The Jays– well, Josh Johnson, Rajai Davis and a bunch of your Buffalo Bisons– travel to Orlando today to take on the Atlanta Braves and Kris Medlen at 1 PM ET, but for most of us that game is going to slip into blissful irrelevance about an hour later, as Team Canada kicks of its Global Honkbal Superlative campaign at 2 PM ET against Italy.
Scuttlebutt
Mike Wilner tweets that John Gibbons says he hasn’t ruled out having Jose Bautista play some third base, with Brett Lawrie now out (but that that’s very premature thinking, and he hasn’t even approached Jose about it). Uh… hopefully it doesn’t come to this.
Brendan Kennedy of the Star tweets that Josh Johnson is scheduled for three innings today, followed by Jeremy Jeffress, who will pitch two, then one apiece from Delabar, Rogers, Brummett and Beck.
Interesting WBC tie-breaker and importance-of-scorekeeping stuff from Griff (who, incidentally has a new mail bag up at the Toronto Star–though, as always, I have not read any of his answers)…
Scenario 3-way #wbc tie for 2nd in Pool D. If USA sweeps 3-0. #teamcanada beat Italy. Mexico beats Canada. 3-way tiebreaker=best TQR. #huh
— Richard Griffin (@RGriffinStar) March 8, 2013
RT @nkalamb: @rgriffinstar TQR?Simple. TQR is Team Quality Balance which is Off ER/Off Inn. – Def ER/Def Inn. Official scorer is key. #wbc
— Richard Griffin (@RGriffinStar) March 8, 2013
Honkballers maken grote monde voorlopig waar, says Algemeen Dagblad.
TV: None (Jays), Sportsnet (WBC)
And now the lineups for the Spring Training game from Disney World…
Toronto Blue Jays
A. Gose CF
R. Davis LF
R. Langerhans RF
A. LaRoche 3B
L. Jimenez 1B
M. Nickeas C
J. Thole DH
R. Goins SS
J. Negrych 2B
J. Johnson RHP
Atlanta Braves
J. Heyward DH
J. Parraz RF
J. Upton LF
B. Upton CF
E. Meija 1B
B. DeWitt 2B
C. Bethancourt C
J. Leonard 3B
E. Reyes SS
K. Medlen RHP
And now the lineups for the Global Honkbal Superlative matchup in Arizona…
Canada
T. Gillies CF
T. Green 3B
J. Votto DH
J. Morneau 1B
M. Saunders RF
C. Robinson C
A. Loewen LF
P. Orr 2B
C. Iorg SS
S. Hill RHP
Italy
N. Punto 2B
C. DeNorfia CF
A. Rizzo DH
A. Liddi 3B
C. Colabello 1B
M. Costanzo LF
M. Chiarini RF
D. Butera C
A. Granato SS
A. Maestri RHP
They have the wrong game on TV!
Stoeten, are your tear ducts welling up with maple drops of pride?
I just want to watch JAYS play. What are Lind/ Bautista / Cabrera doing today? more Reddit AMAs?
They are getting ready to go out to Cowboys on OBT tonight for a WBC sucks line Dance.
any tips for watching Canada-Italy online?
BlowOffWorkAndWatchTVAtASportsBar Dot Com
My favourite sports bar these days is the VIP Box. Google it.
wow…good call someguy, that site is awesome
Johnson pitched a hell of a 3 innings
Matt E – I wish!
some guy – thanks
So should I drive around and honk my horn today?
Problem is, I don’t have a Camaro or Prelude with a sick looking spoiler.
raycess
Hmmm. I didn’t know that car preference had anything to do with hatred of a race. Nice card though.
jealous
Aah, mama – Mia. They scored in the first.
Looks like Gose decided today is a good day to go apeshit. 3-3 with a homer and 2 steals? Yes please.
Canada back to 1-1, but they look incredibly nervous so far. Can you imagine Italy going through to the final 8 instead of Canada? Mexico isn’t out yet either, but man that would be ugly.
lead off single in the 3rd too for Italy
oh oh
Not liking the World Honkbal thing so much today.
Canadian pitching is fucking depressing…
Not watching the game cuz Im at work so Im following the GameDay, but Canada is down by 4 runs, get the first 2 runners on base and then lay down a sac bunt? Wtf?!? Please tell me I missed something important there …
No you didnt miss anything…Ernie Witt just throwing away outs…fucking idiot…
Dumbest thing I’ve ever damn seen … apart from Loewen striking out on three pitches right after.
You didn’t miss anything, Ernie Whitt did: the last two decades of baseball.
Stoeten for the win…
They did it again. This time with only 1 runner on, but in the 7th damn inning. With the tying run not even holding a bat sitting on the bench. Wow .. Ernie Whitt must have no faith in his hitters
Its cuzza me isn’t it.
Some painfully questionable decisions so far.
Free Stubby Clapp III.
WWWWHHHHYYYY!?!?!?!?! are you bunting….
Nice job there by Aumont. Two outs, nobody on..and gives up three more runs.
i thought this guy had a big arm. guy was sitting low 90s
No joy in Mapleville.
Ok that’s it…no more honkbal for this guy…fucking Mercy Rule…embarassing…
It’s like watching pee wee Tball.
ok, I’m going back to the ST games-fukin some drama there at least. This is like looking at D league shit-enuf!. Lawrie should leave tonite and get ready for the real season-forfuksakes
Missed the game, seeing on twitter that Parkes and Andy are all bent outta shape about Ernie Whitt being manager..
Someone lemme know what happened?
Let’s just say that Ernie does not believe in the 3 run HR like Earl Weaver did, but rather in the hope a batter can hit a 1run Sac fly after bunting runners over when trailing by more than 1-the philosophy that was espoused by the late lamented manager Joe Schlobotnik. I think Ernie will get the same fate. Maybe he can go back to picking up helmets as 1B coach of the J’s
Man that Italy is some kind of powerhouse…
Ahhhhhhhh, mama-mia, what’s a matter for you team Canada!
+lots
Wow, Canadian sports is an embarrassment other than hockey. At least, basketball should be on the upswing with some big prospects. In all seriousness though, how does a country like Italy when 99% of the population doesnt know what the fuck baseball is, beat canada. I know BC is the main hotbed for baseball in canada because they can play it year round, but holy fuck they should have beten Italy. If your going to lose at least go down like mexico did in a respectable fashion.
I think people need a bit of perspective. This is not Team Italy per say, but rather Team America of Italian descent.
Of the fifteen guys on the field for the ” Italian’s ” today, only 3 were actually raised in Italy.
We need to get better ringers and have our major league born Canucks either stay healthy or give more of a rats ass.
Whatever you do dont overreact about a meaningless tourney
Yup
Try to not underreact either.
I imagine DJFers would have been much happier had the score been reversed.
I’d also be happier if Dickey wasn’t down 4-0 to Mexico at present.
sí
I’ll try to appropriately react tomorrow when I actually watch the game.
I promise!
Remember when some people were saying Ernie Whitt should manage the Jays? LOL
I imagine that he’s managed to completely disappear into total obscurity.
And rightly so.
Is Ozzie still available?
Not even your rose-coloured glasses could protect you (and us) from him, Pollyanna.
He’d be so great for team chemistry.
Stop trying to summon Little Looper, GSMC.
Chemistry’s for blowing up things really good. That is all.
It’s Spring Training. I’m still working my way into game shape. This WBC thing is fucking with my timing.
Many of us are struggling to find just how to properly embrace Team Canada & Honkbal, while at the same time finding ourselves in a pennant race.
Good luck.
I’ve sworn off of Honkball and I’m already tired of people predicting the season based on meaningless Spring Training games. April 2 is almost upon us. When the games count and we’re a month in, I’ll start worrying about players’ stats.
+1
Dickey sucks we overpaid for him – idiots
Wrong syntax… Suck Dickey.
Wack!! We could’ve had a V-8.
Or Niese.
Dickey’s battery mate strikes out for the 2nd time.
Oh so young, so goddamn young
Nice!
If Mexico wins will the Arizona police arrest their players?
Joe Arpaio said sí.
Gose looked good, 2 of his 4 hits including the homer were off Kris Medlen. He of the 10-1, 1.57 era and a 0.91 whip.
I can’t wait to gloat like an asshole when Gose proves you guys wrong that think he’s all glove.
If he has a .340 obp, 10 homers and 25 steals midseason in buffalo, how do we make room for him?
Good to see you out Smasher.
Saw Zorn and his family on a flight tonight….. He was laughing about Lanny and me being an Oil fan.
Gose got stick, I agree. Maybe he’s swinging better because they took that Mr. T startup kit off his neck and now he’s not so top heavy.
Well I think Rasmus is under the care of Dr Mottola, but if he isnt showing any progress midseason, the trade him for a legit 1st base and stick Gose there (or JB and Gose in left).
Who would you trade Rasmus for
I’d trade Rasmus for the funds required to sign Johnson to an extension.
Maybe he’ll be used in a deal to get a SP who is arb controlled and filthy – more likely if Rasmus is doing a little better with the OBP.
JJ is getting 100 mil
If he remains healthy he probably will. With the revenue they’re bound to rake in this year, they should be able to afford it.
K-med is one of my keepers dont jinx him…Gose will get his time…