A Sea Of Red

I think this has been the best WBC yet. The crowds have been insane so far. If you haven't watched any of the games yet i recommend watching one this weekend. They already set the attendance record before making it to the knockout round.

Has anyone else been keeping up with the WBC qualifiers that are currently going on in Taiwan? All the games have been available on YouTube. They’ve had pretty good games so far with Nicaragua already earning a spot in the main tournament. Spain and Taiwan will play a rematch tomorrow night to determine who will get the final qualifier spot in this pool. The atmosphere should be electric, those Asian countries definitely do baseball different.

Ill flame wrote: ↑February 23rd, 2025, 4:32 pm Has anyone else been keeping up with the WBC qualifiers that are currently going on in Taiwan? All the games have been available on YouTube. They’ve had pretty good games so far with Nicaragua already earning a spot in the main tournament. Spain and Taiwan will play a rematch tomorrow night to determine who will get the final qualifier spot in this pool. The atmosphere should be electric, those Asian countries definitely do baseball different.

WBC qualifying has not begun in my part of the world (I live in the DR) because of the just-completed Caribbean series, won by the Leones de Escogido from the DR, defeating a Mexican team in the final. Anywhere you go when a game is on, there is a crown watching. Now the discussion has turned to who will be on the Dominican WBC team.

The World Baseball Classic has been a disaster from the Astros' perspective. Injuries have been brutal. This is probably an event I could live without moving forward.

Sly Fox wrote: ↑February 24th, 2025, 4:48 pm The World Baseball Classic has been a disaster from the Astros' perspective. Injuries have been brutal. This is probably an event I could live without moving forward.

I remember Altuve taking a pitch off the hand which is a fluky thing that could’ve just as easily happened in spring training. What else am I missing? I’d rather watch games that matter in the spring compared to a bunch of minor leaguers and bench players get reps in exhibition games.

So, educate me guys. Are this year’s games just qualifiers? I went digging for a schedule and didn’t see USA on it. Trying to figure out what’s going on.

JK37 wrote: ↑February 26th, 2025, 1:44 pm So, educate me guys. Are this year’s games just qualifiers? I went digging for a schedule and didn’t see USA on it. Trying to figure out what’s going on.

Yes. The WBC will be in 2026 (next spring). Teams playing this spring are for the right to represent their country in the 2026 tournament.

JK37 wrote: ↑February 26th, 2025, 1:44 pm So, educate me guys. Are this year’s games just qualifiers? I went digging for a schedule and didn’t see USA on it. Trying to figure out what’s going on.

Yes this is just qualifiers. The last place team in each pool of the previous tournament (4 in total) gets relegated and has to qualify again while everyone else is already qualified for the next tournament. Taiwan and Nicaragua were the two winners of this qualification pool while the next qualification pool starts in the next week or two. Pool B will be interesting to keep an eye on because Colombia, Brazil and China should all be pretty evenly matched with Germany being underdogs but competitive enough to beat any of them.

Colombia ended up steam rolling their way through pool B to earn a berth in the next WBC. They’ll be a dark horse candidate to make a run in the main tournament next spring. They beat Mexico and almost knocked off USA in the last tournament. Germany and Brazil plays tonight to determine who will be the last team to qualify.

2023s team USA lineup was probably the greatest lineup ever assembled even with Aaron judge and Bryce Harper sitting out. With this announcement I think the 2026 version will be even better. If everyone stays healthy they can have an outfield of Aaron Judge, mookie Betts, Mike trout with Bryce Harper at DH. They just need to get decent pitchers to participate this time. An over the hill Adam Wainwright as the Ace like they had in 2023 won’t get it done.