Baseball

[Valmy]

Really?  Is Israel not a punching bag?

I felt for that 19 year old kid the Canadians put on the mound.

Israel isn't great but it is hard to pitch a perfect game against anybody.

[Valmy]

The King's Baseball Legion just came up short against Mexico 2-1. That was pretty amazing when they tied it up. They gave Mexico all they could handle.

Nice first showing Brits. Maybe we will see you again sometime.

[crazy canuck]

Caught a bit of the Aussies vs. Cuba while at the gym this morning.  The bits I saw showed a pretty good battle.

[Grey Fox]

My son is currently taking part in day 1 of AA 11U selection camp. His goal is too make it to week 2.

Wow a select camp. That is pretty awesome. Keep us updated.

It seems that no cuts were made after week 1. On to week 2!

[Barrister]

My son is currently taking part in day 1 of AA 11U selection camp. His goal is too make it to week 2.

Wow a select camp. That is pretty awesome. Keep us updated.

It seems that no cuts were made after week 1. On to week 2!

Nice!

I know from AA hockey tryouts it can be a stressful time for kids and parents.

[HVC]

Congrats to him (that's soda, not beer )

[Grey Fox]

My son is currently taking part in day 1 of AA 11U selection camp. His goal is too make it to week 2.

Wow a select camp. That is pretty awesome. Keep us updated.

It seems that no cuts were made after week 1. On to week 2!

Nice!

I know from AA hockey tryouts it can be a stressful time for kids and parents.

I'm not too stressed about it for now. I want him to perform well but making the team isn't really something we can afford.

He's not stressed at all, he's very aloof when it comes to baseball for some reason. Especially considering that it is actually his most competitive sport.

[Barrister]

I'm not too stressed about it for now. I want him to perform well but making the team isn't really something we can afford.

He's not stressed at all, he's very aloof when it comes to baseball for some reason. Especially considering that it is actually his most competitive sport.

But that then is part of the stress - you're worried how the kid will take it if he doesn't make it, but you're worried how your wallet will take it if he does.

[Barrister]

And it's not like the stress ends once you make the team.

Just for example - my kid is now signed up to try out for the Hockey Alberta-run Prospect Cup.  They do tryouts throughout the province, form a total of 8 teams from 2010-born kids, then play a tournament in Red Deer.  Most of the kids he played AA with are trying out, but now the competition is even tougher.

So the question will be that since they form 2 teams in Edmonton, is my kid one of the 12 best defencemen in Edmonton born in 2010?

And then of course since the season is over, he has to tryout again in the fall - but now there's also AAA to try out for.  Consensus is that since he's moving up to U15 and will be a first year (so competing against kids born in 2009) making AAA is almost impossible, but still keeping a spot in AA is hardly guaranteed...

[Grey Fox]

Ah, the life of a sport parent.

[Barrister]

Ah, the life of a sport parent.

One of us! One of us!

[crazy canuck]

Ah, the life of a sport parent.

The boys and I still have good laughs and memories about those glory days.  Its a good time, and you have the right attitude.  Don't stress about it, just enjoy these moments.

Cue https://www.google.com/search?q=glory+days+bruce+springsteen&oq=glory+days&aqs=edge.5.69i57j0i512j0i131i433i512j0i512l6.4654j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[Valmy]

We are headed for the Semifinals! Let me fill you all in on how we got there:

As I previously mentioned The King's Baseball Legion went down to Mexico after a heroic effort 2-1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyU34IKqVPc

Despite having truly horrendous uniforms:


Come on man, did you iron that T on or something?

Canada regained some pride, beating Columbia 5-0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUrOMa7bdMo and setting up a winner advance game against Mexico...

Which the Mexicans won 10-3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyU34IKqVPc Mexico goes through to the knock out round.

The United States then secured its spot by beating Columbia 3-2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bTAqX3Vkek

Pool C finished like this:

Pool C
Mexico 3 1
United States 3 1
Canada 2 2
Great Britain 1 3
Columbia 1 3

Meanwhile in Pool D:

The Dominicans have little trouble with the Israelis 10-0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSkfQGMcoA0

And showing that maybe Yi was right that throwing a perfect game against Israel is no big deal as the Dominicans 1 hit them.

Venezuela came out on top against Nicaragua 4-1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85MDzK0n9Uw

And then finished on top the Pool at 4-0 dominating Israel 5-1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59BpdWEpfjc

This set up a critical winner advance and loser go home between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. And PR scored a historic upset by riding a 4 run third inning to a dramatic 5-2 victory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHqOKXhhgrA in a game that will forever live in the memories of PR fans...and in the memories of NY Mets fans as their star closer Edwin Diaz injures himself celebrating PR's historic win. LOL Mets.

Pool D finished like this:

Venezuela 4 0
Puerto Rico 3 1
Dominican Republic 2 2
Israel 1 3
Nicaragua 0 4

[Valmy]

In the Quarterfinals Pool A winner Cuba took on Pool B runner up Australia in Tokyo. Cuba would overcome an early Aussie lead to advance to the Semi-Finals 4-3 ending an impressive run by Australia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOWHLC69nEU

Cuba has now won three straight after looking dead in the water after their 0-2 start.

Pool B winner Japan had little trouble defeating Pool A runner up Italy 9-3 in Tokyo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJkCbaK0WnU

Japan has barely broken a sweat so far.

Poole C winner Mexico with a dramatic comeback against Pool D runner up Puerto Rico in the bottom of the 7th to win 5-4 with back to back two out hits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMiV0FeIVUM PR sure could have used a great reliever like Edwin Diaz to close the deal. Oh well. Mexico on to the Semi Finals.

Pool D winner Venezuela fell to Pool C runner up USA in similarly dramatic fashion with a grand-slam 8th inning home run by the 9th hitter SS Trea Turner to lose 9-7, all that after the Venezuelans had battled back from a 5-2 deficit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV0bpOotUVQ

So the stage is set for the final four teams:

Cuba vs USA today in Miami (huh...is that a home game for Cuba or the USA? )

Japan vs Mexico tomorrow in Miami

Before the Championship game on Tuesday in Miami to decide who is the TRUE WORLD CHAMPION.

I am sure the whole world will be watching in rapt attention...or at least Japan will if Japan makes it as something like 60% of their entire population typically watches their national team play.

[Valmy]

Team USA destroyed Cuba but at the beginning it looked a little shaky with old man Adam Wainwright getting the start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkskfWENTYk but Wainwright's curve ball get them out of it.

The USA would go on for a dominating 14-2 win over Cuba with two more home runs by Trea Turner as well as ones by Paul Goldschmidt and the Baltimore Orioles own Cedric Mullins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX-1X9VM7uc

The USA is on fire and anxious to defend their 2017 world championship in the finals. USA! USA! USA!

But waiting for them:

In the other semi-final Samurai Japan and El Tri (baseball edition) would play a game for the ages. Mexico had a reputation for underachieving in international competition and were anxious to erase that reputation and reach the championship game against their arch-rival.

But they had to get past super star fire baller Roki Sasaki whose 102 mph fastball and electric stuff appeared unhittable in the first few innings...until he hung a sinker to Mexican 2nd basemen Luis Urias: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-KU9IvDKdc

Mexico appeared to be cruising to victory behind the excellent pitching of Patrick Sandoval and José Urquidy until Urquidy ran into trouble in the bottom of the 7th inning. Team Mexico brought in JoJo Romero to stop the Samurai rally and he nearly succeeded until he faced Masataka Yoshida with two outs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTSFC5Q2qqk

Two innings left and a 3-3 ballgame.

Mexico would come roaring back though. Alex Verdugo's double in the top of the 8th put El Tri ahead 4-3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYrrIbwZrA

And then Isaac Paredes got a hit to score pinch runner Jarren Duran but a great throw by Yoshida nailed First Baseman Joey Meneses at the the plate to keep it a 5-3 Mexican lead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9MKr79f5go

Japan would answer in the bottom of the 8th inning with a pinch hit Hotaka Yamakawa sacrifice fly to score pinch runner Takumu Nakano to make it 5-4 Mexico.

Japanese closer Taisei Ota would hold Mexico in the top of the 9th.

So it came down to the bottom of the 9th inning with Mexico holding on to a narrow 5-4 lead. Giovanny Gallegos comes in to win it for Mexico but first has to face Japanese star Shohei Ohtani who hits a double to the right field gap. Gallegos then walks Yoshida, who is then replaced by pinch runner Ukyo Shuto.

Next up is 3rd baseman Munetaka Murakami and this happens: https://youtu.be/bW4p5zHct9A?t=66

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ro-JHPwbow

Samurai Japan advances to face the United States for the World Championship in an epic back and forth game. Mexico finishes with its first ever top 4 finish in the WBC.

So today, in just a few hours, the world champion of Baseball will be crowned and Los Angeles Angels teammates Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani not only get the novel experience of playing against each other, but in a championship game instead of just who gets to finish 4th in the AL West.

Should be awesome.