[Jnotic57]

Group A
Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China

Group B
Mexico, Cuba, South Africa, Australia

Group C (Group of Death)
U.S.A, Canada, Venezuela, Italy

Group D
Dominican Republic, Holland, Puerto Rico, Panama

well, we all know the United States is the most well balance team in every aspect of the game, but yet they do not count with the best pitching staff or Line up. Venezuela dominates when It Comes to pitching and Dominican Republic when it comes to hitting, and also you have to put the Cubans in the mix, they are like a box of chocolates, you never know what u gonna get

Group 1
Japan, Korea, Mexico, Cuba

Group 2
Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, USA, Venezuela

Semi Finals
Japan vs. Dominican Republic
Cuba vs. Venezuela

Final
Japan vs. Venezuela

[Toujourpret]

The US is difficult to predict since we do not know which USA team will showup. If it is a team like previous Olympic basketball teams (sans Beijing) they will be lucky to get a win in Round 2. The only reason America was not embarassed (relatively speaking) was a gifted win against Japan. not saying America does not have the potential to field the best team, it is a matter of if they want to.

I'm leaning towards Japan or Korea in 2009. They still have pitching and will still have excellent plate coverage.

[Aquabot]

It's kind of BS that Korea beat Japan twice but lost in the Championship game. I am expecting one of those two teams to win it.

[ovechkin8tor]

Where would you guys say Canada ranks in baseball competition compared to other countries? Top 5 maybe...or is that too high?

[HeavyHands20]

The U.S. team could be really solid especially if we substitute some of the younger studs that have developed over the couple of years in place of the "has beens". No offense to some players like Griffey, Damon, and Chipper, but since the last time the U.S. competed in the World Baseball Classic, there has been a shit load of American talented that has surfaced the Major Leagues.

Here's a look at the team that competed last time
2006 World Baseball Classic rosters - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is the roster I think the U.S. could compete with and maybe take the whole thing.
(It's in Alphabetical order, not starting rotation/position)

P - Josh Beckett
P - A.J. Burnett
P - Roy Halladay
P - Cole Hamels
P - Cliff Lee
P - Brad Lidge
P - Roy Oswalt
P - Jonathan Papelbon
P - Jake Peavy
P - C.C. Sabathia
P - Ben Sheets
P - Brandon Webb

C - Joe Mauer
C - Brian McCann
C - Jason Varitek

1B - Ryan Howard
1B - Derrek Lee
1B - Kevin Youkilis

2B - Dustin Pedroia
2B - Chase Utley

SS - Derek Jeter
SS - Michael Young

3B - Evan Longoria
3B - Alex Rodriguez

OF - Ryan Braun
OF - Carl Crawford
OF - Jacoby Ellsbury
OF - Josh Hamilton
OF - Matt Holliday
OF - Grady Sizemore

[PeterBigGulp]

Originally Posted by HeavyHands20

This is the roster I think the U.S. could compete with and maybe take the whole thing.
(It's in Alphabetical order, not starting rotation/position)


P - Ryan Dempster
P - Rich Harden

1B - Justin Morneau

They're all from Canada.

[HeavyHands20]

I got rid of the Canadians, lol

Got rid of Dempster and Harden

Replaced Russell Martin with Brian McCann

Replaced Justin Morneau with Kevin Youkilis

[White Snake]

If this is the Dominican team, I could see them winning it all

1B-Albert Pujols, Carlos Pena
2B-Robinson Cano, Placido Polanco
SS-Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes, Miguel Tejada
3B-Aramis Ramirez
LF-Manny Ramriez
CF-Alfonso Soriano, Melky Cabrera
RF-Vladimir Guerrero
DH-David Ortiz
C-Ronny Paulino

SP-Francisco Liriano
SP-Edinson Volquez
SP-Fausto Carmona
CL-Jose Valverde

[White Snake]

While many players love to participate in the WBC for national pride, you wont see various players for a number of reasons. Hideous Matsui wont be playing for Japan, Chicken Chow Mein Wang wont be playing for Taiwan, Mariano wont be playing for Panama, etc, especially since the Steinbrenners hate the WBC to begin with. Not every US player listed above will want to participate either, although I expect Jeter and ARod to.

[SirOsisOfLiver]

Originally Posted by HeavyHands20

I got rid of the Canadians, lol

Got rid of Dempster and Harden

Replaced Russell Martin with Brian McCann

Replaced Justin Morneau with Kevin Youkilis

at least someone knows Canada is going to take it all.