WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC 2009
NEWS & REPORTS

MEXICAN REVENGE NOT SO SWEET FOR AROOS!

 By ADRIAN DUNN (Australia's finest baseball journalist) 
            as part-published in Melbourne's Herald-Sun newspaper - Australia's most widely read daily newspaper.

REVENGE, it’s said is a dish best served cold. Mexican added some of its signature spices to end Australia’s dreams of advancing to the second round of the World Baseball Classic.

After being humbled, humiliated and harangued following its mercy rule 17-7 loss to Australia in the WBC series opener, Mexico inflicted an equally embarrassing defeat to the Australians. So over matched in all departments were the Australians, that the mercy rule was invoked after six innings with Mexicans triumphant 16-1.

Australian manager Jon Deeble said it was a disappointing end to what had been a series that had showcased the quality of Australian baseball. Deeble said the heart-breaking one run loss against Cuba the day before had taken its toll on the players who unable to rally once the Mexicans gained the early lead. “Unfortunately, we just couldn’t come up after the Cuban game. We were just over matched,” Deeble said. 

“In the end it was a non event. Hopefully, the young kids will learn from it.”

While the Australians dined on a feast of a record breaking 22 hits in its first game, Mexican starter Jorge Campillo, a member of the Atlanta Braves starting rotation, ensured there would be no second helpings. Campillo restricted the Australians to six hits and one run – a home run by Brett Roneberg, the only Australian Campillo was unable to retire – in his four and two third innings.

Australia had its chances in the second and third inning with runners (three) in scoring position, but Campillo was able to pitch his way out of the potential jam. It proved the only chances Australia would have as the Mexicans climbed all over a succession of pitchers manager Jon Deeble sent out to stop the bleeding.

While Australia was theoretically still in the game after the Mexicans scored four runs off starter David Welsh in the third innings, it would turn ugly, very ugly from that point. It took four Australian pitchers in the fourth to record the three outs, but not before the Mexicans had booked themselves into the second round with a feast of seven unanswered runs.

Mexican right fielder Karim Garcia put on a clinic in the concluding innings as he twice homered to end the game going 4-4 with four RBIs and four runs scored. None of the first seven pitchers – Welsh, Brendan Wise, Liam Hendriks, Paul Mildren, Tristan Crawford, Joel Naylor and Adam Bright – used by Deeble were able to able to quieten the rampaging Mexicans. Scott Mitchinson, the last pitcher summoned from the bullpen, was the only pitcher not to surrender a hit or a run.

Apart from Roneberg, who earlier doubled off Campillo to end the WBC batting .714; centrefielder Trent Oeltjen collected two hits to lift his average to .500 while James Beresford (.419) and Ben Risinger (.400) also collected hits. Deeble said the above mentioned hitters had much to be proud of how they handled themselves against what was largely Major League Baseball pitching staffs.

He described Roneberg, a minor league journeyman for the past decade, as a “quality hitter” who just needed an opportunity. “He swung the bat as well as anyone. They couldn’t get him out, he owned Campillo, a first rate pitcher with the Braves,” Deeble said. “Oeltjen continues to make giant strides. He hit well, got on base for us and really played good defence. “He’s a chance to make it (to the majors).”

Deeble said Beresford, who turned 20 back in January, showed the poise of a seasoned veteran. He said his at bat against Cuba at a pivotal stage of the game spoke volumes for his ability. “He really put his hand up for us. He hit to the opposite field, stayed with the ball and had some quality at bats.”

Risinger played against Mexico in the last game with a torn hamstring, which saw him used as a designated hitter. “Many people on all those forums were questioning why he was picked, but I think Ben answered all the critics. He hit .400 for the tournament,” Deeble said.

Deeble praised the pitching of Travis Blackley, who started against Cuba. “He kept us in the game, he was simply outstanding.” He said cameos from Liam Hendriks in the win against Mexico and from David Welsh, who pitched well without luck against Mexico in the rematch were other positives to take away from tournament.

FOUR OUTS AWAY FROM A WBC FAIRYTALE!

 By ADRIAN DUNN (Australia's finest baseball journalist) 
            as part-published in Melbourne's Herald-Sun newspaper - Australia's most widely read daily newspaper.

FOR all the adulation, jubilation and unbridled joy that accompanied Australia’s victory against Mexico, the gut-wrenching, agonising and frustrating one-run loss against baseball super power Cuba proved how sobering baseball can be.

The only constants in both games was the extremely high level of talent demonstrated by the Australians, a team posted as $151 outsiders before the World Baseball Classic began. And, the other, of course, is the immense pride the baseball fraternity down under has in what Jon Deeble, his staff and players have achieved.

Again, there was ample evidence of the self belief among the team from the get-go against Cuba, a country that has won three of the past four Olympic Games Gold Medals and some ridiculously high number of World Championships.

Travis Blackley, who put his country before solidifying a spot on a roster for a Major League Team, epitomised the spirit that has so readily become our signature. Pitted against Albertin Chapman, a gifted left hand hurler, who as the Australians were soon to discover, regularly hitting the mid 90s, Blackley ensured Australia was always in the game.

Blackley ended a runners on first and third, one out situation in the first inning when he picked off the runner at first then struck out the next batter. Although he gave up a two-out RBI single in the third, Blackley never lost his composure at any stage. He pitched to a plan, stuck to it and was backed by a solid defence.

Luke Hughes, a most improved and impressive player who has made gargantuan steps since he played in the 2006 WBC, ignited the Australians in the fourth with a double and moved to third on a baulk. It appeared he might be stranded there as Chris Snelling struck out and Justin Huber grounded out. But, Ben Risinger delivered him home with a single to left field to knot the scores.

When Blackley’s pitch count at 70 expired, former Atlanta Brave/San Francisco Giant lefty Damian Moss took his place. Cuban centrefielder Yoennis Cespedes greeted him with a line drive home run that went at tracer-bullet speed over the right field fence.

After Cuba took a 2-1 lead into the sixth, Australia mounted its now trademark fight back.
Justin Huber singled home a run to level the scores and then with two out, a single to Michael Collins and a walk to Brad Harman loaded the bases for James Beresford. The 20-year-old from Waverley, with just two years of Rookie ball behind him, revelled in the toughest at bat of his short career. Beresford, facing Pedro Lazo, a veteran of four Olympic Games, ripped an opposite field two-run single to give Australia a 4-2 lead.

Images of Australia dragon-slaying Mexico and Cuba in successive WBC games now ventured from the absurd to very real. But, the Cubans are also fighters. Baseball and boxing are the national pastimes. And, as it would prove over the ensuing inning, darn good at both pursuits. Cuba drew one run back in the seventh, but Australia still held the lead as Moss gave way to Rich Thompson.

After taking a 4-3 lead into the eighth inning, back-up catcher Yosbany Perez, a Fred Flinstone look-alike, emerged as the unlikely hero for Cuba. Perez, listed at 118kg but with no birth date, blasted a two out two run home run off Thompson to give Cuba a 5-4 lead they would not surrender. Heart-breaking is one word that leaps out from the loss that would have provided Australian baseball with so much impetus in so many different ways.

It robbed Australia, who defeated Mexico 17-7 on Monday, from joining the Netherlands as a second Cinderella story of the WBC.

Netherlands, better known for wearing wooden clogs than swinging wooden bats, eliminated the Dominican Republic, pre-WBC favourites with 2-1, 11th inning win.  Australia matched Cuba, its nemesis in the '04 Athens Olympic Games Gold Medal Game.

Australia can still join the Netherlands as THE story of the WBC if it today defeats Mexico.

OH MERCY - AUSTRALIA MASSACRES MEXICO!

 By ADRIAN DUNN (Australia's finest baseball journalist) 
            as part-published in Melbourne's Herald-Sun newspaper - Australia's most widely read daily newspaper.

OH mercy. Australia, considered a minnow on the baseball world stage, showed no mercy to Mexico, bursting with Major League Baseball players, in its World Baseball Classic series opener yesterday at Mexico City. In fact, Australia invoked the mercy rule in its historic 17-7 win, a game where Australia pounded out a WBC record 22 hits.

While a crescendo of boos from the 25,000 plus crowd at Foro Sol Stadium greeted beleaguered Mexican manager Vinnie Castillo, the Australians had much to savour. For a team that boasts no every day major leaguers, mainly a bunch of young players at the bottom of professional baseball’s totem, the victory spoke volumes for the team’s character. And, that’s what most impressed Australian manager Jon Deeble who praised his players for staying positive after falling behind, executing well and playing with great spirit.

Deeble rated Australia’s win as the equal to the win against Japan in the 2004 Olympic Games that advanced it to the Gold Medal game. “You would have to say this is best win ever for Australian baseball,” Deeble said. “The win against Japan in the Olympics was great, but the quality of the Mexican players was better. Their starting line-up was all major leaguers. “It was not just the victory, but the way we stuck to our guns. Our game is all about execution and we stuck to our game plan so beautifully.

“Even when we are down the score is irrelevant so, too, is the opposition. It doesn’t matter of we are playing the ’27 Yankees or Guam. “It’s just a matter of sticking to what you know and executing it. I thought we scouted them well and pitched to them great. “We did it to a tee and the result came through.” In the 2006 WBC, Australian scratched out four runs on nine hits at a .113 clip in three games, a series that exposed our offence as wafer-thin. Literally, Australia came out swinging against the Mexicans.

After jumping to a 3-0 lead on the back of a two-run home run from Luke Hughes and a solo home run from Chris Snelling, the Australian’s enthusiasm was punctured when Mexico, thanks to a grand slam home run from New York Yankee prospect Jorge Vazquez, put up a five spot in the bottom of the first inning. And, when Mexico extended its lead to 7-4 after three innings, having chased starter Craig Anderson and Paul Mildren from the mound, it appeared the host country was in cruise control.

But, Australia fought back with three runs in the sixth, highlighted by run-scoring singles from catcher Andrew Graham and Hughes and a sacrifice fly from James Beresford, the youngest member of the Australian team, to level the scores. With the momentum shifting dramatically, Australia seized the advantage. Graham and Beresford added run-scoring singles and Trent Oeltjen with his fourth hit of the game drove home another run in the sixth.

As the Mexicans unravelled both mentally and defensively, Australia went for the jugular. Snelling, whose career has been harpooned by 10 operations in 13 years, added his second home run, again a solo shot, to headline a four run seventh. And, Ben Risinger joined in the hit feast with a three run home run to deep centrefield.

While the offensive jumped all over the eight pitchers Mexico sent to the mound, Australia stifled the hosts thanks to Liam Hendriks, Damian Moss and Rich Thomson. The three combined to throw five shut out innings allowing Mexico just three hits to post its most significant win since its Silver Medal performance in the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Ironically, Australia will meet its Olympic nemesis Cuba, who demolished South Africa 8-1, tomorrow. Victory will see Australia advance to the WBC second round. If not, Australia must again defeat Mexico if it is to advance to the next round in San Diego.

Deeble said the key to the fight back was the quality at bats against a Mexican pitching line that featured starter Oliver Perez, a member of the New York Mets rotation, was outstanding. If there was any feeling of intimidation it was not apparent. Perez was sent for an early shower when he exhausted his pitch count after the second innings. By that stage Australia had helped itself to seven hits, a number of hard hit balls that the Mexican defence corralled, and four runs.

Next, the offence jumped over Francisco Campos as successive singles in the fifth inning to Brett Roneberg, Harman and Graham added another run. Beresford, called in to pinch-hit for Daniel Berg, drove home a run with a sacrifice fly and then Oeltjen, who the Mexicans couldn’t get out – he found himself on base in each of his first five at bats, collected another hit and Hughes drove home a run to knot the scores at 7-7.

After Justin Huber and Risinger were both struck out to start the sixth, Roneberg gathered another single following a good at bat, Harman was hit by a pitch and Graham, one of the real stars both offensively and defensively, put Australia ahead with another sun-scoring single. Beresford, 20, showed he’s quite comfortable at the level, with a single that extended the lead. Oeltjen made it a 10-7 advantage with his fourth hit. Not to be content with his offensive out put, Beresford made a major league defensive play that had the ESPN commentators drooling. So they should.

Snelling, undoubtedly the best pure hitter in the country, again showed his talent as he turned on an inside pitch to email it out of the park. One can only wonder how good Snelling would be if his body had not been ravaged by a litany of injuries.

Risinger joined the hit parade; Harman added another hit and then the Mexicans, by know in melt down mode, completely lost it when second baseman Edgar Gonzales mis-played a ground ball from Graham that saw two more Australians cross the plate.

Many people questioned the inclusion of Risinger on the roster. He answered the naysayers with a blast that cleared the 409 ft centerfield fence for a three run home run. As prominent racehorse trainer Ross McDonald noted: “You drink out of mugs, you don’t listen to them.”

While this hit feast was going on, full credit must go to Hendriks, Moss and Thompson for not allowing the Mexicans back in the game. Hendriks, just a couple of weeks older than Beresford, showed poise beyond his years. After allowing a single to Jerry Hairston Jnr, Hendriks got Adrian Gonzales, who hit 38 home runs and drove in something like 116 runs for San Diego Padres, to hit into a force and then struck out Florida Marlin Jorge Cantu.

While he issued a walk to Scott Hairston, Hendriks snuffed any sign of a Mexican rally when he induced Vazquez to hit into a force out. Moss, described by the commentators as a journeyman, showed he still has much to offer. He hog-tied the Mexicans for one and two-third innings. And, Thompson came in to close out what eventuated to be the final two innings and serving up a dish that was hard for the locals to stomach.

For all the jubilation that accompanied such a victory, Deeble remained measured as to the task still confronting Australia. “We still have to beat Cuba and if we don’t then we have to beat either Mexico again or South Africa,” he said. “But, we want to beat Cuba. If we do we’re in a position to win a $600,000 bonus that’s on offer for any team in its pool that wins all three games.”