'26 World Baseball Classic

[BCS PSU]

I have to think that it was a no-win situation for Team USA. If they win, they’re just doing what they’re supposed to do and if they lose know-nothing critics (such as me, perhaps) come crawling out of the woodwork. Team USA gave it their all, good enough for me.

Remember that baseball is not like football. Because a lot of fortune and luck determines many baseball games, the worst team could beat the best team in a one-off baseball game more than any other sport. That's why even the best teams in MLB will lose over 60 games in a season, and usually only go 2-1 in a typical three game series.

If this were a three game series played in July and the US had Skubal and Skenes pitching two out of the three games, the US probably would've cobbled together enough offense to win. Unfortunately, the US offense in this tournament mostly was underwhelming by a lot of players who are yearly All-Stars and MVP candidates.

 

[Lion84]

I thought I was watching the Phillies in the playoffs every year - zero hitting when needed. Too little too late.

 

[manatree]

“The Greatest Showman?” Yeah, flash and style is what’s important. Washington won the World Series the year he left and, believe you me, it was all that much sweeter winning it without Harper.

Harper hit .185 in the WBC. I appreciate his willingness to play and thank him for that but spare me this over the top glorification already.

Apologies for hijacking the thread.

It’s a plug from the Phillies PR department. Think Guido D’Elia type folks. How do you expect them to plug it, “Slumping Slugger Gets Lucky?”

 

[LionJim]

It’s a plug from the Phillies PR department. Think Guido D’Elia type folks. How do you expect them to plug it, “Slumping Slugger Gets Lucky?”

Yeah, that works for me.

 

[NittPicker]

It’s a plug from the Phillies PR department. Think Guido D’Elia type folks. How do you expect them to plug it, “Slumping Slugger Gets Lucky?”

Dombrowski could work with that. "Very good but not elite slugger....."

 

[LionJim]

The New York Times had an article about Harper doing all the right things last night, a great pregame speech, congratulating the Venezuela team afterwards. Nice write up. I read it as “this is absolutely a guy you want on your team.” Maybe the Phillies PR department should go with this instead of The Greatest Showman.

 

[Bvillebaron]

The New York Times had an article about Harper doing all the right things last night, a great pregame speech, congratulating the Venezuela team afterwards. Nice write up. I read it as “this is absolutely a guy you want on your team.” Maybe the Phillies PR department should go with this instead of The Greatest Showman.

Agreed and maybe Harper should stop wearing head bandanas which say Showman.

 

[MtNittany]

What sticks out to me is that the Miami ballpark could be an unlikely, incredible game day environment some day - with competent ownership and some resolve. Sad what it actually is though. Same with Pittsburgh I guess.

 

[KingLando]

What sticks out to me is that the Miami ballpark could be an unlikely, incredible game day environment some day - with competent ownership and some resolve. Sad what it actually is though. Same with Pittsburgh I guess.

Pittsburgh is tough...titles are expected in all sport but they get crowds for Skenes

 

[BCS PSU]

Pittsburgh is tough...titles are expected in all sport but they get crowds for Skenes

Trust me, if the Pirates had an organization like the Brewers that puts competitive teams on the field almost every season and often makes the playoffs, most of the late spring through early fall weekend games at PNC Park would be sold out, and a lot of the summer weeknight games also would hjave large crowds. I remember back in 2015 when the Pirates won 98 games when I went to Kennywood Park, almost every other person I saw was wearing something Pirates. I think that the organization as a whole is headed in the right direction, and hopefully the owner was embarrassed and also pressured by MLB to start spending more money on the actual team.

 

[MtNittany]

Pittsburgh is tough...titles are expected in all sport but they get crowds for Skenes

I was at a WS game at what was then Pro Player Park. Well over 65k in attendance and it seemed as loud as a PSU Football Game. Earlier in the same season I had tix from Huzienga and sat in a box where I could almost touch the 1st base coach. Probably 11K max there that night.

The Marlins have to be able to find the middle somehow. It's about the most baseball centric city in the country, yet no one cares. As it is now, they could expand Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter by 5K, and match the attendance in Miami.

 

[BCS PSU]

I was at a WS game at what was then Pro Player Park. Well over 65k in attendance and it seemed as loud as a PSU Football Game. Earlier in the same season I had tix from Huzienga and sat in a box where I could almost touch the 1st base coach. Probably 11K max there that night.

The Marlins have to be able to find the middle somehow. It's about the most baseball centric city in the country, yet no one cares. As it is now, they could expand Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter by 5K, and match the attendance in Miami.

Because there are a lot of Northeastern and Midwestern transplants in SE Florida, there isn't a great loyalty to most of the teams in that area, except maybe for the Dolphins.

 

[LB99]

Because of a lot of Northeastern and Midwestern transplants in SE Florida, there isn't a great loyalty to most of the teams in that area, except maybe for the Dolphins.

They have moved on to hockey now because that is the only sport with any success.

 

[MtNittany]

Because of a lot of Northeastern and Midwestern transplants in SE Florida, there isn't a great loyalty to most of the teams in that area, except maybe for the Dolphins.

Before they built the barn in Little Havana, Don King offered them (basically for free) the old Jai Alai Fronton property on 45th St. in West Palm. It is literally less than 5 minutes off I-95. This would have brought fans from the north (the ones that spend money, unlike Miami) - like Vero Beach to FTL. I'd bet on them any day of the week before betting on inner city Miami.

The most dominant team in professional sports - The Panthers - did themselves very well by getting the hell out of Miami. Little Havana isn't Overtown, but it's just not convenient. At all.

 

[BCS PSU]

They have moved on to hockey now because that is the only sport with any success.

Exactly, and when that team's success wanes, that arena will be a mausoleum again.

My grandfather was a perfect example. He retired to Hollywood and, while he would send my brother and me Dolphins' hats and shirts, he really never became a true Dolphins' fan.

 

[MtNittany]

Exactly, and when that team's success wanes, that arena will be a mausoleum again.

My grandfather was a perfect example. He retired to Hollywood and, while he would send my brother and me Dolphins' hats and shirts, he really never became a true Dolphins' fan.

I think the Panthers will be on cruise control for quite awhile. Sunrise is pretty easy to get to. I have a lot of Jupiter friends with season or partial season tix, and 3 non-playoff seasons in a row would barely phase them.

 

[LionJim]

Agreed and maybe Harper should stop wearing head bandanas which say Showman.

Or stop wearing head bandanas altogether.

 

[KingLando]

Trust me, if the Pirates had an organization like the Brewers that puts competitive teams on the field almost every season and often makes the playoffs, most of the late spring through early fall weekend games at PNC Park would be sold out, and a lot of the summer weeknight games also would hjave large crowds. I remember back in 2015 when the Pirates won 98 games when I went to Kennywood Park, almost every other person I saw was wearing something Pirates. I think that the organization as a whole is headed in the right direction, and hopefully the owner was embarrassed and also pressured by MLB to start spending more money on the actual team.

Oh they'd sell merch but even when the Bucs were great they weren't selling out Three Rivers in the 90s every night.
I hope you're correct but they'll never compete with teams like the Dodgers

 

[BCS PSU]

Oh they'd sell merch but even when the Bucs were great they weren't selling out Three Rivers in the 90s every night.
I hope you're correct but they'll never compete with teams like the Dodgers

TRS had a capacity of upwards of 60,000, whereas PNC Park has a capacity of only a little over 30,000. Also, in 1990, 1991 and 1992, the Pirates’ fans were criticized for not selling out several of those playoff games if any. However, the crowds that they did have were larger than any of the other teams’ playoff crowds in those post seasons.

 

[KingLando]

TRS had a capacity of upwards of 60,000, whereas PNC Park has a capacity of only a little over 30,000. Also, in 1990, 1991 and 1992, the Pirates’ fans were criticized for not selling out several of those playoff games if any. However, the crowds that they did have were larger than any of the other teams’ playoff crowds in those post seasons.

All fair--I just don't believe Pittsburgh is truly a baseball city. The Pens/Steelers sell out (I know there's less games) but people will show for Skenes (especially on a weekend) but if they were a 95 win team would they sellout regularly? Maybe--I don't think so but we're guessing.

Just looked it up (didn't know)--in 2015, they averaged slightly over 30k which was 8k less than capacity when they won 98 games. About 80% capacity is meh for a great team IMO

 

[BCS PSU]

All fair--I just don't believe Pittsburgh is truly a baseball city. The Pens/Steelers sell out (I know there's less games) but people will show for Skenes (especially on a weekend) but if they were a 95 win team would they sellout regularly? Maybe--I don't think so but we're guessing.

Just looked it up (didn't know)--in 2015, they averaged slightly over 30k which was 8k less than capacity when they won 98 games. About 80% capacity is meh for a great team IMO

I think that Pittsburgh is a very good and underrated baseball town just waiting for something good to happen. The Pirates have had a grand total of four winning seasons since 1993, and haven’t won a playoff series since 1979, all of which is absolutely ridiculous. I’d like to see how so called great baseball cities like Boston, NY, Philly and St.Louis would support their teams if they had that same level of futility.

God, look at how the Cardinals’ crowds have decreased dramatically in recent seasons once their team became an also ran after so many winning seasons and World Series appearances and wins in the last two decades, and many consider that city to have the best baseball fans in the country.