World Baseball Classic 42 Everything Thread

[North Prarie]

Stonebridge was ready. The Prarie was ready. Downtown Stonebridge had been prepared for all-night partying. North Prarie was expecting a miracle.

They didn't get it.

[West Phoenicia]

The West Phoenician Confederates breathed a sigh of relief, by winning the last series against Tierra Fuego, it allowed them to finish off in second place in the team groupings and progress to the top 16.

World Baseball Classic 39 and 40 editions saw the team soar to a 4th place finish. The 41st edition had them now out in the round of 16. The Confederates are looking to avoid a simillar upset in this round of 16 when they come up against New Sangti who finished at the top of their grouping.

Both teams have evenly matched stats New Sangti only won, one additional game in a group that did not have as many powerhouse teams as group 9. But the Confederates will still be on guard. They are currently ranked 6th while New Sangti is ranked 36th. Higher rank does not always spell out victory and the Confederates are aware of this; Lycrabon is ranked 40th and they sailed through the games leaving stronger teams dealing with the aftermath like a Biblical plague.

Coach Jacob Prosper who earned his own hashtag social media page thanks to the nation of Vangaziland reported his team is healthy with no issues.
His pitchers and batters are well rested and are keen to take to the field and dominate its games against New Sangti. After finishing in 4th place twice, the team really wants a grand final win to cement their name in baseball history.

The Confederates also have other opposition to face. The Winter Olympics is gearing up tomorrow and they are expected to see a drop in vieweship as sports fans switch channels to watch the West Phoenician Winter Olympic delegation bring glory to the nation.

[Schiltzberg]

PREDICTIONS FOR THE POSTSEASON

Play-in Games

Maklohi Vai vs. Cosumar
Predicted winner: Maklohi Vai
These are two classic teams that go way back, both teams having about twenty years of playing time in the World Baseball Classic. That being said, Maklohi Vai has historically been significantly better than Cosumar (with some exceptions), and we see no evidence to suggest that this time will be different. Maklohi Vai is the higher rank, but on top of this, their team is more passionate and has more motivation to win. Neither of these teams has seen a championship victory, and a win here could put them on the right path to get it done.

Banija vs. Ethane
Predicted winner: Ethane
Ethane may not be as good as they were a couple seasons ago, but this should be an easy victory for them. They are ranked number eight in the world, and Banija, a lowly 49th rank, does not seem to stand a chance against the Red Kites. We do not count Banija out from making an underdog win, but even if they win this game, it will be an uphill battle between them and the title.

Round of Sixteen

#1 Scootalove City vs. Maklohi Vai
Predicted winner: Scootalove City
Scootalove City has been at it since WBC 38, and after several seasons of being on the verge of breaking loose, it appears that they finally have broken away from their competition and become a top-tier team in the World Baseball Classic. With a 24-6 record, Scootalove City is the number one seed in the playoff tournament, and they are the number five rank in the world as well. While Maklohi Vai has been a threat in previous seasons, their team has been on a decline in recent years, and it is doubtful that they will be able to take out Scootalove City. Scootalove City really wants it, and their motivation will pull them through.

#2 Cassadaigua vs. Ethane
Predicted winner: Cassadaigua
This will be a great match up between two WBC champions. Despite winning the Classic much more recently than their opponent, Ethane's team does not exactly stack up to the class Cassadaiguan superpower. Cassadaigua holds the higher rank at third and the higher seed at number two, and it seems that they are simply better than Ethane. Expect good things for Cassadaigua this season, even a return to the semifinals.

#3 Super-Llamaland vs. Northwest Kalactin
Predicted winner: Super-Llamaland
This will be a fun series to watch, but it is hard to deny that Super-Llamaland is the clearly better and more proven team. Super-Llamaland is a four-time champion that has been in the classic for nineteen seasons now, and they have made it to the finals as recently as last season. They are the number one ranked team in the world, and any situation where they got eliminated before the semifinals would be a major upset at this point. Northwest Kalactin has a good chance to be a top team within the next couple of seasons, but their opponent will make it nearly impossible for them to advance to the next round. Hopefully, Northwest Kalactin will make the most out of their opportunity this year and will come back even better next season.

#4 Newmanistan vs. Darmen
Predicted winner: Newmanistan
This will be another great match up between two titans in their own right. But one is maybe a little bit better than the other. Maybe just a little bit. Newmanistan is a FIVE-TIME CHAMPION, and they are the defending champions. That little win last season may just tip the balance a wee bit. Other than that, best of luck to Darmen in future seasons. Both of these teams have made great comebacks since their returned for the World Baseball Classic of Champions in WBC 39 (Newmanistan returned earlier than that for WBC 38), and they have both returned to a great level of dominance, obviously to be back in the playoffs. Newmanistan simply is the better team (and the best in history for that matter), so we will guess that they will win.

#5 Lycrabon vs. Ko-oren
Predicted winner: Lycrabon
Lycrabon is a former champion, though their title came a very long time ago in WBC 20. This is the first time since their return that Lycrabon has been a real threat, but they could truly become a threat again (similar to how Newmanistan and Cassadaigua have returned to dominance) in their return. We will give Lycrabon the edge in this round, simply because they did better in the preliminary round and won their group. Honestly, do not put your money on Lycrabon making it much farther than this, but expect them to win this round at least.

#6 New Sangti vs. West Phoenicia
Predicted winner: West Phoenicia
And we have ANOTHER returning champion that has made a comeback in recent seasons. I sound like a broken record. First, Newmanistan, then Cassadaigua, now Darmen, Lycrabon, and New Sangti. Before you know it, Milchama and Qazox will be returning from the grave to rejoin the ranks of the WBC elite! While we would love to envision New Sangti making a return to dominance in this season, we predict that this will be more of a testing the waters kind of season. It will be a great way for them to bring their rank up from number thirty-six up to hopefully the top 20. Expect their team to return new and improved next year, but we do not see them advancing that far this year, even though they won their group. West Phoenicia had a lot of great potential, making it to the semifinals in WBC 39 and 40, but they have not quite lived up to the hype in the past few seasons. Obviously, this is their opportunity to prove us wrong, but we predict that they will fizzle out after winning this round.

#7 Schiltzberg vs. South Covello
Predicted winner: Schiltzberg
This will be an interesting series, as South Covello (formerly known as Gregoryisgodistan) seems to have a newfound motivation for winning after their transition to a new government. This being said, Schiltzberg is the higher rank, and though they have a lower preliminary round record, they did win their division, and of course, Schiltzberg has a history of doing well in the playoffs, winning four Classics. This Classic may be closer than you would think, but we expect Schiltzberg to prevail, even though everyone thinks that Schiltzberg has a deadbeat team.

#8 Nova Anglicana vs. Pripet Socialist Republic
Predicted winner: Nova Anglicana
The New Schiltzbierg Times Sports News has been predicting that Nova Anglicana will have a big breakout season since I cannot even remember when, and EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY PROVE US WRONG. They have played a lot of really good seasons, but they simply cannot finish the job. It is true that they are one of the most underrated teams ever, but maybe this time they will have a chance to earn some more respect. Pripet Socialist Republic has done a great job for their first season, but as an unranked team, it is undeniable that they will be crushed by their competition, because (ummm duhh!) nobody wins it in their first season.

Quarterfinals

#1 Scootalove City vs. Nova Anglicana
Predicted winner: Scootalove City
Sorry, Nova Anglicana. You have simply let us down too many times, and I do not want to receive any more hate mail from unhappy gamblers this year because we endorsed you. Nova Anglicana has a good team, but Scootalove City really has something special going on right now, and they will likely make the semifinals for the second year in a row. Best of luck to both teams.

#2 Cassadaigua vs. Schiltzberg
Predicted winner: Cassadaigua
Sorry, folks. Don't shoot the messenger. If this makes you mad, be mad at Schiltzberg's management. They keep talking about how they are going to revolutionize the team, but it doesn't seem to be working. To their credit, they have done better this year than last year. That being said, this will definitely be the series to watch in this round. Schiltzberg and Cassadaigua have stirred up quite the rivalry over the past four seasons. The two teams are juggernauts, combining for seven total championships. When Cassadaigua returned to the WBC, they were eliminated by Schiltzberg in the quarterfinals twice in a row in both WBC 39 and WBC 40. This stirred up a bit of a rivalry, since they played each other twice and received the same result, but things escalated even more the next season. WBC 41 (last season), Cassadaigua was in the same group as Schiltzberg, and they beat Schiltzberg in EVERY SINGLE GAME that they played them. It destroyed Schiltzberg's season. The Schiltzbergers are out for blood, but this team seems to get in their heads, especially after what happened last year. This series could go either way, but everything seems to be leaning in Cassadaigua's favor.

#3 Super-Llamaland vs. West Phoenicia
Predicted winner: Super-Llamaland
This is a no doubter. West Phoenicia is good, but Super-Llamaland is better. West Phoenicia did good this season, but Super-Llamaland did better. West Phoenicia has a good rank, but Super-Llamaland's is better. They are simply the better team. Expect them to make it to the semifinals for the third time in a row this year.

#4 Newmanistan vs. Lycrabon
Predicted winner: Newmanistan
This is another no doubter. We hate to say it, because this is sort of a match up that we have always wanted. Newmanistan left in WBC 19, right before Lycrabon went into its prime, and they never had a true duel. These are two great teams historically, but Lycrabon is just not far enough in its return to be able to take on the defending champions. We expect Newmanistan to win this series and advance to the semifinals.

Semifinals

#1 Scootalove City vs. Newmanistan
Predicted winner: Newmanistan
Scootalove City has done great this season, and best of luck to them, but Newmanistan seems to be on a role for the past few Classics. They seem to have returned to their former level of dominance, and we predict that no one will stand in their way. Scootalove City may be the higher seed, but Newmanistan is the higher rank, and that gives them a significant edge. Newmanistan is far more experienced, and they will likely return to the finals.

#2 Cassadaigua vs. Super-Llamaland
Predicted winner: Cassadaigua
Wow, this is a tough one. It could really go either way. We predict that Super-Llamaland's luck will run out, and they will slip up here, having to settle for a third place title at best. Cassadaigua is kind of a dark horse candidate, but then again, not really, because they have done really well in the past several seasons, and of course, they are historically one of the best teams ever.

Third Place Series

Scootalove City vs. Super-Llamaland
Predicted winner: Super-Llamaland
Super-Llamaland is simply too good to get fourth. We could see them maybe getting eliminated in an earlier round, but we cannot see them getting fourth, because that means that they have to lose two series in a row. We predict that they will finish with the third place title.

Finals

Cassadaigua vs. Newmanistan
Predicted winner: Cassadaigua
Who would have thought that we would have a rematch of the WBC 14 finals in WBC 42? This match up would be unreal. The old rivalry will be restored, and we predict that Cassadaigua will become four-time champions (long overdue), joining Schiltzberg and Super-Llamaland and Newmanistan (who has five). However it shapes up, it seems impossible for this not to be a great Classic.

This Is Your New Schiltzbierg Times Sports News!

[Super-Llamaland]

Genevieve Strauss had one chance to get back into the playoff rotation. She knew this because the coaches had told her so.

As it stood, Strauss knew, the four-man playoff rotation consisted of, well, everyone but her. And, to be fair, Zheng, Wu, Gilson-Engen, and Bendtner had all been nothing short of dominant in the qualifying group. The staff as a whole had been, conceding just eighty-one runs in twenty-nine games for a cartoonish 2.79 team ERA. But, hey, that included her too! It was just...she was the youngest of the five starters, with Zheng, Wu, and Gilson-Engen all in the big leagues before she graduated from middle school. And, out of what Mårtensson would call "injury concerns" but what Genevieve referred to as "bullshit", she'd been shut down for a start, meaning she'd had just four to the others' six.

So, that put her here. Needing to dominate Sorrentopia to win back her spot in the rotation. Who would she kick out? It didn't matter - she liked all four of them, although she couldn't exactly consider them her friends. But she would swap herself with any of them in a heartbeat - maybe it wasn't best for the team that way, but it was what she would want.

Before she worried about kicking anyone out, she'd have to worry about Sorrentopia. Even a no-hitter against Sorrentopia wouldn't guarantee anything, with how the top four had been pitching. But a good start could only help her case. It was hard to get excited about game thirty of a long, slogging qualifiers, especially when the Tigers had clinched their spot long ago and when Sorrentopia meant basically nothing to her. But she had to hype herself up if she wanted to win back her rotation spot. So she set up and got to work.

Things almost immediately went awry when she walked the leadoff man in the first inning...and the second hitter, too, finding Genevieve a little too hyped up. But she'd settled down, coaxing the absolute best out of her triple-digits fastball to strike out Sorrentopia's best hitter before inducing a double-play off a shimmering slider to get out of the jam. And after that? She'd been on a roll, Sorrentopia finding themselves completely outmatched. The second and third innings went by in a flash. She was in the zone, and nobody from Sorrentopia was going to stop a focused Genevieve Strauss - who was, although she didn't like admitting it, basically trying in a qualifying start for the first time. Six up, six down - all swinging.

The fourth was...rockier, much rockier. Another leadoff walk didn't seem too bad, but after a strikeout and a flyout, she hung a slider. Genevieve grimaced as it came out of her hand, knowing exactly where the ball was going. And the Sorrentopian hitter pounced, whipping a line-drive down the left-field line and scoring a run.

She screamed in frustration with her next pitch, a 101-mph rocket that the Sorrentopian hitter, eyes closed, tapped weakly to first to end the inning. But she cooled down in the fifth, and once again struck out the side.

Genevieve walked into the dugout pleased with herself. She hadn't had the smoothest of starts so far, walking three and giving up a hit in five innings, but eleven strikeouts was a great tally for this early in the game. The rookie pitcher grabbed a bat and got ready to hit - she was due to go third in the inning.

A hand on her back. Laurent Mårtensson's hand on her back.

"You won't need that," the manager said abruptly. "Iglesías is hitting for you." Incandescent rage briefly flashed through her mind - seething at the thought of being taken out after five excellent innings, of losing the chance to prove herself.

Mårtensson dissipated it quickly. "We want to keep you fresh for your next few starts," he said, and walked off.

[Super-Llamaland]

WIZARDS PREPARE BIDS FOR IHAWA, MAGTALAS

Alyssa Zhao, LSN Baseball

FREE REPUBLICS -- Every year, scouts from across the nation travel to the World Baseball Classic in order to scout the world's best international talent. For a long time, they got very little bang for their buck outside of a handful of role players - after all, most players didn't want to play in the LBL, and those who did weren't exactly huge difference-makers. Recently, though, the New Llama Cyclones have had success playing the international market, with Tennish pitcher Rory Quinlan heading to the nation's capital to sign a lucrative seven-year deal with the defending champions.

It appears that the success of the Cyclones has inspired their crosstown rivals, the New Llama Wizards, to make a few bids of their own - namely, for Sherpa Empire ace Jamling Ihawa and Sangti infielder Remy Magtalas. Although a club official refused to confirm or deny the existence of the bids, both believed to be four-year contracts with significant monetary compensation for the teams for which they currently play, they did confirm that their scouts had "identified Jamling and Remy as potential sources of value for our team, and they were amongst a number of players that greatly impressed us."

If the Wizards could snag both players, it would be a massive improvement for the capital side, who slumped to their worst league finish in five years last season. Despite their recent struggles, the Wizards are still twelve-time LBL champions (most recently in 2027) with a history of success, and the additions of Ihawa and Magtalas would instantly make them serious contenders for the title.

[Lycrabon]

(OOC: This is based on the face that I was battling a nasty virus for the last week and a half.)

CAPITAL CITY GAZETTE EDITORIAL

We, as a group, apologize to you, our loyal readers.

Because of a batch of food poisoning that afflicted the entire Gazette news staff, and left us unable to print much more than a village newsletter, you havent known anything about the intrepid Blue Jays. The had a flu bug riddle their locker room as well, forcing platoons all over the roster. Still, our sky blue and black roared through to a group-winning 22-8 record and a fifth seed in the knockout round. Their round of 16 opponents are familiar to Blue Jays fans: Ko-oren, who sent us home in our first ever WBC. If we make it to the quarterfinals, we have two huge matchups possibly awaiting: Darmen, who has given us trouble, or the perpetual big sister Newmanistan.

Can we beat any of them? Yes. No one will admit to a preference, but Jays fans want the Rockets. Not just for the history, but because the have eliminated us so many times. Of course, there is plenty of respect there. You can't just ignore 5 championships.

Darmen and Ko-oren don't have the same bling pedigree, but neither is an easy out. We have to beat the K squad to get either of the other two.

In other news, the LBA has announced their interest to seek entry into the WBC Hall of Fame as a nation.

[Free Republics]

World Baseball Classic 42: Free Republics

This is your Round of 18 Games 1 and 2 Cutoff presented by FreedomCola. FreedomCola: Savor the Taste of Freedom!

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 Total
Ethane     0  1  0  1  2  0  1  0  1  1   7
Banija     1  0  1  0  0  3  0  1  0  4   10

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Banija     0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1   1
Ethane     0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   0

Banija leads series 2 games to 0

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Cosumar      0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0   1
Maklohi Vai  0  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  X   2

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Maklohi Vai  0  1  0  0  1  1  0  1  0   4
Cosumar      0  0  0  1  0  0  1  1  0   3

Maklohi Vai leads series 2 games to 0

[Ko-oren]

Lycrabon coming up

So, because the Dragonflies managed to make it to the Round of 16, I was allowed to lengthen my stay in Yoshima for the duration of the series. In short, that means the longer the Green and Blue are in, the longer I can stay on work vacation. I'll be honest, it's work, but at the same time there would have never been a time where I could have travelled this region otherwise. I've been here for 18 games, or a little over 3 weeks now, and I don't feel like I have done it justice, either. I can finally say that I've finally visited all 12 KBL stadiums. I've already been to the Western ones, and to Santa Teresa and Finisterre. I just hadn't been to all of the smaller towns hosting teams, and for that I'll be forever grateful that I had the opportunity to visit them all, and relay my thoughts to all of you. I'm having the time of my life.

The entire Lycrabon I'll cover from Katashi, once again. I'm returning to the region's largest city simply because it's 1) a popular destination that 2) I haven't fully explored. As I said, I don't think I've done any area of Yoshima justice yet, but Katashi is a good place to start backtracking. I hope WBC 42 never ends. I've hastily made my way past 9 professional baseball teams to cover everything before the end of the group stage, so the obvious next step is to visit these places a little bit more like they deserve.

Ok, that's it for tourism today. I've talked to my family in the last few days, waiting for the Round of 16 to begin. I'm having a great time, I've rested up from a lot of hectic days, and I'm ready.

On to business. Baseball. As you're reading this, we have the first results of the Round of 18 in. Ethane, Banija, Cosumar and Maklohi Vai. I'll direct you to the articles my colleagues have wrote. Between Yoshima and watching our own NT, I haven't had much time to watch these other sides, so to be honest I don't exactly know where they're standing. Apart from the usual rivalry/admiration with/for Maklohi Vai, who've played excellent games against us in the past, especially club baseball. And then I saw our opponents for the Round of 16. Lycrabon. Talk about a history... Maklohi Vai has been on our path a lot, but then there's Lycrabon and that's another story that goes back a long way.

The Capital City Gazette mentioned is as much: Lycrabon's first ever tournament elimination came at the hands of the Dragonflies. Somehow that stat feels off to me, as the first WBC Ko-oren was in, was WBC 22. Lycrabon won WBC XX. Since, Ko-oren has gone on to play in barely 50% of WBCs, once making the final four, but mostly going out in the group stage, or early in the knock-out stage. Lycrabon have won the 20th edition of the WBC instead, and they've made the quarterfinals a total of three times as well before their first title. I mean, between WBC 20 and 30, not an edition went past without us making some sort of reference to Lycrabon. Either for hoping we wouldn't play them, or hoping we would.

31 ended in the Round of 16. 29 at the Quarterfinals. 27 at the Round of 24. WBC 26 was probably our best one, going to the semis, and also being the last time we've played Lycrabon. They were our first victim in knock-outs. Before that, we played each other in WBC 22 where we suffered a 20-1 defeat against them, so WBC 26 was only deserved revenge. Before WBC 26 was just a long stretch of not going to the knock-outs anyway.

Here we are. 16 WBCs later. After all this time, and we're 45th and 40th in the multiverse. A bit of an anticlimax to this series, it's a shame these two are ranked this low.

[Sangti]

NEW SANGTI INQUIRER
only 12 Sangs!

SPORTS NEWS
Indios return to playoff baseball - will face the Confederates in Round of 16
by Rafael Sigua Jr

CIUDAD NUEVO SANGTI - The home fans deserved it. The Indios slightly deserved it.

Despite being swept 3-0 by the Darmeni battery in the eighth series of the group stage, the New Sangti Indios made it past the group stages, just a game over Darmen and a four-game cushion ahead of surprise package Azadeshia, who stunned the Abanhfleft Revolution 2-1 after their eleven-inning victory in their last game. The Indios took care of business against Vakolicci Haven and Celeria, sweeping the series 3-0, including a 7-0 sweep on the final day that secured top spot for the Sangtians.

Well, the good news is that they won their group and will pack their bags to the Free Republics for the tournament playoffs proper. The not so good news is that they will face sixth-ranked West Phoenicia, who almost went out in the group stages but finished strong with a 3-0 sweep of Tierra Fuego. They finished the group stages at 20-10 record, two games behind the Lycrabon team who won their group despite dropping a game to United States of Devonta, another second seed besides the Revolution to disappoint and be eliminated early.

Should the Indios escape the Confederates, they may find themselves a very familiar opponent - Super-Llamaland. The Tigers and the Indios faced each other at the finals of the 28th and the 29th WBC, with each team taking the series once. Monica's wards already faced this version of the Llamaneans, with a 1-5 head to head last Classic when the Indios were grouped with the Tigers in Group 6. That included a wrath-inducing 16-0 defeat - the most embarrassing of defeats, and who else would be the opponents? Them.

However, they should look first a way to stop the all-around play of the Confederates. They had one of the highest run-differential of the playoff teams in this Classic, having a plus-57 difference, something head coach Jacob Prosper would be proud of. The Indios however, had a good defense, having the second-least runs allowed (next to Super-Llamaland of all teams), and have at times delivered shut-outs to their opponents. one to New Doltania, one to Darmen, and four to the hapless Vakolicci Haven and Celeria. Monica Deligero hopes that they will shut out at least one of the games in this series against the Confederates to continue the momentum they built after their discouraging sweep at the hands of Darmen.

We have a set of rumors regarding the Indios' uniforms and an offer to a player to ply trade abroad, which I'll cover in tomorrow's issue.

[Free Republics]

World Baseball Classic 42: Free Republics

This is your Round of 18 Games 3 and 4 Cutoff presented by Fassbinder Tobacco Company! Be the Generation That Makes Smoking Cool Again! Smoke a Pack of Fassbinders today!

---

Results

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 Total
Ethane     0  0  1  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  2   5
Banija     0  0  1  0  1  0  0  1  0  0  0   3

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Banija     0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1   1
Ethane     0  1  0  1  0  0  0  1  X   3

Series tied at 2 games apiece

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Cosumar      0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   0
Maklohi Vai  0  0  0  1  3  1  0  0  X   5

Maklohi Vai wins series 3 games to 0

[Schiltzberg]

Tale of My Multiracial Fish Parents

When I was young, I was a kid
Whose father was a giant squid.
His tentacles would flop and flail
At my mom, a mighty whale.

Then one day, the two did fight.
With shiny teeth, my mom did bite
Dad's slimy arms (around her head).
My dad bled out, sank limply dead.

Dad's dead body wrapped around
My mother's head and pulled her down
To dark blue depths without a breath,
She sank so slowly to her death.

And now I'm orphaned, young, and cheap,
My parents dead in ocean deep.
Melancholy, never jolly,
Plagued by my own parents' folly.

[Super-Llamaland]

BREAKING NEWS: MADDIE WAGNER TRADED TO VARGAS CITY

Jeremy Flores, LBL Weekly

EMERALD CITY -- In a shocking new development, former Tigers ace and Emerald City Greens star pitcher Maddie Wagner has been traded to the Vargas City Lions for a package including two of Vargas' top prospects and former first-round draft pick Myles Cabrera. Wagner, still going strong at age 32 but with just a year and a half left on her contract, will slot in behind ace Kyle Molina in the Lions' previously-thin starting rotation, while the Greens, holders of a poor 62-76 record a season prior and looking to retool, have gained some valuable LBL-ready talent.

Maddie Wagner, best known for her performances with the national team, as well as a no-hitter thrown last season for the Greens, leaves behind a strong legacy with her former home. Over four and a half seasons with Emerald City, Wagner pitched for 856.2 innings with a sparkling 2.87 ERA and 799 strikeouts to just 108 walks. As the Greens' ace pitcher, the Derrierton native excelled, making the All-Star game four times. However, although she may take an impressive array of memories with her to Vargas City, including a no-hitter, seven complete-game shutouts, and two playoff appearances, her time with Emerald won't exactly be remembered for team success: in the four and a half years the Greens spent with their former ace, they never advanced past the first round of the President's Cup.

Wagner herself remains the pitcher she's always been. Her repertoire is fairly straightforward: a mid-90s four-seam fastball, a decent curveball with high spin rates and velocity, a shuuto picked up playing abroad, and a changeup with lots of vertical movement. However, her ability to mix pitches and keep hitters off-balance, pitching to weak contact, is the main reason behind her success. And, indeed, after a few years up north with her hometown Derrierton Surge, she's found a lot of success pitching to contact with the Greens. But with management unable to build a playoff nucleus around her and unwilling to splash the cash on a long-term contract for a 33-year-old, it was time to move on. "We've had some good seasons with Maddie, and we thank her for an excellent tenure with Emerald," GM Christina Huestis noted in a recent press conference, "But it's time to move on for all parties involved. We're excited to see what the young talent we've received in exchange has to offer."

Maddie Wagner will take her talents to Vargas City - after the defending champion New Llama Cyclones, the Lions are arguably the best team in the league, with a lineup that features danger at eight of the nine spots and a bullpen led by the double-headed monster of Trevor Gonsalves and Jason Van Dijk. But they aren't exactly known for their rotation, and for good reason - after bulldog ace Kyle Molina, whose lowest season ERA in the past four seasons is higher than Wagner's average, there isn't much depth. Veteran Brent Oliver got off to a hot start last season, but a 2-5 record and 5.57 ERA in the second half leave her an uninspiring third starter. And while rookie Aurora Gomes sported a 11-6 record and 3.05 ERA, leaving her the nominal second starter, the advanced statistics all agree that she simply got lucky - and it showed in the playoffs. Behind Oliver and Gomes, there's virtually nothing - and Wagner's acquisition won't entirely paper that over. But it'll absolutely help, especially in the playoffs, for a team that made the President's Cup finals just one season ago.

What will the Greens get in exchange for their best player? A four-player package, headlined by none other than Luke Bergamaschi, the Lions' second-round pick two seasons ago. Drafted directly out of high school, the left-handed starter got off to a slow start in the minors. But for the past two seasons (half of this year and the year and a half prior), he's tore through the lower leagues to the tune of a 2.25 FIP and eleven strikeouts per nine innings. Bergamaschi has serious heat, topping out at ninety-seven, but what really makes his game work is a knockout curve that he's managed to rein in over the years. Coupled with a solid, deceptive changeup and improving command, Bergamaschi is a star in the making. The one concern with the young man is injuries - he's already missed significant game time with shoulder troubles - but he has some serious potential. Right behind him is shortstop Kayla McKenzie. McKenzie is a defensive whiz who could easily start for the Greens on her defensive abilities alone - in fact, it's very likely she gets called up within the week. But her hitting remains a serious problem - McKenzie has pop, but she has serious contact issues, especially with offspeed. While she'll always be a serviceable (albeit lower-tier) starter at shortstop, it's unclear if she'll be able to polish up her hitting and become a star. What makes McKenzie valuable is her defense - ensuring that she's a high-floor prospect who should provide six years of decent production. As a result, she was Vargas' fourth-best prospect.

Of the other two players, mostly there for filler, LOOGY reliever B.J. Carr won't add or subtract much from either team. But a much more interesting piece is Myles Cabrera. Made a first-round pick by Derrierton in 2012, Cabrera has never really amounted to much in the league, bouncing from team to team (Emerald City will be his fifth). But he stays in the league for one thing - his tantalizing raw power that no team has quite been able to get out of him. If Emerald City can unlock it, they'll have a star on their hands - 80-grade power combined with solid defense at third, plus speed, and decent contact is a huge steal.

So there you have it. Maddie Wagner for Bergamaschi, McKenzie, Carr, and Cabrera. Who won this trade? Let us know in the comments!

[Banija]

One winner-takes-all game against Ethane for a spot in the Round of 16


Banija celebrate game 1 victory against Ethane

MORTONSVILLE- The Kingdom of Banija national baseball team always had a tall task in front of it. They would have to go up against a top 10 team in the world, Ethane, for a spot in the knockout stages. It's been a brilliant tournament for Banija so far, causing upset after upset, as the 49th ranked team, no matter tomorrow's result, is guaranteed to go up at least a few spots in the rankings, and possibly more than just a few, in terms of the rankings heading into the 43rd World Baseball Classic. However, we aren't worried about that now. Here's the focus for this baseball team- how do we get into the Round of 16?

Well, their journey to this point has been very fascinating. In the very first game of this series, nobody really pitched well, and Banija won a thriller in walkoff fashion in extra innings, winning 10-7. Sidibeh, Banija's ace, the only Banijan pitcher who defeated #1 overall seed Scootalove City, the only one in the 6 games Banija faced that team, did not start off the series well. Allowed 4 earned runs in 4.2 innings, making Banija go deep into the bullpen. Banija used 6 pitchers in game 1, and they allowed a combined 7 runs. But who was the hero? You guessed it- Jebel Sowe. While Banija had allowed a run in the top of the 10th, to be down 7-6 going into the bottom half, Jebel Sowe hit a walkoff grand slam to win the game. Banija had opened the inning with three straight singles, and that home run finished them off.

That put Banija in a great spot, up 1-0, but both teams short on pitchers. Naturally, Banija then turned to Junkung Corr, their #2 pitcher in the rotation, to pitch the next game. It was a pitcher's duel, and if you're into that sort of game, then the Banija v. Ethane game 2 matchup was a game that you had to love. Junkung Corr finished with the win, but gave this team 8.1 shutout innings, throwing a total of 133 pitches, and scattering 4 hits and 2 walks over that time span. Kayode got two strikeouts to end the game, and get his first save of the posteason. He was shutting Banija down. Ethanian pitcher Alex Furnley matched him pitch for pitch, and had a complete game. Unfortunately for him, however, a solo shot by Kairaba Savaneh gave him the loss.

While Banija's pitching staff was repleted, game 3 was an interesting ballgame. The defining incident of the game, and perhaps the one that gave Ethane life in the series, after two straight losses in the 9th inning or later, was a scuffle after a hit by pitch. Ethanian pitcher Timothy Bellinger hit Buba Ceesay in the bottom of the 6th, in a 2-2 ballgame, right in the head. He went down, and thought he was on the ground for a couple of minutes, eventually diagnosed with a concussion he was OK. It was the top of the seventh where things went haywire.

Many Banijans were incensed that Ceesay was hit and that the Ethanian pitcher did not get so much as a warning. Banija was going to have their revenge. Adama Jobateh, the Banijan starting pitcher, to lead off the seventh, immediately hit Randy Perry in the knee, and it was obviously intentionally. That's when all hell broke loose. Perry charged the mound, and both benches cleared very quickly and charged onto the field. After 7 minutes, with punches thrown, Jobateh and Ebrimah Kah of Banija were tossed for their role, while Perry was tossed for his role. Jobateh also got a 3 game suspension for his role.

That gave Ethane life. They ended up driving home that baserunner on a triple on the very next at-bat, and won the game on a two-run home run in the 11th inning, sending the series from 2-0 to 2-1 and to a game 4. Ethane's pitchers put Banija's bats to sleep, as an Isaiah Essa solo shot in the 9th inning was Banija's only source of offense. Now, Ethane has won two in a row, against one of their run, in terms of Raymond Cloutier being the manager. And now, for game 5.

What to expect? Well, of course, games 1-4 happen 4 days in a row, and then game 5, so Banija's rotation has been shortened from 5 men to 4. Sidibeh will get the ball, on normal rest, with the weight of the team's fate on his shoulders. Can they win? It will be a tall order, a tough task, against an Ethanian team who is starting to hit their groove, winning two in a row against Banija after losing two in the most cruel of fashions.

We believe that Banija can pull off the upset. Remember, in the last IBCs, Banija beat Ethane in the last game of the group stages to go to the knockouts. While a different sport, it shows that Banijans will not be intimidated simply because they are playing against a team of much higher rank than they are. This means, however, Sidibeh will have to pitch much better than he did in game 1. If this game goes to bullpens early, Ethane's experience will shine through. Cloutier will want his ace to pitch until at least through the sixth, and we believe he's capable of doing that.

We are going to predict a 4-2 win for Banija. A couple of big-time hits by Jebel Sowe will undo some early nerves from Sidibeh, and Banija will do just enough to win this game and earn the right to face former World Baseball Classic champions, Cassadaigua. Regardless, good luck to the boys in orange!

[Newmanistan]

THE ROCKET REPORT

THAT BURNING QUESTION OF GENDER

by Brianne Henry,

Every now and then, we begin to see other nations questioning, or at least wondering why the Rockets consist of an all-female roster. It is uncommon, and we are not at all like Cassadaigua, who simply fields them in everything. Newmanistan is not a female-dominated society, and quite frankly, gender discrimination in the Empire is virtually non-existent. There are no men’s rights groups in Newmanistan. No one protests the make up of the Rockets roster. No one has to worry about the Emperor getting involved and forcing manager Ashley Stevens and company to put men on the roster just to look good. It works, why mess with it?

There are reasons, however, why Newmanistan fields an all-female roster in baseball and it starts when kids are young. The Empire prides itself on sports, and as such there are athletic programs all throughout, it is not something that one can avoid, unless of course, a physical disability prevents them from doing so. Schools preach physical fitness to a high extent, and that starts young. Boys in Newmanistan are attracted more to the most physical sports. They will line up to play football (gridiron, to some), as well as hockey. They are the two most popular sports with young males in the Empire, and then soccer follows pretty closely, but interest has begun to wane in that sport. Young girls may have some interest in those sports, but it is baseball that gets their attention. Newmanistan has not gone “soft” with girls playing baseball, either. While that derivative of the sport, known as softball, does exist to a small scale, girls play baseball. As the baseball team has had such amazing success at the international level, this trend has only gotten stronger. Shortstop Kayla Carey told us, “When I was young, I looked up to the great players in the ENBL, for sure. Most of them were women, so they would be my idols, definitely. We weren’t in the World Baseball Classic then, but everyone here knows what we have accomplished at the international level. I wanted to be a part of it, and I wanted to be there in case we ever did return.” Pitcher Jennifer Hughes shared much of that opinion, “It was all about baseball when I was young,” she began, “Sports are such a big deal here, that is one thing that has never changed about the Empire. If you’re a girl, there’s really only one sport you are thinking about, and that’s baseball. There may be some exceptions, but we’re playing it young. We’re not focusing on other sports, and subsequently, I think that has led to us becoming the dominant gender in Newmanistan.” Hughes also said she looked internationally, “You know what we have done, you know what Cassadaigua has done. Combined, that’s eight titles of all female rosters. I say eight, of course, because we only won number five recently. That gives you the mindset that baseball belongs to us, as a gender. It’s the sport that we can thrive in, and I knew I wanted to do it. I have always loved pitching, so it was a no brainer for me.”

There are men on ENBL rosters. When Jack Lynch went to South Charlotte, or when Justin Zheng signed with Pocono City, they weren’t the only men in the league, or on their teams. Boys will play baseball, and a handful will make the rosters of the domestic level teams. Getting to the international roster, is a different story. It’s competitive, and a very difficult roster to make. Outfielder Kurt Tremont, for Dover City is arguably the best Newmanistanian-born male player in Newmanistan. No one takes him lightly when he steps up to the plate for the Mountaineers, and more then likely he would be able to have a spot on half of the rosters participating in the World Baseball Classic. Tremont accepts his role. “When I watch the World Baseball Classic, I am rooting for our team just like everyone else. I don’t think about the fact that they are all women, because I play against them at home, and I know that they have better skill sets. At my position, I know the Rockets want the two speedsters at the top of the lineup, and that’s not the skill set I have. I have never thought that I, or another man, should be part of that team just because we are men. And I would not want the spot just for the reason. The best players are the ones currently on the team.” We also asked Tremont about growing up, and choosing baseball, “It is definitely true that most men want to play football (gridiron). It’s a hard hitting sport that just drives us to it. I played it, but I was not very good at it, so then I tried hockey, and while I wasn’t that bad, my skating was not up to par. So, I began playing baseball and knew this was my passion. But like you allude to, it was not my first choice. I know it’s the sport that all the girls went for.”

So there you have it. It’s not really a complicated story. Baseball is simply the sport of choice for females at a young age, far more then men, and because they hone their skills and perfect their skills younger, they become the better players, more often then not. In Newmanistan, there is no controversy concerning that.

- - - -

Courtney Duvall, getting ready for the start of the playoffs, eventually. Took some time to read other publications recently, and picked up a copy of the LBL Weekly, from the Super-Llamaland. "Maddie Wagner was traded? Bad, bad move," she thought. Trying to get the juices flowing for an upcoming game against Darmen, she saw the comments section and figured she'd have fun:

"Loudon would never trade you, Maddie! #shocking #cometoLoudonin2yrs" -- CDuvall

[Ethane]

''Captain. Are you ready?'', Benjamin asked. He was nervous and was hoping for some reassurance from the one person he looked up to on the team.

''Am I ready Ben? No.'', Randy replied, a slight frown playing on his features. He knew the task that faced Ethane was a monumental one. Achievable but very difficult. And he wasn't sure if this young, fresh baseball team that he was leading would be up to the job of coming back from 2-0 down in the best of 5 series to make it to the round of 16.

''I'm not sure you're ever ready, really, for a series like this. I'm not sure any way is ready mentally to come back from 2 games down to win 3 games to 2. But that is what we must do.'' Benjamin didn't look comfortable with the response he had received. After the 2 losses in a row against Banija, he recognised the task that faced his team, but he didn't hold confidence in the team's ability to win 3 matches after their poor group performances. He was hoping for some words to urge him on, to inspire the team and himself to greatness, a surprise set of victories not unlike those witnessed just a few WBCs ago. But all he heard was solemn words. Benjamin was not sure whether the Captain even believed his own team could do it. And he was definitely not confident about the manager's views on their performance. He looked up at Randy, silent as if patiently waiting for his captain to say something else, something which contained a glimmer of hope, a sense that despite how fleeting it was, there was still a chance for Ethane to win this series against Banija.

''I'm not going to say it's impossible, or that it is a guaranteed win, Ben,'' Randy spoke out, clearly recognising Ben's desire for something more concrete on their chances of success. ''I can't offer you finality; I can't say oh we'll win or that we'll lose. It all comes down to how much we want it on the day.'' Randy cleared his throat, getting the attention of the whole dressing room, prepared to do a pre-match brief. Everyone fell silent and turned to look at him.

''Here we are. After just squeaking through the groups, we find ourselves up against the wall again, pressured to put on a performance to stay in this tournament.'' He scanned the room, meeting everyone's eyes.

''We've been in situations like this before, and I know that we can perform and get out of this. But it all depends on how much we want this. Don't be disheartened if we lose; this is a new team full of new players, so we weren't expecting to perform to the level of previous editions yet with a team put together just weeks before the tournament. But I know that every one of you has the spark and the urge to go out there and show the world what we've got.'' He paused, looking down at Benjamin.

''I can't offer you finality. I can't say whether we'll win or lose tonight, tomorrow, and in our hopefully 5th match of the series. It all depends on what we do out there on the field, in the moment. We have a chance, but it will be challenging. Winning 3 games in a row isn't an easy feat. But we do all have it in us to do so.'' Randy paused again, taking a breath. He had to make this speech, he had to inspire some courage and hope in the team. But he couldn't lie. And he couldn't expect too much of a new team. He knew that himself, so he didn't want to push them too hard.

''There is hope. We have hope. We need hope. But we also need one hell of a hit out there. Banija are a good team, and they're gonna put everything they have to us. They want this. A lot. We just have to show them that we can resist. And we can perform. Because I know that we all want this too.''

[Free Republics]

World Baseball Classic 42: Free Republics

This is your Round of 18 Game 5 Cutoff presented by Dr. Spice. Dr. Spice: 32 flavors, 32 times better taste than cola!

---

Result

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ethane     0  0  0  1  0  2  2  1  0   6
Banija     0  3  0  0  1  0  1  0  2   7

Banija wins series 3 games to 2

---

Round of 16 Matchups

#1 Scootalove City vs. #16 Maklohi Vai @ General Milani Park, East Point, Orlandiana, Free Republics (Park Factor: 101)
#2 Cassadaigua vs. #15 Banija @ National Organization for Men Stadium, Estonopolis, Keronama, Free Republics (Park Factor: 92)
#3 Super-Llamaland vs. #14 Northwest Kalactin @ Nicholls Air Park, Baseton, Amolotopia, Free Republics (Park Factor: 108)
#4 Newmanistan vs. #13 Darmen @ MingleDome, Latroit, Yorkoba, Free Republics (Park Factor: 72)
#5 Lycrabon vs. #12 Ko-oren @ Kountry Bank Stadium, Albertope, Roxawa, Free Republics (Park Factor: 95)
#6 New Sangti vs. #11 West Phoenicia @ Salvation Park, El Fierro, Malifornia Charter Society, Free Republics (Park Factor: 92)
#7 Schiltzberg vs. #10 South Covello @ Woodson Coconuts IslandDome, Toakameau, Falatulu, Free Republics (Park Factor: 113)
#8 Nova Anglicana vs. #9 Pripet Socialist Republic @ Miktondo Flip Park, Borotia, Iodara, Free Republics (Park Factor: 102)

Quarterfinal Matchups

Scootalove City/Maklohi Vai vs. Nova Anglicana/Pripet Socialist Republic
Cassadaigua/Banija vs. Schiltzberg/South Covello
Super-Llamaland/Northwest Kalactin vs. New Sangti/West Phoenicia
Newmanistan/Darmen vs. Lycrabon/Ko-oren

Semifinal Matchups

Scootalove City/Maklohi Vai/Nova Anglicana/Pripet Socialist Republic vs. Newmanistan/Darmen/Lycrabon/Ko-oren
Cassadaigua/Banija/Schiltzberg/South Covello vs. Super-Llamaland/Northwest Kalactin/New Sangti/West Phoenicia

Third Place Series

Semifinal Loser vs. Semifinal Loser

WBC Finals

Semifinal Winner vs. Semifinal Winner

[Super-Llamaland]

OPINION: THE LBL NEEDS TO RETURN TO ITS ROOTS
Xiaowen Wang - New Llama Daily

Jake Earnest might just go down in history as the best Llamanean baseball player to ever be born. While international fans may only know him for his walk-off home run that won Super-Llamaland their first World Baseball Classic, as well as the right-fielder's integral role in the Tigers' WBC28-31 dynasty. But Jake was a star in the LBL, too, batting over .400 multiple times and generally cementing a spot in the pantheon of all-time greats.

In his most notable season, his 2005 season spent with Kyrinson, a 32-year-old Earnest in the third year of his contract hit fifty home runs, stole sixteen bases, nearly batted .400, and racked up double-digits WAR. How much did the superstar make for his troubles? Five million bucks a year. Adjusted for inflation, that's still just a hair over 6.5 million. All this for the greatest Llamanean outfielder to ever walk the Earth! Compared to today, when Lucien Russo makes twenty-one million a year and the Wizards have offered four years and forty million for Jamling Ihawa, a pitcher from a country new to the international stage, and you can see how much the LBL has changed.

How did the Llamanean Baseball League avoid foreign ownership for so long, despite the obvious potential of such a high-quality league? The financials of the LBL were a profit-sharing, government-regulated nightmare for prospective owners. Not that that was a bad thing! Each team's profits were liberally shared with the other teams of the LBL to ensure that no team gained too much of an advantage from anything other than careful stewardship and development. And the government locked into TV and stadium contracts that the teams would have to pay their community back for a period of time. As a result, salaries remained high on average, but the top performers didn't earn the obscene amounts they do now.

But, as a result of the owners striving to gain autonomy from the "oppressive" LBA, and as a result of the Llamanean Baseball Association striving to gain autonomy from the LibDem government over the years, as well as the world as a whole trending towards international competition, things have completely changed. Super-Llamaland's baseball leagues are now the center of a globalist movement towards international competition, both for players (The Cyclones were briefly in for Jack Lynch before being blown away by North Charlotte of Newmanistan's ENBL) and for international tournaments (such as the Club Baseball Classic, a Llamanean invention). And, combined with the movements within Llamanean Baseball, a desire to compete with the likes of the ENBL for international hegemony in a world without a universally followed league has resulted in a mass movement away from the policies of the past.

But is this truly what we want? We're already beginning to see the effects of a relentlessly capitalist, underregulated, LBL. Salaries have been sent skyrocketing for the richer teams, while massive inequality has already seen the Derrierton Surge file for bankruptcy. Meanwhile, minor league popularity has been tanking, as all eyes turn to the star-studded lineups of the LBL, and as a result, lower-league baseball may no longer be a viable career option for those who can't make the bigs. The new policy changes are making the LBL more competitive - but is an extra round advanced in the CBC or a new shiny foreign ace for fans to ogle really worth the loss of the LBL's identity?

I don't think so.

[Cassadaigua]

Tyler Curtis was sitting at home when that call rang. He was excited when he heard the announcement that the Queen ordered CAB to add three male baseball players, and he felt that he a pretty good shot. He played first base for the University of Concord Heights, after all, so he was always a highly touted prospect. He would be drafted by Starksville in the 19th round, and was in his second year there. Hitting seventh in the Starksville lineup, Morrison had a solid .302 BA, but with 21 HR’s though 94 games, he had more long balls then any other male player in Cassadaigua. The concern was whether or not Maddie Polanco wanted to add an infielder to the roster. More then likely, he thought, they would add two relief pitchers and an outfielder that could serve as a utility player, and that would be that.

He had watched the team defeat Kita-Hinode by the score of 11-5, to bring the record up to 12-6, and later that night came that call. He almost didn’t answer the unusual number that came up on his phone.

“Is this Tyler Curtis, from Starksville?”

Curtis told the caller that it was, and the conversation went on,

“Tyler, my name is Sarah Scofield, and I am part of the coaching staff of Maddie Polanco’s on the international team. As you may have heard, the team has decided to add three men to the team, and for them to join the team right away in Concord Heights. Maddie has chosen you to be one of those players. I know this is immediate and sudden notice, but the nature of the Queen’s timing in her decree means that there is no time to waste. Tyler, is this something that you are interested in doing?”

Curtis wanted to say yes immediately, but then thought for a second about the sacrifice. That only lasted a second. “Sarah, I would be so honored, I can’t believe this!” he replied. No one could see the tears of joy that were beginning to come from his eyes.

“Then it would be my pleasure to include you to the team. Is it possible to make it to Concord Heights by 10am tomorrow, or would you like one of our private jets to pick you up?” she asked.

“Well, the jet would probably be best, as I am still in Starksville.”

“The jet it will be!” Scofield provided specific details, and soon enough Curtis was in Concord Heights.

Tyler Curtis went to the room that he was told to go to at the stadium, and there he saw a couple of guys that he had some familiarity with. Matt Peters, from Rutland, and Carlos Velasquez, from Brattleboro. Right away, he knew why the were here, as they would be the other two male editions to the team. Peters was seen as one of the best male pitchers in Cassadaigua, a starting pitcher that would likely be used in the middle inning relief. Velasquez, an outfielder, was known for his amazing defensive ability, as well as his running ability. They were three editions to the team that made sense for the team. Soon, they would meet Maddie Polanco, who gave them a congratulatory pep talk, and then they would meet the team.

In the bottom of the 8th against Equestrian States, Cassadaigua trailed 5-3. Runners were on the corners with two outs and the pitcher spot was coming up. Polanco thought about her normal decision, but soon realized the Ponies would not have a scouting book on Curtis. Polanco looked at Tyler Curtis and smiled. “Tyler, you’re up.”

Curtis took a deep breath as his teammates cheered him on. As it was announced over the PA system that he was stepping up to the plate the crowd roared in a standing ovation. On this moment, Cassadagan history was being made, as the gender barrier was being officially broken. On the mound, the opposing pitcher, a pony from Equestrian States, had the distinction of going down in history with him. It was almost fitting that it would be a pony and not a human on the mound, as it provided another amazing example of the type of diversity that exists in international sports. Curtis took strike one. He had to get used to hitting against a pony and finding that release point. It may have been good that the pitcher missed on the next two pitches, to make the count 2-1. “Just like you always do...” Tyler thought to himself. The next pitch was right in his sweet spot, and Curtis didn’t miss. A line drive into the right centerfield gap would pick up the two runners and tie the game at 5. The Dagans went on to win the game 7-5 in the ninth.

The win began a stretch where they would go 10-2 to finish out qualifying, pass Ko-oren, and end up as the number two seed.

[West Phoenicia]

The West Phoenician Confederates are back after a few days of rest. Geared up to start the round of 16 and take on New Sangti at Salvation Park.

A religious devout many wonder if this is a sign from the gods above that they will progress.
New Sangti was a name in the World Baseball Classic long before West Phoenicia fielded a team and the Confederates plan not to be the team that makes New Sangti a household name once more.

The Confederates have worked there way from the ground up and through hard work are ranked number 6. A grandfinal win is now what is needed to boost up morale of the team and to increase membership which dropped by 5000 members when The Confederates crashed and burned in the last WBC.

West Phoenicia plans to bring out Confederates baseball trading cards with 2 sticks of strawberry or grape bubblegum, and a win in this series would really boost sales.

They have the capability to win twice they finished in the semi finals. And one of those times they knocked Super Llamaland out of the competition a fact the Schiltzbeg newspapers neglected to mention when they predicted we would fizzle out in the quarter finals. The West Phoenicians are also hoping South Corvello wins there round of 16 against Schiltzberg knocking them out and bringing them back to earth crumbling their bravado in the process.

In fact what a wonderful series it would be if the top dogs of the series were knocked out before the Quarter-finals allowing some freshness back into the game that is often dominated by the old guard

As always may the best team win, and in the round of 16, West Phoenicia is bringing everything they got to be that team..

[Free Republics]

World Baseball Classic 42: Free Republics

This is your Round of 16 Games 1 and 2 Cutoff presented by Bank of Acedonia! Bank of Acedonia: We Put Your Financial Privacy First. Its Acedonian law!

Team Name        1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Maklohi Vai      0  1  0  0  1  1  4  2  0   9
Scootalove City  0  2  2  0  1  0  1  0  0   6

Team Name        1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Scootalove City  4  1  0  0  1  0  0  0  0   6
Maklohi Vai      0  0  1  1  0  0  0  0  0   2

Series tied at 1 game apiece

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Banija       0  0  1  0  0  0  0  1  0   2
Cassadaigua  1  0  2  0  0  0  0  0  X   3

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Cassadaigua  0  0  0  1  1  0  3  0  0   5
Banija       0  0  0  0  0  1  0  2  0   3

Cassadaigua leads series 2 games to 0

Team Name           1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Northwest Kalactin  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   1
Super-Llamaland     0  2  0  0  0  1  1  0  X   4

Team Name           1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Super-Llamaland     1  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0   2
Northwest Kalactin  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  2  X   3

Series tied at 1 game apiece

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Darmen       0  0  0  0  2  1  1  0  0   4
Newmanistan  1  2  0  2  1  0  1  1  X   8

Team Name    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Newmanistan  0  2  0  0  4  2  0  0  0   8
Darmen       0  0  3  0  1  1  2  0  0   7

Newmanistan leads series 2 games to 0

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Ko-oren    1  0  1  1  0  0  2  0  0   5
Lycrabon   0  1  0  0  0  0  1  0  1   3

Team Name  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Lycrabon   0  2  0  1  0  0  0  1  0   4
Ko-oren    0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0   1

Series tied at 1 game apiece

Team Name       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
West Phoenicia  0  1  0  1  0  1  0  2  0   5
New Sangti      0  1  0  0  0  1  0  0  0   2

Team Name       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
New Sangti      0  1  0  0  2  0  0  0  0   3
West Phoenicia  0  1  0  0  1  2  0  1  X   5

West Phoenicia leads series 2 games to 0

Team Name      1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
South Covello  2  0  2  0  2  0  0  0  0   6
Schiltzberg    0  0  0  0  0  0  3  0  0   3

Team Name      1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Schiltzberg    0  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  0   2
South Covello  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0   1

Series tied at 1 game apiece

Team Name                  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Pripet Socialist Republic  1  0  1  1  1  0  0  0  0   4
Nova Anglicana             0  0  0  0  0  1  0  2  0   3

Team Name                  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Nova Anglicana             1  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0   2
Pripet Socialist Republic  0  0  0  1  0  0  2  0  X   3

Pripet Socialist Republic leads series 2 games to 0

[Sangti]

OOC: This RP was written before the cutoff, so we'll use the throwback unis anyway. . Damn FIFA 18.

NEW SANGTI INQUIRER
only 12 Sangs!

SPORTS NEWS
Indios debut throwback uniform in Game 1 vs West Phoenicia; Magtalas to join the LBL
by Rafael Sigua Jr

Left: WBC 42 Throwback uniform to be used by the Indios on Game 1 vs West Phoenicia; Right: The original uniform used at WBC 27

EL FIERRO, FREE REPUBLICS - The New Sangti Indios have traced back to its (almost) humble beginnings for their return to the playoffs stage of the World Baseball Classic.

The Indios will swap their usual yellow, which they used since the beginning of the 29th World Baseball Classic season, to their roots, back when they were still called as Sangti. The Sangtians will adore the red, yellow, and black uniforms that will pay homage to the team's performance at the 27th World Baseball Classic at Saintland. The differences from the original unis were that first, they commissioned No Nonsense Sportswear from Filindostan to make the uniforms, whereas the original ones were made by their very own Libertad Sportswear, which already razed by blasts during the Barangayan Apocalypse. Secondly, the cap insignia was the logo of the Indios instead of the stylized 'S', and lastly, the wordmark 'Sangti' is placed instead of the 'Indios' wordmark to further embrace their identity as the 'former' Sangti who gritted it out with baseball's best to jump from #37 to #5 in the post-WBC 27 rankings.

The Indios are actually in that region right now, ranked #36, and like the 27th edition, got a high seed for the tournament and also had a first round bye. However, unlike their first series back then which was against Britonisea, the Indios were paired with World Number 6 West Phoenicia, which are clear favorites for the series.

Will the Indios produce magic on their first match? Or will they be a part of a blazing trail that is the Confederates' path to WBC glory?

Meanwhile, Remy Magtalas will officially join the Llamanean Baseball League (LBL). The first baseperson has announced on the pre-game conference that she indeed will be playing for the New Llama Wizards come the start of the next season of the Llamanean league. With not much baseball activity there in the underground, or not that I aware of any of it, hopes will be that this will be the spark that will be the start of the Sangtian players being offered to play abroad, hone their skills, and make this team a baseball powerhouse, like they used to in their late 20's to early 30's heyday.

Terms were undisclosed as of writing, letting the Llamanean club announce the official terms should they disclose them.

[The Derpy Democratic Republic Of Herp]

TDDROH Sports chat

Scootalove city tied with Maklohi Vai in round of 16

Team Name        1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Maklohi Vai      0  1  0  0  1  1  4  2  0   9
Scootalove City  0  2  2  0  1  0  1  0  0   6

Team Name        1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Total
Scootalove City  4  1  0  0  1  0  0  0  0   6
Maklohi Vai      0  0  1  1  0  0  0  0  0   2

Series tied at 1 game apiece

First of all, congratulations Maklohi Vai for winning the round of 18!

Second of all, games are going well against Maklohi Vai at the round of 16.

First game ended in a loss but it was a close loss. Maklohi Vai had a massive grand slam in the 7th while we got a handful of home runs.

Second game we got a grand slam from Dave Candy in the first.

We got more than half the runs Maklohi Vai in that game, now our Unicorns just need to keep pushing.

[Super-Llamaland]

BREAKING: MAGTALAS SIGNS FOR WIZARDS
Alyssa Zhao - LSN Weekly

NEW LLAMA CITY -- In a stunning press conference this morning, New Llama Wizards General Manager Ethan De Vries announced that the Wizards had completed their pursuit of Remy Magtalas, signing the Sangtian star to a four-year, forty-two million dollar contract. "Earlier this morning, we agreed to terms with Remy and her agent on a four-year contract to play for the New Llama Wizards. We're confident that having a star player will ensure a return to playoff glory, and we're excited to see what she has to offer us," De Vries noted.

In contrast to the Cyclones' pursuit of Rory Quinlan, which inexplicably stretched for almost a year before Quinlan signed a seven-year deal to pitch in the capital, the notoriously efficient De Vries was able to complete the deal just forty-eight hours of the news leaking. Magtalas will immediately join a Wizards team that, at 40-29, has gotten off to a hot start this season. She will join Tigers Sofia Rasmussen and Brittany Zhen on the lineup, and is expected to lead off.

"We're incredibly excited to welcome Remy to the Wizards," said star catcher Rasmussen. "From what we've seen of her, she's a great player and we can't wait to lift the President's Cup with her."

Similar reports that Jamling Ihawa was coming to New Llama City were scuttled, as Ethan De Vries publicly confirmed that talks were no longer being held. The star pitcher from The Sherpa Empire reportedly desired to stay in his home nation, and despite a tantalizing forty-million-dollar offer, held firm despite the Wizards' interest.

[Ko-oren]

Tsunehisa Kumagaya leads the Dragonflies to a victory on the first day against Lycrabon. The ace was chosen to pitch, going back to the number one pitcher on the rotation. Doi was up for game two, Brands will pitch game three, and Lopez will get number four. Should he be needed, Niiro will finish it off at five. Brands is another prime player to get the team a victory. So far, Kumagaya has done what he is paid for - paid a lot for - and that is winning games. He did give up a run in the second innings. The remaining runs were scored against the bullpen, Kaneko and Uvulivelu. Early in the game, Ko-oren's attack was strong as well, setting up a lead that Lycrabon could not best. All in all, there were plenty of base hits, but no big moments apart from a double - pretty much expected from a ground that favours defence ever so slightly more. Lots of players on base, but the cleanup crew on either team couldn't find a way to break through. A similar thing happened on day two, but this time Lycrabon came out on top. With an early 3-1 lead, the game after the fourth inning was a formality for everyone who watches games by reading box scores. And to be honest, it was a decent game for offences and defences, but not a hugely special game for anyone else either.

For me, the backdrop to this game was Maesaki suburb of Katashi. I took a few days to recharge, then took the train back into a big, frantic city. Like I said, even from spending three days there, the city's grown on me but I feel like I've barely scratched the surface. I found myself a small place in Maesaki, took a local's tour through there, and haven't left the area in a few days now. I've watched the first game from there, in a sports cafe that overlooks one of the many parks. I don't know why, but the way that some of those parks are basically courtyards for the buildings around it... it's gorgeous. A true Eastern garden as a backyard to businesses ranging from cafes to music schools, with so few visitors littering. Do take the 12-gardens tour of Maesaki. You won't regret it. For game two, I took the bike across some of Katashi's bridges to Odahayashi, the foreign, technology and education hub of the city. It's where Katashi's future is being made. For a long time, it couldn't hold up to some of the massive campuses out west, but nowadays it's got its own charm and has even turned into a first-choice university for many.

Over there, I saw another defensive game, with a lot of base hits for Lycrabon. Gotou didn't look sharp on some of those, and quite a few right-handed batters squeezed the ball in between the second and third base. He was eventually taken off the field in favour of Enomoto, but he couldn't turn the tables on a team that had already taken a lead by then.

In preparing for next season, the amateur baseball clubs of Katashi have started to put their teams together, hunting for new talent among the university's newcomers, and putting together training schedules for the youth teams. Katashi's Open Baseball Cup is the first thing of the season, and arguably there's not much that beats it. Then again, it doesn't get a lot of exposure outside of the island of Leleia, let alone outside of baseball-crazy Yoshima. It is also an easy for scouts of the professionals to get a few dossiers together on their targets for next season. Six of the national team's players have first featured in the KOB(C). Ishimaki, who has since never left the city, but also Suda, who went to school over there. Kimura, who has featured on the same youth teams as Ishimaki(!). Watanabe and Niiro too, as well as Chauveau. Chauveau is from Granon, the French speaking (and therefore non-baseball-playing) area of the country, but many forget he's enjoyed his education in several areas of Yoshima, moving from city to city every few years with his parents. He had his formative years in Katashi, playing on the same youth team as Niiro from time to time. When the time came to declare for the professionals, he had an offer from the Western Wanderers, allowing him to live in French-speaking Ko-oren but playing the sport he grew up with in Yoshima, as well. He's an interesting character with plenty of screentime during this WBC so far, so check out his style of play and his communication with his teammates, if you can!

I'll be heading back to Maesaki for the third game. I can't help myself, I love that suburb.

[West Phoenicia]

"The Path to glory is paved with the bones of our enemies" Coach Jacob Prosper declared.

In a throwback comment to reflect the history of The Confederate Kingdom of West Phoenicia, Coach Prosper made it clear each Confederate player needed to remember their roots and where they came from.

West Phoenicia was born out of a civil war when a selected number of provinces rebelled against the Motherland and united under the banner of a new nation, much bloodshed was spilled in the process and bloodshed continued to be spilt as members of the royal family sough to control the throne and the nation.

While murdering our competition is illegal we can still murder them on the field. We need to be prise and a tight knit community who share a common goal...bringing glory to West Phoenicia. It is not a time for inconsistency and weak determination it is about pitching with the power of the deities, hitting the balls to the heavens and fielding as one mind.

The Confederates were quick to celebrate the first 2 games of the round of 16. New Sangti has a history with the World Baseball Classic but The Confederates have not come up against their skills or tactics before. One had to keep an eye open while sleeping with this team until we learnt how they play their game.

Game 1 had the Confederates performing at an average pace scoring 5 runs to New Sangti 2. It seems it was an even day as the Confederates scored in the even innings. A goddess of Fortuna who travelled with the team declared under numerology this was a great sign of good things to come.

Game was had The Confederates come out on top yet again with a 5-3 win. Now they are 2 games ahead the Confederates need to buckle down and focus. They have a constant flaw that needs to be stamped out of them, when they get ahead they suddenly rest on their laurels and become too over confident which leads to their downfall.