2017 World Baseball Classic: Cuba Exits With a Whimper

From the desk of:  PLANET BASEBALL

POOL - E

JAPAN (3-0)

NETHERLANDS (2-1)

ISRAEL (1-2)

CUBA (0-3)

JAPAN; NETHERLANDS

ADVANCE to SEMI-FINALS

!Adios Cuba!  They'll have lots of explaining to do...

They exit with what I'll call a nationally disappointing 2-4 record, punctuated by a dismal 0-3 performance in Round Two, and leave behind many unanswered questions.

Chief among them: what happened?

Netherlands ended Cuba's participation in the WBC in a 14-1 rout, in which Cuba was limited to just five hits.

Talk about going out with a whimper ...

This was easily there poorest showing in four Classics.  Cuba played fundamentally poor in the field, particularly behind the plate.  Their pitching was not up to snuff.  And they failed to distinguish themselves at the plate.  In fact, Cuba matched their opponents with 55 hits both for and against, but were outscored by a considerable 23-40 margin through six games.  Their last game against Netherlands may have skewed the numbers somewhat, but Team Cuba as a whole nevertheless appeared flat throughout the tournament.

Next World Baseball Classic can't come soon enough for gamely Team Israel.

In a must win situation, Israel finally bows out of the World Baseball Classic after an 8-3 defeat against Japan.  

However, advancing into Round Two should not go under spoken.  This was a huge step forward for Israeli baseball.  They certainly enjoyed an impressive run.  I'm yet to hear one person call them a fluke, which indeed would be farthest from the truth.  Israel registered legitimate victories over such favorites as Korea, Cuba, and Netherlands, and over a much improved Taiwan.  Only after winning four straight did they fall to Netherlands in a rematch, then lose their second straight against still undefeated Japan.

I also previously watched them win all three of their WBC Qualifier games played last September in Brooklyn.

WBC Qualifier: Team Israel completes sweep of Brooklyn tourney

Israel's victory over Great Britain this past Sunday officially concludes the Qualifying Round of the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Teams finishing last in their respective pools during the 2013 World Baseball Classic, along with 12 other qualifiers were grouped into four pools of four teams each.  The winner of each pool would advance, joining the 12 teams holding automatic bids in next year's tournament.

Qualifying Round: 

Qualifier #1 - February @ Australia

• *AUSTRALIA - New Zealand - Philippines - South Africa

Qualifier #2 - March @ Mexico

• *MEXICO - Czech Republic - Germany - Nicaragua 

Qualifier #3 - March @ Panama

• *COLUMBIA - France - Panama - Spain

Qualifier #4 - September @ CONEY ISLAND, BROOKLYN

• *ISRAEL - Brazil - Great Britain - Pakistan

2017

World Baseball Classic

Australia - Mexico - Columbia - Israel

Canada - China - Chinese Taipei - Cuba

Dominican Republic - Italy - Japan - Korea

Netherlands - Puerto Rico - United States - Venezuela

QUALIFIER FINAL

Great Britain  1
Israel              9

They Came to Brooklyn ... They Saw ... They Conquered.

And just like that, Team Israel is heading to their first World Baseball Classic.

The more polished team of the pool, Israel swept the field while outscoring their opponents by a 15-3 margin over three games.

After turning back Great Britain 5-2 in Thursday's opener at MCU Park in Brooklyn, Brazil and Israel engaged in a brilliant pitching duel on Friday, limiting one another to just three hits all game.   Gaining a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, Israel made it hold up for their second victory.

Meanwhile, Great Britain successfully negotiated the loser's bracket to gain a rematch against Israel in Sunday's finale.

After pitching three innings on Thursday, Jason Marquis made his second start on short rest, and was opposed by Great Britain's Spencer Kreisberg.

Jason Marquis delivers first pitch.

The two exchanged zeroes through the first four innings.  Jason Marquis allowed no hits and no walks, and fanned five before yielding to the bullpen.  Kreisberg similarly threw four scoreless innings, allowing a hit and three walks.  He received a quick hook in the fifth after allowing a lead-off single to Israel shortstop Scott Burcham.

In came reliever Al Knowles, whom was promptly greeted by center fielder Blake Galen's high arching home run to right.  Then after walking right fielder and lead-off hitter Zach Borenstein, Great Britain replaced Knowles with reliever Rei Martinez.  Next up, Israel catcher Ryan Lavarnway wasted no time introducing himself with a majestic home run to left, giving Team Israel a sudden 4-0 lead.

Blake Galen (left) and Ryan Lavarnway (right) round the bases in the fifth inning

after hitting a pair of two run home runs.

Zach Borenstein's triple in the sixth inning further extended their lead to 5-0 over Great Britain.  Then with two outs in the seventh, Cody Decker's home run to left made it a 6-0 lead.

Cody Decker hits Israel's third home run of the game

All the while, Great Britain was being no-hit through seven full innings of play.

That finally changed with two outs in the eighth, when Albert Cartwright singled to right field.  Great Britain would not only break up Israel's bid for a no-hitter, but they would go on to ruin the shut out as well when designated hitter Chavez Young's RBI single finally put Great Britain on the board.

By the bottom of the eighth, however, the rout was on.  Three more runs ensured Israel a 9-1 victory, and a berth in next year's World Baseball Classic.

Final play ... Israel wins.

World Baseball Classic Qualifier: Brazil Eliminated After Costly Base Running Gaffe

World Baseball Classic Qualifier

GAME #5

9/24/2016

FINAL

Brazil              3

Great Britain   4

The looks on the faces of hitting coach Steve Finley and manager Barry Larkin said it all.

Prior to the ninth inning, Brazil had spent their time stranding 11 runners on base, and going just 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position.

After taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, Brazil promptly surrendered it, allowing three runs in the bottom of the frame to Great Britain.

In the bottom of the seventh, Brazil allowed a key insurance run, as Kyle Simmons' RBI single put Great Britain ahead by a 4-2 margin.

Brazil picked up a run in the top of the eighth off Britain reliever Chris Reed, setting up what would become a ponderous finish.

With Brazil trailing 4-3 in the ninth, designated hitter Juan Carlos Muniz lined a two out double to center, putting the tying run in scoring position.  After a pitching change by Great Britain, and with Brazil's number six batter first baseman Reinaldo Sato at the plate, Muniz inexplicably took off for third base on an 0-2 pitch to the plate.  He was easily thrown out by Great Britain backstop Chris Berset by a wide margin.

Game over.

Juan Carlos Muniz is 39 years old, born in 1976, which is to say he's no stranger to baseball.  One can only guess as to what he was thinking.  Perhaps Barry Larkin, and coaches Steve Finley and LeTroy Hawkins may prefer not to know.  In any event, this is a devastating way for Barry Larkin's squad to go down.

With a 2-1 record, Great Britain will face Israel (2-0) Sunday evening to decide the final participant in next year's fourth ever World Baseball Classic.

In a very entertaining contest, Israel defeated Great Britain in Thursday's tourney opener by a 5-2 margin.

Thank you for the baseball, Team Brazil

MCU PARK, 

CONEY ISLAND, BROOKLYN

World Baseball Classic Qualifier: Day Two Recap

DAY TWO

9/23/2016

Friday's WBC qualifier games ranged from classic pitching duel to all out romp.  Israel was home team in the early game versus Brazil, while Pakistan played host to Great Britain in the nightcap.

GAME #3 FINAL

Brazil   0

Israel    1

Israel starter Corey Baker exited on the winning side of a 1-0 game after five strong innings of work, in which he allowed just one hit and three walks, and fanned five.  Baker faced 19 batters, and threw 85 pitches with 52 going for strikes.

Four members of the Israeli bullpen combined on the remaining four innings, allowing no runs, two hits and two walks, while fanning six.  Brad Goldberg pitched the ninth inning for the save.

Brazil, likewise pitched superbly.  Starter Bo Takahashi pitched well, allowing a lone run on just two hits and a walk, with five strikeouts over four innings of work.  The bullpen followed up with four scoreless innings of one hit baseball.

Israel scored the lone run of the game in the fourth inning.  Designated hitter Nate Freiman led off with a double, then advanced to third when Ike Davis reached on an E4.  With runners on the corners and no outs, third baseman Cody Decker's sacrifice fly to center soon plated Freiman.

The victory, Israel's second, punched their ticket to Sunday's final game.

GAME #4 FINAL

Great Britain 14

Pakistan          0

For a second time in this qualifier, new team on the block Pakistan bowed in abbreviated fashion.

On Friday, they managed a 4-0 deficit through the first four innings of play.  But Great Britain blew the doors open with six runs in the fifth, and another three runs in the sixth.  When they tacked on yet another run in the top of the seventh, play was called (mercy rule).

Pakistan previously suffered a seven inning 10-0 defeat in Thursday's opening game against Team Brasil.

Pakistan is eliminated after being outscored 24-0 in just 14 innings of play.  These games however, should rightfully be viewed as a small step for Team Pakistan, and one giant leap for Pakistani baseball.

To the victor ... the spoils.

Great Britain center fielder and lead-off hitter Champ Stuart went 3 for 4 with three RBI.  Second baseman Albert Cartwright was 2 for 2 with a walk, three runs scored, and two RBI.

Starter Greg Hendrix tossed the first four innings, allowing a hit, and fanning three.  Three relievers contributed an inning apiece in closing out Great Britain's first victory of the tourney.

SATURDAY

WBC Qualifier Semi-Final

Brazil

vs.

Great Britain

FROM

MCU PARK

Coney Island, Brooklyn

The World Comes to Brooklyn: WBC Qualifier; Israel vs. Great Britain

Game One: Pakistan vs. Brasil

TEAM ROSTERS

Great Britain  ~  Israel

Pre-Game Introductions

and

Traditional Exchanging of Caps

Israel Starting Pitcher Jason Marquis Delivers First Pitch to Great Britain

Todd Isaacs RBI single in the top of the second put Great Britain ahead.

Cody Decker promptly doubled leading off the bottom half of the frame for Israel, and would soon score, tying the game at one (pictured above) on Rhett Wiseman's fielder's choice to first base.

Former Met Josh Satin bats for Israel

Champ Stuart led off Great Britain's top half of the seventh with a double to center, then scored on a one out sacrifice fly to right by Todd Isaacs.  But Israel answered right back again in the bottom half of the frame.  Rhett Wiseman led off with a single, and advanced to third on Scott Burcham's double to left.  Wiseman then scored on Mike Meyers' sac fly to left.  RBI singles by Zach Borenstein and former Met Ike Davis, and an RBI sac fly by Cody Decker lifted Israel to a 5-2 advantage, 

and their final margin of victory.

THURSDAY FINAL

Great Britain   2

Israel               5