WBC Round 2: 3/14/09: 8:00 MT

Sorry about the delay in updating, RowBots, but here is your WBC update:

Pool 1 - San Diego, CA, USA:

The winners from Pools A and B are beginning play tomorrow.

Japan vs Cuba, 2:00pm MT

A rematch of the 2006 WBC Final, Japan and Cuba will open Pool A in what may be one of the more exciting matches we see in this pool of play. Cuba outscored opponents 29-9 in the first round of play, and the only real challenge they faced was the upstart Australian squad, who they dispatched 5-4 in an absolute thriller.

Japan, on the other hand, dispatched their first two opponents in relative easy, allowing only 2 runs over the first two games. The pool final against Korea, however, came as a big surprise, as Korea shut out Japan in a 1-0 nailbiter featuring a pitching duel between Korea's Jung Keun Bong and Japan's Hisashi Iwakuma. Both pitchers made it into the 6^th before being lifted for pitch counts (69 apiece).

Mexico vs Korea, 9:00pm ET

Pool winner Korea should really expect anything out of Mexico - not in the sense that they won't be a challenge, but which Mexico will show up? The Mexico that Mercy Rule'd Australia, or was Mercy'd by the same? Korea also had their share of ups and downs, blowing out China and Taipei during their first 3 games and also being manhandled by the Japanesse team, before the 1-0 victory in the Pool Final.

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Pool 2 - Miami, FL, USA

Venezuela: 3, Netherlands: 1

Honkbal was silenced behind a downright masterful start from Venezuela starter Carlos Silva. Despite only managing 3 hits and 3BB, Venezuela made good work of their baserunners and was able to hold the Dutch at bay through 9 very close innings of baseball. The Netherlands squad was able to get 6 runners on base via hit, but the Venezuelan staff was spot on, not only allowing 0 walks but only 1 run score of those 6 baserunners.

Venezuela will play the winner of the USA/PR game on Monday, and tomorrow at 5:30 the Netherlands will host the loser.

USA v Puerto Rico

As we speak, it is the top of the 7^th, and the USA squad is trailing 7-1 after a 6-run thrashing of USA SP Jake Peavy. Hey, even more reason for Rockies' fans to boo the man! The bats have been flaccid at best, but here they have 2 on and 2 outs for Mark DeRosa.

Catch the rest of the game on MLB Network.

***UPDATE***

I hope Mark DeRosa falls off of a building.

And great, Matt Thornton just gave up a monstrous dinger to Beltran. 8-1 PR.