This is my first time ever watching the WBC. Is Team USA always less passionate and enthusiastic than other countries? Even when Harper's HR tied it, the players were far less emotional and excited than if it was an MLB playoff or World Series game. Team Venezuela was pumped from start to finish, their players seemed glued together and it was great watching them celebrate the win even though I wanted them to lose. It was also a bummer they had such a noticeable crowd noise advantage, but I've been to Miami a bunch of times and understand why.
The US players will just never see this as being similar to the World Series. Meanwhile, guys like Julio Rodriguez are saying they’d rather win this than the World Series.
Cal Raleigh didn’t have a hit the entire tournament. Hopefully last season was a fluke. If he goes back to being the sub .800 OPS version of himself, that’s a huge hit to that offense.
As much as I would've loved that, he is still a current active player with obligations for his club. I doubt they couldve given him the opportunity.
Even though US sent some of its better pitchers this year, there’s a clear distinction between how much they and our fans care about the WBC. When Japan won last time and Venezuela won yesterday, the countries had huge nationwide celebrations and parades. If US won last night, it may have gotten 10 minutes of coverage at the end of the 3rd hour of first take on ESPN. I truly don’t believe you can this sort of tournament half assing it when the other teams are willing to die for it. Congrats to Venezuela
ESPN did not even provide live play-by-play game cast. ESPN also ignored the NHL even existed when it did not have broadcast rights.
ESPN is trash TV now. Has been for years. Just a lefty race baiting agenda channel. It’s a tabloid channel for idiots. Used to be amazing. It’s sad what has happened to espn.
Don’t get me wrong, talent wise the US is still clearly the best country in the world. But I feel like they had a lineup of elite hitters that were not physically and mentally as prepared, like they were still in Spring Training mode. Meanwhile you had players on other teams talking about how this means more to them than the World Series. Says a lot that the best hitters in the nation couldn’t put up a run against Eduardo Rodriguez.
