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2017 MLB Thread News & Notes

hockeyfan1

hockeyfan1

New member
Well, it's almost time for "Playball!".  Whilst our Blue Jays and other Major League teams are engaging in a series of Spring trainig exhibition games, there is something else to interest baseball fans -- the World Baseball Classic.

Taking place in the U.S. this year, and with Ernie Whitt's Team Canada long eliminated, it'll be coming diwn between undefeated Puerto Rico (7-0) and the winner of the Japan/USA tilt.

Puerto Rico  beat the Netherlands 4-3 in extra innings to vault them into the championship game. 

Marcus Stroman and Team USA had previously defeated Jose Bautista and the Dominucan Republic in their Semi-Final matchup.

The U.S. vs Japan game is set for tonight.

Stories:
http://deadspin.com/the-wbc-knows-baseball-is-supposed-to-be-fun-1793474911

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2017/3/21/14998400/world-baseball-classic-usa-japan-semifinals

 
So, Team USA staved off Team Japan 2-1 vaulting them to a meeting against Team Puerto Rico in the WBC Championship Final tonight.

This is the first time the U.S. has ever reached the WBC Final in spite if the fact that the United States has hosted previous editions of this annual tournament.  Speaking of Team USA, Blue Jays' Marcus Stroman will be the starter on the mound.

More:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/03/22/usa-beats-japan-reaches-world-baseball-classic-final-first-time/99480456/
 
hockeyfan1 said:
So, Team USA staved off Team Japan 2-1 vaulting them to a meeting against Team Puerto Rico in the WBC Championship Final tonight.

This is the first time the U.S. has ever reached the WBC Final in spite if the fact that the United States has hosted previous editions of this annual tournament.  Speaking of Team USA, Blue Jays' Marcus Stroman will be the starter on the mound.

More:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/03/22/usa-beats-japan-reaches-world-baseball-classic-final-first-time/99480456/
Click to expand...

So this annual tournament is held every 4 years? How does that work?
 
Captain Canuck said:
hockeyfan1 said:
So, Team USA staved off Team Japan 2-1 vaulting them to a meeting against Team Puerto Rico in the WBC Championship Final tonight.

This is the first time the U.S. has ever reached the WBC Final in spite if the fact that the United States has hosted previous editions of this annual tournament.  Speaking of Team USA, Blue Jays' Marcus Stroman will be the starter on the mound.

More:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/03/22/usa-beats-japan-reaches-world-baseball-classic-final-first-time/99480456/
Click to expand...

So this annual tournament is held every 4 years? How does that work?
Click to expand...

Typo.  Correoted.
 
The Jays' Stroman led the way on the mound  as Team USA earned it's first ever WBC Championship shutting out Team Puerto Rico 8-O.

Stroman played a big part in the victory, pitching a no-hitter through to the seventh inning until Puerto Rico's Angel Pagan broke it up with a  double.
Stroman's one-hitter (including a walk) was preserved by reliever Sam Dyson who got the save.

"This is Marcus Stroman at his absolute best, and not just because of his six no-hit innings. Soft-contact ground balls are bread and butter." - Jeff Pasan of Yahoo! Sports.

Joe Sheehan  @joe_sheehan
I'm enjoying the start of the Marcus Stroman Era.

Congrats to Team USA and especially to the Blue Jays' Marcus Stroman.  Way to go!

Read all about it:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2699561-usa-marcus-stroman-beat-puerto-rico-for-world-baseball-classic-2017-title 
 
Wondering about ex-Blue Jays now Cleveland Indians Edwin Encarnacion?

Here are his stats:

2017      WAR    AB  H  R  HR  RBI  SB  BA 
              -0.1    23  5  2    1    1      0    .218


Source:  baseballreference.com

Nothing that the Jays have missed in abundance so far.
 
Encarnacion is a notoriously slow starter.  If his stats are bad in June I think the Jays can relax.  Meanwhile they look to be in sell everything for 5 cents mode as no one is playing well.
 
The Pittsburgh Pirates Gift Ngoepe made history in Monday night's game between the Pirates & the Cubs, in being the first ever African-born player to hit in his first major league at-bat.

A proud moment for an emotional Ngoepe who is also the player in MLB to come from the African continent.

Story:
https://sports.yahoo.com/news/pirates-rookie-gift-ngoepe-first-african-born-player-mlb-history-225005809.html
 
hockeyfan1 said:
The Pittsburgh Pirates Gift Ngoepe made history in Monday night's game between the Pirates & the Cubs, in being the first ever African-born player to hit in his first major league at-bat.

A proud moment for an emotional Ngoepe who is also the player in MLB to come from the African continent.

Story:
https://sports.yahoo.com/news/pirates-rookie-gift-ngoepe-first-african-born-player-mlb-history-225005809.html
Click to expand...

The other interesting part of this story is the Pirates actually cut MLB's first Lithuanian player to promote MLB's first African player.
The Pirates were also the team that signed pitchers from India, so they have a culture of exploring every corner of the world for baseball talent.
 
How many times does this happen, eh?  (Psst.  In 2007).

What's the fuss?  Read on to find out:


http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/twins-set-franchise-record-28-hits-20-7-rout-ms/
 
Just picked up a couple of tickets to catch the Red Sox in Tampa in a couple of weeks time. Tropicana Field looks like a pretty... unique venue.
 
Heroic Shrimp said:
Arn said:
Just picked up a couple of tickets to catch the Red Sox in Tampa in a couple of weeks time. Tropicana Field looks like a pretty... unique venue.
Click to expand...

That's one way of putting it.
Click to expand...

Say hi to the 3 other people who will attend the game.
 
L K said:
Heroic Shrimp said:
Arn said:
Just picked up a couple of tickets to catch the Red Sox in Tampa in a couple of weeks time. Tropicana Field looks like a pretty... unique venue.
Click to expand...

That's one way of putting it.
Click to expand...

Say hi to the 3 other people who will attend the game.
Click to expand...

Don't eat anything while you are there either. Put "Tropicana Field food safety violations" in a search engine.  ;)


 
It was definitely a unique experience! The Stingrays touch tank, in particular was a delight. I've been to quite a few ball parks now and it was by far the... most unique. The crowd was actually bigger than I expected too. (23,375 going by the box score). Thankfully I didn't eat anything from the place. There was a MASSIVE thunderstorm outside during the game and some partd of the roof seemed to be less watertight than maybe they'd have liked.

Game was quite good, bit of a pitching duel between Sale and Faria with the Rays notching a couple of homers to break the game open and win 4-1.

19731908_10155055627659191_6935984473488521493_n.jpg
 
Former Major Leaguer Tim Raines inducted at Cooperstown, happily as an Expo:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/30/sports/baseball/tim-raines-expos-hall-of-fame.html
 
Top 10 minor league prospects: as of July 2017  -- Midseason report

1  Yoan Moncada                  2B        White Sox
2  Vladimir Guerrero Jr.  3B        Blue Jays
3  Gleyber Torres                SS        Yankees
4  Amed Rosario                  SS        Mets
5  Eloy Jimenez                  OF        White Sox
6  Rafael Devers                  3B        Red Sox
7  Brendan Rodgers            SS        Rockies
8  Victor Robles                  OF        Nationals
9  Nick Senzel                    3B        Reds
10  Ronald Acuna                OF        Braves


http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2017-toronto-blue-jays-midseason-top-10-prospects/#vQxIgPLYo1UXBUVT.97
 
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