World Baseball Classic Memories
By Mike SanClemente - Managing Editor
03/19/2006
Keep an eye on the site over the next few days as I post either one or a series of articles (still undecided) on the World Baseball Classic. I recently moved to Orange County, 15 minutes away from Anaheim Stadium, where I saw last Sunday’s controversial USA/Japan game which saw the US win thanks to a reversed call on a sacrifice fly.
Then just yesterday, I drove to San Diego’s Petco Park to see both the Cuba/Dominican Republic game and the Korea/Japan game.
Absolutely fabulous experience, all three games, and I’ve got what I hope are some good pictures as well. As a teaser, here’s a few from last Sunday’s game:
Roger Clemens is second from left, #22, during pregame introductions.
Ichiro hits Peavy’s 3rd pitch of the game into the right field seats for a quick 1-0 edge.
La familia Griffey, standing next to Japan’s first baseman Michihiro Ogasawara. If Strat covered Japan, Ogasawara would be rated a 2 or 1 on defense, he was simply outstanding.
While the US heartily underachieved (and umpire Bob Davidson did his best to endear himself to Mr. Bud Selig – more on that in my article), the fans of these other teams, combined with watching players I knew nothing about, provided a refreshing and energizing experience like no other.
I’ll leave you with this for now: If you have a chance to see the finale on Monday either on TV or in person, do it. A friend and I are already making tentative plans to potentially fly to the host country, wherever it’s determined to be, for the finals of the next WBC.