WBC Roundup: Tuesday

Pool 1
Not surprisingly, Mexico has become the latest team to be eliminated. Their offense was pretty good, but the pitching just wasn’t there, except for arguably Jorge Campillo. Once again, I fell asleep midway through this game, so forgive me for being short on the details. Tonight, Japan and Korea take the late shift in a non-elimination game.

Pool 2
I said that I wasn’t going to be happy regardless of the score, but shortly before the game began, I realized that a Puerto Rico win would actually kind of be the best-case scenario, because that would put Venezuela into an elimination match with Team USA, which would’ve meant that the Tigers would have been guaranteed to get somebody back in the next couple days, while at the same time, I’d still have Tigers to root for in the semi-finals. Now, I still have Tigers going to Los Angeles, but there’s no guarantee that Curtis Granderson won’t be going there as well. That’s one of those frustrating losses because both teams pitched well and it could’ve gone either way. Now either Team USA or Team Puerto Rico is going home, and again, it could go either way (though with Ryan Braun seemingly injured, Curtis Granderson should start tonight). And I know I *should* root for Team USA, but instinctually, I keep pulling for Puerto Rico. I don’t know why. I guess maybe I kind of think of this as Pudge’s farewell tour for me (since I never really got one when he was traded away from the Tigers and it’s highly unlikely that I’ll watch any Astros games), and I don’t really want that to end yet. I don’t really mean that in a sappy way, though. It’s kind of hard to explain. Hell, for all I know, he might not even play tonight, now that he doesn’t need to audition anymore. At any rate, I suppose whatever happens, happens.

By the way, with it being St. Patrick’s Day, apparently the Tigers will be wearing those horrid green hats during their game today.