There went those ideas. Entering this year's World Baseball Classic, the Smart Guys said it was going to come down to Team USA against Team Japan for the title. Shows you what the Smart Guys knew. I wouldn't call myself one of the Smart Guys and I thought it would come down to that. Shows you what I didn't know.
Down and Out and Back Blues Dept. — Nobody counted on Team Italy nearly shoving Team USA to one side only to invite Team USA back into the inner circles by shoving Team Mexico out. But nobody envisioned Venezuela sending Japan home a little sooner than expected, with Wilyer Abreu's 3-run bomb plus the Venezuelan bullpen keeping Japan from overthrowing what proved an 8-5 Venezuelan win Saturday night.
And I'd bet not a lot counted on Team USA having to hang in there against Team Dominican in a semifinal Sunday night? Which is what they had to do, when Paul Skenes's stout pitching still yielded a solo home run from Junior Caminero, until Gunnar Henderson and Ramon Anthony bopped their own solos.
It came down to 8 hits for the U.S., 9 for the Dominicans, and a bottom of the ninth in Miami's loanDepot Park. To Mason Miller striking Caminero out to open, but walking and wild-pitching Jesus Rodriguez to second, before tangling with pinch hitter Oneil Cruz and wrestling him into a ground out to third, and fighting Geraldo Perdomo to a full count . . . and a pair of foul offs . . . before catching him dead with a called third strike right on the floor of the zone.
2-1, your final. A hundred to one that you didn't quite have that kind of finish after that kind of grappling on your WBC dance cards. Any more than Team USA expected to have to wait until Monday to learn whom they'd face in the final, Venezuela or . . . Team Italy, who'd manhandled them once in the pool rounds. As Jayson Stark (The Athletic) would say, and none would gainsay, because . . . baseball!
Meanwhile . . .
Pleasant Premier Dept. — Shortstop bellwether Francisco Lindor (Mets) debuted Sunday in exhibition action, his first since February hand surgery, and went 1-for-3 with a run score, the 1 an almost picture-perfect line drive single to semi-deep right field. While they were at it, the Mets flattened the defending American League champion Blue Jays, 8-1, in a rain-shortened game.
Perfect Ruin Dept. — Sure, it's just exhibition stuff, but still. The Giants were an out away from a perfect game when reliever Gregory Santos walked the Brewers' Cooper Pratt. Then, the Giants were a strike away from a mere no-hitter when Blake Burke ripped a run-scoring double. No matter. Giants pitchers led by starter Robbie Ray punched out 11 en route the 7-1 win.
Bird on a Wire Dept. — Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong may be walking a high wire wondering what to do now that his MRI showed a strained right forearm and a sprained ulnar collateral ligament. The Giants and Birdsong both await the best-case scenario for handling the issues.
Shoulder Roast Dept. — What's one of the easiest ways to spoil a 12-6 exhibition win for the Guardians over the Athletics? Easy: Guards third baseman José Ramírez jamming his left shoulder sliding into third, thus having to leave the game. Manager Stephen Vogt said Ramírez would be evaluated again Monday. If you see every pair of Guardian hands clutched in prayer, now you know why.
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