U.S. routs Puerto Rico, 8-0, to win World Baseball Classic
On Wednesday evening in Dodger Stadium in front of over 51,000 fans, the United States defeated Puerto Rico by an 8-0 final to win the 2017 World Baseball Classic championship.
Marcus Stroman was the star of the show, tossing six no-hit innings against a previously undefeated Puerto Rico squad before being lifted following a leadoff double. Ian Kinsler and Brandon Crawford -- Team USA’s double-play combination -- both drove in a pair of runs apiece.
Late in the game, the United States broke it wide open, thus securing their first WBC crown. Japan (twice) and the Dominican Republic were the tournament’s prior winners.
If you're wondering why the US hasn't kicked ass in this tournament every time its been held (I certainly was) it's because that most of the best players don't participate, preferring to stay with their MLB teams:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/spor ... ayers.htmlIt’s Hard to Be Excited About World Baseball Classic When U.S. Players Aren’t
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Imagine a star-spangled outfield of Mike Trout, Mookie Betts and Bryce Harper. Imagine a red-white-and-blue pitching staff of Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner and Corey Kluber at the start and Zach Britton at the end.
Keep imagining. As the fourth World Baseball Classic begins on Monday in Seoul, South Korea, none of those superstars will be taking part. Nor will Noah Syndergaard, Corey Seager, Justin Verlander or pretty much any headliner from baseball’s marquee team, the Chicago Cubs.
Understandably, Major League Baseball will aggressively market the tournament, the primary international showcase for its business — which on opening day last year included 238 players born outside the United States. That number translates to 27.5 percent of all major league rosters, and it represents a record-tying 18 countries and territories. The figure has been above 25 percent every season since 2001.
Japan won the W.B.C. in 2006 and 2009, and the Dominican Republic in 2013. The United States, a host for all three rounds every time, has played 20 games and gone 10-10. The .500 record is a fitting symbol for the seeming ambivalence of Americans.
Syndergaard was asked on Friday whether he had any regrets about not playing for the United States in the tournament. He said no and explained, “Because I’m a Met.” He added, “Ain’t nobody make it to the Hall of Fame and win the World Series playing in the W.B.C.”
And when fans from the United States talk about baseball with one another, does anyone speak passionately about this tournament? With so many of the best American players deciding they would rather stay with their teams, it sends a powerful message to fans: We don’t care, so why should you?
“A key to the W.B.C.’s success is to have the best possible rosters we can have,” Commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledged in Phoenix last month, just after spring training began. “I think we’ve made real progress this time around in terms of the quality of the rosters.”
That is debatable, especially when it comes to the United States pitchers. In 2013, the starters were R. A. Dickey, Gio Gonzalez, Derek Holland, Ryan Vogelsong and Ross Detwiler. Later this week at Marlins Park, another first-round site, these starters will represent the United States: Chris Archer, Danny Duffy, Marcus Stroman and Tanner Roark.
Undoubtedly, all of those pitchers have talent. But this year’s group has combined for one All-Star selection (by Archer in 2015) and zero World Series starts.
