Japan 14, Chinese Taipei 2 (7 innings, mercy rule)
I did my best to stay up for this one, really I did. But sometime around the 5th inning, I was getting dizzy watching so many of Japan’s players run around the bases…the fatigue turned to delirium..and I began thinking I was watching an old episode of H.R. Puffenstuff, with Will Leitch playing the part of Jimmy.
(Jeff Brantley has never looked better)
When I woke up, ESPN2 was showing a fishing program, and someone had stolen one of my kidneys.
Japan and Korea have both advanced to the 2nd round of the tournament, though they’ll face each other tomorrow in a game that will only matter for seeding purposes.
I find it interesting that Ichiro is the only player thus far (that I know of) to have criticized the WBC’s enforced pitch counts and mercy rule. Well, other than Rob Dibble, who dismissed the tournament as “softball” during his XM program yesterday. I supppoe it is like softball in that no one watching that game could tolerate Dibble’s presence, either.
In Grapefruit League action, The Mets’ Aaron Heilman struck out two and allowed no runs in two innings of work, as New York beat Washington, 5-4 in Port St. Lucie. Anderson Hernandez, battling Kaz Matsui and Chris Woodward for the 2B job, had 3 hits and scored 3 runs for the Mets. Tomorrow, the Mets will take on Puerto Rico’s WBC squad. I’m no Wayne Root, but I’m pretty sure no one will be pitching inside to Carlos Delgado.