World Baseball Classic: Round Two Picture Almost Set

March 12, 2009 By 1 Comment

World Baseball Classic 2009 Round 2And then there were eight.

The second round of the WBC odds is virtually set, as all eight berths are already determined and the only remaining first-round matchup is tonight’s Cuba-Mexico tilt, which will determine the Pool B winner and each team’s seeding in round two.

There were multiple sportsbook surprises in the first round. Few online betting experts thought Canada would fall to Italy on its home soil, and Korea and Venezuela won rematches with Japan and the U.S., respectively, after being trounced the first time around. By far the biggest shocker of round one, though, was the Netherlands’ two victories over the Dominican Republic, which knocked the odds-on favorite out of WBC betting.

Who takes over as the offshore sportsbook favorite with the powerful Dominicans gone from the tournament? Let’s look at each new group in the World Baseball Classic odds.

GROUP 1

The Cuba/Mexico game will determine the matchups here, but you have to wonder if either team wants to win tonight. Since Korea shocked Japan in the Pool-A-clinching game, the winner of tonight’s contest has to face the defending champions while the loser may get the easier matchup in Korea.

Korea looks like the Cinderella team of this group; I can’t see it pulling off another upset over any of the other teams. Even Mexico, who was probably a bigger online betting underdog than Korea a week ago, is truly on the rise as a baseball nation. Adrian Gonzalez is crushing the ball and should keep the Mexicans competitive.

Those who bet sports still have to believe Group 1 will come down to Cuba versus Japan. The Cubans will certainly offer better sportsbook value, but Japan’s pitching should propel it to the Group 1 title. Overall, bet on Cuba and Japan to win the two semifinal berths from this group.

GROUP 2

The Netherlands’ inspiring story has a March Madness betting feel to it, don’t you think? Sadly, Group 2 should be the end of the road for the Dutch. The Dominicans were vulnerable, weakened by off-field distractions and a plethora of high-profile dropouts (Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols, among many others). The Venezuelans looked highly motivated in Pool C and seem to have a passionate group of fans following them to every game. They should beat the Netherlands on Saturday and the Dutch shouldn’t stand much of a chance against the mighty U.S. and especially Puerto Rico, which already dusted them twice in the first round.

The deep American team has the best sportsbook odds win Group 2 and reach the semifinal. Undefeated Puerto Rico has to be the other favorite, but Venezuela could surprise; it gained momentum by winning Pool C and it can virtually match Puerto Rico in the pitching department. Why not take a flier and pick Venezuela to join the U.S. as a semifinalist?

Filed Under: MLB Tagged With: 2009 world baseball classic, MLB

World Baseball Classic Predictions: USA, Dominican Republic Challenging Japan

March 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

2009 World Baseball Classic Odds and PredictionsThose who are playing this year’s World Baseball Classic odds are gearing up for the tournament’s first game on Thursday and offshore sportsbook odds are counting on a three-horse race for the title. There are also a couple of online betting underdogs looking to crash the party.

The United States are co-favorites at +200, and they have the best infield in the competition, led by Dustin Pedroia, Derek Jeter, Jimmie Rollins and David Wright. The starting pitching is in good shape with Roy Oswalt, Jake Peavy and Ted Lilly, but the absence of Joe Nathan and B.J. Ryan is a blow to their bullpen.

The Dominican Republic are also rated at +200 after losing to Cuba in the semifinal in 2006 and, in Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz, they have a monster mid-lineup duo. The starting pitchers are very young, but talented, and they’ll be the key to the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic betting chances.

Japan is listed at +400 to defend its title, and Daisuke Matsuzaka is looking to repeat his MVP performance from the 2006 tournament. Japan was very balanced en route to its victory, leading the competition in batting average and homers, and it was third in ERA.

Two WBC betting underdogs are Cuba at +800 and Venezuela at +1200. Cuba lost to Japan in the 2006 final and returns with an entire roster of non-MLB players. Venezuela would love to have Johan Santana on the roster, but now the onus is on Carlos Zambrano to lead the pitching staff.

This tournament will come down to the best teams, and those are the United States and Dominican Republic. The key player in this tournament will be A-Rod, who will be looking to put a tumultuous offseason behind him with a massive performance. When making your World Baseball Classic picks, bet on the Dominican Republic at the sportsbook.

Filed Under: MLB, Sports Betting Tagged With: 2009 world baseball classic, MLB

Team USA Roster for 2009 World Baseball Classic

February 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Team USA 2009 World Baseball RosterThe official rosters for the 2009 World Baseball Classic were announced today. In previous posts, we broke down the 2009 World Baseball Classic schedule and we will be analyzing the rosters of the different nations as the week goes along.

But seeing as how this blog is based in the U.S., we figured why not start out with Team USA for an analysis.

At the bottom of this post you can see the complete 2009 World Baseball Classic roster for Team USA. My initial thoughts are that it is not that imposing of a team, and that Team USA could have a rough ride trying to make it out of the second round. (Remember, Team USA failed to make the final cut in 2006.)

Some quick hit reactions:

  • Jake Peavy is one of the best pitchers in the world and a great ace, but there is nothing imposing behind him. Roy Oswalt has declined for the last few years and Ted Lilly and Jeremy Guthrie aren’t scaring anyone.
  • Team USA appears to have an outstanding bullpen. I assume that White Sox-killer Joe Nathan will close, and there are plenty of capable arms to bridge the 7th and 8th innings. If Team USA can get leads, they could be in good shape to told them.
  • Brian McCann is about as good as it gets at catcher.
  • The left side of the infield will be outstanding when David Wright and Jimmy Rollins are playing. With Derek Jeter and Chipper Jones out there, Team USA instantly gets much older. Something tells me that Wright and Rollins will get the majority of the playing time, especially with Jeter already nicked up this spring and Chipper seemingly always hurt.
  • Ryan Braun is a monster and Grady Sizemore, despite my abject hatred for him, is an excellent center fielder. But Curtis Granderson and Brad Hawpe? Is that really the best we can do? Granderson picked it up in the second half last year and was tremendous in 2008, so I can let than pick slide. But Team USA knows that it can’t take Coors Field with it to the WBC right? I am hoping that Hawpe ends up becoming a seldom-used bench player.

Anyway, I’m under the gun and about to leave so this post has to be short and sweet. Below is the complete breakdown of the Team USA 2009 World Baseball Classic roster. I’ll be back later tonight and tomorrow with breakdowns of the other nations’ rosters.


Team USA 2009 World Baseball Classic Roster

POS Player MLB Team Bats Throws
SP Jeremy Guthrie Baltimore Orioles R R
SP Ted Lilly Chicago Cubs L L
SP Roy Oswalt Houston Astros R R
SP Jake Peavy San Diego Padres R R
         
RP Jonathan Broxton Los Angeles Dodgers R R
RP Brian Fuentes Los Angeles Angels L L
RP J.P. Howell Tampa Bay Rays L L
RP Matt Lindstrom Florida Marlins R R
RP Joe Nathan Minnesota Twins R R
RP J.J. Putz Seattle Mariners R R
RP B.J. Ryan Toronto Blue Jays L L
RP Scot Shields Los Angeles Angels R R
RP Matt Thornton Chicago White Sox L L
RP Brad Ziegler Oakland Athletics R R
         
C Chris Iannetta Colorado Rockies R R
C Brian McCann Atlanta Braves L R
         
1B Kevin Youkilis Boston Red Sox R R
2B Dustin Pedroia Boston Red Sox R R
3B Chipper Jones Atlanta Braves S R
3B David Wright New York Mets R R
SS Jimmy Rollins Philadelphia Phillies S R
SS Derek Jeter New York Yankees R R
IF Mark DeRosa Cleveland Indians R R
         
OF Ryan Braun Milwaukee Brewers R R
OF Curtis Granderson Detroit Tigers L R
OF Brad Hawpe Colorado Rockies L L
OF Grady Sizemore Cleveland Indians L L

Follow the link and use your web navigational skills view the complete 2009 World Baseball Classic rosters for all 16 nations participating.

Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: 2009 world baseball classic, derek jeter, joe nathan, matt thornton, MLB, team usa

World Baseball Classic Preview Part 1 – The Schedule and Participating Countries

February 17, 2009 By 2 Comments

2009 World Baseball Classic Schedule and TicketsOn March 5, the second World Baseball Classic kicks off when defending champion Japan takes on China in the first game of Pool A at the Tokyo Dome.

Back in 2006, Japan won the first World Baseball Classic final over Cuba with pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka earning MVP honors. Matsuzaka went 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA during the tournament, and his countryman Ichiro Suzuki was also outstanding, hitting .364 and hitting safely in every game. Matsuzaka, of course, has since come over to the United States and now toes the rubber for the Boston Red Sox.

Both Matsuzaka and Ichiro were both named to the WBC All-Tournament team, along with fellow Major Leaguers Derek Jeter, Adrian Beltre, Ken Griffey Jr., and Chan Ho Park. Team USA lost to Mexico 2-1 in the final game of the second round to bow out of the tournament before it got to the final round at PETCO Park. Korea, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Japan were the final four teams in the first World Baseball Classic.

This year, Team USA has revenge on its mind. In a future post, we will break down the WBC 2009 rosters once they are announced on February 24th and eventually take a stab at some predictions. In this post we are going to break down the participating countries, the schedule, the various sites where games will be played, and provide links where you can buy tickets if you are thinking of attending any of the games in North America.

2009 World Baseball Classic Pools

As in 2006, the 16 participating countries will be split into four pools: A, B, C, and D. Each pool will feature a 6-game, double-elimination, round-robin tournament with the top two teams in each pool advancing to a similarly structured Round 2 format.

Here are four pools:


WBC POOL A – games played at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan

  • China
  • Chinese Taipei
  • Japan
  • Korea

WBC POOL B – games played at Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City, Mexico

  • Australia
  • Cuba
  • Mexico
  • South Africa

WBC POOL C – games played at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada

  • Canada
  • Italy
  • USA
  • Venezuela

World Baseball Classic Tickets – Toronto Strip (Includes all Six Games at Rogers Centre) March 06 2009

WBC POOL D – games played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico

  • Dominican Republic
  • Kingdom of Netherlands
  • Panama
  • Puerto Rico

2009 World Baseball Classic First Round Schedule and TV Listings

Now let’s delve into the actual games. As mentioned above, each of the four pools will play a six-game round-robin tournament to determine which two teams advance to the second round. Below, we list the schedules for each pool:



WBC Pool A -- Round 1 Schedule

Game Date Matchup Time (local) Time (ET) TV
1 March 5 China v Japan 6:30 pm 4:30 am ESPN2
2 March 6 Chinese Taipei v Korea 6:30 pm 4:30 am ESPN2
3 March 7 Game 1 Loser v Game 2 Loser 12:30 pm 10:30 pm (Fri.) ESPN2
4 March 7 Game 1 Winner v Game 2 Winner 7:00 pm 5:00 am ESPN2
5 March 8 Game 3 Winner v Game Game 4 Loser 6:30 pm 5:30 am ESPN2
6 March 9 Game 4 Winner v Game 5 Winner 6:30 pm 5:30 am ESPN2

WBC Pool B -- Round 1 Schedule

Game Date Matchup Time (local) Time (ET) TV
1 March 8 Cuba v South Africa 12:00 pm 2:00 pm MLB Network
2 March 8 Australia v Mexico 7:00 pm 9:00 pm MLB Network
3 March 9 Game 1 Loser v Game 2 Loser 8:00 pm 10:00 pm MLB Network
4 March 10 Game 1 Winner v Game 2 Winner 8:00 pm 10:00 pm MLB Network
5 March 11 Game 3 Winner v Game 4 Loser 8:00 pm 10:00 pm MLB Network
6 March 12 Game 4 Winner v Game 5 Winner 7:00 pm 9:00 pm MLB Network

WBC Pool C -- Round 1 Schedule

Game Date Matchup Time (local) Time (ET) TV
1 March 7 Canada v USA 2:00 pm 2:00 pm ESPN
2 March 7 Italy v Venezuela 8:00 pm 8:00 pm MLB Network
3 March 8 Game 1 Winner v Game 2 Winner 8:00 pm 8:00 pm ESPN2
4 March 9 Game 1 Loser v Game 2 Loser 6:30 pm 6:30 pm MLB Network
5 March 10 Game 4 Winner v Game Loser 5:00 pm 5:00 pm ESPN2
6 March 11 Game 3 Winner v Game 5 Winner 6:30 pm 6:30 pm MLB Network

WBC Pool D -- Round 1 Schedule

Game Date Matchup Time (local) Time (ET) TV
1 March 7 Dominican Republic v Netherlands 12:00 pm 11:00 am ESPN2
2 March 7 Panama v Puerto Rico 6:00 pm 5:00 pm ESPN
3 March 8 Game 1 Loser v Game 2 Loser 4:30 pm 4:30 pm ESPN
4 March 9 Game 1 Winner v Game 2 Winner 6:30 pm 6:30 pm MLB Network
5 March 10 Game 3 Winner v Game 4 Loser 6:30 pm 6:30 pm MLB Network
6 March 11 Game 4 Winner v Game 5 Winner 5:00 pm 5:00 pm ESPN2

The second round of the World Baseball Classic will take place at PETCO Park in San Diego, California and Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida. The top two teams from Pools A and B will play in San Diego from March 15 through March 19. The top two teams from Pools C and D will play in Miami from March 14 through March 18. The games will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2, and the MLB Network.


World Baseball Classic Tickets – San Diego Package (Includes all Six Games at Petco Park) March 14 2009


World Baseball Classic Tickets – Miami Package (Includes all Six Games at Dolphin Stadium) March 13 2009

The championship round of the 2009 World Baseball Classic will be played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California from March 21 through March 23. All games will be televised on ESPN.


World Baseball Classic Tickets – Los Angeles Package (Includes all Three Games at Dodger Stadium) March 20 2009

Go to the 2009 World Baseball Classic Schedule at the WBC official site to see the schedule broken down by game and TV listing.

What do you think will be the outcome of the 2009 WBC?

Which nation will win the 2009 World Baseball Classic?

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Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: 2009 world baseball classic, MLB

World Baseball Classic Betting – Americans are the favorites, but do they care?

February 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

(Editor’s Note: As anyone who reads this site knows, I’m not a gambler in any way, shape, or form.  Still, many people are and we try whenever possible to provide relevant information regarding point spreads, lines, etc.  Moving forward, we’ll be able to provide even stronger analysis with the help of experts from BetOnline.com, who have agreed to contribute some content to MSF on a regular basis.  This is their first contribution.  Enjoy.)

———-

2009 World Baseball Classic Lines, Odds, Betting, When it comes to betting, there aren’t many factors more important than motivation. If one team is playing for their playoff lives and the other team has already sealed its fate, we all know who will bring the better effort.

Those same principles are present as we examine the World Baseball Classic odds as the American team is favored, but does it really care about winning?

There is supposed to be a lot of nationalism involved with the World Baseball Classic and you would figure that impacts the WBC lines, but it hasn’t so far.

When it comes to national pride, the United States cares far more about its Olympic basketball gold and even Olympic hockey than it does about baseball.

For starters, there just isn’t that feel of national pride. Nobody really talks about it, nobody really cares about it and nobody is interested in whatever the first place prize is.

More importantly, for WBC odds purposes, out of all of the teams, Team USA has the most to lose by trying too hard. The players for Team USA are all more focused on winning a World Series ring, or performing well in the Major Leagues so they can get paid, rather than over exerting themselves in an inconsequential tournament. MLB stars know that a long season awaits them and they can’t burn themselves out in the World Baseball Classic.

The all-around effort and intensity just isn’t there from an American standpoint and it was evident in the first iteration of the World Baseball Classic as the Americans were not a factor.

But the reason why they are a favorite for World Baseball Classic betting is because they are a brand name – the biggest. Some people might have to dig to find out who plays for the Panamanian team or the Puerto Rican team but, in general, fans trust that the Americans will field an All-Star team. But that type of ignorance can get you in some trouble.Daisuke Matsuzaka - World Baseball Classic 2009

When evaluating the World Baseball Classic odds, keep in mind that just because you don’t know a player, doesn’t mean that he’s not a good player. For example, Daisuke Matsuzaka dominated the WBC last time around but he didn’t join the Majors until later on. To the casual fan, Matsuzaka was just another no-name pitcher for the Japanese team but now he’s a household name.

The U.S. team does have good players but it don’t even have the best anymore. Teams like the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico outclass them in talent, which compounds the problem.

So if you are planning on betting on Team USA, the favorite for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, just keep in mind that it might not have the best roster and they might not care so much about winning it. There’s better value with other teams.

What do you think?

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Filed Under: MLB, Sports Betting Tagged With: 2009 world baseball classic, MLB