The World Baseball Classic started last night with the Netherlands taking on Cuba, followed by Panama vs Chinese Taipei this morning. In case you missed it from yesterday, here’s our preview of the WBC, looking at the schedule and the Pittsburgh Pirates involved.
The Netherlands won 4-2 with some help from outfielder Josh Palacios, who went 1-for-3 with a run, RBI single, stolen base and hit-by-pitch.
Here’s his single
https://twitter.com/WBCContent/status/1633419427281768450?s=20
Chinese Taipei lost 12-5 to Panama. Tsung-Che Cheng had a nice game, going 3-for-5 with a triple, run scored and an RBI. He also had a long drive that was caught on the run right at the right-center fence, just missing what would have been a four-hit game.
Here’s his RBI single
https://twitter.com/WBCContent/status/1633472223997743104?s=20
John started working at Pirates Prospects in 2009, but his connection to the Pittsburgh Pirates started exactly 100 years earlier when Dots Miller debuted for the 1909 World Series champions. John was born in Kearny, NJ, two blocks from the house where Dots Miller grew up. From that hometown hero connection came a love of Pirates history, as well as the sport of baseball.
When he didn't make it as a lefty pitcher with an 80+ MPH fastball and a slider that needed work, John turned to covering the game, eventually focusing in on the prospects side, where his interest was pushed by the big league team being below .500 for so long. John has covered the minors in some form since the 2002 season, and leads the draft and international coverage on Pirates Prospects. He writes daily on Pittsburgh Baseball History, when he's not covering the entire system daily throughout the entire year on Pirates Prospects.
Cheng so far in his young career has played in Columbia, PR, the US and now this, is a good life!
Is Tsung-Che Cheng looking stronger? He always had a slender frame and power isn’t his game, but would be great to add with his speed.
Termarr to miss “at least” 6 weeks from the original injury. So we’re looking at mid-April at best, more likely some time in May, before he starts his season.
Unreal. Three straight first rounders, none of them pitchers. Dylan Crews is doomed.
Pirates’ Luck™
Link, and draft the pitcher.
This is depressing to read… 🤬