"Baseball World Cup" set for March 2006
I just saw this on the ticker on ESPN, and read about it a few months ago on mlb.com, but fellow Beers player Brian brought this ESPN article to my attention:http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2057633
Basically, they're going to do a Baseball World Cup next year, which sounds awesome (it's being set up apparently by both MLB and some International Baseball Association or something). It'd be great for baseball to grow internationally.
The important bits:
I just saw this on the ticker on ESPN, and read about it a few months ago on mlb.com, but fellow Beers player Brian brought this ESPN article to my attention:
Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China will play March 3-5, probably at Japan's Tokyo Dome. The three other pools will play March 8-11 and consist of: Puerto Rico, Cuba (for now), Panama and likely Italy; the United States, Canada, Mexico and likely South Africa; and the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Australia and the Netherlands.Good to see that it isn't just America vs. Latin America vs. Asia, which is what I was worried that it would be. I'm gonna love seeing the US play against SOUTH AFRICA, or one of those European teams or Australia or something. Although unfortunately the finals will probably end up being America vs. Latin America vs. Asia. Go Netherlands!
Several teams, most vocally the Yankees, have expressed concerns both privately and publicly about their high-priced stars possibly getting injured before the season starts. The Yankees have also been reluctant to release their minor-leaguers for USA Baseball's teams in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003. "What isNice to see the Yankees once again leading the Asshole Brigade. Maybe if Steinbrenner didn't keep handing out $20 million salaries to overrated players, he wouldn't have to worry so much about them. An extra few games before the season is not going to kill them, and if it does, it's still not like it's that much less safe than say, staying at home and playing pick up basketball games or "washing" your motorcycle. And Sheffield should shut up and mind his own business. But anyway, I look forward to this, it sounds awesome.Steinbrenner going to say if he loses a $20 million player?" current Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield told The New York Times last year. "How is that going to sit with him?"