Fanhouse MLB Blog - world-baseball-classic http://mlb.fanhouse.com Fanhouse MLB Blog http://mlb.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif Fanhouse MLB Blog http://mlb.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2010 AOL LLC. All rights Reserved. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Baseball Brunch: Halfway Homehttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/07/12/baseball-brunch-halfway-home/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/07/12/baseball-brunch-halfway-home/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/07/12/baseball-brunch-halfway-home/#commentsEd Priceby Ed Price

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Daisuke Matsuzaka, Manny Acta, Dan Haren, Gary Sheffield
Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

The most remarkable thing about this season as we hit the not-halfway halfway point of the All-Star break isn't Albert Pujols' RBI total. Or Zack Greinke's ERA. Or the PED suspension of one of the game's biggest stars.

It's the standings. And they not only reflect the season so far, they give us a clue as to the weeks head leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline.

The Phillies and Dodgers are the only first-place team with a lead of more than 2 1/2 games. And 21 of the 30 teams are within 7 1/2 games of a playoff spot: nine of 14 in the AL and 12 of 16 in the NL.

 

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]]>adam dunnadam lindAdamDunnAdamLindalbert pujolsAlbertPujolsandrew mccutchenAndrewMccutchenandy macphailAndyMacphailarmando galarragaArmandoGalarragaaubrey huffAubreyHuffbaseball brunchBaseballBrunchben zobristBenZobristcarlos silvaCarlosSilvacasey mcgeheeCaseyMcgeheechad tracyChadTracycito gastonCitoGastondaisuke matsuzakaDaisukeMatsuzakadamaso marteDamasoMartedan harenDanHarendanys baezDanysBaezdavid pricedavid wrightDavidPriceDavidWrightdoug davisDougDavisedinson volquezEdinsonVolquezedwin jacksonEdwinJacksongabe grossgabe kaplerGabeGrossGabeKaplergarrett atkinsGarrettAtkinsgary sheffieldGarySheffieldgeorge sherrillGeorgeSherrillhuston streetHustonStreetian snellIanSnellj.j. putzJ.j.Putzj.p. howellJ.p.Howelljair jurrjensJairJurrjensjason bartlettjason giambijason kubelJasonBartlettJasonGiambiJasonKubeljeremy guthrieJeremyGuthriejerry manuelJerryManueljesse crainJesseCrainjoakim soriaJoakimSoriajoe torrejoel hanrahanJoel PeraltaJoelHanrahanJoeTorrejoey vottoJoeyVottojonathan sanchezJonathanSanchezjosh johnsonJoshJohnsonkevin youkilisKevinYoukiliskoji ueharaKojiUeharaluis ayalaLuisAyalamark reynoldsMarkReynoldsmatt cainmatt daleymatt joycematt lindstromMattCainMattDaleyMattJoyceMattLindstrommike lowellmike sweeneyMikeLowellMikeSweeneynick blackburnNickBlackburnnomar garciaparraNomarGarciaparraoliver perezOliverPerezorlando cabreraOrlandoCabrerarafael perezRafaelPerezricky nolascoRickyNolascoroy oswaltRoyOswaltrussell martinRussellMartinryan zimmermanRyanZimmermanscot shieldsScotShieldsscott rolenScottRolenShin Soo-Chooshin-soo chooShin-sooChootakashi saitoTakashiSaitotim wakefieldTimWakefieldwandy rodriguezWandyRodriguezWarren SpahnEd Price2009-07-12T10:00:00 00:00Sidney Ponson Failed WBC Drug Testhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/06/26/sidney-ponson-failed-wbc-drug-test/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/06/26/sidney-ponson-failed-wbc-drug-test/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/06/26/sidney-ponson-failed-wbc-drug-test/#commentsMatt Snyderby Matt Snyder

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Sidney PonsonThursday we passed along the news that Geovany Soto had tested positive for marijuana during the World Baseball Classic this past spring. Just one day later, another positive result from the WBC round of testing has been revealed. Sidney Ponson, the embattled 32-year-old righty who pitched for the Netherlands, also tested positive for a banned substance.

It wasn't the mellow Mary Jane that Ponson was partaking in, though. Nope, he tested positive for phentermine, a stimulant. Like Soto, he'll avoid punishment from Major League Baseball and face a two-year ban from international play.

 

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]]>sidney ponsonSidneyPonsonMatt Snyder2009-06-26T19:30:00 00:00Geovany Soto Failed Drug Test In WBChttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/06/25/geovany-soto-failed-drug-test-in-wbc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/06/25/geovany-soto-failed-drug-test-in-wbc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/06/25/geovany-soto-failed-drug-test-in-wbc/#commentsMatt Snyderby Matt Snyder

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Geovany SotoThe bad news: Geovany Soto failed his drug test while competing in the World Baseball Classic. The good news: It wasn't for a performance-enhancing drug -- which, at this point, would probably precede his being drawn and quartered by the outraged general public. Instead, Soto tested positive for marijuana. I guess if pressed for a real classification, we'd have to say pot is a performance "dehancing" drug.

Soto will be forced to miss international play for the next two years, which isn't that huge of a punishment, really. He won't receive a punishment from Major League Baseball, and he has always tested clean in MLB-sanctioned testing. Still, he apologized and took responsibility for the positive test.

 

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]]>geovany sotoGeovanySotoMatt Snyder2009-06-25T16:10:00 00:00Baseball Aims for 2016 Return to Olympics; 'Best Players' Will Be Availablehttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/06/15/baseball-aims-for-2016-return-to-olympics/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/06/15/baseball-aims-for-2016-return-to-olympics/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/06/15/baseball-aims-for-2016-return-to-olympics/#commentsPat Lackeyby Pat Lackey

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With baseball wiped off of the Olympic slate for the 2012 Olympics in London, MLB President Bob DuPuy and player's union chief Donald Fehr went before the IOC Moneay with International Baseball Federation president Henry Schiller to plead baseball's case for reinstatement to the games by 2016. Their presence at the meeting was undoubtedly to calm the IOC's concerns that Major League Baseball isn't supportive of the Olympics.

In fact, the Chicago Tribune's Phil Hersch is reporting some interesting concessions that MLB says they're willing to make to accommodate the Olympics. Among the more interesting is that they say they won't schedule major league games on the day(s) that the medal games are played and that they'll make a "representative number of the best players available" to play in the proposed five-day Olympic tournament.

 

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]]>bob dupuyBobDupuydonald fehrDonaldFehrPat Lackey2009-06-15T21:10:00 00:00No WBC Hangover For Peavyhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/28/no-wbc-hangover-for-peavy/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/28/no-wbc-hangover-for-peavy/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/28/no-wbc-hangover-for-peavy/#commentsJeff Fletcherby Jeff Fletcher

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PHOENIX -- Jake Peavy knows the questions are going to be there, and the only way to answer them is with long lines of zeroes.

So far, so good.

Peavy pitched on Friday night for the Padres, his first outing with his real employer since finishing off his moonlighting for Team USA. All he did was work six scoreless innings, striking out seven and walking none. The A's, who trotted out their honest-to-goodness opening day lineup, managed just two hits.

Peavy was filthy.

 

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]]>jake peavyJakePeavyJeff Fletcher2009-03-28T00:44:00 00:00Boos in Classic Bothered Ordonezhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/27/boos-in-classic-bothered-ordonez/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/27/boos-in-classic-bothered-ordonez/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/27/boos-in-classic-bothered-ordonez/#commentsMatt Snyderby Matt Snyder

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When the Venezuelan World Baseball Classic team played in Miami a few weeks ago, Magglio Ordonez was booed and taunted by fans. The overwhelming majority were Venezuelan-Americans who opposed Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's political views. Ordonez had appeared in a commercial supporting Chavez's campaign to do away with presidential term limits.

Considering most professional athletes have endured their fair share of heckling over the years, one could easily draw the assumption that Ordonez just brushed the taunts aside and went about his business. For whatever reason, this wasn't exactly the case.

 

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]]>magglio ordonezMagglioOrdonezMatt Snyder2009-03-27T15:38:00 00:00Perez Disputes Claim He's Out of Shapehttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/26/perez-disputes-claim-hes-out-of-shape/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/26/perez-disputes-claim-hes-out-of-shape/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/26/perez-disputes-claim-hes-out-of-shape/#commentsMatt Snyderby Matt Snyder

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When Oliver Perez returned from a 19-day stint with Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, the Mets were none too happy at the current state of his game. With the season rapidly approaching, Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen accused Perez of being out of shape. In fact, he said Perez was overweight (no word on whether or not they'll start calling him Oliver "Miller" Perez).

Perez only made two starts for Mexico in the WBC, and even admitted the workout regimen was different than it would have been had he stayed with the Mets. Still, Perez denies that he's out of shape.

 

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]]>jerry manuelJerryManuelolilver perezOlilverPerezomar minayaOmarMinayaMatt Snyder2009-03-26T13:40:00 00:00Fear Not Bud, I'll Fix the WBChttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/25/fear-not-bud-ill-fix-the-wbc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/25/fear-not-bud-ill-fix-the-wbc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/25/fear-not-bud-ill-fix-the-wbc/#commentsJeff Fletcherby Jeff Fletcher

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Say this about the just-completed World Baseball Classic: It created a lot of debate. Unfortunately, most of the debate was about how to fix it.

Since everyone else seems to have their ideas, I figured I'd share mine. The key is to follow a mantra that hitters have been using for ages: "Don't try to do too much."

Don't swing for the fences, Bud. You can't have a perfect event that is going to be embraced by everyone in China, South Africa and the U.S. Do the best you can with what you've got, and you'd be surprised how good it can be.

 

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]]>bud seligBudSeligJeff Fletcher2009-03-25T22:00:00 00:00Piniella, Geren and Defined Relief Roleshttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/pinella-advises-geren-to-pick-a-closer/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/pinella-advises-geren-to-pick-a-closer/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/pinella-advises-geren-to-pick-a-closer/#commentsMatt Snyderby Matt Snyder

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The tradition in baseball, for the past few decades, has been for each team to choose one defined closer at the back end of their bullpen. Heading into the 2009 season, there is one team who has already intentionally chosen to head into the season with two closers, and they are both right-handed.

Oakland manager Bob Geren has decided that Joey Devine and Brad Ziegler will both handle closing duties this season. Cubs manager Lou Piniella -- a grizzled veteran skipper who, yes, can be a bit stubborn -- believes that's not necessarily the best way to run a bullpen.

 

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]]>bob gerenBobGerenbrad zieglerBradZieglerjoey devineJoeyDevinelou piniellaLouPiniellaMatt Snyder2009-03-24T14:35:00 00:00Tommy Lasorda Can Give Interviews in His Sleephttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/tommy-lasorda-can-give-interviews-in-his-sleep/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/tommy-lasorda-can-give-interviews-in-his-sleep/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/tommy-lasorda-can-give-interviews-in-his-sleep/#commentsTom Fornelliby Tom Fornelli

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You kind of have to feel sorry for Tommy Lasorda in this video, even as you're laughing at him. It seems that the 81-year old Dodgers legend was somewhat worn out before going on television to do an interview with Chicago Tribune Live, which coincidentally is taped in Chicago.

He literally looks like he's sleeping during the interview, and I keep waiting for him to answer a question with an "I don't wanna go to school today, mommy." Somebody get the man a cup of coffee, or at least a hat to keep the sun out of his eyes.

(Hat tip to Deadspin)

 

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]]>SleepinterviewingTommy LasordaTommyLasordaTom Fornelli2009-03-24T10:57:00 00:00'Wa' Reigns Supreme at WBChttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/wa-reigns-supreme-at-wbc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/wa-reigns-supreme-at-wbc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/wa-reigns-supreme-at-wbc/#commentsLisa Olsonby Lisa Olson

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LOS ANGELES -- It's all about the Wa, the forfeiture of self for the unity and harmony of the greater good, or team. You could sense Wa all around Monday night, as Japan and South Korea engaged in one of the finest back-to-basics baseball games you might ever see.

Wa was there in the sacrifice flies bringing home runners, in beautifully positioned bunts, in terrific pitching duels that caused 54,846 fans at Dodger Stadium to stand and sing for 10 fantastic innings. Fittingly, the World Baseball Classic final lasted a perfect four hours, ending with Japan beating Korea, 5-3, for the championship.

 

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]]>ichiro suzukiIchiroSuzukishin-soo chooShin-sooChooworld baseball classicWorldBaseballClassicyu darvishYuDarvishLisa Olson2009-03-24T04:21:00 00:00In Classic, Japan Still on Top of Worldhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/in-classic-japan-reigns-yet-again/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/in-classic-japan-reigns-yet-again/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/24/in-classic-japan-reigns-yet-again/#commentsFanHouse Newswireby FanHouse Newswire

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LOS ANGELES (March 23) -- Three years since it began, nothing has changed at the World Baseball Classic.

Japan, which won the inaugural Classic in 2006, successfully defends its title, prevailing in a 5-3 extra-inning nailbiter over bitter rival South Korea on the strength of its greatest star.

Ichiro Suzuki's fourth hit in the championship game brings in the decisive runs, finishing off the Koreans for good after their stunning ninth-inning rally against Japanese phenom Yu Darvish.

 

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]]>ichiro suzukiIchiroSuzukiworld baseball classicWorldBaseballClassicyu darvishYuDarvishFanHouse Newswire2009-03-24T01:43:00 00:00Daily Jolt: Asian Domination at WBChttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/23/daily-jolt-asian-domination-at-wbc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/23/daily-jolt-asian-domination-at-wbc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/23/daily-jolt-asian-domination-at-wbc/#commentsAndrew Johnsonby Andrew Johnson

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Menunori KawasakiThe Daily Jolt is a dose of baseball reality every weekday morning.

In the United States, the World Baseball Classic seems to have become little more than a nuisance to sports fans -- a not entirely welcome distraction from March Madness and a good way for some of America's best players (and some of its second-stringers) to embarrass themselves as they go through spring training in a strange uniform.

In the Far East, the Classic has become almost entirely about winning and to a similar extent about one of the better simmering international sports rivalries this side of a Brazil-Argentina World Cup qualifier.

 

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]]>daily joltDailyJolttatsunori haraTatsunoriHaraworld baseball classicWorldBaseballClassicyu darvishYuDarvishAndrew Johnson2009-03-23T09:00:00 00:00Team USA Stumbles From Top to Bottomhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/23/team-usa-stumbles-from-top-to-bottom/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/23/team-usa-stumbles-from-top-to-bottom/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/23/team-usa-stumbles-from-top-to-bottom/#commentsLisa Olsonby Lisa Olson

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LOS ANGELES -- Davey Johnson spent the past week eloquently explaining how desperately he wanted Team USA to win the World Baseball Classic, figuring a title would sooth America's sense of entitlement over the sport and silence some of the tournament's grumbling naysayers.

So how to explain Johnson's head-scratching managerial moves Sunday night, decisions that led to Japan beating the U.S., 9-4, in an elimination semifinal game? Why did Johnson keep starter Roy Oswalt in for a brutal pounding even after it became clear the Japanese had his number? Has the bumbling Adam Dunn mastered the vagaries of Dodger Stadium's right field yet? And any regrets over starting Captain America at shortstop, leaving Jimmy Rollins to DH?

 

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]]>Lisa Olson2009-03-23T04:15:00 00:00No Miracle This Time for Team USAhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/23/no-miracle-this-time-for-team-usa/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/23/no-miracle-this-time-for-team-usa/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/23/no-miracle-this-time-for-team-usa/#commentsFanHouse Newswireby FanHouse Newswire

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LOS ANGELES -- The U.S.' rollercoaster ride at the World Baseball Classic is finally over -- halted by relentless reigning champion Japan and perhaps also some questionable managing by Davey Johnson.

The Americans jumped out to an early lead in the second semifinal, but starter Roy Oswalt was battered for six runs as Johnson watched from the U.S. dugout, only pulling Oswalt with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning after he had surrendered five runs in the frame.

 

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]]>davey johnsonDaveyJohnsonroy oswaltRoyOswaltworld baseball classicWorldBaseballClassicFanHouse Newswire2009-03-23T00:05:00 00:00USA vs. Japan: WBC Semifinal Live Bloghttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/22/usa-vs-japan-wbc-semifinal-live-blog/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/22/usa-vs-japan-wbc-semifinal-live-blog/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/22/usa-vs-japan-wbc-semifinal-live-blog/#commentsPat Lackeyby Pat Lackey

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When the powers that be in baseball imagined the World Baseball Classic, this is what they had in mind. Sunday night, Team Japan and Team USA are face off in Dodger Stadium at 8 PM ET in a one-off semifinal with the winner moving on to face Korea in the finals.

Roy Oswalt and Daisuke Matsuzaka will take the mound tonight as the countries that house the top two baseball leagues in the world face off in what might be the most epic baseball game ever played in March. Follow along after the jump where I'll be live blogging the action with some fellow FanHouse luminaries.

 

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]]>World Baseball ClassicWorldBaseballClassicPat Lackey2009-03-22T19:30:00 00:00Surprised? This Classic Has October Feelhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/22/surprised-this-classic-has-october-feel/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/22/surprised-this-classic-has-october-feel/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/22/surprised-this-classic-has-october-feel/#commentsLisa Olsonby Lisa Olson

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LOS ANGELES -- It's easy to mock the World Baseball Classic, to deride it as nothing but a money-making machine for MLB, a global monstrosity that has little to do with forwarding the game and everything to do with padding a few select wallets.

And then you plop down in section 106 Saturday night in Dodger Stadium and in one tremendous burst of an inning, all the negativity dissipates. Korea's Yong-Kyu Lee opens the WBC semifinal game with a walk off Venezuela pitcher Carlos Silva, a pitcher described in the Korean media as "a mighty, ferocious giant," and just like that, tremors start rocking the ballpark on the hill.

 

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]]>Lisa Olson2009-03-22T03:20:00 00:00WBC Offers Fine Escape From Madnesshttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/20/wbc-offers-fine-escape-from-madness/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/20/wbc-offers-fine-escape-from-madness/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/20/wbc-offers-fine-escape-from-madness/#commentsLisa Olsonby Lisa Olson

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LOS ANGELES -- Weary of the genius one cubicle over who thinks it perfectly acceptable to fill out his bracket in pencil, with liberal use of the eraser? Tired of the friend who swears she follows college basketball but still can't pronounce Gonzaga? Think it's about time someone gagged Dick Vitale with a rosin bag?

 

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]]>Lisa Olson2009-03-20T20:40:00 00:00Torii Hunter Thinks His Mouth Kept Him Out of the WBChttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/19/torii-hunter-thinks-his-mouth-kept-him-out-of-the-wbc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/19/torii-hunter-thinks-his-mouth-kept-him-out-of-the-wbc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/19/torii-hunter-thinks-his-mouth-kept-him-out-of-the-wbc/#commentsTom Fornelliby Tom Fornelli

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When you see the amount of players on the American team that are leaving the WBC due to an injury everyday, it goes a long way in justifying all those players who chose not to participate in the event this season. It also means that even more players are going to be skipping the next WBC, but that doesn't mean there aren't players who are still willing to participate.

Torii Hunter has been following the event this spring and he said that while watching David Wright's walk-off hit to beat Venezuela on Tuesday night and the ensuing dog pile he thought to himself that he wished he could be there. After all, he never turned down a chance to play because nobody ever asked him to in the first place. Hunter thinks some remarks he made in 2006 about the first WBC kept him off the roster this time around.

 

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]]>Curtis GrandersonCurtisGrandersonDavid WrightDavidWrightShane VictorinoShaneVictorinoTorii HunterToriiHunterTom Fornelli2009-03-19T12:35:00 00:00Daily Jolt: Baseball Without Bordershttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/19/daily-jolt-baseball-without-borders/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/19/daily-jolt-baseball-without-borders/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/03/19/daily-jolt-baseball-without-borders/#commentsAndrew Johnsonby Andrew Johnson

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The Daily Jolt is a dose of baseball reality every weekday.

"Radical" is the word author Tim Wendel uses to describe baseball.

He is talking, of course, about the game outside the U.S. No one in America considers this sport radical. That word is supposed to come out of Bart Simpson's mouth or describe the crazies on the fringe of society. It is not supposed to describe a game that has been ingrained in American society for more than a century.

Somewhere, Ken Burns is blushing.

 

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]]>daily joltDailyJoltworld baseball classicWorldBaseballClassicAndrew Johnson2009-03-19T07:00:00 00:00