March 22, 2009

WBC Semi-Final: Dice Faces USA

United States - 101 000 020 - 4  9  3
Japan - 010 500 03x - 9 10 1
As you can tell from his line -- 4.2-5-2-2-3-4, 98 -- Dice was Dice. But Japan pummeled Oswalt in the fourth and a throwing error by Derek Jeter opened the door to three insurance runs in the eighth.

Japan and Korea --who have already played each other four times in this WBC -- will meet in the title game tomorrow night.

***

Japan's (and Boston's) Daisuke Matsuzaka will face the United States at 8 PM tonight in the penultimate game of the 2009 WBC.

The winner will play Korea, who whipped Venezuela 10-2 last night, in Monday's championship game.

Tonight's pitching match-up is Dice / Roy Oswalt. There is a pitch count limit of 100 in the semifinals and finals.

Between 2006 and 2009, Matsuzaka is 5-0, 1.57 in five WBC games. Oswalt has not pitched since last Sunday's game against the Netherlands. Jake Peavy (2 GS, 14.40) would pitch on Monday, if necessary.

The US is missing the left side of its infield: Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia. David Wright, who cracked the nail on his big toe with a foul ball, should be at third, but Evan Longoria is on the bench as a reserve. Ryan Braun, who missed two games in Round 2 with a strained right oblique muscle, will be back. Adam Dunn will return to right field, with Mark DeRosa at first base.

Japan will be without 3B Shuichi Murata (.320/.379/.560) because of a torn right hamstring.

US manager Davey Johnson played for the Yomiuri Giants in 1975-76.

87 comments:

allan said...

I'm hoping to watch this one, work permitting. ... Actually, "no work" will permit me to watch.

Rob said...

Murata TORE his hamstring? Damn! That's too bad.

Unknown said...

Why in the hell would they not just start Longoria at 1st? He's a far, far better hitter than DeRosa, and DeRosa's slick fielding is sort of mitigated by his playing first.

allan said...

Roberts, 2B
Jeter, SS
Rollins, DH
Wright, 3B
Dunn, RF
Braun, LF
McCann, C
DeRosa, 1B
Granderson, CF

Suzuki, RF
Nakajima, SS
Aoki, LF
Inaba, DH
Ogasawara, 1B
Fukudome, CF
Johjima, C
Iwamura, 2B
Kawasaki, 3B

allan said...

Roberts leadoff HR to center of Dice.

allan said...

CI 6-3, but Rollins gets a bloop to fall in between SS & CF.

allan said...

Dice gets Wright and Dunn.

1-0 after a half.

allan said...

I think Japan went OTT, but GDGD has frozen after Ichiro.

allan said...

DBD:

Braun: bbbcf 3U
McCann: bbbb

allan said...

Dice in mid-season form -- when it comes to making you pull your hair out, that is. Falling behind just about everyone, sometimes significantly behind, but wriggling out of trouble.

USA: 10
JPN: 0

allan said...

There is a little McDonald's logo on the side of Japan's batting helmets.

allan said...

BB and a single to start the bot 2nd for Japan.

allan said...

Fukudome hacks and P7. 1 out.

Benjamin said...

One the one hand, I'd rather Japan win. On the other hand, I'd rather Daisuke stop throwing 100 pitches in spring training. Decisions... decisions....

allan said...

2 up in the Japan pen.

allan said...

Johjima F9 scores a run, 1-1.

Benjamin said...

Johjima knows how to sack up.

allan said...

Go Japan!

allan said...

Jeter grounds out, so when Rollins comes up, he doesn't have to worry about GIDP. And Rollins singles! Yay Jeter! What a leader!

allan said...

US 3rd: 2 outs, Rollins singles and steals second, scores on Wright's double to RCF.

Benjamin said...

David Wright's clearly learned a lot from Jeter, playing third base in the same New York that Jeter should be playing third base in.

allan said...

Dice then walks Dunn on 4 pitches. Mound visit.

Benjamin said...

Throw strikes, please.

allan said...

Dice nearly hits Lloyd Barun, gets a gift low strike, goes full and K for the 3rd out.

2-1 US

allan said...

Dice: 14-21-30 - 65

Benjamin said...

See what I mean? Big influence on Wright.

allan said...

fucking hackers. jesus.

allan said...

FUCK YOU, Lasorda!

Unknown said...

If only that foul would have domed Jeter...

allan said...

okay dice, don't use 24 pitches to get the 3rd out, like you did last inning.

Unknown said...

By the way, w/r/t that A-Rod/hooker thing, would anyone be surprised if the A-Rod saga ends this August with a murder-suicide involving him and Jeter? I mean, is there anyway he could look any worse?

allan said...

That *would* surprise me -- mainly because those guys don't have as many sleepovers as they used to.

allan said...

jetes teaching roberts a thing or two, as well.

allan said...

1st and 2nd and 0 outs against Roy Harvey Oswalt.

allan said...

NOOOOOOOOOO BUNTING!!!

NO NO NO NO

Jere said...

I've definitely thought about the possibility of a Sui-Rod. Actually, didn't someone here say something about him "pulling an Ian Curtis"? Or something?

allan said...

see? swing the fucking stick!

2-2

allan said...

cool linescore at the moment

USA - 101 0
JPN - 010 1

Rob said...

Gamethread!

That's fantastic alongside some rosemary chicken and an adult beverage.

allan said...

Maybe he'll OD on Tic-Tacs.

Unknown said...

Adam Dunn's defensive issues have not been overstated.

Fucking Oswalt. Why wouldn't Mussina and Maddux come here and pitch for us?

allan said...

was dunn expecting the ball to roll back to him? ya gotta chase it!

Rob said...

Beat thim Japs!

I think that's what Jon Miller and Joe Morgan are thinking.

Unknown said...

My god, Oswalt. Fucking national league pitchers.

Unknown said...

Adult beverages are wonderful. Homemade sangria!

Jere said...

It never really hit me, the Oswalt/Oswald thing. It's almost like a guy named Hidler or something. Then again, people named Booth never really went away. They're like Fuck You, he don't represent us!

Rob said...

Currently I'm enjoying a Mike's hard lemonade. Emphasize the word "enjoying." Very tasty to me.

Rob said...

Jere, I keep thinking Oswald from the Drew Carey Show when I see Oswalt.

allan said...

I'm at work. I just had a yogurt.

:<(

Jere said...

Never saw the Drew Carey Show. Is it a dude they make fun of for having the name?

allan said...

Peavy's peaved now.

allan said...

Oh likes it!

Jere said...

I've got a good motto for the WBC they could use in '13:

WBC Action: When Kim's watching Iron Chef, Jere won't even bother to go to the other TV to watch it.

allan said...

after 06 and 09, wouldn't it be 12?

or do they skip it because it's an olympic year?

who cares, really.

allan said...

Uh oh, Davey Johnson is putting on a Jack Ruby mask.

Jere said...

I was under the impression it was "every four years--except the first break is three years ...for some reason."

Jere said...

Doesn't Oswalt have to go the movies first?

allan said...

Let Dice go the 5th and be in line for the W and then get him the fuck outta there.

Rob said...

Never saw the Drew Carey Show. Is it a dude they make fun of for having the name?

No but this guy was very, very dumb.

allan said...

SHIT, there's some SS range.

Rob said...

Better yet, don't let him finish the inning.

Rob said...

Joe Morgan just said "That's why he was 18-3 last year. Because he was always in trouble."

allan said...

98 - that's it.

allan said...

Too bad DeRosa, but that's as far as you can hit a ball, it seems.

allan said...

Game's rollin' on:

USA: 101 000 0
JPN: 010 500 0

Rob said...

Steve Phillips is looking at Joe Morgan like what Joe says is going to be the most knowledgeable and thought-provoking and interesting answer that would provide insight into the secret of how we all came to be... or something.

allan said...

can roberts walk or something?

i want jetes to make the 3rd out.

allan said...

insurance run pls.

allan said...

yu darvish set to close it out in a minnit.

allan said...

YES!!! RUN

7-4 japan

allan said...

and it's on a jeter error!!!!!

Jere said...

I finally put this game on, in time to see Jeter make a key error. NICE.

allan said...

ichiro with an rbi single: 8-4.

thanks, ci!

Jere said...

I heard you guys talking about Dunn's defense before--you weren't kidding!

allan said...

good god dunn sucks.

allan said...

a normal throw on that easy grounder by jeter would have ended the inning with the us down by 2.

now they are down by 5.

yu-s-a > u-s-a

allan said...

manny is like willie mays out there compared to dunn. wow.

Jere said...

First four guys homer, next three get on, next two get out, Jeter ends game, US loses 9-8. Do it!

allan said...

rollins: 3 singles, triple, walk.

Jere said...

They shouldn't play Unchained for Dunn. They should play Chained.

Jere said...

dunn.

Rob said...

And ironically, two teams from the same initial pool will play in the finals, and they will play each other for the fifth time in this WBC.

allan said...

more shots of sad jeter, pls.

Joe Grav said...

WBC is getting really tedious. Japan vs Korea version 5.0? Yaaaaaawn.

I have watched maybe 10 minutes of this tournament. Just bring on MLB season.

Benjamin said...

Schilling out.

laura k said...

I haven't watched the WBC this year (zero time), but how can something be tedious if you've only seen 10 minutes of it? That is one short attention span.

Joe Grav said...

Haha fair enough. The thing is, I've tried to follow it despite not making any particular effort to go out of my way to watch it [i.e. having it on in the background while I do other things, pulling up scores on my cellphone, etc]. And the following has gotten tedious.