Joe Sheehan doesn't like double-elimination:
Are we all comfortable with this?Puerto Rico beats the U.S. The U.S. beats Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico loses to Venezuela and doesn’t play the Netherlands. The U.S. beats the Netherlands and doesn’t play Venezuela. The U.S. advances.If I’m the only one bugged by this, fine. I am bugged by it, however, and I at least want to put it out there......I understand the desire to play it out on the field, but a double-elimination format falls down when the quality of competition is as unequal as it is in these groups. There is a massive difference between playing Cuba and playing South Africa, the difference between a 30% chance of winning a game and a 99.9% chance.
Puerto Rico beats the U.S. The U.S. beats Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico loses to Venezuela and doesn’t play the Netherlands. The U.S. beats the Netherlands and doesn’t play Venezuela. The U.S. advances.
If I’m the only one bugged by this, fine. I am bugged by it, however, and I at least want to put it out there.
.....
I understand the desire to play it out on the field, but a double-elimination format falls down when the quality of competition is as unequal as it is in these groups. There is a massive difference between playing Cuba and playing South Africa, the difference between a 30% chance of winning a game and a 99.9% chance.
― He grew in Pussyville. Population: him. (call all destroyer), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 19:17 (fifteen years ago) link
Alex doesn't really care what Joe Sheehan likes.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 19:57 (fifteen years ago) link
well, the commenters point out the other doable options seem worse.
― Past a Diving Jeter (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:00 (fifteen years ago) link
the wbc just seems like something where it's better to enjoy it for what it is than try to make it what it can never possibly be.
― He grew in Pussyville. Population: him. (call all destroyer), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:01 (fifteen years ago) link
Yeah I think it's great. My only complaint is that the MLB players seem pretty hampered by the time when it's being played, but there isn't much you can do about that.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:07 (fifteen years ago) link
damn, the final on Monday doesn't start til 9:30 ET. What a time to start thinkin' of the in-park fans...
― Past a Diving Jeter (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:11 (fifteen years ago) link
Not that I've gone to BP today or thought this out much, but...
When I am elected WBC commissioner/dictator:
Four pools of four teams play round-robin -- so, three games played by each team. Team with best record advances. Tiebreaker goes to team that won head-to-head. (Two games played at each location daily; round over in six days.)
After a travel day, four remaining teams play another round-robin, as above. Two top teams advance to finals. (Round over in six days.)
After a travel day, the finals: if one of the teams went undefeated in previous round, it needs to beat fellow finalist only once. Fellow finalist would have to beat undefeated finalist twice (in a row, obv). (Finals over within two days.)
Minimum number of games played by one team: three.
Maximum number of games played by one team: eight.
Tournament takes 16 days to complete, shorter than current set-up.
― Andy K, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:21 (fifteen years ago) link
sounds ok, but one travel day from tokyo?
― cathlamet wa (jergins), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:28 (fifteen years ago) link
OK, two.
― Andy K, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:31 (fifteen years ago) link
what do you do about three-way ties?
― He grew in Pussyville. Population: him. (call all destroyer), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:35 (fifteen years ago) link
anyone know Japan's starting pitcher tonight?
― Past a Diving Jeter (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:36 (fifteen years ago) link
hisashi iwakuma
― He grew in Pussyville. Population: him. (call all destroyer), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:38 (fifteen years ago) link
It's Hisashi Iwakuma (if you mean do I know anything else about him, no.)
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:38 (fifteen years ago) link
he won 21 games last year! for somebody!
― He grew in Pussyville. Population: him. (call all destroyer), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:39 (fifteen years ago) link
Can't be a three-way tie in a round-robin pool of four, right?
But there could be a four-way tie, right? No one would win the pool. Each team in the next round would get a bye or 9-0 ghost victory.
― Andy K, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:41 (fifteen years ago) link
can't you have 2-1, 2-1, 2-1, 0-3?
― He grew in Pussyville. Population: him. (call all destroyer), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:42 (fifteen years ago) link
Of course you can. What was I thinking?
― Andy K, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:44 (fifteen years ago) link
Maybe they should make this a proper 16-team double elimination tournament played at Canton, MI's Softball City over the course of a weekend.
― Andy K, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:45 (fifteen years ago) link
yeah to me that's the problem with round-robin play, esp. when they're gonna have filler teams like south africa who will inevitably get hammered. too many ties, this isn't soccer, if you want to do round-robin correctly i think you'd need each team to play each other twice.
― He grew in Pussyville. Population: him. (call all destroyer), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:48 (fifteen years ago) link
xxxxxp Rakuten Golden Eagles is who!
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 20:48 (fifteen years ago) link
hah yeah i just looked that up, been around since 2004 apparently? good for them.
VEN/USA "seeding" to be determined by coinflip (the Twins love this method) in the event of a rainout.
― Andy K, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 23:08 (fifteen years ago) link
Yeesh
― Andy K, Thursday, 19 March 2009 00:09 (fifteen years ago) link
WHY ARE THEY PLAYING IN THIS?
― Andy K, Thursday, 19 March 2009 00:13 (fifteen years ago) link
Fidel, you old coot.
http://mathaba.net/news/?x=618809
― Andy K, Thursday, 19 March 2009 15:06 (fifteen years ago) link
"The Japanese coach ordered a bunt from the second – and without doubt first-rate – batter of the team, and as a result, presented the opponents with their second out.
I am sure that, for our experienced team, that would seemed an error whichever elemental way it is analyzed."
he's read Weaver On Strategy
― Past a Diving Jeter (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 19 March 2009 19:07 (fifteen years ago) link
Longoria to USA roster
― Past a Diving Jeter (Dr Morbius), Friday, 20 March 2009 16:38 (fifteen years ago) link
Oswalt named to start vs Japan
― Past a Diving Jeter (Dr Morbius), Friday, 20 March 2009 20:12 (fifteen years ago) link
Smart move considering he's the only dude pitching well.
― Alex in SF, Friday, 20 March 2009 20:14 (fifteen years ago) link
Morgan and Phillips on the same fucking telecast.
― Andy K, Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:03 (fifteen years ago) link
Chavez, no! Ravine, yes!
― Andy K, Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:08 (fifteen years ago) link
Chavez, no! Clay Tarver, yes!
― Andy K, Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:10 (fifteen years ago) link
WRESTLING
― Past a Diving Jeter (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:15 (fifteen years ago) link
ESPN CLASSIC
― Andy K, Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:17 (fifteen years ago) link
i am still watching the wrestling cuz i'm too lazy to switch over
― boner state university (cankles), Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:18 (fifteen years ago) link
my friend wrestles for pitt so he is basically providing commentary 4 me
Venezuela throwing it.
― Andy K, Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:18 (fifteen years ago) link
Er, dropping it.
i dont know CLASSIC #
― Past a Diving Jeter (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:19 (fifteen years ago) link
JUST IN TIME
― Past a Diving Jeter (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:20 (fifteen years ago) link
FUCK yeah korea
― boner state university (cankles), Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:20 (fifteen years ago) link
Head first slide into home w/o throw.
― Andy K, Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:21 (fifteen years ago) link
hahaha yeahhhh fuk u venezuela EAT BALLS
― boner state university (cankles), Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:22 (fifteen years ago) link
Andy, I bleeve Steve P will be 3rd man on all Sun Night games this year.
― Past a Diving Jeter (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:22 (fifteen years ago) link
take that back 2 ur fukkin commie president
LOLLLLLLLLL
― boner state university (cankles), Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:24 (fifteen years ago) link
Wau
― Andy K, Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:24 (fifteen years ago) link
we should get a Morgan drinking game goin
KNOW HOW TO PLAY IN BIG GAMES
― Past a Diving Jeter (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 22 March 2009 01:30 (fifteen years ago) link