would avoid the first-place team in the other pool (likely to be the powerful U.S. team) until the final.

Baseball Canada's site is at www.baseball.ca.

Posted by Craig B on Tuesday, November 04 2003 @ 03:10 AM EST.

Big Games? They're All Big Games | 62 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

_Rich - Tuesday, November 04 2003 @ 03:34 PM EST (#86365) #

Interesting roster. I've played against 2 of them: Betts and Clapp in junior ball. I wonder why Rich Butler isn't playing (played against him too).

_coliver - Tuesday, November 04 2003 @ 04:39 PM EST (#86366) #

From an American who loves Toronto and visits it often (gotta love the SkyDome Hotel)...GOOD LUCK TO TEAM CANADA!

_Evair Montenegr - Tuesday, November 04 2003 @ 04:46 PM EST (#86367) #

I supports team Panama because I�m panamanian but good luck anyways to team Canada.

Craig B - Tuesday, November 04 2003 @ 05:54 PM EST (#86368) #

Actually, Evair, the Panamanians (the home team) look pretty good to make at least the semis. They have some good pitchers on the staff (Rafael Medina and Bruce Chen notably) and Sherman Obando provides a good bat, and they have Ruben Rivera to run down everything in centerfield.

_coliver - Tuesday, November 04 2003 @ 06:12 PM EST (#86369) #

Just a quick question:

Does anyone know anywhere I can view, listen, or get information about the current Winter League Baseball season(Dominican, Ven, or Puerto Rico)? Rosters, statistics, and maybe some cable TV coverage would be great. I remember that MSG put Winter league Baseball from Puerto Rico on a few years back. Does anyone know if there is going to be any sort of media coverage this season?

Dominican Winter League Baseball would be the remedy for us baseball addicts!

_Evair Montenegr - Tuesday, November 04 2003 @ 06:39 PM EST (#86370) #

Craig B: Yes this is a good team and we have a good chance to reach the semi-finals. We also have Roger Deago who played a couple of games for the padres this year and Julio Mosquera a former Blue Jay. We also have Omar Moreno jr., son of former major leaguer and manager of team panama and a lot of formers major leaguers, and a couple of prospects like Avelino Asprilla (pirates) and Damaso Espino (Royals).

_gid - Tuesday, November 04 2003 @ 07:02 PM EST (#86371) #

Is any of this stuff on TV/radio? (In particular, Rogers cable in Toronto?)

_Evair Montenegr - Tuesday, November 04 2003 @ 08:06 PM EST (#86372) #

Canada is winning 2-0 with back to back home runs by Kevin Nicholson and Stubby Clapp.

_Evair Montenegr - Tuesday, November 04 2003 @ 08:35 PM EST (#86373) #

4-0 Canada: 2-run homer by Pete Laforrest in the top of the 3rd.

_Jabonoso - Wednesday, November 05 2003 @ 09:19 AM EST (#86374) #

There is no TV on the pre-olympics ( sadly) For winter leagues games ESPN 2 is transmiting on Tuesdays, Thursdays and saturdays Mexican league. Later ( like in December) they do Puerto Rican and very few Dominican or Venezuelan. ( well I do not know about the other spanish language channel, but you can check on thei page )

_Jabonoso - Wednesday, November 05 2003 @ 09:28 AM EST (#86375) #

I fully agree that this format is stupid, so much that Dominicana and Venezuela are out from this qualifyer, they would be strong candidates for a bronce, gold and silver going regularly to Cuba and USA. Of course Asia is stronger every year, especially Taiwan and Korea are improving consistently, Japan being there already ( among the big four). Australia is ok but Nederlands, Italy etc. are frankly below many left out already...
In soccer they give Europe eight places and every time there are two or three left out that are far better than the asian, african or northamerican parties. South America get five and is the same story...

_coliver - Wednesday, November 05 2003 @ 10:21 AM EST (#86376) #

Thank you for the Winter league Information, Jabonoso.

Is this the 1st year ESPN 2 is broadcasting these games?

Craig B - Wednesday, November 05 2003 @ 11:18 AM EST (#86377) #

It ended happily, 8-2. As Evair mentioned, the keystone combo of Nicholson and Clapp hit bombs off Rigo Beltran in the first, LaForest hit a two-run homer and an RBI double, the Angels' Ryan Radmanovich had a two-run double. Mike Johnson went six and gave up one run on four hits.

New Haven's John Ogiltree finished the game for Canada, incidentally.

Huge game, absolutely huge, against Cuba this afternoon. A win would mean an easy game in the quarterfinal against Colombia, Brazil or Nicaragua, and a meeting with (likely) Mexico, Puerto Rico or Panama for a berth in the semis.

On the other hand, that goes out the window if Panama can beat the U.S. today. But we'll assume they won't (sorry Evair!)

If we lose to Cuba, we play the third-place team from the U.S. pool (probably Colombia or Nicaragua depending on who wins today) and then the winner of the quarterfinal between the U.S. and Mexico or Puerto Rico.

If we win, we play the fourth-place team (likely the loser between Colombia and Nicaragua) and the winner of a Panama - Mexico/PR semi. That's a much more attractive proposition.

Mike D - Wednesday, November 05 2003 @ 11:36 AM EST (#86378) #

Thought I'd point out that Jabonoso is totally, completely justified in his outrage. Two European teams -- plus host Greece -- in Olympic baseball, with two North American/Central American/Caribbean teams combined? Surely the World Cup -- if it ever comes to pass -- won't be bound by such inane regulations.

Can you imagine if the 2006 Olympic hockey tournament limited the number of European entries to two, with two teams from South America? It's actually not that crazy of an analogy.

Gerry - Wednesday, November 05 2003 @ 11:58 AM EST (#86379) #

Thought I'd point out that Jabonoso is totally, completely justified in his outrage. Two European teams -- plus host Greece -- in Olympic baseball, with two North American/Central American/Caribbean teams combined?

To get into the Olympics you have to be a world sport. Regional sports usually have a tough time getting in. If all the teams in the Olympics are from America's or Asia then the Olympics may look to throw baseball out.

Craig B - Wednesday, November 05 2003 @ 12:08 PM EST (#86380) #

The level of European competition is laughably bad, but the level of elite (non-MLB) ball in Asia isn't just catching up to North America, it has caught up. Japan won bronze in 1992 and silver in 1996, Taiwan won silver in 1992, Korea won bronze in 2000.

If three damn European teams are making it, PLUS Australia, they should at least have expanded the field to twelve teams to allow three Asian and five North American teams in. Two and two is idiotic.

Mike D - Wednesday, November 05 2003 @ 12:14 PM EST (#86381) #

To get into the Olympics you have to be a world sport.

It's not true that baseball -- even when only played by North America (plus Caribbean), Central and South America, Asia and Australia -- is less of a "world sport" than other Summer Olympic sports (we won't even get into the highly regional Winter Olympics).

Cycling and Water Polo are only seriously contested by Europe, North America and Oceania.

Handball and Table Tennis are only seriously contested by Europe and East Asia.

Sports like Canoeing, Equestrianism, Synchronized Swimming and Yachting do not exactly identify with a universal audience.

I don't mind that European teams are there to get blown out in the Olympics. Certainly, though, the field should be expanded to get more viable teams in. If the sixth-best team in the Americas is far superior to the best European team, should there really be parity in Olympic tournament bids?

Mike D - Wednesday, November 05 2003 @ 12:15 PM EST (#86382) #

Craig made my point more succinctly -- and quicker to boot.

_Evair Montenegr - Wednesday, November 05 2003 @ 06:30 PM EST (#86383) #

It is 6:30 PM panama time and i am going to the game between USA and Panama at 8 o�clock. It is raining a little at this time and I hope it didn�t rain harder so the game could be played, tomorrow I will put how Gabe Gross do (if the game is played).

Craig B - Thursday, November 06 2003 @ 08:55 AM EST (#86384) #

There was a fireworks accident at the US-Panama game, and 10 fans were injured. Evair, please post again to let us know that you are OK.

Yesterday was not a good day. Dernell Stenson, and now this...

The U.S. beat Panama 3-0, behind 16 K's from four pitchers (including Jesse Crain, who was born in Toronto). The Panamanian pitchers combined for 14 K's but Mike Rouse sparked the U.S. attack with three hits and Ernie Young hit a late home run as well.

Canada, unfortunaetly, lost 7-2 to Cuba and will play Colombia at 3pm on Sunday... with the winner facing the powerful U.S.

The Cuban lefthander, Adiel Palma (I don't know why I called "Ediel Polma" in my last article, I got some bum info from somewhere), ran through the predominantly lefty Canadians like a hot knife through butter, with a line of 7 3 1 1 1 10. OF Carlos Tabares went 4-for-4 with 3 RBI. Stubby Clapp had a triple, and Ryan Radmanovich a home run in the 8th, for Canada, who made three errors. Jason Dickson (not Brett Gray as I had expected) took the loss for Canada.

Palma is interesting. This is a guy who really never had much going on for many years, but in his early 30s has reinvented himself, setting Cienfuegos club records for ERA in 2001 and Ks in 2003 after a largely indifferent career in which he is 105-123.

Coach - Thursday, November 06 2003 @ 09:34 AM EST (#86385) #

I got some bum info from somewhere

Just the other day, in the wire service report on the Jays' coaching changes in the minors, there was a reference to roving instructor Bernie Whitt. Wonder if he's any relation to the Team Canada skipper?

An upset over Cuba would have been great for our boys, but a couple of strong right-handed bats would have helped. We seem to produce a lot of lefty hitters up here.

As I was saying to Craig yesterday, I was never as excited about the third or fourth tier of Canadian hockey players facing another country's best for Olympic or World titles as I have been since the best pros got involved, and I feel the same way about baseball. A real World Cup, if and when it ever happens, will be tremendously exciting. We'd be a longshot to earn medals in such an event, but the developing Canadian pitching staff (Harden, Francis, Loewen, Perkins...) might make up for the decline of Larry Walker.

_Jabonoso - Thursday, November 06 2003 @ 12:26 PM EST (#86386) #

Espn 2 have been airing Mexican winter baseball for three years now, it used to be Thursday night only and remember it is pacific time so could be very late there...

Mike Green - Thursday, November 06 2003 @ 01:31 PM EST (#86387) #

In last night's game, Gabe Gross hit 5th between Koonce and Mauer, and went 0-1 with 3 walks. Mauer went 0-4.

_Evair Montenegr - Thursday, November 06 2003 @ 02:38 PM EST (#86388) #

I was at yesterday game but I arrived a little late so I didn�t see the accident. As Mike Green said Gabe Gross went 0 for 1 with three walks and a fly to center.

_peteski - Friday, November 07 2003 @ 02:22 AM EST (#86389) #

"As I was saying to Craig yesterday, I was never as excited about the third or fourth tier of Canadian hockey players facing another country's best for Olympic or World titles as I have been since the best pros got involved, and I feel the same way about baseball. A real World Cup, if and when it ever happens, will be tremendously exciting. We'd be a longshot to earn medals in such an event, but the developing Canadian pitching staff (Harden, Francis, Loewen, Perkins...) might make up for the decline of Larry Walker."

I've been calling for a World Cup of Baseball for years. Honestly, it would be awesome. Baseball has become such an international game, I really think it would make for awesome competition. Canada would be mediocre at best, but it would still be a lot of fun to cheer them on. What countries would have the best teams? USA, Japan, Dominican Rep., Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Cuba. Actually, I think Canada could fit in quite comfortably after that group. Who else would be really good?

When do you think they could run such a tournament? In November after the season, perhaps? I would really like to see it happen.

_Spicol - Friday, November 07 2003 @ 09:12 AM EST (#86390) #

When do you think they could run such a tournament? In November after the season, perhaps?

For the Americans and Canadians, that would be fine, but that would interfere with baseball that leads up to the Caribbean World Series. I'm not an expert on winter leagues so will ask for someone's assistance here: is there a couple of weeks between November and February where there aren't any organized, international leagues?

Craig B - Friday, November 07 2003 @ 09:22 AM EST (#86391) #

Spicol, I don't think that the November timeline would make much difference at all. Few elite players (the kind that would be in the World Cup) take part in winter league play anymore.

To the extent that it's an issue, I think the winter league owners could be bought off cheaply to support a November tournament, a two-week hiatus in their schedule, and carrying the WL season over to January 15th with a shortened one-week Caribbean Series. Since there would be warmup games, preliminary round games, and the like... these can fill in the two-week break.

You could also make some serious hay with them by offering to put World Cup no. 2 in the Caribbean.

Or, you could just proceed without their consent. Not nice, certainly, but more practical.

Are there enough domed stadia in Japan to make a World Cup practical there? It strikes me that the answer is yes... there are at least two which is a bare minimum number, ideally four.

For the first World Cup, though, you have to go to the U.S., with the final somewhere like Dodger Stadium... I think Yankee Stadium, Fenway, and Wrigley are all too cold in November.

Craig B - Friday, November 07 2003 @ 09:31 AM EST (#86392) #

On the teams front, I think twelve teams is a reasonable number.

With Japan, Taiwan, and Korea you get three. Canada and the U.S. are four and five. Panama, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela are six through eleven.

Then you have a bunch of other countries. Brazil are coming on, Nicaragua have some players as do Costa Rica, the small islands can field players as well. The European teams will want a chance. Australia are very good, on a level with some of those Caribbean countries.

So I think you have to have a play-in tournament, or even go to sixteen teams. But I like twelve with ten guaranteed spots based on the last (amateur) "World Cup" and two more that are decided by a knockout format.

Twelve is nice because it's two groups of six, five games for each team in six or seven days days, with the top two playing off in one-game semis and finals on a Saturday and a Sunday. Ten days and you're done, you go Friday through Thursday, take Friday as an off day - or to playoff for teams tied for second - and then play the final.

_Jabonoso - Friday, November 07 2003 @ 10:29 AM EST (#86393) #

One of the problems will be how to have your players in their best form in the middle of their holidays. it could be exactly after the caribean series ( which has the problem that many have to report to spring training and can not field the best teams ) and could be mixed with late spring training interclubles play. You can host the Asia, Europe and Australia teams to play ML in spring training camps. Games could be in south US ( like ST ), the Caribean parks and Cuba ( Cuba is not playing the Caribean series for some time now ). I guess we can fix it, but then you have your embargo, union issues etc and never happen..

Mike Green - Friday, November 07 2003 @ 06:11 PM EST (#86394) #

BA reports that the US was eliminated from Olympic competition after a shocking 2-1 loss to Mexico today on a ninth inning home run. Gabe Gross did not start, and came in as a late inning defensive replacement.

_Jabonoso - Friday, November 07 2003 @ 06:34 PM EST (#86395) #

USA was in a very weak group with host Panama,Colombia and Nicaragua.
Mexico played A team against Cuba ( loss in extrainnings ) but since everybody was qualified to quarterfinals due to the teams that drop the invitation, it was a good strategy to save best pitcher to the first game that counted.
Canada will win easily against Colombia and have an all or nothing match up with Mexico...

_Jabonoso - Friday, November 07 2003 @ 06:46 PM EST (#86396) #

Anyone has a scout report on Mike Johnson, slated as starter in the semis?

_Jabonoso - Friday, November 07 2003 @ 07:04 PM EST (#86397) #

I just checked that M Johnson was the starter against Mexico, so they know him now. Well who could predict a semi against Mexico

_Evair Montenegr - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 10:48 AM EST (#86398) #

Is that Luis Garcia that hit the homer by Mexico in the ninth the same who was in the blue jays system some years ago?

_Evair Montenegr - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 10:51 AM EST (#86399) #

I was in the game between Panama and Puerto Rico, won by Puerto rico 5-3, Alexis Rios was the left fielder and batted third. In the first inning he singled. In the second at-bat he hit a deep fly out to left centre caught by Ruben Rivera at the wall, in his third at bat he was intenionally walked, and in his fourth at-bat he hit a hard line to center field and in his last at bat he hit a broken bat grounder to the short. So he was 1 for 4 with a walk.

_Jabonoso - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 01:16 PM EST (#86400) #

Evair:
actually there are two luis Garcia in Mexico's team, if i've read well the homer came from Luis Carlos who was rooky of the year two years ago in the mexican summer league and has had no exposure to US baseball, althoug BA shows a picture of the other Luis garcia. As far as i know the jays only have tried two mexicans, both pitchers, one jose Silva, traded to Pitsburgh and (name=blank ) a submariner reliever they cut loose from New Haven this year...

_Jabonoso - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 01:52 PM EST (#86401) #

Evair:
I checked todays press and they have corrected last nigth update. The homer came from Luis Alfonso, who is old enough to have been in the minors sometime ago. I did not realize if he was with the jays...
Who where the pitchers in yesterday game ( Pan-PR )?
Press coverture is really bad ( BA has updated that game results )

Craig B - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 02:03 PM EST (#86402) #

Hard to believe that it was the same Rigo Beltran who Canada smacked around for two first-inning homers and six total runs in that 8-2 victory earlier.

_Evair Montenegr - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 02:24 PM EST (#86403) #

Jabonoso: The pitchers from yesterday game were Roger Deago who is with San Diego and for Puerto Rico the starter was a former Major leaguer Omar Olivares.

_Jabonoso - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 02:49 PM EST (#86404) #

Craig, Mexico played a deceptive game that resulted very well. USA in Robinson's words " could not adapt to a steady diet of offspeed stuff".
Are the Canadians guys fast ball hitters? I guess they are.
One surprise starter for Mexico could be Alvarez that have been used as a reliever, or Gonzalez that pitched against Cuba and kept them on check for five innings.
The two semis will be two good games more leveled than most people think.
remember that a couple of months ago Mexico was bronce in the Panam games ( a tournament in which host Dominicana was shockingly eliminated )

_Evair Montenegr - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 03:51 PM EST (#86405) #

Canada is already winning 3-1 in the third.

_Evair Montenegr - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 04:45 PM EST (#86406) #

Canada is winning 7-6 in the sixth.

_Evair Montenegr - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 05:01 PM EST (#86407) #

10-6 after six innings.

_Evair Montenegr - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 05:54 PM EST (#86408) #

The game just finished: Canada won 14-6.

_Jabonoso - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 06:15 PM EST (#86409) #

Thats hardly a surprise. Now it is set Canada vs Mexico tomorrow.
Sandy Alomar sr. Puerto Rico's team manager, declared that they are up for the next big surprise ( defeating Cuba ) remembered a series Puerto Rico won in 84 in Cuba in which he played and declared " Josue Matus has a good fastball and an exceptional change up, that should suffice to give us the chance to win"

Craig B - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 07:57 PM EST (#86410) #

Well, it's for all the marbles tomorrow night.

Josue Matus has a good fastball and an exceptional change up, that should suffice to give us the chance to win

This is terrific... new Jays signee Josue Matos will get the ball against Cuba.

The "terrific change" is our answer to how the guy could strike out ten men a game in the Texas League. I'm looking forward to seeing him in spring!

Craig B - Saturday, November 08 2003 @ 08:07 PM EST (#86411) #

Oh yeah I forgot, Jabonoso asked for scouting report on Mike Johnson.

Three words: Bert Blyleven Lite.

Ultra Lite, actually.

Johnson's a tall, thin guy like Blyleven was when he was younger. Johnson's really skinny, actually. He often wears a beard, like Blyleven did for many years.

Like Blyleven, Johnson's primary weapon is a big, hard-breaking curveball. He lives and dies on the curveball, to the extent that if it's not breaking, I've seen him give up a bunch of hits in a row, all rockets. His fastball is very modest and doesn't fool anyone.

If he can't get the curveball over, he will get killed. If he can, he can run through a free-swinging team like a hot knife through butter... it really is a wonderful pitch. But major leaguers kill him, because they can hit curveballs... and if he has to spot it, he'll have to come with the fastballs.

47 home runs in 217 big-league innings says it all about Johnson. (Blyleven, of course, holds the single-season record for home runs allowed).

_Jabonoso - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 12:31 PM EST (#86412) #

Mexican team is very good for offspeed stuff. Actually teams send prospects to the Mexican winter league to learn how to hit curveballs and change ups. I do not know if mexico has a crafty lefty under its sleeve otherwise the pitcher will be Edgar Gonzalez who pitched for the D'backs this year at age 20.
As a side note I watched K Youkilis, yesternight, I do not see him as a major leaguer. and it was an excellent night for him 1 hit 1 bb 2 rbi's in 4 at plate, he just do not have any power to impress anyone. He takes tons of pitches , but when he has to hit it is as lame as Rey. It remind me of the oriental tale, that when the tiger first saw a donkey was impressed by its height and apparent strenght, when donkey made a sound ( "rebuzno") the tiger thought " well it does not sound that powerful " and decided to go and smell and touch it, when the nervous donkey kick the tiger, then the tiger said to himself if this is all i'm going to get from this " expletive" it is as good as dead and he killed the donkey...

_Jabonoso - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 12:42 PM EST (#86413) #

Thank you Craig B.
I highly recommend an article by John Manuel at the BA page
Evair: I reviewed the Luis Garcia's at the cube. None played with the Jays. Luis A is with the Indians AAA now and Luis C has some incorrect entries, he has now 3 years in Mexican summer league and after the league ends he has had two brief stints with the O's ( AAA and ML ) but there they show it as different years ( like if in 2002 and 2003 he only played two dozen games ) and as he has been for longer in the game.

_Jabonoso - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 02:00 PM EST (#86414) #

Craig,
Go to mlb.com Alderson is announcing a 2005 world cup with major leaguers " with all the pressure Mr Selig is getting for his sttuborn stance about major leaguers and after reviewing carefully BBblog stance on the matter, MLB has decided that US has to have a sweet revenge, therefore there will be a world cup, in USA, with all advantages to us, so that there is no chance we could lose this thing.." and goes on

_Jabonoso - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 02:04 PM EST (#86415) #

Mexican press is announcing that probable starters against Canada could be Edgar Leyva or Tavo Alvarez ( a different Alvarez from the one that pitched against USA ) so they do have a surprise pitcher nobody has seen.

_Evair Montenegr - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 03:58 PM EST (#86416) #

I was thinking in Luis Lopez.

_Evair Montenegr - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 03:59 PM EST (#86417) #

Josue Matos is pitching for Puerto Rico today he is pitching well but is losing 1-0 after four innings.

_Jeff Geauvreau - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 04:26 PM EST (#86418) #

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/news/tor_press_release.jsp?ymd=20031105&content_id=599822&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor
Hijack:
Jays hire 9 new scouts !

From the Jays official site > news > press release on left hand side of page >under Huff promoted.

Click my name to go directly to story at Jays website.

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/news/tor_press_release.jsp?ymd=20031105&content_id=599822&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor

_Evair Montenegr - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 04:44 PM EST (#86419) #

Matos left the game in the sixth: 5IP 5H 4R 2HR 60 pitches.

Pepper Moffatt - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 06:05 PM EST (#86420) #

http://economics.about.com
Thanks for the link Jeff. You can go to that news report by clicking here.

Cheers,

Mike

_Jeff Geauvreau - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 06:24 PM EST (#86421) #

Mike ,

One of the new Jays scouts is a former # 43 round pick from 92 for the Jays(played 3 years in the minors ) who scouted for Inside Edge the computer scouting program from 2000-2003.

" AARON JERSILD will join the Blue Jays staff as an area scout in the upper Midwest region of the U.S. The 34-year-old's coverage will include Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and eastern Missouri. The 43rd-round draft selection of the Blue Jays in 1992 spent three seasons in the Blue Jays system from 1992-95. The former left-handed pitcher scouted from 2000-03 for Inside Edge, a computer-scouting program. "

Very interesting , A Keith Law type of scout.

_Evair Montenegr - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 08:10 PM EST (#86422) #

The pitcher for mexico is Edgar Gonzalez.

_Evair Montenegr - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 10:15 PM EST (#86423) #

Canada won 11-1 in seven innings.

Mike D - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 11:28 PM EST (#86424) #

With all due respect to our pal Jabonoso...

Woo-hoo! It's off to Athens with a legitimate shot at a medal!

Mike D - Sunday, November 09 2003 @ 11:39 PM EST (#86425) #

Alderson is announcing a 2005 world cup

Thanks, Jabonoso. It's being planned to be held in the USA during spring training 2005. Interesting!

It's a good idea, provided MLB pitchers don't get burned up before the season.

_Jabonoso - Monday, November 10 2003 @ 11:09 AM EST (#86426) #

I am happy for Canada and that stumping on the americans. i am also surprised about the pitchers melting, playing a big game three months after regular season ( mexican league ) or with the start of winter games had something to do with so much variabilty in performances. Wow for Morneu he has been hot!

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