Baseball fans were treated to a dramatic back and forth battle last night as Canada prevailed beating Chinese Taipei 6-5 in 10 innings, playing in Tai-Chung at the 2008 Olympic Baseball Qualification Tournament. A near-brawl in the 8th inning was one of the many highlights.
Aside from that, I’m just wondering if anyone who might have checked out the local papers (Chinese) knows what Chinese-Taipei was pestering the home ump about during the later innings. Armed with an interpreter, the manager came out several times to ask why one Canadian player was still in the game. Nothing ever came of it but I was just curious what they were on about. Anyone see that last night, or read anything about it in the papers today? I suspect Chinese Taipei got Canadian players and numbers mixed up and were mistaken in thinking someone who had had another player pinch hit for them was still in the game, which would be illegal or course. Anyway, it just seemed strange and none of the English write-ups of the game I’ve seen make any mention of it.
[quote=“Jack Burton”]I saw the highlights on TV. unsportsmanlike.
the guy charging the catcher; and
another Canadian trying to take out the 2nd baseman.[/quote]
I’m not really familiar with the game of baseball… but aren’t charging the catcher and running into the 2nd baseman to try to break up a double play legal?
[quote]Central Red Army left the ice protesting Philadelphia violence yesterday but their pique was misplaced. Philadelphia was built on a reputation of roughness yet their victory before 17,007 fans at the Spectrum was not the product of intimidation. Rather it was a classic demonstration of team work, hard work and execution and when it was over the Flyers were the world chmapions.
“We have never played (against) such animal hockey”, said Konstantin Loktev, the Red Army coach, explaining his reaction to the Flyers. In the first period he removed his team for 16 minutes protesting against Ed Van Impe’s check, which felled Army foward Valeri Kharlamov.
National Hockey League president Clarence Campbell, NHL Players’ Association executive director Alan Eagleson and finally Vlacheslav Koloskov, head of the Russian delegation, calmed the emotional coach.[/quote]
[quote=“xtrain”][quote=“Jack Burton”]I saw the highlights on TV. unsportsmanlike.
the guy charging the catcher; and
another Canadian trying to take out the 2nd baseman.[/quote]
seeing as these are regular and accepted occurences in MLB games, your assessment seems somewhat off-base.[/quote]
I think it’s a gray area. It’s part of the game, but you can’t intentionally go after the player. You have to at least act like you are trying to get to the base. I didn’t see the plays on TV so it’s hard to say.
[quote=“Jack Burton”]I saw the highlights on TV. unsportsmanlike.
the guy charging the catcher; and
another Canadian trying to take out the 2nd baseman.[/quote]
Completely disagree. Nothing unsportsmanlike about those plays. It’s part of baseball and to be expected.
The Canadian guy who got tagged out at home obviously didn’t like the CT catcher celebrating with gusto the final out in the first place, you could see him chirping with him already at that point, and perhaps that’s being a bit of a poor sport on the Canadian’s part, but apparently the catcher threw the ball in the air and unintentionally hit the guy with it. That’s what set the whole fracas off. The Canadians got their revenge though. Stubby Clapp (yes, that’s his name) doing a flip or two on the sidelines in celebration after scoring what would be the winning run sure shut the home fans up. And what the fuck were the Tai-Chung fans doing throwing shit on the field during that flare-up in the 8th? That’s pretty sad if you ask me.
As an avid baseball fan, I would like to encourage you to get to know a bit more about the game of baseball. Sliding into a middle infielder to break up a double play is expected, and totally sportsmanlike. It wouldn’t be very sportsmanlike for the goalkeeper to politely move himself out of the way of an oncoming opponent’s shot, now would it? Baseball is a contact sport.
Bowling over the catcher is equally normal. The fact that the Taiwanese play a bit less physical version of baseball reflects the record of their less intimidating (as compared to their younger aged little league teams, which are among the best in the world) adult teams.
Keep watching those highlights! There should be some good one’s after the Australia game tonight!!
[quote=“Mer”]Baseball fans were treated to a dramatic back and forth battle last night as Canada prevailed beating Chinese Taipei 6-5 in 10 innings, playing in Tai-Chung at the 2008 Olympic Baseball Qualification Tournament. A near-brawl in the 8th inning was one of the many highlights.
Aside from that, I’m just wondering if anyone who might have checked out the local papers (Chinese) knows what Chinese-Taipei was pestering the home ump about during the later innings. Armed with an interpreter, the manager came out several times to ask why one Canadian player was still in the game. Nothing ever came of it but I was just curious what they were on about. Anyone see that last night, or read anything about it in the papers today? I suspect Chinese Taipei got Canadian players and numbers mixed up and were mistaken in thinking someone who had had another player pinch hit for them was still in the game, which would be illegal or course. Anyway, it just seemed strange and none of the English write-ups of the game I’ve seen make any mention of it.[/quote]
what happened i think was the original catcher had been pinch hit for so was out…but the taiwanese coach thought it was the same catcher still playing…one was no. 20 one was no. 30 but the chest guard obscured the numbers…and since we all look the same to them…
funniest moment was during the brawl the commentator came out with the classic line; “what the fuck do these canadians think they’re doing…don’t they know this is Taiwan?”…it was at that stage I switched allegiance…but a great game to watch, looking forward to the aussies tonight…
korea and taiwan are through (4-1). to join them, canada (4-1) needs one of: germany lose this afternon, CAN beat korea tonight, or CAN beat germany tomorrow.
Taiwan is 99.9% through. Same situation as Canada. Each has to win one of the two games they have remaining to secure a berth. Canada plays Korea and Germany, Taiwan plays South Africa and Korea. Barring a complete collapse for either squad, as well as some odd results in the other remaining games, Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Canada will get berths in the Olympics.
actually, aussies can still beat out canada if we lose both games (due to H2H). i don’t think that’s the case with taiwan, as they hold the H2H tie-breaker against aussies and mexico even if all end with the same record. so taiwan is through, but we’ve gotta wait and see.
I’m not trying to be a stickler, but the reality is Taiwan had not locked up a berth in the Olympics following the win against Australia yesterday. They still have to beat South Africa today to seal the deal.
From the Taipei Times:
[quote]Taiwan beat Australia 5-0 yesterday in the 2008 IBAF Final Olympic Qualifying Tournament, making their road to the 2008 Beijing Olympics an easy one and all but squashing Australia’s chances.
A win today against South Africa, who has yet to win a game, will assure Taiwan of a spot in the Olympics.[/quote]
taipei times is full of errors, and this appears to be another one.
the first tie-breaker is results in H2H games. as taiwan has already beaten both the aussies and mexico, the only teams that could potentially match their worst possible record (4-3), it would seem that they have already qualified.
[quote=“xtrain”]Taipei times is full of errors, and this appears to be another one.
the first tie-breaker is results in H2H games. as taiwan has already beaten both the aussies and mexico, the only teams that could potentially match their worst possible record (4-3), it would seem that they have already qualified.[/quote]
The other thing is, during the game yesterday (CT vs. AUS) the announcers (god they are awful…) kept saying “if Taiwan wins this one, then it’s 99.9999999% a given they’ll punch the ticket to Beijing”. The one guy kept saying it over and over. I’m assuming there is some unlikely scenario that they are talking about that would leave Taiwan tied in the standings and on the outs. After H2H, it’s runs for and against. There would have been more of a celebration after yesterday’s game, and official news stories and what not today, had they clinched yesterday after the win over AUS. Both local papers wouldn’t have gotten it wrong IMO.
EDIT:
Here it is, from the Taiwan News website:
[quote] It is almost certain that Taiwan will be heading to the Forbidden City this summer as the hometown heroes beat Australia yesterday 5-0 in one of the most important games in Taiwan’s baseball history. Taiwan won their qualifier game for the Beijing Olympics yesterday, which was held at the Douliou Baseball Stadium yesterday.
Even if the Taiwan team loses its next two games against South Africa and South Korea, Taiwan will still head to Beijing, unless Germany defeats Canada in their game tomorrow, a scenarios that most observers consider unlikely.
Taiwan will for sure go to Beijing if they triumph over the African team today.[/quote]
Germany had to win their game today, which they didn’t, and beat Canada tomorrow, coupled with Taiwan losing both their remaining games, for Taiwan not to get through. Unlikely, but still possible.
[quote=“the bear”]
funniest moment was during the brawl the commentator came out with the classic line; “what the fuck do these canadians think they’re doing…don’t they know this is Taiwan?”…it was at that stage I switched allegiance…but a great game to watch, …[/quote]
Agreed. At first, I thought the red-faced boozed up steriod-ridden Canadians were only acting their perennial overseas image as pouting pedantic posers. Yet, when I heard the gibberish spouted by the announcers, I knew it was over for Taiwan, which never has enough Tenacious Defence! And sure enough, the right side of the infield, shortstop especially was the weak link. Canada got it’s tying & winning run from pretty much the same angle of attack.
It was a good game to watch, however.
At least we all agree that the local sportscasters are horrible. This applies to any sport they cover.
Surely there must be some Western expats with enough charismatic Manadarin that could help them out?
