World Baseball Classic 2026

[Phone]

oh of course would have been smashed but the extra money would have been nice

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Korea got smashed 10-0 by Dominican Republic. Don’t think Australia would’ve been productive either

The Dominicans look too good for everyone else. Slight question on how Severino will go in the semi final against the US, but if he keeps the US quiet, Skenes will have his hands full with that Dominican lineup.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

And a big **** you to ESPN for sticking with some random ass college basketball game in preference to the start of the quarter-final between Italy and Puerto Rico this morning. Missed the first run being scored. **** basketball.

 

[RPCB]

Italy keep rolling on. Into the Semi Final. Incredible.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

How's that ****wit fan that caught the ball before it exited the field of play? What an absolute *******.

 

[satty]

Has been a disappointing show from Yamamoto so far.

Think this won't be a cakewalk for the Japanese

 

[satty]

Wow on the verge of a massive upset.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

DR and the US semi-final shaping up to be an all-time classic game.

 

[FreoRicci]

And a big ** you to ESPN for sticking with some random ass college basketball game in preference to the start of the quarter-final between Italy and Puerto Rico this morning. Missed the first run being scored. ** basketball.

ESPN don’t have the rights? Or am I wrong.
Their coverage have been awful

 

[FreoRicci]

Skenes could easily win the CY Young for the next 10 years. Just disgusting pitches. Unhittable.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

ESPN don’t have the rights? Or am I wrong.
Their coverage have been awful

They have the broadcast rights in Australia. The Australia games plus the quarter-finals and the games afterwards have all been on ESPN, but they stuck with some shitty ass college basketball game between two colleges nobody gives a shit about rather than switch to the top of the first in the quarter-final yesterday morning between Italy and Puerto Rico. Missed a run being scored in the top of the first.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

What a bum arse way to end the game (Perdomo called out on strikes as the third out in the bottom of the ninth against Mason Miller). Umpire should be ashamed.

 

[RPCB]

As much as we get frustrated as AFL fans at the standard of umpiring, I think MLB umpires are the worst in the world. It’s literally every single game that has seriously shit calls that aren’t close.

 

[FreoRicci]

As much as we get frustrated as AFL fans at the standard of umpiring, I think MLB umpires are the worst in the world. It’s literally every single game that has seriously shit calls that aren’t close.

Just bring in challenges/robo strike zone. I’ve seen incredible umpiring at state league level in Australia that’s better than MLB level.
It’s horrid

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Just bring in challenges/robo strike zone. I’ve seen incredible umpiring at state league level in Australia that’s better than MLB level.
It’s horrid

I suspect that the ABS challenge system has not been implemented for the WBC is because the Tokyo Dome and the stadium in Puerto Rico could not support it. I think it will be different in 2029.

 

[flamethrower]

First my rant about something that bugs me about watching baseball on TV these days. The worst thing that baseball media ever did was put that little white box on the screen - that is NOT the official strike zone, it is a graphical overlay and is usually much smaller than the real strike zone. It works ok for fastballs but is near useless for any type of breaking ball.

Secondly that pitch was WAY too close to take -

What a bum arse way to end the game (Perdomo called out on strikes as the third out in the bottom of the ninth against Mason Miller). Umpire should be ashamed.

According to official MLB rules the strike zone shown above is too small. Watch any telecast and it is always the same.
The top of the strike one should be just below the letters on the jersey (where pitch number 1 is), and the bottom of the strike zone where pitch 8 is crossing the plate.

"Vertical Bounds: Top is the midpoint between the shoulders and top of the uniform pants; bottom is at the hollow beneath the kneecap."

Watching the Venezuela v Italy game right now they have the top of the strike zone at the belt line and the bottom of the zone above the knees for most batters.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

First my rant about something that bugs me about watching baseball on TV these days. The worst thing that baseball media ever did was put that little white box on the screen - that is NOT the official strike zone, it is a graphical overlay and is usually much smaller than the real strike zone. It works ok for fastballs but is near useless for any type of breaking ball.

Secondly that pitch was WAY too close to take -

According to official MLB rules the strike zone shown above is too small. Watch any telecast and it is always the same.
The top of the strike one should be just below the letters on the jersey (where pitch number 1 is), and the bottom of the strike zone where pitch 8 is crossing the plate.

"Vertical Bounds: Top is the midpoint between the shoulders and top of the uniform pants; bottom is at the hollow beneath the kneecap."

Watching the Venezuela v Italy game right now they have the top of the strike zone at the belt line and the bottom of the zone above the knees for most batters.

Two things.

First, I'm not sure how you could watch live Miller's pitch to Perdomo on which he struck out looking and think it is a strike. The only person in the whole stadium yesterday that thought it was a strike was the home plate umpire. Miller was surprised he got the call.

It was an egregiously terrible call by the umpire and was a sour note to end what had been a tremendous game.

Secondly, what is shown above is the Statcast strike zone that is the official zone on which they measure the umpire's accuracy calls. It has nothing to do with what is shown on the telecast.

If you want any further proof that the umpire made the wrong call against Perdomo, this is the umpire scorecard from the game yesterday. The pitch labelled '7' is the Perdomo strikeout pitch. It's measured at 3.7 inches below the bottom of the zone. I get that players should protect against pitches that are close to but outside the zone, but that pitch was a quarter foot beneath the zone. A professional hitter should be entitled to the umpire getting the call right.

 

[FreoRicci]

What a bum arse way to end the game (Perdomo called out on strikes as the third out in the bottom of the ninth against Mason Miller). Umpire should be ashamed.

Didn’t even snap over the plate either. Started low and ended down.
Just lazy umpiring

 

[FreoRicci]

Ronald Acuna Jr ties the game for Venezuela.
2-2 bottom of 7th

 

[BigVic]

Their coverage have been awful

All matches on Disney+ this year. A life-saver and what a tournament it has been. All ends tomorrow morning

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Heck of a final.

Spoiler

Venezuela defeats the USA 3-2 in nine innings.

 

[MatthewB]

Heck of a final.

Spoiler

Venezuela defeats the USA 3-2 in nine innings.

that was a great game

Spoiler

glad the USA lost, sounded like the game was played in Venezuela at the end

 

[FreoRicci]

Funny.
Aaron Judge is the best hitter in baseball.
But I wouldn’t want him in the 9th inning down 1 run. Actually would swap him for a pinch hitter

 

[Dixie Flatline]

that was a great game

Spoiler

glad the USA lost, sounded like the game was played in Venezuela at the end

The atmosphere inside Loan Depot Park for the US v Dominican Republic and the US v Venezuela games was electric. It's an actual shame for the MLB that the Marlins are a cheap organisation, since there is clearly a love for baseball in Florida. The Marlins should lean into the Latin American influence and build a fanbase in this fashion, but they're too busy being a small market team with no ambitions.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Team of the tournament. Unsurprisingly, no Australian made the cut.