Sunday, March 8, 2009

The Netherlands & Australia Score Upsets at World Baseball Classic

I know I've been going on a sports bender but watching baseball in March puts me in a state of euphoria.

Much to my surprise I have the MLB Network on my cable package. Now if I could be hooked up to it via an IV tube I'd be all set.

The World Baseball Classic has produced two great upsets this weekend.

Yesterday, the Netherlands beat the Dominican Republic 3-2. The Netherlands? Yes, well most of these ballplayers are either from the Dutch Antilles or from Aruba rather than Holland. But considering baseball is practically the D.R.'s number one export a victory for a Netherlands team with almost no major league experience outside Sidney Ponson, Randall Simon and Rick VandenHurk is remarkable. Whether they can repeat that success against Puerto Rico tomorrow night remains to be seen but the Puerto Ricans will not be taking them lightly.

Tonight, Australia demolished Mexico 17-7 in front of a capacity crowd in Mexico City. Mexico did have a 7-3 lead in the 4th inning but the Aussies scored 14 unanswered runs forcing the early termination rule at the end of 8 innings. There may have been a mercy rule in place but the Mexican fans were anything but. On Tuesday night, Australia faces Cuba. Again a tall task but anything can happen in baseball. The Cubans are aware of that as anyone.

From the Department of Getting Ahead of Myself but just imagine if Australia and The Netherlands faced off in the WBC Final. That would be as unlikely as the Tampa Bay Rays getting into the 2008 World Series.

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