World Baseball Classic Schedule for Monday, March 9th:
10.30am CET WBC Pool A: Japan – Korea
(Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan, ESPN America, ESPN2, MLB.tv live)
Right now Japan takes on Korea to conclude the round one schedule in Pool A of the 2009 World Baseball Classic. The winner of the match will travel to San Diego as number one seed and likely will avoid Cuba in game one of round two. Japan hopes to repeat the victory from last Saturday, when they won 14-2. Hisashi Iwakuma got the start for Team Nippon, Jung Keun Bong for Korea.
11.30pm CET WBC Pool C: Italy – Canada
(Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada, MLB Network, MLB.tv live)
Dan Serafini (ITA) and Vince Perkins (CAN) will oppose each other on the mound, as Italy and Canada fight against elimination in another Pool C game on Monday evening in Toronto. The loser of the game will go home, with the winner playing Venezuela on Tuesday. The 35-year-old southpaw Serafini impressed during the preparation phase, but will now face a powerful offense with Justin Morneau, Joey Votto and Jason Bay in the middle of the lineup. Offensive wise Italy needs to get things going, after failing to convert their chances in game one against Venezuela (0-7). Their batters have to go toe to toe with Canada to receive the opportunity for a third match at the Rogers Centre.
11.30pm CET WBC Pool D: Netherlands – Puerto Rico
(Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico, ESPN America, MLB Network, MLB.tv live)
The Netherlands not only shocked the Dominican Republic with their 3-2 victory on Saturday, but also put European Baseball into the headlines, not only as an overmatched underdog in a tournament full of Major League stars. Of course, the Dutch team still isn’t a legitimate favorite to reach the second round, as they are in the Baseball World Cup, where the playing field is more on their level. But it was nice to get featured in cover stories in ESPN Magazine (with video), New York Daily News and New York Times as examples for several articles in Sunday’s big American media outlets. Of course the win also was a major topic in Dutch newspapers.
If the Netherlands want to advance into round two, they need another stunning upset today against Puerto Rico or tomorrow versus the Dominican Republic, which recovered and beat Panama on Sunday to stay alive. Rick van den Hurk takes the mound against a lineup, which features the prime of Baseball with Ivan Rodriguez (probably as DH), Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado. The 23-year-old right-hander of the Florida Marlins had a difficult 2008 season, after reaching the big leagues in 2007, but he shouldn’t be too nervous, as he already face these hitters in the past. He hopes to get some run support from his teammates, which will be opposed by Ian Snell of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Tuesday, 3am CET, WBC Pool B: Mexico – South Africa
(Foro Sol Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico, ESPN America, MLB Network, MLB.tv live)
In another elimination game on Monday at the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Mexico needs to recover from the surprise loss against Australia to defeat South Africa, staying alive. The Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City at a altitude of 2,200 meters above sea level, turned into a launching pad for homeruns on Sunday. The five games on the fourth day of the tournament featured 20 long balls, twelve in the two matches in the Mexican capital. The 38-year-old Major and Mexican League veteran Elmer Dessens takes the mound and hopes his experiences with the stadium from the 2008 season with Diablos Rojos del Mexico will help to defeat South Africa. Boston Red Sox minor league signee Justin Erasmus, who trained in the Australian MLB Academy program will start for the underdog.