So you wouldn't know it from casually surfing the web, but the Baseball World Cup (which I wrote about before the WBC) is going on right now, in Taiwan. You're supposed to be able to watch it online (games are EST +13 hrs, I think, so they're going on now), but I can't get it to work.
Apparently the MLB doesn't let its players compete, but the U.S. roster includes several important rookies-to-be, including Delwyn Young, Jeff Karstens, Evan Longoria, and Andy LaRoche. They're doing well, having won 5 out of 6 (the loss was an upset by Italy). In the other division, Cuba is 6-0 and Australia is 5-1. The best team, of course, is my Favorite Team, the Netherlands (see here, here, and here). Some of my favorite Dutch players are back, including Nicky Stufbergen, Dirk Van't Klooster, Raylinoe Legito, Michael Duursma, Sharnol Adriana, and Sidney De Jong. But there are also some new great names on the roster, including Dorotheus Drajier, Rogearvin Bernardina, Vince Rooi, Leok Van Mil, Duko Jansen, Kenneth Berkenbosch, Roel Koolen, Berry Van Driel, Martin Meeuwis, and best of all, Tjerk Smeets. (That's two-thirds of the roster. Possbly the best-named baseball team in history.) Notably absent is Robin Van Doornspeek. Also absent is the Netherlands' big success story, Jair Jurrgens, presumably because of all his big-league experience. He's no longer with Detroit; he was traded to Atlanta for Edgar Renteria, along with...wait for it...Gorkys Herndandez. Man, what a trade.
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