U.S. routs Cuba to reach World Baseball Classic final

No comments. Here's one: The USA is in the Final! Go Mexico!

"That's the wildest environment I've ever pitched in. Fans were going crazy the entire time," Wainwright said.

I wonder how much of that noise was for the Cuba team? It was Miami, after all.

Team USA is hitting its stride just at the right time. 23 runs scored in the last two games. They should have an easy victory over Mexico in the final.

@Texas A&M Aggie

The USA got trounced by Mexico in their first game. Yes Team USA is hitting its stride but they are not PLAYING MEXICO they will be playing the winner of MEXICO and Japan assuming MEXICO beats Japan they will be playing the USA again,but I DOUBT that will happen. Japan will beat Mexico and I predict JAPAN to win it all! Japan has the pitching and pitching wins!!!

United States routed political rival Cuba

Why politizise this??.. pathetic..

@kaimycahlMar

Your post is wrought with emotion (yelling does not mean you are right). You are welcome to espouse your devotion for Team Japan, but looking at the teams they faced in pool play (China, Australia, the Czech Republic? Seriously?) and the location they played (all home games in surrounded by adoring fans) the WBC organizers set your team up to get trounced once they jumped on a plane to play outside of Japan. The reality is the guys you support will be one-and-done.

Meanwhile, Mexico is a very formidable squad. We learned that in our earlier meeting. But, that was then and this is now. They are worthy to meet the U.S. on Tuesday night. Japan is nothing more than a sacrificial lamb in a run up to the barn burner that will be a Mexico/U.S. final.

Watching japan vs mexico live right now and I hope mexico wins so the USA can beat them in the championship.

BTW, this will be a stiff test for japan.

ABJ

Texas bit of egg on face time

Texas A&M Aggie

Japan is nothing more than a sacrificial lamb in a run up to the barn burner that will be a Mexico/U.S. final.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...

That's hilarious.

United States routed political rival Cuba

Why politizise this??.. pathetic..

Oh please, if the US had lost, ya wouldn't have a problem with it, lol

Besides, baseball in Cuba is already politicized because the Cuban baseball federation and the Cuban government are one and the same:

Cuba is using MLB players for the first time because their best players had escaped Cuba to earn money in the MLB. But it's a contentious issue - many Cuban MLB players don't want to play for Cuba or not invited by the Cuban federation/government. For example, Tampa Bay Ray star player Arozarena, born and raised in Cuba, chose to play for Mexico instead, where he resided briefly after escaping Cuba

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/35850122/world-baseball-classic-2023-team-cuba

This year's World Baseball Classic represents a seismic shift for Cuba, which included current major league players on the roster for the first time ever. It led to the additions of Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert, central figures for the Chicago White Sox. But Arozarena, who has spoken openly in recent years about representing his adopted country, represents a litany of Cuban-born stars who were either not invited or not interested or, in some cases, both, a list that also includes Jose Abreu, Yordan Alvarez, Yasmani Grandal and Aroldis Chapman, among numerous others.

> CUBA'S DECISION TO accept players who fled was surprising considering its sensibilities but predictable considering its circumstances. "It's a reflection of the crises in which Cuba finds itself, in all aspects of life," said Roberto Gonzalez Echevarria. "Things have deteriorated, and so has baseball."

> Cuba, which dominated on the Olympic stage throughout the 1990s and 2000s, possesses a rich history of baseball excellence. But massive defections have diminished the level of talent on the island and brought with it numerous disappointments on the international stage. The inclusion of major league players was considered a much-needed boost.

> "Unfortunately in Cuba everything is mixed with its politics," veteran infielder Aledmys Diaz said in Spanish. "The [Cuban Baseball Federation] is part of the direction of the Cuban government. In order for you to represent them, or be part of that, you have to think the way they do. That's a problem that Cuba has, and it's what differentiates it from other countries."

> For some, it meant taking part would require forgetting the reasons they left in the first place. "There is no freedom in Cuba," said Yale professor Roberto Gonzalez Echevarria, author of a book about the history of Cuban baseball. "They called us traitors, they said we were a disgrace to our country, and now you want us to play for you -- and we don't even get an apology?" said a Cuban-born major league player who did not want to be publicly identified. "We don't forget. I'm not going to forget, at least. I have my pride."