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WBC Game Chat: Korea vs. Taiwan, 6:30 pm PT
2006-03-02 17:08
by Bob Timmermann

There isn't a link up to the MLB.com Gameday application yet, but the game is scheduled to start at 6:30 pm PT (and let's have the people on the East Coast do the math this time instead of the other way around). Gameday link

The likely starting pitcher for Korea will be Chan Ho Park (that could change by the time you read this) and either En-Yu Lin or Ying-Chieh Lin will start for Taiwan (aka Chinese Taipei).

Comments (114)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2006-03-02 18:26:32
1.   Bob Timmermann
Not exactly a big crowd at the Tokyo Dome for this game. I imagine that the expensive tickets and the fact that the game doesn't have Japan and the fact that the game is being played during the workweek (Friday at 11:30 am) isn't going to be a big draw.

It sort of has a feel of those first round games early in the morning in the NCAA tournament.

2006-03-02 18:26:59
2.   Jon Weisman
DirecTV channel?
2006-03-02 18:33:02
3.   Sam DC
Only 4 Lees for Korea tonight?
2006-03-02 18:38:50
4.   Bob Timmermann
MLB.TV has no announcers. It's really weird.

The video pauses a lot but the audio continues.

2006-03-02 18:47:54
5.   Bob Timmermann
So Jae Seo is starting, not Park.

For comparison purposes, the first FIFA World Cup game drew a crowd of 1,000.

2006-03-02 18:51:39
6.   Sam DC
Why don't they have pictures of these guys on gameday?
2006-03-02 18:53:01
7.   Ken Arneson
Hee Seop Choi! Hee Seop Choi! Nice hit.
2006-03-02 18:54:25
8.   Ken Arneson
I'm getting the Japanese announcers on MLB.TV, for some reason.
2006-03-02 18:55:33
9.   Bob Timmermann
I'm getting them now. At least it seems more familiar to me.

Koreans and Taiwanese do the same cheers as the Japanese with the exception of them being in different languages of course.

2006-03-02 18:56:36
10.   Ken Arneson
Hee Seop Choi! Hee Seop Choi! Bad baserunning.
2006-03-02 18:57:29
11.   Bob Timmermann
One Dodger doubles off another.
2006-03-02 18:58:41
12.   Bob Timmermann
Know I know how to say "Chinese Taipei" in Japanese.

It's "Chinese Taipei".

2006-03-02 19:04:33
13.   Bob Timmermann
Hee-Seop Choi is all-time leading hitter in WBC play.
2006-03-02 19:05:15
14.   Bob Timmermann
Tai-San Chang has now tied Choi for that record.
2006-03-02 19:05:16
15.   Ken Arneson
I like how Seo has a big plain "K" on his hat. Nothing like a little positive thinking.
2006-03-02 19:05:44
16.   Ken Arneson
Choi still has the better OPS.
2006-03-02 19:11:09
17.   Sam DC
First Olney of the WBC.
2006-03-02 19:11:21
18.   Ken Arneson
Whoa, Seo hit 139 on the radar gun!
2006-03-02 19:11:40
19.   Bob Timmermann
Keep in mind that the bullpens at the Tokyo Dome are hidden so you will not see anyone warming up unless the director remembered to set up a camera underneath the stadium.
2006-03-02 19:13:13
20.   grandcosmo
I don't think we'll be seeing those Team Korea replica jerseys and hats flying off the shelves.
2006-03-02 19:13:13
21.   Bob Timmermann
Actually Jong-Beom Lee had a sacrifice in the first and those count as Olneys.

Remember that the winner of this game is likely moving on to the next round unless they choke against China.

2006-03-02 19:16:45
22.   Sam DC
They had a guy named Jong-Beom sacrifice?
2006-03-02 19:18:12
23.   Bob Timmermann
The Japanese announcers have disappeared from MLB.TV.

But I like how they hired an English-speaking PA announcer (and a male one) to make the repeated "Please watch out for foul balls".

2006-03-02 19:24:45
24.   grandcosmo
What was the stated reason for playing the Pool A/Asian games before the other three pools?
2006-03-02 19:26:19
25.   Bob Timmermann
I assume they wanted to give the Asian teams a chance to get over jet lag before they took on the teams playing in North America.

I don't think the Asian teams are going to be in bad physical shape either since they start their training camps really early anyway.

2006-03-02 19:27:05
26.   Bob Timmermann
47 pitches for Lin. 65 is the limit so he may get one more inning.
2006-03-02 19:31:09
27.   Bob Timmermann
I saw these two countries square off in the third place game at the 1984 Olympics

TPE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 10 1
KOR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0

2006-03-02 19:32:26
28.   Bob Timmermann
Ahh, the one-out sacrifice! We are truly watching Asian baseball!
2006-03-02 19:34:51
29.   grandcosmo
If you play for no runs that's all you'll get.
2006-03-02 19:35:44
30.   Ken Arneson
Each pitcher has thrown 47 pitches through 3, 32 for strikes.
2006-03-02 19:36:49
31.   Bob Timmermann
I believe the number on the scoreboard was the pitch count.
2006-03-02 19:38:04
32.   grandcosmo
Who's doing the radio broadcast? The PBP guy sounds like me. And that's not a compliment.
2006-03-02 19:38:44
33.   Bob Timmermann
I'm watching the game on my computer and I am announcerless.
2006-03-02 19:41:41
34.   grandcosmo
I was just informed that the baseball that they use in Korea and Japan is A LOT smaller than the one that is used in MLB.

And that you have to adjust your perception of the statistics. A 30 HR season in Japan is considered a good year. As opposed to over here I guess.

2006-03-02 19:41:56
35.   Curtis Lowe
HEE SOP CHOI!!!!!HEE SOP CHOI!!!

I too am watching from the comp Bob, but I'm chatting with my dad who is watching it live from Tokyo(he lives in Fuchu)

2006-03-02 19:42:23
36.   Curtis Lowe
Bah
2006-03-02 19:43:07
37.   grandcosmo
I had to switch to the radio broadcast because my MLB media player is not in regular season form yet. The stream is very slow.
2006-03-02 19:45:38
38.   Bob Timmermann
Yes, they use golf balls in Asia!

The ball is a little smaller, but the biggest difference is that they use horsehide in Asia and cowhide in North America. And North American balls have higher seams.

14 players hit over 30 home runs in the NPB season last year.

2006-03-02 19:47:20
39.   Bob Timmermann
The first run in WBC history!
2006-03-02 19:47:21
40.   Curtis Lowe
Was that a Hong Run?
2006-03-02 19:47:45
41.   Curtis Lowe
Was that a HongRun?
2006-03-02 19:47:49
42.   grandcosmo
Will it be the last?
2006-03-02 19:47:54
43.   Ken Arneson
And we have a run! That was a perfectly placed double...

I think Lin is out of pitches.

2006-03-02 19:48:54
44.   Curtis Lowe
And Lin comes in to relieve Lin.
2006-03-02 19:50:30
45.   Bob Timmermann
The ad next to my screen says "16 teams, 400 superstars". Except that there are 30-man rosters.

So who are the 80 guys who aren't any good?

2006-03-02 19:54:12
46.   King of the Hobos
45 The Chinese and South African teams?
2006-03-02 19:55:51
47.   Bob Timmermann
And Al Leiter.
2006-03-02 19:58:13
48.   Bob Timmermann
And guys in Asia haven't figured out that it's not a good idea to slide into first base either.
2006-03-02 20:00:53
49.   Steve
Italy?
2006-03-02 20:05:09
50.   Bob Timmermann
Italy has Mike Piazza!

And Jason Grilli!

But David Dellucci dropped out.

Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2006-03-02 20:09:16
51.   Bob Timmermann
Chin-Lung Hu misses out on being the Alex Cora of the WBC with that lengthy at bat.

11 pitches.

2006-03-02 20:26:08
52.   Ken Arneson
2-0. My stream is getting too jerky to watch now, for some reason.
2006-03-02 20:26:43
53.   King of the Hobos
Jong Beom Lee doubled in another run for Korea, 2-0. Good thing Byung Kyu Lee bunted the runner to 2nd so he could score on the double...
2006-03-02 20:28:01
54.   Bob Timmermann
I'm doing fine here. It was bad in the beginning.

I wonder what happened to the English-language feed. Synchronization problems?

2006-03-02 20:29:32
55.   Ken Arneson
That's OK. I'm really watching the Cal-UCLA game, anyway.
2006-03-02 20:32:53
56.   Bob Timmermann
I have the basketball game on mute. And I'm enjoying the ambient noise from Tokyo.

The attendance at this game will be listed at 55,000 I predict. That is the official capacit of the Tokyo Dome. Which doesn't have 55,000 seats (it has around 35-40,000).

2006-03-02 20:34:39
57.   Bob Timmermann
Oh no! A player appears to be hurt! Of course, if Dong Joo Kim didn't run to first base and try to slide into it, he would be fine.
2006-03-02 20:38:39
58.   Bob Timmermann
Hsieh almost lost Choi's fly ball in the canvas.
2006-03-02 20:42:35
59.   Bob Timmermann
Chu into relieve Lin (the second one) with 1st and 3rd and 1 out.
2006-03-02 20:45:15
60.   Bob Timmermann
And Chu gets a DP to get out of it. Still 2-0 Korea headed to the bottom of the 6th.
2006-03-02 20:59:20
61.   Jon Weisman
Current Pac-5 Standings

12-4 UCLA (losing)
12-5 Washington (won)
11-5 Cal (winning)
11-6 Arizona (won)
11-6 Stanford (won)

Who knows their tiebreakers? We could have five teams within a game of each other with one game to go.

2006-03-02 21:02:24
62.   Ken Arneson
Jon is just trying to jinx Cal. And it's working. I'll have to remember that...
2006-03-02 21:04:28
63.   Jon Weisman
Furthest thing from my mind!
2006-03-02 21:06:01
64.   Ken Arneson
Yeah, right. ;)
2006-03-02 21:10:59
65.   Jon Weisman
Actually, I started typing that message while the Stanford game was still in doubt - that was the big potential jinx.
2006-03-02 21:12:06
66.   Ken Arneson
Speaking of jinxes, Chan Ho Park is now pitching for Korea. Here's CT's big chance!
2006-03-02 21:14:24
67.   Bob Timmermann
In a 5-way tiebreaker, the common records would be UCLA 3-5, Cal 5-3, Wash 4-4, Stan 3-5, Ari 5-3.

Then it would come down to a Cal-Ari tiebreaker. That would favor Arizona because they would have swept Washington.

2006-03-02 21:15:47
68.   Bob Timmermann
Taiwan still has just 3 hits and they haven't hit the ball hard much at all tonight.
2006-03-02 21:18:07
69.   D4P
Am I the only one who instinctively expects Choi to be pulled soon for a pinch-hitter?
2006-03-02 21:19:48
70.   Bob Timmermann
I think Choi will be in every game for the duration for Korea unless he gets hurt.
2006-03-02 21:21:25
71.   D4P
70
That would be a welcome change.
2006-03-02 21:26:08
72.   Bob Timmermann
Did I ever tell you that Asia has a lot of bad baserunners?
2006-03-02 21:28:54
73.   Bob Timmermann
Meanwhile, Casey remains on his perch in my closet, staring down at me like a feline Wally Cox sitting in the upper right hand square waiting to be called on for the block.
2006-03-02 21:29:17
74.   D4P
72
I don't think so. Would you like to some time?
2006-03-02 21:30:20
75.   Bob Timmermann
That was a second person plural in 72.
2006-03-02 21:33:11
76.   Ken Arneson
OT in Berkeley...
2006-03-02 21:35:31
77.   D4P
So, you're saying I'm not really that special after all?
2006-03-02 21:36:59
78.   LAT
UCLA and CAl in OT
2006-03-02 21:37:15
79.   Bob Timmermann
We're all special in our own unique way.
2006-03-02 21:40:20
80.   Bob Timmermann
Clear the decks! We're going to the bottom of the 9th in Tokyo.
Korea 2, Taiwan 0

I assume Park pitches the 9th. He's only thrown 20 pitches.

2006-03-02 21:41:41
81.   LAT
Aflalo hits huge 3 to put UCLA up 3
2006-03-02 21:41:47
82.   Bob Timmermann
And it's Park for the 9th against Lin, Chang, Huang, the 4-5-6 hitters for Taiwan.
2006-03-02 21:42:52
83.   Bob Timmermann
Lin leads off with a double off the RF wall.
2006-03-02 21:44:46
84.   Ken Arneson
Cal's gonna lose. Thanks, Jon.
2006-03-02 21:45:07
85.   Bob Timmermann
Chang grounds out to third.
2006-03-02 21:46:03
86.   Bob Timmermann
Fong-Ming Chen pinch-hitting.
2006-03-02 21:47:11
87.   LAT
Cal starting to look like last nights' Hornets. . .cant score
2006-03-02 21:50:18
88.   Bob Timmermann
Chen K's. Hu is the last hope for Taiwan.
2006-03-02 21:50:25
89.   LAT
UCLA wins
2006-03-02 21:51:19
90.   Ken Arneson
And here comes Kirk Gibson!
2006-03-02 21:52:02
91.   Bob Timmermann
Hu beats out an infield hit to short to keep Taiwan alive. 1st and 3rd with 2 outs.
Chan Chih-Yao pinch hitting.
2006-03-02 21:53:36
92.   Bob Timmermann
Chan hits into a forceout to end the game.

Korea wins 2-0 and as long as they beat China tomorrow, they are U.S. bound.

2006-03-02 21:54:22
93.   Ken Arneson
Oops, I guess not. That was a really nice play by the Korean shortstop to end it, though.
2006-03-02 21:54:27
94.   Bob Timmermann
Seo with the win. En-Yu Lin with the loss. Chan Ho Park with the save.
2006-03-02 21:56:20
95.   D4P
You like saying the names, don't you Bob?
2006-03-02 21:57:25
96.   Icaros
Record post count for the Timmermann Griddle!
2006-03-02 21:57:42
97.   Bob Timmermann
So much for the 5-way tie for the Pac-10 now. It's a two-team race now: Bruins and Huskies.

UCLA wins the conference with a either win over Stanford Saturday or a loss by Washington at Arizona.

2006-03-02 21:59:19
98.   Bob Timmermann
The names are nice to say and there are so many guys with the same surname that you need to specify.

Because we wouldn't want to get confused would we?

2006-03-02 22:00:40
99.   Bob Timmermann
I also predict a lower count for the Japan-China game. Unless we have some real insomniacs. That game won't start until 1:30 am.
2006-03-02 22:03:17
100.   Icaros
Hooray!
Show/Hide Comments 101-150
2006-03-02 22:07:26
101.   Bob Timmermann
Congrats to Icaros for being #100!

You have the option of receiving my eternal gratitude or a Team Canada Olympic hockey sweater which I found out doesn't fit me.

2006-03-02 22:09:41
102.   Icaros
I guess I'll take the gratitude. Your sweater would have to be about two sizes too small to fit me.
2006-03-02 22:11:05
103.   Bob Timmermann
It's a medium, but they said it would be a 44. But it ain't a 44.
2006-03-02 22:15:25
104.   Icaros
Who is this "they" you speak of?
2006-03-02 22:16:48
105.   Bob Timmermann
The people at NHL.com.

Hockey sweaters are supposed to be baggy so you can put your pads on underneath them.

2006-03-02 22:20:00
106.   D4P
Maybe they meant 44 centimeters...
2006-03-02 22:23:08
107.   Clive Clements
If you bought a new Canada sweater, then it's small b/c that's how Nike makes their hockey jerseys now.
2006-03-02 22:27:49
108.   Icaros
105

Are you sure they are people?

2006-03-02 22:32:51
109.   Bob Timmermann
I think I will just send it back and get my money back.

I bought some kids Red Wings sweaters for my nephews for Christmas. They said "one size fits all". Turned out that it fit the little one perfectly and the big one found it snug, but insisted on keeping it.

2006-03-02 22:52:36
110.   Jon Weisman
84 - Sorry, Ken. I think I should have been rooting for Cal in that game, anyway.
2006-03-02 23:06:51
111.   Bob Timmermann
With one game to go in the Pac-10 season, only two spots are set. USC is 6th and Oregon is 7th.

UCLA will be 1 or 2
Washington could be 1 through 5.
Arizona, Cal, Stanford could be as high as 2 or as low as 5.

Oregon State, Arizona State, and Washington State are all at the bottom.

2006-03-02 23:08:44
112.   das411
Wow, ChT has really nice uniforms, they look like a hybrid of the old Colt .45s and the new Padres. Awesome!
2006-03-02 23:11:44
113.   das411
OMG, and did you guys just get a commercial with CHUCK NORRIS?!?!?!? I just might have to watch this entire game now!

The Korea hats look like what I wore in little league. Cooler unis though...and Seo looks a lot bigger than he did in NY...

2006-03-03 03:51:41
114.   Sam DC
Whoa, I go to bed at a reasonable hour and wake to find 113 comments at the The Griddle. The Griddle Has Arrived!

Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.