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WBC Game Chat: Cuba vs Venezuela, 10 am PT
2006-03-12 12:50
by Bob Timmermann

Live from Hiram Bithorn Stadium! This game should be live on ESPN Deportes and on ESPN at 11 pm PT.

Round two starts with a game in the San Juan Region between longtime international power Cuba, runnerup in Pool C versus the strong pitching of Venezuela, the runnerup in Pool D.

Cuban manager Higinio Velez, still smarting from a 12-2 pounding by Puerto Rico on Friday, has held off on naming a starting pitcher. The only player you can bank on is second baseman Yulieski Gourriel, who has been Cuba's hitting star in the tournament. He's 4 for 11, but he has two doubles and a home run. Third baseman Michel Enriquez has been hit by pitches four times.

Venezuelan manager Luis Sojo isn't as secretive. He will be sending out Johán Santana as his starting pitcher. Santana gave up two runs, one earned, in 3 1/3 innings against the Dominican Republic. Venezuela's offense has been sputtering a bit considering its level of competition. After scoring five runs against the Dominican Republic, Venezuela scored six against Italy and only two against Australia, despite receiving 12 walks. Venezuela's pitchers gave up just three hits to Italy and Australia.

Cuba won its opener, 8-6 in 11 innings against Panamá and cruised 8-3 past the Netherlands, before Puerto Rico took them to school Friday.

Cuba is going to need to find a pitcher who can hold down Venezuela and somehow find a way to score against Santana, who is a far better pitcher than anyone pitching in Cuba right now.

FINAL SCORE Cuba 7, Venezuela 2
WP - Yadel Marti
LP - Johan Santana
Save - Pedro Luis Lazo
HRs - Frederich Cepeda, Ariel Pestano, Endy Chavez

Cuba manages to scratch one run off of Santana through five innings and then Venezuelan manager Luis Sojo opts to bring in Giovanni Carrara to relieve. Cuba pounces on him for five runs to break the game open and give Cuba a surprising win.

Comments (54)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2006-03-12 09:50:17
1.   Bob Timmermann
Yadel Martí on the mound for Cuba.
2006-03-12 10:03:40
2.   Sam DC
1 Well, I guess that ensures the game will be on radio in Cuba.
2006-03-12 10:09:26
3.   Bob Timmermann
I've got a test pattern for the game, so maybe Castro is jamming the signal on MLB.tv.
2006-03-12 10:11:29
4.   Sam DC
The exiles seem to have broken through; the gameday transmitter at least is back on line!
2006-03-12 10:16:07
5.   Icaros
I haven't been able to watch any of these games.

I wish they were more easily accessible. I feel left out.

Like the whole world is in on something and I'm just floating in space.

Alone.

And angry.

2006-03-12 10:16:53
6.   Bob Timmermann
I've got picture and sound now with the dulcet tones of Brian Kenny and Steve Phillips.
2006-03-12 10:17:53
7.   Bob Timmermann
5
You don't have cable in your new place? All the games today except this one will be live on ESPN2.

Santana looked sharp in the first inning.

2006-03-12 10:18:26
8.   Sam DC
I just hope comment #5 doesn't end up being entered into evidence at Icaros' trial someday . . .
2006-03-12 10:19:10
9.   Bob Timmermann
I would say that the stadium appears to be 1/2 or 2/3 full in San Juan. I guess the Cuban fans don't travel well do they?
2006-03-12 10:20:43
10.   Icaros
7

I have ESPN and ESPN2 and ESPNHD, but no ESPNDeportes. I only get games (usually tape delayed) at like 11:30 p.m.

My cable guide says ESPN2 is showing basketball all day. Hopefully it's wrong.

2006-03-12 10:22:06
11.   Icaros
8

If it happens, I can assure you I will have been framed.

2006-03-12 10:24:51
12.   Bob Timmermann
MLB.com says that the USA-Japan game at 1 pm will be on ESPN2.

If so, they should tell my cable system because the digital cable box says that it will be showing a tennis tournament then.

HOWEVER, the evening games between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and Mexico vs. Korea will be on ESPN2.

You will have to tape "The Sopranos" however.

2006-03-12 10:27:24
13.   Bob Timmermann
And ESPN.com says that instead of a tennis tournament, ESPN2 will be showing the Southland Conference championship game between Sam Houston State and Northwestern State.

Doesn't matter to me, I'll be at work anyway.

2006-03-12 10:29:14
14.   Icaros
I won't mind taking one hour out of six straight hours of baseball to watch The Sopranos.

I have to go out to my parents' place to watch HBO because I don't pay for it.

2006-03-12 10:30:02
15.   Icaros
13

You're working on Sunday?

2006-03-12 10:31:08
16.   Bob Timmermann
I have a magic machine that tapes the Sopranos. And since I have digital cable, I get six or seven different versions of HBO. I tape the East Coast feed and I increase my options.

Meanwhile in San Juan, Martí is having trouble throwing strikes although he just has one walk.

2006-03-12 10:32:23
17.   Bob Timmermann
15
The library is open seven days a week.

Which means that I have a work schedule that dosn't mesh well with others.

This week, I'm working Sunday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday.

I work 5 hours, but it counts for 8 so it's not bad.

2006-03-12 10:33:14
18.   Icaros
16

I remember when that magic machine broke and your world was turned upside down.

2006-03-12 10:35:17
19.   Bob Timmermann
I had to agree with something Steve Phillips said (which scares me). Cuba's right fielder, Urrutia, was playing Abreu by standing about one stride in front of the warning track. That seems almost pointless since if Abreu hit the ball that far, it's probably going to go over the fence anyway.

Cuba's pitcher Martí always works from the stretch.

2006-03-12 10:35:25
20.   Icaros
17

I thought libraries followed the same schedule as the post office. No Sundays.

I think you might be wrong.

2006-03-12 10:36:36
21.   Bob Timmermann
18

In the middle of an episode of "Lost" too! I was ready to fly to New York and firebomb Time Warner's corporate headquarters.

2006-03-12 10:38:32
22.   Bob Timmermann
20

Since we're the big library, we're open Sundays. Just like the big general mail facilities. Go to your local big airport (LAX or SFO). They have post offices open all the time.

We're closed most of the time the Post Office is closed though. But I get a holiday for Cesar Chavez's birthday at the end of the month.

2006-03-12 10:41:56
23.   Icaros
Have there been many episodes of disgruntled librarians mass murdering fellow employees?
2006-03-12 10:43:53
24.   Bob Timmermann
23
Not that I know of. Most of us are too inept to operate firearms.

Cuba on the board 1-0. Double, infield hit and opposite field single.

2006-03-12 10:48:06
25.   Bob Timmermann
OK, the ESPN promo says that the US/Japan game will be on ESPN2 at 1 pm. The D.R./P.R. game will not be on ESPN2. The Korea/Mexico game will be on ESPN2.
2006-03-12 10:49:20
26.   Icaros
Not that I know of. Most of us are too inept to operate firearms.

Right, compared to the brilliance of your average postal worker.

2006-03-12 10:49:49
27.   Icaros
Not that I know of. Most of us are too inept to operate firearms.

Right, compared to the brilliance of your average postal worker.

2006-03-12 10:54:34
28.   Icaros
I swear I only pushed submit one time, and of all the comments to get double-posted...

I'd better watch my back.

2006-03-12 10:56:10
29.   Bob Timmermann
Ho, ho, the days of the gun-toting disgruntled librarian are long gone!
2006-03-12 10:56:17
30.   Sam DC
Icaros is Going Toasteral.
2006-03-12 10:59:54
31.   Bob Timmermann
Martí is pitching like a Russ Ortiz. Lots of pitches and for some reason, he's not giving up runs. He isn't going to be long for this game despite being up 1-0.
2006-03-12 11:00:00
32.   Icaros
30

I'm calm, I'm calm. Everything's cool. We're all just going to be little Fonzies here...

2006-03-12 11:01:03
33.   Sam DC
In DC, Fonzie now means Alfonso Soriano, and it's decidedly not cool . . .
2006-03-12 11:03:41
34.   Bob Timmermann
And Edgardo Alfonzo is playing second today for Venezuela. There's another Fonzie.

Santana makes Yulieski Gourriel look bad for the second straight time.

2006-03-12 11:06:09
35.   Bob Timmermann
Venezuela, red caps, but blue helmets! Why?
2006-03-12 11:09:05
36.   Sam DC
Do you think the V for Vendetta people had to pay for those hats?
2006-03-12 11:11:27
37.   Bob Timmermann
I think it would be interesting if they show Hugo Weaving or Natalie Portman in the stands.
2006-03-12 11:20:38
38.   Bob Timmermann
60 pitches through 4 innings for Santana.
54 pitches through 3 innings for Martí.
2006-03-12 11:26:06
39.   Sam DC
Does Marti's gameday picture look at all like a young, slightly lighter-skinned Robert Parish to anyone else? (It's a facebone structure thing . . .)
2006-03-12 11:29:06
40.   Bob Timmermann
39

He doesn't like Robert Parish at all to me.

2006-03-12 11:30:27
41.   Sam DC
What does he have against Robert Parish?

(kidding, gotcha)

2006-03-12 11:31:54
42.   Bob Timmermann
Must have been a Freudian slip for me because I don't like Robert Parish at all after I read about his attitude toward women.

And the people of Boston worship him.

2006-03-12 11:33:42
43.   Bob Timmermann
Santana is likely done after five innings. He gives up 2 hits, 1 run, and has 5 Ks.

They showed Victor Zambrano warming up.

No hits for Venezuela through four.

2006-03-12 11:37:04
44.   Bob Timmermann
A hit for Venezuela! Ordoñez with a single.
2006-03-12 11:39:48
45.   Bob Timmermann
Martí out, Lazo in. Two on, none out for Venezuela with Alfonzo due up.
2006-03-12 11:40:21
46.   Icaros
Ordoñez with a single.

Which one?

2006-03-12 11:43:02
47.   Bob Timmermann
The one who is Venezuelan.
Aka the one who is good.

The one who sucked is a Cuban refugee.

2006-03-12 11:44:28
48.   Bob Timmermann
Bases llenas por Venezuela sin un out.
2006-03-12 11:47:41
49.   Bob Timmermann
Fly outs by Chavez and Vizquel can't bring a runner home. Two outs and bases loaded for Carlos Guillen.
2006-03-12 11:50:14
50.   Bob Timmermann
Ponche! Cuba 1, Venezuela 0 after 5.
Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2006-03-12 12:01:47
51.   Bob Timmermann
Cuba gets a run and got another runner on when a ground ball to Vizquel ended up inside his shirt and he couldn't throw anyone out. With the next batter, Alfonzo tried to start a 4-6-3 DP and Vizquel couldn't get the ball out of his glove.
2006-03-12 12:04:36
52.   Bob Timmermann
Cepeda hits a 3-run homer and Pestano follows with another and it's 6-0 Cuba.
2006-03-12 12:45:53
53.   Bob Timmermann
7-2 Cuba after 7 1/2. Venezuela finally scored on a 2-run homer by Endy Chavez.
2006-03-12 22:15:41
54.   das411
Hi Bob! Am I reading this wrong or does that actually say LP - Johan Santana and HR - Endy Chavez?

....Icaros, don't hurt me!! :(

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