Almost 10,000 of the 12,500 tickets for the game against Chinese Taipei have already been sold.
[quote=“cfimages”]
The Australians were known as a great fielding side long before he joined as coach.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2[/quote]
Australians were also playing baseball for a long time. What other cricket countries had their own baseball league from 1980s to the late 90s, with weekly TV broadcast?
[quote=“hansioux”][quote=“cfimages”]
I had to look him up. Never heard of him.
A quick look through the sports section of a couple of Aust newspapers shows no mention of baseball in any form whatsoever. As a sport, it simply doesn’t register for Australians.[/quote]
Even when it’s Australian’s knowledge in baseball that gave its national cricket team an edge over the rest of the common wealth? 
[/quote]
Really? I’ve never heard anyone say that before. Most people attribute Australia’s last domination of world cricket to the superb talent of the side including a freakishly good leg spinner. I’m not saying baseball hasn’t had any influence I’m just saying I’ve never heard of such a thing before. And I agree with cfi that baseball doesn’t register in Australia. I can’t remember ever meeting an Aussie who played it. Can’t even remember seeing a baseball field in Aus come to think of it. 
I know we have a team and probably a national league but, well, I don’t think anyone actually follows it. I most certainly couldn’t name one player. I would guess that any major league players we have could walk around in Australia anonymously.
I just checked in on this thread to see how my kiwi bretheren were doing. 
The Diamond Blacks have just finished their third game against the Sydney Blue Socks. They lost the first two but won the third. Now onto Canberra for more games before heading to Taiwan. I heard that their Hakka was pretty good. 
choice. I’d rather watch these neophytes than the Craps. I was also amused by the following paragraph, someone doesn’t understand time differences:
[quote]All the Diamond Blacks’ matches will be televised on Sky. Game times haven’t been confirmed, but Taiwan is five hours behind us so evening games there will begin in the middle of the day here.[/quote]
Haha, I missed that paragraph!
Johnny Damon is going to play for Thailand it seems. Will makes things interesting for the Diamond Blacks.
[quote]
Really? I’ve never heard anyone say that before. Most people attribute Australia’s last domination of world cricket to the superb talent of the side including a freakishly good leg spinner. I’m not saying baseball hasn’t had any influence I’m just saying I’ve never heard of such a thing before. And I agree with cfi that baseball doesn’t register in Australia. I can’t remember ever meeting an Aussie who played it. Can’t even remember seeing a baseball field in Aus come to think of it. I know we have a team and probably a national league but, well, I don’t think anyone actually follows it. I most certainly couldn’t name one player. I would guess that any major league players we have could walk around in Australia anonymously.
I just checked in on this thread to see how my kiwi bretheren were doing. [/quote]
same thing can be said about soccer (football) in the US, doesn’t mean the US is any less of player in the world soccer stage. but Australian baseball has a better record than US soccer when it comes to world competitions.
the Taiwanese scouts who went to Australia to observe the Kiwi team has deemed it a non-threat. However, from the numbers I think the team has no lack in talents, but they do need more time to practise together.
The Diamond Blacks were just happy that the scouts were there for all three games! I agree with you about the lack of practice. lets home a few more games will see them gel a lot more as a team and give the comp a run for its money.
I am looking forward to being a groupie even if we don’t win a single game although I have a feeling that we might just surprise a few people.
Another really good article. mister-baseball.com/zealand- … -previews/
I’m here to share news videos of the Diamond Blacks
This 3news clip is pretty great
BaseballNZ posted other 3news clips on youtube
apparently they have a youtube channel
By the way, the Diamond Black’s white cap uniform looks awesome. And will there be any pre-game Haka when they come over to play in Taiwan?
Even though Lincecum has officially declined the invitation to play for Team Philippines, as has Cepeda, but there aren’t lack of reimported talents on the Philippines side…
Pitcher Geno Espineli, L/L, Former SF Giants, was in AAA in 2011, used to be a relief pitcher, but could start for a game, since Taiwan is known for batting poorly against lefties.
Espineli talks about baseball in the Philippines and WBC:
mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd … b&c_id=mlb
Pitcher Ryuya Ogawa, L/L, Playing for the Chunichi Dragons in the NPB. 20 years old and I guess is half Japanese half Filipino. He pitch a game each in 2011 and 2012 for the Dragons, the rest of the time I guess he spent it in the farm system. But a player like this can already be tough to beat for most Asian baseball powers, as seen demonstrated in the Asia Series, where Tokyo Giant’s 1.5 group (the top tier is called the 1st group, farm system is called the 2nd group) had no trouble defeating top teams from Korea and Taiwan.
Chad Nacapoy, R/R, born in Hawaii, just drafted to play the rookie league for the Rays this year. Mostly an outfielder, but also could play catcher. Not a long ball hitter, BA is not that impressive, but apparently has pretty good plate discipline.
Leighton Pangilinan, L/R, from the white sox farm system. Mostly plays 1st-base. Has a slightly better pop.
Ryan Pineda, R/R, from A’s High A. Can play 2nd, last year had improved OBP and SLG.
And of course there will always be Jon Jon Robles.
All in all, this team might surprise people…
[quote=“hansioux”]
And will there be any pre-game Haka when they come over to play in Taiwan?[/quote]
Thanks for sharing those videos hansioux and yes there will be a Hakka - they have been practising it quite hard I have been told!
[quote=“MeMock”][quote=“hansioux”]
And will there be any pre-game Haka when they come over to play in Taiwan?[/quote]
Thanks for sharing those videos hansioux and yes there will be a Hakka - they have been practising it quite hard I have been told![/quote]
Ok, now I have got to buy me some tickets!!!
I hope there are some left for you for the opening game! Might see you there!
Well I have arrived and am freezing my butt off (should have check the wether before travelling!) and cannot wait for tonight. Taiwan is a raging hot favourite but you never know … perhaps the Hakka might put them off their game!
apparently all the fun games are during thursday and fridays…
since i am not in Taipei area and I have to work… i can’t make it…
Today’s Hakka.
New Zealand was awesome through out the before the 5th inning. AAA pitcher Lincoln Holdzkom was brilliant from through out. There were plenty of offence against Yao-Lin Wang, who looked nervous and didn’t have command of the ball. But for all the scoring opportunities weren’t followed through.
Since there’s a pitch count limit, one or two great pitcher isn’t enough in the WBC qualifiers.
Hopefully these two teams will play again.
If NZ beat Thailand and the Philippines then they will meet again. The Diamond Blacks have yet to play their better pitchers so are still in with a chance. They played great in the first half. A shocking 5th innings though. I thought the game was meant to be a sell out? A good crowd for sure but perhaps only 85% full.
Full Hakka without annoying commentator talking over the chant.
web.worldbaseballclassic.com/wbc … 487361&v=3
After seeing how these 3 teams play, I think New Zealand is the better team than Thailand and the Philippines. The Philippines is pretty close, but their pitching depth and batting power is a bit lacking. So I think Taiwan and New Zealand will play each other again on Sunday.
As for the crowd, part of it is the game was on a Thursday and in HsinChuang, which isn’t easy to get to. Part of it is that a lot of tickets are given away to “government publicists”. So those ticket might end up at hands of people not willing to go to the game. But Sunday’s game will be a sell out for sure. There was over 10,000 at the game still, which isn’t bad at all.
I read on the news paper that the original Hakka prepared by the Diamond Blacks is 80 seconds long, but they were only given 40 seconds so they had to cut it short…
Wish the officials would change that and give them full 80 seconds. And I wish the Taiwanese broadcasters would just keep their mouths shut and let us watch the hakka.