Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. World Baseball Classic continues:
After Team Italy’s shocking 8-6 victory over Team USA last night, the World Baseball Classic enters its final day of Pool Play with plenty at stake. At 3pm local time in San Juan, Canada and Cuba will face off to decide who will join Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals. That game will be followed up at 6pm local time in Houston, when Italy and Mexico will face off to determine not only their own fates, but also the fate of Team USA. The United States can be eliminated if Mexico beats Italy while scoring four runs or fewer, as all three teams would finish with 3-1 records and move on to a runs-based tiebreaker. The final game of the evening will occur at 8pm local time in Miami, where the Dominican Republic and Venezuela will face off for seeding purposes after both clubs already clinched their quarterfinal appearance.
Outside of the excitement of the games themselves, this year’s WBC has already brought considerable intrigue and drama off the field. Team USA manager Mark DeRosa conducted an interview pregame where he seemingly did not realize that his club had not already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals, and Chad Jennings of The Athletic notes that MLB.com appears to have taken down the footage of DeRosa’s mistaken comments after Team USA’s loss. Meanwhile, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale was among those to discuss possible discontent in the Mariners’ clubhouse after star catcher Cal Raleigh declined to shake hands with Mariners teammate and WBC opponent Randy Arozarena during the game between the U.S. and Mexico yesterday.
2. Teel exits due to hamstring issue:
In other WBC news, a damper was put on Italy’s victory when catcher Kyle Teel was pulled from the game due to tightness in his right hamstring. As noted by Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com, Teel figures to be replaced on Italy’s roster by bullpen catcher Andres Annunziata. Annunziata is a 20-year-old who plays in Italy’s Serie A league. Perhaps more pertinent than Teel’s WBC status is whether or not he’ll be hampered headed into the regular season for the White Sox. He’ll surely get imaging done on his ailing hamstring to determine the severity of the issue, and the White Sox will be able to formulate a plan for Teel from there. Fortunately for them, Edgar Quero and Korey Lee are available as a capable catching tandem even if Teel misses the start of the season.
3. Carroll returning to the lineup:
Corbin Carroll has missed the bulk of Spring Training so far due to a hamate fracture that ultimately required surgery, but Alex Weiner of the Arizona Republic relayed yesterday that the Diamondbacks’ star outfielder will be back in the lineup today as a DH. With a little over two weeks left to go before Opening Day, Carroll should have just enough time to ramp up before the season begins and avoid starting the year on the injured list. His return to the field begins at 1:10pm local time in Arizona, when Ryne Nelson will be taking the mound opposite Luis Morales and the Athletics.
Pretty sucky that there’s a good chance a 3-1 team is going home today.
Yes let’s change the rules so the biggest teams get second chances
then go 4-0 and it’s not an issue
Agreed, regardless of who goes home, it will be unfortunate to see a 3-1 team go home.
Rooting for something like a 3-1 victory for team Mexico over team Italy tonight because it would be really funny.
Congrats (?) to the apparently clueless manager of Team USA, Mark DeRosa, who (prior to this incident) I had a really solid impression of. But he may have cost USA because he thought they had already clinched so he didn’t play his best lineup yesterday. Now he’s saying his comments were taken out of context. No way and for the manager of such a high profile team like this to not understand that his team had not yet clinched is a fireable offense IMO.
Last night’s starting lineup:
Bobby Witt
Gunnar Henderson
Aaron Judge
Kyle Schwarber
Will Smith
Roman Anthony
Paul Goldschmidt
Ernie Clement
Peter Crow-Armstrong
Dont blame the Manager, talk to McLean, Yarborough and Keller (8 runs, 3hrs, 4bb, 1 Big Error). Stuff happens.
Yeah, the lineup was solid and produced enough to win. The pitchers spit the bit.
Keller’s throw to second, ugh. But it is odd to put Goldschmidt in just to give him playing time. Nonetheless, they scored enough to win. Pitching has to be better.
DeRosa’s probably never getting a manager job now
Always loved the guy, but he’s bench coach material, not manager. He’s a modest guy, with much to be modest about.
Always came off as a meathead, to me at least.
I don’t know why the USA can’t have a retired manager like Bochy or Dusty manage the team. There are a ton of good candidates that fit this bill I would’ve landed on before DeRosa. Hell, what’s Mike Matheny doing these days?
Sad news about Teel. He looks like a great player.
Today’s games should be super exciting. Would love to see Mexico and Italy win simply because they are both fun teams to watch and they look like they’re having fun. Wish the American team played with a little more energy.
Really? I felt like the US team was super energized. They were flat to start last night but the fire has been there.
Forza Italia! Loving this run by them. Tonight should be awesome vs. Mexico!
Awesome seeing Carroll, Lindor, and Holliday all looking like they’ll make it back in time for the season after that rash of hamate bone injuries.
The handshake thing is a joke, a nothingburger cooked by the media. The Teel injury could be more serious, though the catcher didn’t look too badly hurt. As for DeRosa, if the U.S. makes it out of the pool stage and winds winning the tournament, all will be forgiven. If the team gets eliminated today, they’ll have a new manager for the next WBC.
What is the end date for the WBC?
So if Mexico loses USA is in? Or if either team blows out the other team USA is in? I think USA has a total of 11 runs given up. I think Mexico is 5 and Italy is 6. So any scoring over 6 puts USA in I take it? Confusing stuff
Keller so overrated. Would not have picked him for any all star type team. Can’t believe the Phils gave him a decent contract.
…and now you know why Mark DeRosa will never be a Major League manager.
Who knew freaking Lorenzen was such a world beater?!?
Reminded me of the Ryder Cup. So much talent, but it feels like the opponent just wants it more.
Can’t wait for the angry tweets from the White House when USA is eliminated.
One other thing. The game last night was between two U.S. teams. It’s just that one team had a requirement of some Italian ancestry somewhere along the way. So the “Team Italy” moniker is kind of silly. But it was still a fun game to watch.