I, of course, will be there.

I'll try to make it, though I'm in Washington until the 9th and don't as yet know at what time I'll be arriving back in Toronto.

It will be like a "seventh game" for Canada. Lose and go home, win and it's a successful tournament no matter what happens in the next round. I hope Ernie can ignore his friendly rivalry with Buck and lets Stubby Clapp pitch Wednesday. He'll need his best starter(s) and a fresh bullpen on Thursday. I'm assuming we'll see Oliver Perez, Ricardo Rincon and every other Mexican southpaw, pitching around Jason Bay.

At the risk of being compared to Don Cherry, anyone who orders a Corona or even nachos may be subjected to jingoistic needling. I look forward to seeing old friends again, meeting new ones and toasting the recent arrival of a potential 2024 draftee by the name of Jesse Burley. Sounds like a power-hitting catcher. Congratulations and best wishes to his proud papa, Mrs. B. and big brother Jay.

Latest I heard was that Mexico wanted to go with their best, even if he is a righty......Esteban Loaiza.

That would be OK with me, as Koskie owns Loaiza, Stairs knows him well, Orr is 2-for-4 off him and any righty helps Morneau and Laforest.

There will be a lot of tandem starters in the tournament. Using minor leaguers vs. South Africa and the US to hold both Bedard and Francis back for Mexico would have been tempting to me. However, then I'd have to ask at least one of them to return on three days' rest to face Korea, which might not go over too well with the Orioles or Rockies and is actually against the rules if they throw 50 pitches or more. Gerry, I know you can appreciate how it resembles a youth tournament, where you often ride your ace in the semis and go with Charlie Wholestaff in the final.

I don't understand the negativity toward the WBC in some quarters. Sure, it "proves" nothing, but it's way more entertaining than the Grapefruit League. While blowouts are inevitable in the first round, certain games -- like Thursday night's -- should be very exciting, and starting with Sunday's quadruple-header, every matchup will be interesting.

That's great news to Canada. Oliver Perez and Jorge de la Rosa could give us fits. We can't take Loaiza for granted, but Canada could easily get stymied by left-handed pitching. At maximum we'll have four right-handed hitters in our lineup and that'd mean putting in Max St. Pierre/Chris Robinson at catcher over LaForest and playing the other at DH. They'd compliment switch-hitting Kevin Nicholson at short and Jason Bay in the outfield.

I wish I could attend the social, but unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to.

I'm a maybe! Sounds like fun...

I also may come. Let's see Canada get to semi's versus Team USA!!! Do you think it could happen?

I'm looking over Sportsnet's coverage of the WBC and I'm very pissed that they expect us to pay for all four regional channels to watch every game. For Tuesday, while Sportsnet Ontario and Sportsnet East will be showing the DR/Venezuela tilt, the Sportsnet West region get 2 hours of taped Sportsnetnews and 1 hour of poker. What the hell? Eastern Canada gets similarly screwed on the Mexico/US game.

I also may come. Let's see Canada get to semi's versus Team USA!!! Do you think it could happen?

Considering it's not possible, no. No, I don't.

To expand on Thomas' comment, the reason it's impossible to play the U.S. second round is because team Canada would face one of the teams from pool A (Either Korea or Japan... most likely Korea).

I also may come. Let's see Canada get to semi's versus Team USA!!! Do you think it could happen?

Considering it's not possible, no. No, I don't.


I don't get it Thomas. Can you please explain to me the possible semi's because that Canada vs. US is what makes sense to me...

The second round is another round-robin pool. The two top teams of Group B will join South Korea and Japan in one pool. Pool 2 will consist of the top two teams of Groups C and D. That will likely be the Dominican Republic, Venzuela, Puerto Rico and Cuba. So those teams will play a round-robin where each team plays each other once.

So say that the pools finish (hypothetically)
Pool 1: USA, Canada, South Korea, Mexico
Pool 2: Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Cuba.

Then the semis would have Pool 2's winner vs. Pool 1's runner-up (Dominican Republic vs. Canada) and Pool 1's winner vs. Pool 2's runner-up (USA vs. Venezuela). Teams will not play a team from the same pool in the semifinal.

If the Canada and US advance they will be in the same pool in Round 2. Therefore, they cannot meet in the semi-finals.

It is very possible for Canada to play the U.S. in the semi's.

What happens after the pool round robins, the top two teams in each division will go on to another pool. Currently, Korea and Japan are through to this next pool. They will play each of the two teams that go through from Pool B (Canada, U.S., Mexico and South Africa) and they will play each other. This means Japan and Korea will play each other at least one more time.

After this, the top two teams in each pool play a semi final match against the team from the same pool. That is, Pool 1 winner plays Pool 1 Runner-Up and pool 2 winner plays pool 2 runner-up.

The winner in each game goes on to the finals.

Thus, it is possible for two teams to meet 3 times. It is also possible for Canada and the U.S. to meet in the semi-finals.

well i guess u can disregard my entire comment.

Thanks Thomas.

(Now that's sarcasm)

But a correction. Pool 1 already contains Japan and Korea and the next two spots are will go to Canada, Mexico, U.S. or South Africa.

Thomas and I seem to disagree on the main issue of whether or not Canada and the U.S. can play in the semifinals. The official website of the world baseball classic lists the semifinal matchups as Pool 2 runner-up versus Pool 2 Winner and Pool 1 Runner-Up versus Pool 1 Winner. This means that Canada and the U.S. can play in the semifinals, if this is correct.

Yeah, smcs, that's why I thought that US and Canada would be in the semi's in the first place. Its like a tournament, with the AL vs. the NL in the world series...

I cannot make it. But I would like to take this opportunity to express my interest in having a Beer Club meet up in Waterloo provided there is demand. I am taking a full class load at UW this summer. But I can surely take some time out of my schedule to meet up with some Bauxites.

Email me if you would be interested:

Caintropollis@hotmail.com.

I should clarify, I meant at some later unspecified date. Not for the WBC.

Well, I admit that I'm wrong. I clearly misread/assumed on the semifinal issue. In my defence, this is about the first tournament that I've seen that structures it this way. Anyhow, I was mistaken.

So yes, Canada can play the US in the semis. I'd be very surprised if we beat them, but it's not impossible. However, Buck Martinez has already named Jake Peavy the US semifinal starter and we'll need a great performance from Francis or Bedard to beat them. We'd also need some great games to make it to the semis in the first place.

I think I'll be there. It all depends on a family commitment. Looking forward to it. :)

We're confirmed at Philthy McNasty's in Toronto. See the story for the details.

I think I will be coming...

Any place specific in Waterloo. I'm just a stones throw away
on the wrong side of the tracks in Kitchener.

Tex and Caino, I live in Waterloo and work in Kitchener, so I'm game.

Morty's in Waterloo might be a decent place, they're a sports bar and probably wouldn't have a problem showing the game. I'm open to anything though.

Morty's in Waterloo is a great idea, and I'd go, but its cheap wing night there so you can't get a reservation ahead of time, and to get a seat you'll have to be there by 7:30 at the latest.

I'm sure Frontrow on university ave. would be playing the game, and there would be no lineup.

Hey, the U.S. still has to beat South Africa to even make it. Think it can't happen? Look at yesterday's and today's games.

Woah! Morty's is still in Waterloo! Does Mort himself still run the place? Morty's has been in existence since at least 1985; before that, he ran a pizza place in Parkdale Plaza.

I suppose, though, that Big John Subs is long gone... :-(

Anyway, back to baseball: I know that one game isn't a test of true quality, and anything can happen in baseball - but I, for one, am happy as a clam to see Canada's team beat the U.S.

As the kids say: pwned!

To those in Kitchener Waterloo... how does meeting at McGuiness shortly before 8 sound?
I have to go to Toronto for work today, but I hope to be back in time. That said, I don't want to make reservations in case I can't make it. If not, how about everyone just wear a Jays hat, or just tell the waitress you're there for the battersbox meetup?

Dave, Morty's is still there, although it's moved.

I haven't heard of Big John Subs though, and I started in 98

To those in Kitchener Waterloo... how does meeting at McGuiness shortly before 8 sound?

I have a night class, but the game will still be going on at 10, I'm sure, so count me in at McGinnis if we have a meetup. I'll just miss the first five or six innings.

how about everyone just wear a Jays hat

Will do. And if someone who looks like a baseball fan walks in looking confused, everyone at the table should shout at them: "ADAM STERN!" Then that person will know exactly where to go. :)

McGuiness sounds like a plan to me. I can be there before 8 for sure as I'm done for the day at 4. Should be fun.

Just so everybody knows, were are going to McGuiness. Should be between four and six people. If anybody wants to some and catch some baseball with us, feel free just to show up!

All right, sounds like a plan. I can't stay long at Front Row, but I will stop by.

I still think we should have made the reservation under "Adam Stern", though...

Hi Bauxites, long time lurker but was living in BC for a while and had limited email access, and now I'm back in Toronto and have always-on access. So I'd like to meet up for tonight's game, since I work downtown.

See you there. Go Canada!

And for those who couldn't make it come chat and cheer on Canada there.

Arggghhh!

Sportsnet West is pre-empting baseball to show me my archnemesis Calgary Flames and mlb.tv is showing me Venezuela and Australia.

They're going to need to win the game outright now. Not a great way to start the game.

oops, I got held up at work. I will make it another time.

Sorry, JJ

Down 7-0 in the 3rd inning, Canada has to come back and win this one now or hope the South Africans can shock the world and knock off the US right?

You are correct, kpataky. I'm not too bullish on the South Africans, as frisky as they've been, so hopefully the Canadians can touch up the Mexican bullpen, once they burn through Loaiza's 65 pitches.

9-0 now - doesn't look good.

Anybody know a good hypnotist for Roger tomorrow?

Nieheheh.... "YOU DAMN HYPNOTIST MY STARTING PITCHER THINKS HE'S A CHICKEN!!!"

Oh well... it was fun while it lasted. And it was the basis for a good bit on The Colbert Report...

Well, despite the outcome, the Beer Club was a pretty good success. I was especially happy with the service & ambiance at Philthy McNasty's, which is neither of those things (in direct contrast with its predecessor, the Peel Pub). I'd especially like to thank everyone who showed up (who I'll list by their Box handles in approximate order of appearance): Coach, Gwyn, robertdudek, eeleye, A, and of course Named For Hank.

We'll definitely be doing this again!

I'd like to apologize to everyone in Waterloo for not making it. I didn't get back from Toronto until 10:30, and then my car wouldn't start.

I'm in for next time though.

Wait a minute. There isn't an error with what's happened, but this whole RA/9 innings tiebreaker is really messed up.

-There's a three way tie for first place in our Pool.

-Mexico advances based on the RA/9 Tiebreaker.

-However, the first method of tiebreaking was originally head-to-head matchups, so once Mexico advanced through the RA/9 innings, shouldn't they resort back to the head-to-head matchups between the U.S. and Canada to decide who ges awarded second place?

In which case we would move on regardless of this game today.

The tiebreaker gives a strange result in this pool - the third place team beat the second place team head-to-head, while the second place team beat the first place team head-to-head.

Although I can't recall it happening during my little league career, this probably happens all the time with tie-breakers at tournaments. It's just seems a little bit odd, that's all.