World Baseball Classic: Who's going to win?

[Astro]

So, who do you think will win the 1st World Baseball Classic, with games starting this week, we'll soon see.

[trosmok]

The Cuban National Team is my favorite to win this series of exhibitions. They are the winningest club in international baseball, and have played together for years. I think this gives them a huge advantage over the cobbled together squads of MLB superstars and true countrymen. Plus, as I mentioned in a previous thread, many other teams are having players drop out like seventeen year old high school freshmen.:eek:

[BoofBonser26]

South Africa.

[Myankee4life]

Im Dominican through and through and when the tournament was first announced I picked DR to win it all with relative ease. But, when A-rod backed out I said ok we still have enough to win it all. As Cano backed out I didn't care. But when I found out Pedro wasn't going to pitch in the first round and F. Cordero backed out I thought we'd have to fight to win it all. The final straw was when Both Ramirez's dropped out. DR has still a potent offense but only 1 pitcher in Colon and really no bullpen. On ESPN I saw the potential Venezuela roster and was impressed. I f thats Venezuela's actual roster then they'll be in the mix. My predictions are

1. USA
2. Venezuela
3. Dominican Republic :(

Lets go DR :clapping

[Gamingboy]

South Africa.

Dude, Barry Armitage isn't that good a prospect.....:crazy :laugh

[Astro]

I went with Venezuela.... if they had everyone playing that originally were marked in they would almost be a lock (Johan Santana and King Felix in same rotation...)

Great Ace (Santana), Great Closer (K-Rod), Great Lineup

I hope the US wins, but my money is on Venezuela


On another note: I dont see Cuba getting past Puerto Rico, all of the so call great Cuban defectors havent really lived up to the hype and I'm not sure if they can beat a team of actual major leaguers

[Red Sox Rule]

I'm saying Dominican Republic but i'd like to see a euro team like holland to cause an upset

[BoofBonser26]

Dude, Barry Armitage isn't that good a prospect.....:crazy :laugh
Says you! :crazy

(I'm embarrased to look at the box score of any game they'll play in. Mercy rule, anyone?)

[Building429Rocks]

Gotta go with Dominican Republic. Very good looking team.

-B429R

[Perseas]

If there hadn't been any pitching restraints, I would have gone with the US. I went with Venezuela, with the US a close second, only because there might be a chance that the US won't be able to use any pitcher they desire, in any given time.

[UnderPressure]

Dominican Republic.

[WhiteSoxSteve]

I'm going with Venezuala. Their pitching is absolutely stacked with Santana, Zambrano, and Freddy Garcia. They also have guys like Carlos Silva, Juan Rincon, Fransisco Rodriguez, and Gustavo Chacin.

[chrismarullo]

I'll have to go with the Dominican team, then USA then maybe Venezuela.

[Blackout]

many other teams are having players drop out like seventeen year old high school freshmen.:eek:


you'd have to be the stupidest kid on earth to be 17 in your freshmen year of high school

[538280]

Looking over the rosters, I like USA or Venezuela. The Venezuelans seem to be taking this more seriously than other countries, so I guess they're my pick.

[Erik Bedard]

I like the Dominican Republic, even without Pedro, Cano, and A-Rod. As much as I want Canada to win, I have to accept that they'll lose in the quarter-finals.

My bracket (not including pool A which has already been determined

Pool B:

USA
Canada
Mexico
South Africa (lost to the Twins 13-2 or something!)

Pool C:

Cuba
Panama
Puerto Rico
The Netherlands

Pool D:

Venezuela
Dominican Republic
Australia
Italy

Quarterfinals:

Pool 1:

USA
Japan
Canada
Korea

Pool 2:

Dominican Republic
Venezuela
Cuba
Panama

Semifinals:

Dominican Republic over Japan
Venezuela over USA

Finals:

Dominican Republic over Venezuela

3rd place:

USA over Japan

Really hard to choose in Pools C and 2...

[bluejaysfan]

Go Canada...hehe!

[Dravecky43]

Quarterfinals:

Pool 1:

USA
Japan
Canada
Korea

Pool 2:

Dominican Republic
Venezuela
Cuba
Panama

Semifinals:

Dominican Republic over Japan
Venezuela over USA

Finals:

Dominican Republic over Venezuela

3rd place:

USA over Japan

Really hard to choose in Pools C and 2...
Um, I'm not sure, but I think I have heard many times on the radio that the ONLY way the US faces one of the Latin America powerhouses (DR, Venezuela, Cuba) is if they make the Final. I think how it's going to work is that the first and second place finishers in Qfinal 1 will face each other and the first and second places in Q2 will play in the semis. So your semis would actually be:

Semifinal 1: Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela

Semifinal 2: USA vs. Japan

[Dravecky43]

Ok, yeah, I just found the bracket on the official WBC site.

http://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/index.jsp

On the middle of the home page is the bracket. Check it out.

[BoofBonser26]

So all South Africa has to do is beat Mexico and the United States. Easy.




;)

[Blackout]

ok im convinced, the domincan republic will probably win this thing easily

team USA hasn't impressed me at all, other than their bullpen depth of Cordero-Nathan-Lidge

[Home Run Hitter]

;) D.R put the smack down on Venezuela. 11-5 and will probably do it again in the semifinals, also Vlad Guerrero is expected to play, pretty much, it's a WRAP !!! D.R is my favorite especially after the dissapointing loss in U.S and Candada game.

[TonyK]

D.R. has an awesome top of the lineup:

1. Soriano
2. Tejada
3. Pujols
4. Ortiz

[trosmok]

Six of us predicted Team Cuba to win it all: BuzzLatino, CaptainColdNose, J W, Knick9, sacatcher09, and your humble narrator.:cool: Seventeen votes each for Team USA, and Dominican Republic were incorrect. Should I start a fresh poll before tonight's game?

[Mattingly]

Six of us predicted Team Cuba to win it all: BuzzLatino, CaptainColdNose, J W, Knick9, sacatcher09, and your humble narrator.:cool: Seventeen votes each for Team USA, and Dominican Republic were incorrect. Should I start a fresh poll before tonight's game?
Interestingly, Japan was given "zero" chance to win, based upon this poll. Weird but true.

[Astro]

And the winner is Japan....

A grand total of: 0 of us got it correct.. Way to go guys! 0 out of 55 votes... wow we're bad

Maybe someone will get it right in 2009