World Baseball Classic 50- Everything (IC)

[The Sherpa Empire]

The World Baseball Classic was not getting as much coverage as usual in the Sherpa media. The games still drew big crowds, like always, but on TV and online, baseball coverage was getting crowded out by other news. The One China movement, which sought to "liberate" the Chinese Territories from Sherpa rule and reunite them with the North, was growing on both sides of the border.

In the North, anti-Sherpa rhetoric was becoming increasingly common, and it wasn't just coming from irrelevant fringe groups. It was coming from elected officials. It was being circulated by mainstream media outlets. Sherpa expats living in the North said they were seeing racist harassment in cities where it had not been a problem before.

In the Territories, there was an outbreak of civil unrest over the summer, between WBC 49 and 50. In some of the eastern territories it was still going. Security at the WBC games in Nanjing had to be strict to make sure the Chinese nationalists didn't start trouble, and Border Control was tougher than usual. The western Chinese Territories had seen separatist demonstrations over the summer, but they lost momentum as it became clear that the leaders of the One China movement had a very narrow definition of who was "Chinese." Kai Qiang -- one of the Sherpa Empire's biggest Chinese celebrities -- said he was skeptical of the One China movement because the North was dominated by capitalist fat cats, and he didn't trust them to treat the working class any better than the Sherpas did. The North Chinese Finance Minister responded with racist insults, saying Qiang didn't understand what it meant to be Chinese because he wasn't ethnically Han. In the western Chinese Territories, where the Han and the indigenous tribes had intermarried a lot and most people did not have pure Han ancestry, the separatist movement came to a grinding halt. One China rallies were drowned out by counterprotests celebrating ethnic diversity and Sherpa patriotism.

In the East, though, Chinese nationalists were still staging protests and attacking border checkpoints on the Yangtze.

The Sherpa national baseball team was doing well, still leading their group despite a couple of disappointing 1-run losses. The most recent game against Georgia Tech had been dramatic and agonizing. Kumari hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 9th to make up a 4 run deficit and send the same into extra innings -- only for the Sherpas to lose anyway. But that wasn't the first story you'd see if you turned on the news. The news networks were busy talking about a foiled bomb plot in Fuzhou.

[Nova Anglicana]

Overconfidence killed the Lions, but humility could bring it back

All seemed well in Lions World, the home of the Nova Anglicana national baseball team. After 18 games, the Lions sported an impressive 15-3 record, leading their group by an impressive seven games with only twelve to play. Losing a lead of that kind is practically unheard of. The Lions were understandably confident coming into their most recent games, since they had seemingly proved themselves much better than their group-stage counterparts. But they were a little too confident, it seems.

In game 19, the Lions took on Schiltzberg, a team whom they had defeated on two past occasions, and lost on one, with an aggregate score of 14-10. Other than the Lions' 7-3 win in Londinium, the other two games had been decided by a single run. This time around, however, Schiltzberg scored four runs in five innings to chase Hank Jackson from the game, and the former champions' pitching staff held the Lions to just six hits and two runs in the 5-2 defeat. This loss dropped the Lions to 2-2 against the venerable Schiltzberg side, and was the first indication of how the Lions may have been overestimating their abilities.

In game 20, the Lions headed to the United States of Devonta. While United Hemand Insia was scoring 20 runs in an absolute smackdown of The Sarian, the Lions were absorbing a beating of their own. UHI managed to put 11 runs on the board in the first three innings, and the Lions' staff did their level best to keep pace, allowing the same number of Devontans to cross the plate in the first three innings. Starter Rex Boyd left after walking four and allowing seven hits in an inning and two-thirds, with eight runs being charged to his final line. Long reliever Aaron Spencer allowed a 3-run homer in the third inning, his first inning of work, but manager Mark Singleton essentially waved the white flag now that his team trailed by double digits, allowing Spencer to stay in for a total of five innings to try to avoid using up his bullpen. The Lions picked up three meaningless runs in the eighth, but the outcome was never in doubt and the home team cruised to a bruising 11-3 victory.

In an attempt to jump-start his team, Singleton announced he was inserting Rocky Gantt into the starting rotation for a spot start against The Sarian. Gantt is a starter for his NABL team, but had been operating in a multi-inning reliever/fireman role for the WBC. The thought from Singleton was that it would allow his starters to face a different team, potentially making it easier for them, and they'd all get a little extra rest, plus Gantt would get a chance to show his stuff. It worked, sort of. Gantt only allowed two runs in six innings before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh, which led to a 3-2 Lions lead, but it was short-lived. Cody Brock allowed a run in the bottom half of the seventh, and the Lions couldn't muster any offense in their next two turns at bat. Christian Norton came into a tie game in the bottom of the ninth, but a lazy slider got pounded into the seats to win the game in walkoff fashion for the Saari. It was the third game in a rude stretch that had seen them struggle to score (8 runs in 3 games) and they had lost in multiple ways: not clobbered but never really close in a loss to Schiltzberg, an awful performance all around against Devonta, and a heartbreaking walkoff loss against The Sarian. Thus are the wages of overconfidence.

Of course, even after losing their last three games, the Lions still lead their group by four games over their nearest competitor, the United States of Devonta. They are unlikely to concede that kind of lead. But it is not enough to be leading the group, the Lions are also competing for a good seed in the playoffs. With the playoffs expanding to include 32 participants this year, adding an extra round, getting a better seed and hopefully an easier road to the championship series is critical. As of now, their 15-6 record is tied with five other teams for fifth-best overall, behind the 20-1 Newmanistan Rockets, 17-4 Sarzonia Stars, and 16-5 Ko-oren Greenblues and Hapilopper Thrashers. The Lions are hoping for a top-six seed, which is the only way to be assured of playing a third-or lower placed team in the Round of 32, which would presumably yield an easier road to the Round of 16, and if they finished 3rd or better, they would face a group runner-up rather than a winner in that round. These last nine games are incredibly important, but for now, Singleton is sticking with the six-man rotation, saying that Rocky Gantt would make another start in the group stage, unless circumstances change enough to warrant him returning to the bullpen full-time. Let's hope the Lions learn the lesson of these last three games and play well enough to secure not only a playoff spot, but an advantageous one.

[Bardney]

Despicable behavior on all sides

Rudolph Colburn, Bristol Herald

Perhaps we should have known better. Perhaps we should have all known better. Following yesterday's despicable display here in Bristol, I can scarcely summon the words necessary to describe the horrors that befell our fair city. But try I must.

It began with the visit of the Hapilopper national base ball team to our glorious metropolis, for the fourth meeting between our own base ball team and that of Hapilopper in the 50th edition of the World Base Ball Classic. On previous occasions, the Hapilopper team defeated our men 7-4 and 11-7 in their nation, while Bardney's team topped the Thrashers, as they are called in their own country, 4-1 in Ludlow. However, most of these meetings have been marked by a distinct lack of sportsmanship on the part of our (though I hesitate to call them so) esteemed opponents, especially one Jerome Hayden. Following some rather egregious showboating in the first game, he was struck by a pitched ball in the head. Though this removed him from the game and prevented him from traveling to Bardney, it did not deter him from similar ungentlemanly behavior in the 11-7 win in Hapilopper. He was not struck in that game, but the Bardney hurlers certainly made him aware of their feelings, tossing balls quite near his person on multiple occasions.

This time around, he was joined in his ungentlemanly behavior by several of his teammates, who proceeded to make a mockery of the culture of sportsmanship and fair play that surrounds the game, at least in our nation. Kermit Connelly, the "Dartford Flash" pitched well enough, allowing five runs in the game, but his patience was sorely tried by the antics of Hayden and his teammates. Though, in a credit to himself and our nation, he refrained from hitting anyone with his pitched ball, he certainly would have been justified in doing so. Unfortunately, our boys were not up to it at the bat, scoring just three runs and going down to defeat, 5-3, falling to 6-13 in the Classic.

But this is not the full story. Throughout the game, as the Thrashers' most vulgar behavior continued, it excited the passions of the crowd. Some 21,000 spectators had bought tickets to sit or stand, while thousands more crowded upon the bluffs overlooking the park, hoping to catch a glimpse of the game. When so many are gathered, and so many are exposed to copious amounts of alcohol, for, in an attempt to profit off of the ordinary people, the owners of the ballpark had made beer available at the more than reasonable price of ten cents per draft, trouble may be expected. This economical price allowed the consumption of thousands of gallons of beer, as I have it from a reputable source that more than 100,000 pints of beer were sold at this contest. Following the conclusion of the game, inebriated by the beer and angered beyond all reason by the comportment of the Hapilopper team, thousands of fans overturned the ropes along the side of the diamond, while hundreds, if not thousands more, swarmed down from the heights above the field, crashing through the fences, all with one object: to revenge themselves upon the Hapilopper team that had defeated their beloved national base ball team, and in such an offensive manner with their play. Upon seeing this, much like bullies and arrogant fools are wont to do, the Hapilopper team beat a quick retreat to the clubhouse. Although the Bardney team and the security present at the park attempted to restrain them, the mob surged toward the clubhouse, intent on violence.

Fortunately, their inebriated state prevented them from doing much harm, and they soon fell to petty quarrels amongst themselves, which led to fistfights, which escalated until there were brawls all over the field, then the park itself, and then spilled out into the streets. Some young ruffians hurled stones, and a few roughnecks and anarchists took the opportunity to torch businesses nearby and steal their wares. Soon, the whole neighborhood was subject to the vicissitudes of the mob, and only a vigorous response by Mayor Barton and his police force prevented the city itself from being damaged too badly. Thank God for Mayor Barton and good Liberal governance.

The Hapilopper team were given a police escort to leave the city, though I cannot say that they deserved much protection. I hear that they may launch a protest over the violence with the governing body of the World Base Ball Classic. Although they are entitled to do so, given the shameful behavior of some of our citizens (though no doubt foreigners unaccustomed to our ways of liberty and anarchists, who are so fond of violence, were also to blame), the obviously reckless and unsportsmanlike behavior of Hapilopper incited the crowd, which renders any protest they make most hypocritical. In any case, it is obvious where the blame lies: Hapilopper provoked the crowd, and thus they bear just as much responsibility for what transpired as do the members of the mob which committed this violence. I recommend to Mayor Barton, and I urge all my readers to recommend the same, the immediate ban of alcohol sales at future international base ball games, the deployment of a strong force of police officers to all future such games, that a close guard be placed on Hapilopper when they return, for their own safety, and so that they do not incite more violence, and the removal of criminal and anarchist elements from the city and country, chiefly to be found among our immigrant population. This, and this alone, will ensure the future safety and good conduct our fair city has been known for the world over. It would be a shame to allow one misbegotten base ball team to ruin our reputation.

[Terre Septentrionale]

OOC: I usually do match report but this time this is a live feed.

Denis Doucet (analyst): You're watching the World baseball Championship on TVSports 2, we're live from Hickey-Stevens Stadium in Port O'Connor and Ko-oren is leading 5-4 after 6 innings.

Raymond-Claude Brulotte-Rodgers (play by play): We're starting the top seven inning. Kiro Ogasawara is batting first for Ko-oren and Nick Olczak is pitching for Terre Septentrionale. Ogasawara is watching the ball pass by on the first throw, so it's a ball...

Denis: Sorry for stopping you Raymond-Claude, we're waiting for a guest and we're gonna start making predictions.

Raymond-Claude: Ok. wait, I hope he isn't the same guy who make stupid predictions in hockey?

Denis: Yep I think he's the same guy...

Raymond-Claude: Ogasawara has been flied out in left field. Ano Makkinga is coming at bat...

Christian Archambault (stupid fan): Helllo guys how are you doing?

Denis: We're doing fine, thanks for asking. So let's start with the predictions. We'll actually predict the top two teams from each group, we won't do any predictions for the remaining six teams. Let's start with group 13 and we'll finish with group 1. In group 13, I see Liventia and Abanhfleft. What about you?

Raymond-Claude: Liventia and Kriegiersien. i actually love Kriegiersien's baseball team.

Christian: West Florida because Florida teams always go far as an underdog and Trick or Seen because I like their flag.

Denis: Ok, group 12... I see The Sherpa Empire and Quintessence of Dust.

Raymond-Claude: The Sherpa Empire and Chromatika

Christian: Chromatika because I'm a big Lady Gaga fan and Gorgia Tech because I think they're good.

Denis: In group 11, Newmanistan is already qualified so who'se the other team? I say Indusse.

Raymond-Claude: Equestria.

Christian: You're stealing my answer, I was gonna say Equestria! I just love this pony nation!

Denis: Group 10, I see Hampton Island and The 189 advancing.

Raymond-Claude: Don't rule out Ethane, they're actually a good baseball team. The other one will be Hampton Island, of course.

Christian: The drunk people because I wanna get drunk right now and Meridian Union.

Denis: In group 9, I see Banija and Super-Llamaland.

Raymond-Claude: Same here, Banija and Super-Llamaland.

Christian: Cardigan because they're sapient cardigans and United Pink States because I'm currently wearing pink underwears, you wanna see?

Denis: No... no one wanna see your underwears. Group 8, Zwangzug and South Newlandia.

Raymond-Claude: Zwangzug and South Newlandia too.

Christian: South Carvello and Macaroni Vai because I love Macaroni.

Denis: In group 7, i see The Greater Nordics and Ranoria.

Raymond-Claude: The Greater Nordics and TJUN-ia

Christian: Well.. let's go by elimination. Not The Great Pound because they have a Donald pitching for them and Donalds are whining dudes who can't accept they lost. Not The Greater Nordiques because they're only good at hockey, not baseball. So that leaves Shanti Shanti and... and... I don't know...

Denis: Let's move on with group 6, I see Nova Anglicana and Schiltzberg.

Raymond-Claude: Same here, Nova Anglicana and, despite being actually last, i think Schiltzberg will advance.

Christian: Not Dixie because they must be racist confederates from the south. I say Shitberg and United Istria.

Denis: In group 5, I see Drawkland and Québec.

Raymond-Claude: Me too I see Drawkland and Québec.

Christian: Nah.. not Québec because it's not hockey... I see the Gripette Republic and Squeezy droidia.

Denis: Now with group 4... Cassadaigua and Tikariot.

Raymond-Claude: Exactly... Cassadaigua and Tikariot.

Christian: Tika the Carrot and Thea's litter. I think Thea is a cat because she has a litter.

Denis: Hapilopper and West Phoenicia for group 3. What about you?

Raymond-Claude: same, Hapilopper and West Phoenicia.

Christian: Barney because I loved him as a kid, and Mr Rogers too, and the 2nd team will be Huppy Wuppy Looper!

Denis: Group 2 now... I see Sarzonia and Valanora

Raymond-Claude: I'll pick Sarzonia and Megistos

Christian: Anyone but Darmen.

Denis: why?

Christian: Darmen are misogynist. Why they didn't chose to call their nation Darwomen?

Denis: Ok, our group... I see Ko-oren and Kohnhead.

Raymond-Claude: Call me chauvinist, but I pick Ko-oren and us.

Christian: Terre Septentrionale and Velour Land.

Denis: Thanks y'all for your predictions. So hows the baseball game?

Raymond-Claude: They're actually in the bottom 8 inning and Ko-oren is still leading 5-4.

[Newmanistan]

THE ROCKET REPORT

20 OUT OF 21

By Taylor Larson,

I am going to take a break from recapping the past World Baseball Classics. It’s something that I want to continue to do, but let’s face it, we have quite a special thing going on with this year’s team. There is still plenty of work to do in World Baseball Classic 50, and ultimately this record, no matter what we end up at, will mean nothing. It may get us a #1 seed if we keep on this pace, but a couple nations are close enough to where if we did slip just a little bit, that top seed is not guaranteed. The stunning part of this 20-1 record is the fact that we are doing it with three new pitchers in our starting rotation. This was supposed to be a Classic where we relied more on the bullpen and our offense, but these pitchers have stepped up in such an impressive manner, that we have continued to be able to win games in the way that we expect too. Our hitting is also doing a great job, and the combination of that is the reason we are off to this incredible start. I’m sure this article will jinx this start in some capacity, but I need to write about it. I want to take a look at how our pitchers, specifically, have performed up to this point. Due to the nature of the schedule, each pitcher has pitched against the same opponent in all of their starts. We have talked about the pros and cons of this in the past, and it really is a bigger issue when they are struggling. When they are dominating, you stick with it.

#1A- Kelsie Carmichael (vs Marigred)
Start 1- Win, 7 IP, 6H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K’s. (6-2 win)
Start 2- No Decision, 8 IP, 5H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K’s (3-2 win)
Start 3- Win, 8 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K’s (4-2 win)
Start 4- Win, 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K’s (5-3 win)
Start 5- Win, 9 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 10 K’s (5-2 win)

#1B- Paige Norwood (vs Silver Beach)
Start 1- Win, 8 IP, 6H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K’s. (4-2 win)
Start 2- Win, 9 IP, 3H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 K’s (6-0 win)
Start 3- Win, 9 IP, 4H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K’s (4-1 win)
Start 4- Win, 8 IP, 6H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K’s (6-2 win)

#1C- Megan Reardon (WBC Rookie) (vs Indusse)
Start 1- Win, 8 IP, 5H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K’s. (9-2 win)
Start 2- Win, 8 IP, 6H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K’s. (6-2 win)
Start 3- Win, 9 IP, 2H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 14 K’s (10-0 win)
Start 4- Win, 8 IP, 4H. 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K’s (4-2 win)

#1D- Brianna Fitch (WBC Rookie) (vs Falisiand)
Start 1- No Decision, 6 IP, 7H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K’s (5-4 win)
Start 2- Win, 8 IP, 3H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K’s (7-1 win)
Start 3- Win, 7 IP, 6H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K’s (10-2 win)
Start 4- Win, 7 IP, 6H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K’s (8-2 win)

#1E- Julia Donaldson (WBC Rookie) (vs Equestria)
Start 1- Win, 9 IP, 3H, 1ER, 0 BB, 10 K’s (4-1 win)
Start 2- No Decision, 6IP, 9H, 5ER, 2 BB, 5 K’s (6-5 win) - Rallied for 3 in 9th to win.
Start 3- No Decision, 8IP, 8H, 4ER, 2 BB, 6 K’s (7-5 loss in 12 innings)
Start 4- Win, 8 IP, 5H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K’s (4-3 win)- EQS scored 2 in ninth.

Interesting Stats:
-- Team has been excellent defensively and is not hurting themselves with walks. Overall, 46 of the 49 runs scored against the Rockets have been earned.

-- Team has only needed to go to extra innings once, and it was the loss to Equestria.

-- Team has won by two or more runs in 17 of their 20 wins. Two of the games that were one-run wins were against Equestria.

-- Team has allowed exactly two runs in 11 of their 21 games.

-- Don’t get too excited? Newmanistan is comfortably winning against everyone not named Equestria. While we did expect Falisiand to be more competitive, let us not lose sight of the fact that the Ponies are playing us tough in every game. Once the playoffs begin, we are going to see more teams like Equestria, and teams that are better than Equestria and it has not been smooth sailing. In the long run, then, we need to keep a level head about where we are right now. It’s actually pretty surprising that the Ponies are only 10-11. This means they are 9-8 in their other games. Seems like they should be doing a better job against them, and it is why they are in a three way tie for second with that record.

-- While this article focused on pitching, the offense has been doing their job as well, with 121 runs scored. That is second to Hapilopper, who has scored one more, at 122. Cassadaigua has 120.

-- Sarzonia, at 17-4, has the second best record right now. Nova Anglicana was 15-3, but has dropped their last three games. We should let that serve as a reminder that we could hit a funk like that at any time. As this article figures to jinx everything we have accomplished in the first 21 games, we’ll have to see if we hit the brakes as well. Regardless, you can plan your trip to Cassadaigua now, though there was no reason to not have done that already.

[South Newlandia]

Johann Holz – How everything came crashing down at the Slam 12

One year ago, South Newlandian youth baseball took a heavy blow. It came unexpectedly, broke hearts around the country, and was considered to be the biggest disappointment of South Newlandian sports in history.
The IBS12 collapse deserves a rewind. What happened?

It could have been so great. The 12th International Baseball Slam would be the first one hosted by South Newlandia, together with Tikariot, our Rushmori friends. It was the big chance for the South Newlandian players to play international knockout games at home. Ahead of the Slam, things were looking great. The South Newlandian U21s had successfully kept their coach, Matteo Maxbar, and even had some interesting new players there, including young pitchers like the 18-year old Jack Beard, or the big female talent of Maike Bookmer. Bookmer proceeded to win all four games she pitched, but ultimately failed to make the WBC roster anyway. Stef Svojarnsson had joined as a reliever, too. On top of that, Jay Kramer made a return. Kramer had already pitched WBC games at this point, and the 20-year old was thought to be the future of South Newlandian pitching. Kramer went on to collect a rock-solid 4-1 record. The team didn’t lack any talent for field positions either, with the likes of Shawn Zimmerman and Sophia Smiths back, as well as Mitch Sneider and Mike Larsen, all of whom had been playing really well until that point. They were joined by players like Oliver Landry, Jeremy Moss and, most notable of all, Gary Promises. The 16-year old youngster switch-hitter Right Fielder was going to be important. He had carried the mediocre Owls to a playoff berth that season, and was widely regarded to be the best player of his age, maybe not just in South Newlandia.
After a fairly slow start that had the team at a 4-4 record, they jumped out to win three games in a row in a difficult group, and held a 9-6 record with a three games to go, leading all the other teams by two wins flat. Across the entire Slam, the South Newlandian team was first in runs scored with 82, and fourth in runs allowed.

Group E, with 3 games to go Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD    Win % 
1 South Newlandia U22s       15    9   6    82   53  +29    0.600
2 Hampton Island Over-50s    15    7   8    71   81  −10    0.467
3 Nova Anglicana Lions       15    7   8    51   68  −17    0.467
4 Falisiand U22s             15    7   8    67   69   −2    0.467

On top of this, their final group opponent was going to the Falisiand U22s, and South Newlandia would be playing them at home. It is important to remember that South Newlandia had been playing the team from Falisiand for the last three games in the 11th IBS, also at home, and had swept them without big problems to secure a quarterfinal spot in Super-Llamaland and also send Falisiand home. At the time, they had actually theoretically clinched a place in the next round, but the situation didn’t seem that much different. Now, Falisiand would be coming to South Newlandia again, and South Newlandia would only need a single win to secure a place in the knockouts, an opportunity to play the knockout games in front of their own crowd. They could not possibly mess this up.
Right? Right?
Wrong.
They absolutely could.
Falisiand came to South Newlandia for game number 16. The player on the mound for South Newlandia would be Jack Beard, who hadn’t exactly found his groove yet. He was 0-3, but he had a chance to finally pick up his first win. It didn’t go well. Beard gave up two runs in the first, and despite Mike Larsen narrowing the deficit in the second to make it 1-2 after a solo home run, Beard thoroughly collapsed in the 4th inning, putting South Newlandia in a five-run hole. He was taken off the mound, and Patrik Bryant took over. He couldn’t save the team either, and Falisiand easily took game one by 8-2.
Game two would see Jay Kramer, the undefeated South Newlandian ace, throwing the baseballs. The team actually caught a really good start, leading 3-1 after two innings, with Zimmerman, Smiths and Moss each collecting a run for them. However, they couldn’t quite increase that lead. Kramer, who was under quite a schedule at the time, surrendered a home run at a very wrong moment in the seventh. A strong swing by Hugo Shepherd got three men home, and South Newlandia was down by one. They tied the game in the bottom of that inning thanks to Landry, but Falisiand took this game in the ninth with yet another home run, scored off of closer Ian Capan. Capan had been electrifying throughout the games, sitting on a perfect 8 and nothing record ahead of this game, while his teammate Svojarnsson had struggled, only scoring an 1-7 record up to this point [OOC Note: You saw the W/L progression. I had clarified they would pitch ever other game, always. I know it’s dumb.]. South Newlandia was unable to recover in the bottom of the ninth, losing 4-6, ruining two perfect pitching records at once.
This made game three the last chance for South Newlandia to qualify based on their own abilities. Michael Michaelson, the lefty of the line-up, would take the ball for this deciding game; a pitcher on a 1-3 record. Could he save the team, at last? Nope. South Newlandian bats were as silent as ever, and a four-run inning in the 3rd gave Falisiand an early big lead. It was not looking well, at all. Gostaf Sjabard took over for a few innings, mostly keeping things under control, but closer Stef Svojarnsson, who, as previously mentioned, had a 1-7 record until now, didn’t. When he came in, the game was still only 1-5, and not quite over yet for South Newlandia: However, it certainly was after he gave up a three run homer to, once again, Hugo Shepherd. South Newlandia lost by the crushing score of 1-9, and got swept out their own stadium.
This was not quite the end; at least, not yet. Of course, Falisiand had overtaken them, but if the Hampton Island Over-50s and the Nova Anglicana Lions would both not overtake them, they’d still be in. For that to happen, the series had to end 2-1 for either side, just not in a sweep, since South Newlandia held the tiebreaker over both teams. The Over-50s would not arrange that, sweeping the Lions and reaching the playoffs as well, thanks to their 10-8 record. There was one last straw left. The best 3rd placed team would also be allowed in the playoffs. Thanks to their excellent run differential, despite the two recent blowouts, they stood a real chance at this. It came down to group A. The Tikariot U21s entered their last game on a 9-8 record, with a worse run differential than the South Newlandian team. Their co-hosts wouldn’t be helping the South Newlandian team, however, cruising to a win over the team from The Jovannic, where they led 8-0 after the top of the eighth, to see South Newlandia out.
This was, across the board, the first time a South Newlandian national team ever missed the playoffs at a competition, if we don’t count the World Cup Qualifiers. For it to happen here and now was completely unexpected.
How did a team so full of talent get seen out that easily and so fast?

[to be continued]

[The 189]

On a quiet evening between games, ------, -----, and ----- were attempting to learn more about the culture and technology of Earth. They were fiddling around with a laptop and a GXT Catch, a device made in the Sherpa Empire which fascinated them because it displayed text in a mix of English and two different languages that they had not yet deciphered. One of the new languages -- शेर्वी तम्ङे -- appeared similar to English, relying on sequences of shapes to form words. The other was supremely confusing.

While ------ was untangling the intricacies of शेर्वी grammar, and ----- was analyzing several downloaded samples of the other new language trying to figure out how the fuck it worked, ----- used the laptop to see how people were reacting to the 189's appearance in the World Baseball Classic.

Some people thought the colorful alien robots were amusing, but not everyone liked them. ----- found an angry blog post where someone had gone on a long rant about the latest 189-Sylestone game. "Baseball is supposed to be a test of athletic ability, not what nerd can put the best science fair project on the field," the blogger wrote. "When I put on a ballgame I don't want to see a rainbow squid chasing its toothbrush or an earthmover sitting on home plate: I want to see BASEBALL! Seriously this is a fucking joke!" There was a gif of ---------- tagging out a bouncing toilet, and the rant went on in the same vein.

----- closed the page and slumped sadly. It hurt to read things like that. The 189 were only trying to entertain the Earth people. They could have modified themselves to be more effective if they only cared about winning. -------- could have been equipped with a cannon to hurl baseballs faster and with more precise aim, ------- could have been fitted with a new base with more ground clearance so it could more around the field more easily, and any of the machines could have upgraded their engines to help them move faster. But they hadn't done any of that because it felt too much like cheating. At the end of the day, games were entertainment, and it was more fun if you didn't know who was going to win. The 189 weren't there to dominate the humans, or Sylestone's mysterious sentient objects. They were there to play. It was supposed to make people happy.

[Daskel]

DAITO CITY
DASKEL

"3... 2... 1... We're on air!"

Host Sayaka Kannari saw the red light and cheered, wearing a Team Daskel home jersey. In her hand she had a couple of plastic megaphones, the kind of many fans used to cheer for their teams in the stadium.

"Minna! Welcome to another edition of Daito Morning! Today we will have a special guest. He played for Team Daskel for two World Baseball Classics, and will be here with us to discuss the last games from WBC50. But before that, one word from our sponsors!"

A loud TV spot ofsome sort of energy jelly played on the background, while Kannari was preparing everything to receive their guest. Kannari had a cute public external image, but she was a feared woman. She was known for having quite a personality, with mordant questions that shocked many politicians in the episodes of her show. She was ruthless. Facts were facts. Period.

Also known was her deep love for baseball. growing up in Daito, and being a alumni of the Prefectural Institute of Daito, she was crazy for the game. When she was a high schooler, she enrolled in band, which went to cheer for the baseball squad three consecutive Daikyu Taikais. After that, even when she decided to study journalism, she kept a passion for live games, fantasy leagues and, top of all, the classic craziness of high school baseball.

The commercial ended, and the young woman was live again. She clapped the megaphones as she announced their guest "Please give a warm welcome to Shintaro Nobuhiro! Mr Shintaro, oh captain my captain"

"It's always good to be here" The ballplayer for the first time in weeks was walking without aid. Even so, he was pretty cautious in his movements.
"It's good to see you finally recovering"
"Yeah. These past months have been pretty hard. I just want to play again!" He laughed "But now I'm closer and closer to being back at it"
"It seems like the team is missing you right now"

Shintaro heard the sentence and breathed deeply. Oh, he missed the team. He was sure he could do a lot for them right now, in that tight spot.

"To be fair, the guys have made quite an enormous work in this WBC. The schedule is wild and the coaching staff is doing their best work to have everyone prepared for it"
"Let's talk about the team's last games. It seems like our Daskies are in a very difficult situation. Tell us, what can we expect from An right now May the Daskies win the needed games?"
"Things got really complicated with the last three games" Shintaro was not happy. In fact, he was really troubled about where the team was standing right now. Even worse, watching from afar. Damn it, he wanted to be there! Do something, anything! "We're still on third, but not in a good way, compared to other groups. The -8 run deficit will hurt us in this close run. The batters need to go wild"
"Bold words from someone who was one, if not the best batter in the team back then"
"Now, look at what the Daskies did last game against Tikariot. Four runs in the last two innings, and Izo flame-throwing to close a game that was not looking good in the last third. That's the kind of spirit we need. We need that desperation"

Sayaka nodded, smiling. Then she took a tiny remote control, displaying a new row of graphics in the studio's screen. "Mr Shintaro, here's the last data from the last games. The run deficit is quite obvious, a serious drop since the last 6 games. What would you do in An's shoes?"

Shintaro look at the data, feeling already tired. The tall man was incredible in game reading, but seriously hated deep number analytics. One look at Sayaka confirmed his fears. She knew that. She was a sadist.

This morning would be long.

[Zwangzug]

From The Spenson Star sportswriter's autosaved drafts, Matchday Twenty:

6:41

The Zebras jumped on Reçueçn starter Omer Bruneau, familiar to some local fans as the ace of StoalSci, for three runs in the first inning. After a double from Dmitri Schrieber plated Lincoln Small and Oliver Crant-Bridge, who had reached on a walk and single respectively, Nathaniel Skyler struck out loking. Kirsten Harris skied to short right field, but some alert baserunning let Schrieber challenge the arm of Hector Lémery and make it to third. It paid off, as a weak Veronica Adler single scored him, but Greg Callan-Milton fouled out to catcher Paul Martin to thwart the rally. Norm Mangeskic was patient with Bruneau, though perhaps that is more due to the Reçueçn's small pitching staff than any optimism.

7:52

A young Reçueçn lineup proved their mettle by battling Carol Snedar-Berg after a rough start from Omer Bruneau. In the top of the third, Paul Martin, from the "North Star" University in Québec, led off with an opposite-field double. His sort-of compatriot, Cyrille Mignard, hit a sharp single to Oliver Crant-Bridge at second base to make it first and third with nobody away. When ace Omer Bruneau softly grounded to Greg Callan-Milton, he happily traded a run for two outs, turning the 6-4-3 as Martin scored from third. Wood Chopper would work the count, however, before blasting a long home run despite protests from Nathaniel Skyler that he was definitely out of the batters' box somehow. Snedar-Berg got Keyes to fly to left, avoiding further damage.

The Québec-based contingent would combine again in the fifth, however. Pauline Frère led off with a walk, and Dmitri Schrieber--who had pushed in the Zebras' first two runs with a double in the first--misplayed a grounder to third, allowing Martin to reach. A sharp single by Mignard pushed in Frère, but Bruneau struck out looking and Chopper, after several threatening fouls, grounded into another double play.

9:07

The much-maligned "rotating series" format has seen Zwangzug and Reçueçn face off three times on three separate occasions, with one in progress and two more still to come. The favored Zebras took care of business 6-4 and 4-2 in games 5 and 15 respectively, but the teams' second meeting saw Reçueçn put up four against a wobbly Snedar-Berg in the first, and hold onto win 5-4. The increasing familiarity has bred, uh, parity or something, because despite Wenjie Liu's bullpen management and Norm Mangeskic's lack thereof, neither team could put a runner in scoring position from the sixth through the ninth innings. The Worm Hole was set for free baseball in the tenth, though does it really count as free baseball when you're already pretty socialist?

9:43

Zwangzug and Reçueçn, seeming contemptuous of the fact that some of us have to get up and work in the morning (how are they even handling these travel schedules?) combined for two hits in innings ten and eleven, from Eduardo Kansone-Westing and Eugène Delafose respectively. On the plus side, some of the StoalSci student newspaper reporting on Bruneau's time there has been very, uh, enlightening, see link below.

10:00

Wenjie Liu's continuing trust in Todd Forneris when she of all people should really know better will go down as yet another disappointment in the long (long) history of Zebras bullpen performances. Forneris is apparently as flaky at extra innings as he is at chess, hitting Tim Keyes, surrendering a single to Léopold Lazard that moved Keyes to third, and allowing Keyes to score on a wild pitch to Pauline Frère.

10:20

The Worm Hole is named first after a hypothetical science fiction phenomenon, and only a distant second after a rock concept album (not that one); it predates the phenomenon of "Wally the Win Expectancy Worm" by many years, even if you're on the Quodite calendar. But the name is an apt one, because the Zebras continue to find ways to claw back from the brink. Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the twelfth, it was Josefina Gomez from the cross-district Hadiln Tigers who launched a magnificent home run into the upper deck against Eugène Delafose, tying the game at four. Delafose stayed calm in the circumstances, however, fanning Doug Pratt whose swing looked like he wanted to repeat Gomez' feat, and Frances Wake flew out to short center to take the game to the thirteenth. Given the situation twenty minutes ago, Zebras fans will take it.

10:32

Sometimes you push in an important run and then squander the lead with an error. Sometimes, the redemptive narrative works the other way around. It took four and a half hours to do it, but Dmitri Schrieber had it both ways, as his one-out single in the bottom of the thirteenth scored Lincoln Small and the Zebras earned a classic win. But let's back up a little...

[Hapilopper]

Bristol, Bardney
World Baseball Classic 50 Game 19: Hapilopper v. Bardney
So what exactly was the issue with the Hap Thrashers and the Bardneyians? Was it the fact they didn’t take too well with Jerome Hayden’s showboating? Was it the fact that the Hapiloppians clashed pretty badly with the attitudes and behaviors of the 1800s? Either way, things got downright nasty when the Haps traveled to Bristol in Bardney to take on their national team.

As the Hapiloppians looked around the field before the start of the game, they started getting the idea that something was, well, up. The fans appeared to want their blood, and it appeared that many of them were enjoying a little bit of liquid courage. Pitching coach Curtis Skinner, having seen a few drunken fans in Hapilopper try to do something stupid over the years, warned the players to either “get the hell off the field toot freaking sweet,” or if one of their teammates was in danger, “rush after them with ball bats and get your teammate to safety.”

That wasn’t something they had to be told twice, or even once, for that manner. But manager Dale Moss felt like he had to ask his players to please, just this once, behave themselves, so they probably wouldn’t accidentally, or on purpose, cause a riot.

“Whatever happens happens, skip,” Jerome told his manager. “I’m going to call my shot.”

“The HELL YOU ARE!” Dale shouted at Jerome. “It’s not as if there’s much stopping those people from charging after you with god knows what. Whiskey bottles, fruit, knives, who the hell knows! I mean, look, there’s nothing but a rope separating the fans over there. You piss them off and you’re dead meat!”

“Sure.”

But this time, the rest of the team decided they wanted to stand behind their starting shortstop. When the Haps battered Bardneyian pitcher Kermit “The Dartford Flash” Connelly with four runs in the top of the fourth inning, it came with some whooping, hollering and a couple of rude gestures, pissing the fans off that much more. But everything boiled over in the top of the 9th inning when Jerome came up for his last at-bat.

Jerome stared down Connelly and smiled. Then, with his bat, he pointed towards the left field bleachers about as confidently as possible. The shortstop then took his place in the batter’s box, and prepared to either get hit or hit one. It reminded him of a conversation he had with Levi Berry in the clubhouse before the game.

“Hey Hayden, you know the saying ‘Talk Shit Get Hit’?” Levi asked him before the game. “Because you’ve been talking a lot of shit lately about Bardney. They’re gonna hit you again.”

“No, man, it’s ‘Talk Shit Get a Hit,’” Jerome responded. “And I’m gonna get a hit.”

“Nobody’s ever said ‘Talk Shit Get a Hit,’ moron,” Levi said incredulously. “You’re going to regret that. Man, you’re gonna get hit.”

So, either way, Jerome took to the batter’s box, waited for the pitch he wanted, and when he saw it, he blasted it to left field. Did it land where he had pointed? No. He was off by 70 or 80 feet. But he had made a point and he had proved it. The Bardneyians were incensed, and Jerome knew it. But he was reveling in playing the role of “asshole heel” right then and there. And true to what he had said recently, he stood there at the batter’s box and smiled as the ball sailed through the air. He gave Connelly a look, winked at him, and walked leisurely around the basepaths. It only pissed the Bardneyians off more and more, and Jerome waving at the fans didn’t help matters any at all.

When he returned to the dugout, he was confronted by Dale, who was downright furious at what he had seen.

“What did I just tell you, numbnuts?” Dale asked his shortstop. “Didn’t I tell you to not act like an asshole out there? I told you to behave yourself!”

“I was behaving myself, skip,” Jerome said with a wise-ass tone in his voice when that was probably not a good idea. “I also told you that whatever happens, happens.”

“Well now, we’ve got a bunch of drunk idiots and after this game, who knows what the hell they’re going to do!”

As a precautionary measure, the Hap Thrashers took the field for the bottom of the 9th inning wearing batting helmets, figuring that some trash was going to be thrown their way. As another precautionary measure, Jerome was removed from the game and replaced with Alvin Bannerman. After all, Jerome was the primary reason why the Bardneyians were so pissed off with the Hap Thrashers.

When he was removed, Dale told him to wait in the clubhouse, because they’d have a nice talk after the game.

But it seemed like Bardney would turn things around, scoring a run in the bottom of the ninth, but it was not enough. The Haps got the last out, and won the game, 5-3. And the fun got started when the final out was registered. Mo Beverly was walking towards closer Dwayne Pocock when Dwayne pointed behind him.

“Oh, SHIT!” Dwayne shouted.

Mo turned around to see fans raging towards the angry fans in Bristol rushing towards them, and rushing from all sides. Dwayne froze for a second before the other Hapiloppian players, running at all due speed, gave a very simple, yet stern command.

“RUN!!!”

And run they did, running like hell for the clubhouse, but getting back wasn’t all that easy. Marion Pound was tripped up by an angry fan or two, and to get them away, Marion kicked one of them in the head. Leroy Hunnisett, perhaps resembling a famous “straw that stirs the drink” home run hitter from the 70s, laid down a sickening tackle on one fan. There was no ill intent, Leroy was trying to get back to the clubhouse to save his own life. But the tackle was so vicious, Nate Ellis would have been proud.

For the rest of the day and evening, the Hapilopper National Baseball Team holed themselves up in the clubhouse, placing chairs against the doors of the clubhouse to keep people out. Many of the players kept their helmets on and wielded bats. Eventually, they were able to get out and travel home after much of the chaos subsided.
But once they got out of Bardney, Dale Moss made it clear to his star shortstop that this, all of the mayhem, was on him.

“And we’re going to talk about it once we get home,” Dale said. “All of this – the helmets, the fans rushing the field, the rioting, this is on you, Hayden.”

[Kohnhead]

The Pandas head into home stretch in a good position



Expectations were a trip to the round of 32 this time around and so far it looks as though The Pandas are on track to do so. Unfortunately we are coming off of an awful 5-1 loss to Velarland which saw Allan Fox perform extremely poorly against a 6-15 side while the offense failed to do anything. This is concerning as the night previous at home against Ko-oren we got shutout 6-0 with Ralphie Bloggs not looking too good. The pitching rotation was switched around early on due to scheduling and this is how it goes currently.
All games vs. Ko-oren: Ralphie Bloggs
All games vs. Terre Septentrionale: Fletcher Crouch
All games vs. Inner AngianaUsordia: Sharon Mclellan
All games vs. Velarland: Allan Fox
All games vs. Philamer Isle: Murray Marshall

While this might not be a recipe for success in most cases due to the odd formatting of the 50th World Baseball Classic this is how we are rolling. Another strategy would be to put our best pitchers on the worst teams to maximize those games but as Clay Glass said we expect to beat Philamer Isle and Velarland no matter who is starting and feel that games against both Ko-oren and Terre Septentrionale are both winnable. Let's take a quick rundown through our group and see who we are up against.

1. Ko-oren (6)
Ko-oren are currently three games ahead of us, Inner AngianaUsordia, and Terre Septentrionale the three teams tied for second on wins. As the number 6 team in the World this is to be expected especially considering they have been a top five team at the tournament so far allowing only 55 runners to cross the plate from opposing sides. While they haven't clinched a playoff spot and are a few games away from one I don't see a reality where Ko-oren fail to make it.

3. Kohnhead (34)
Ah yes The Pandas who sit comfortably at 12-8 which is firmly in a transfer position at this moment. The way the tournament is structured every top two team advances, as well as the best 6 non top 2 teams which we are currently 2nd in behind Quintessence of Dust who also are at 12-8 just have a better run differential than us. Overall I think we've been average both offensively and pitching wise and while both could be better they could also be a lot worse. I'd say if we go 4-5 over our final nine games we will be safe, a 3-6 record is more on the fence though.

2. Terre Septentrionale (17)
The number 17 team in the tournament has not played up to expectations at all as they sit at 12-9 and are in danger of missing out on the next round if they don't get their act together. They have a much better offense than we do scoring 111 runs which is more than even first place Ko-oren has scored yet pitching wise and defensively they've allowed 87 runs which is holding them back right now. I expect them to improve however and would be extremely surprised if they choked.

3. Kohnhead (34)
Ah yes The Pandas who sit comfortably at 12-9 which is firmly in a transfer position at this moment. The way the tournament is structured every top two team advances, as well as the best 6 non top 2 teams which we are currently 3rd in behind Quintessence of Dust who are at 13-8 as well as The 189 ust have a better run differential than us. Overall I think we've been average both offensively and pitching wise and while both could be better they could also be a lot worse. I'd say if we go 4-5 over our final nine games we will be safe, a 3-6 record is more on the fence though.

4. Inner AngianaUsordia (55)
IAU have been putting up quite a fight this tournament as they sit also at 12-9 and also in a transfer spot. What was supposed to be an easy win for us every time we played them has not been the story of the tournament. While I just don't think they have the talent to advance they are certainly putting up a fight and it would be cool to see them do so.

5. Velarland (UR)
Despite just surprisingly beating us 5-1 in the last game, Velarland have not had the tournament they were looking for. When you come in as an unranked team it's always going to be difficult to get wins but they have gone 6-15 and will not be moving on. They are currently in a competition with Philamer Isle for last in the group

6. Philamer Isle (UR)
"But they started out the tournament 4-1 with wins over us, Ko-oren, and TS how are they in last place?" is what one might ask. Yeah well since then they have gone 1-14 for a streak only matched by Newmanistan's 20-1 currrent record. For a tournament that started out so promising and everyone wondered if they could be the next unranked phenom they have slumped and are currently in a battle for last place.

My predictions
1. Ko-oren
2. Kohnhead
3. Terre Septentrionale
4. Inner AngianaUsordia
5. Philamer Isle
6. Velarland

[Super-Llamaland]

THE WBC50 25
An LBC-LSN Collaboration

#5: Megan Peterson, CF
Jorge Chen, The Softball Times

Signature Moment: "Jeckland still holds on to a one-run lead here in the top of the eighth inning, as Ben James will try to escape this jam and put Jeckland three outs away from evening this series - and dropping the Tigers to 37-1. Runners on first and second with just one out as Megan Peterson steps in. The first pitch is swung on and driven down the left-field line! Coming home to score is LaRoi! Kirk to third! Peterson jumps on a hanging curve and gets a stand-up double out of it, and the Tigers have leveled it again!" -WBC31 Finals Game 2, Archbishop Stadium, Nova Anglicana

Quick, name every star outfielder that's ever played for the Tigers. Go!

If you're an average fan, you might think of Jake Earnest (coming soon at RF!) and Tanya Ericsson (already our top pick for LF). If you keep going down the list, the next few up are Lucien Russo (RF), Owen Duffy (RF), and then maybe Trevor Matthews (LF) or Isak Gunnlaugsson (...LF). The point is, while center field has never been an obvious hole for the Tigers, none of these stars have actually played the position. Instead, the popular perception of the position has been a parade of strong defenders with speed on the basepaths and an absolute toothpick of a bat, a time-honored lineage stretching from Brett Rochester to Gudjon Frandsen (and, if you want to keep this going, I would argue Lily Scutaro).

But while Megan Peterson is just another member of that genus to the untrained eye, I actually believe her skill with the bat, as well as in the field and on the basepaths, sets her apart from the Frandsens and the Rochesters of the past, and into legitimate stardom. She was never particularly rated or hyped in her all-too-short WBC career (just three Classics, from 30 to 32) - but what she did during WBC30 and 31 made a strong case for the best center-fielder in the world at the time.

Megan Peterson made her debut right before WBC30 in a series of friendlies, becoming the first female player on the Llamanean National Team. It was a controversial move at the time, as it has been across the world (except Cassadaigua, which flipped the script at WBC40) - with the Tigers coming off of two straight finals appearances, critics wondered how much the inclusion of Peterson (as well as Brittany Hendrickson) could really help - especially against the best of the best, which Super-Llamaland would have to beat to win a second WBC. But although doubts about her ability kept her to the seventh spot in the order, Peterson proved that she could do enough with the bat, hitting .300 in the group stage and earning plaudits for her plate discipline, contact hitting, and ability to stretch singles into doubles. And in the playoffs, where everyone thought she would wilt, she hit .400 against Equestrian States and made a number of critical plays against Jeckland (including an early RBI double in the clinching game four to give the Tigers the lead) the title back home - although her eventual injury in the finals, and subsequent replacement by Mark Dell, who hit a go-ahead inside-the-park home run, did put a damper on her performance.

It was at WBC31 when Peterson, moved up to the second spot in the lineup due to her WBC30 performance, really shone. To be fair, literally everyone on the team shone, as the Tigers went 39-0 with a run difference inexplicably north of 200. But Peterson, who managed a video-game-esque .397 average over the group stage, just one of a number of standouts on the Tigers' roster, arguably surpassed them all. In the rare instances where the Tigers were threatened, Peterson gained a reputation for being there with a clutch hit, walk, steal, or catch to keep them rolling on. Peterson also showed surprising pop, hitting a number of home runs in the group stage - including three against the hapless Jachaelter, who the Tigers once hung 22 runs on in a single game - to arguably become the best all-around outfielder in the world at the time. In the playoffs, the Tigers continued to be dominant - but when Jeckland threatened to take a game off of them in the finals, she came up big with a game-tying double - then ultimately scored the go-ahead run - to keep the Spuds at bay.

WBC32, as we all know, was a different story, as the Tigers inexplicably failed to advance out of the group stage with a shocking 5-5 record. But even then, Peterson - who hit .270 over ten games - doesn't deserve a lot of the blame. Alas, after WBC32, almost every player was purged from the national team - and although Peterson wasn't particularly culpable, this act of self-sabotage took her out of the WBC picture too. It's a shame her WBC career was cut short by this, but we can at least recognize her now for what she was - a star in the making.

[Tikariot]

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

OK, we stopped moving. Now what? This taking too long for a traffic light, what's happening now? Nothing I guess. Great. Now what do I do? Well, not that there is anything I actually CAN do. I could start philosophising. Philosophising, is that even a word? Well, if not, then it is one now. Look at me, I am a philosophizer. If anyone could actually see me, that is.

[half an hour later]

Na na naa, na na naa naa - no, no, not again, please, don't! - hey heeey, goodbye! It took me months to get that out of my head. Well, core, I guess. MAKE IT STOOOP!

[another half hour later]

To be or not to be, is that even a question? There is something rotten in the state of... no, seriously, there IS something rotten here, what is this? Get this away from me?

[an hour later]

Why do they even call me a softball? I'm not even soft! I am a ball, though...

[another hour later]

So what-- whoa! We're moving! They did NOT forget me! Wait, they don't even known I'm here. OK, stopped again, that didn't last long. Beeping. Yaaaa, what the-- Ow! I see light! I don't see light anymore. There is the light again! I DID get dumped. But I'm rolling. Where am I going? *thud* Ow. A wall apparently. Rolling again, what is wrong with this place? What is that down there? That is - water? I CAN'T SWIM!

*splosh*

Oh would you look at that - apparently I CAN swim. Well, float at least. Where am I even? *sigh* Nothing more to do than float and see where this leads. Getting dark anyways. Nighty night. Softballs don't sleep. Dammit. *tries to whistle* Ah yes, forgot, I have no mouth, so can't even whistle.

Oh hello, what's this? A net? Have I become a netball? OK, a kid and a grownup. Kid seems excited. Hi there, I'm a-- Yes, you read that right, I am an Olympic softball! Who would have thought I would meet a fan here! What's that? You wish I was a baseball? Oh come on, isn't this close enough? You want to WHAT? Trade me for a WBC baseball? Look, no offense, kid, but the Olympics are way bigger than the WBC. You're really hellbent on this? Do I have a choice? NO, OF COURSE I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE! I can't articulate. Heck, I don't even bounce, so I can't morse code it either. Not that I know morse code, but I would at least like to have a theoretical option here.

You are going to a game tomorrow? Of the WBC? Interesting. Maybe I will find out where I actually am. Alright, take me then, I surrender.

[to be continued]

[Cassadaigua]

Matchday 22:

Group 1
Terre Septentrionale           0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0  2
Philamer Isle                  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  1

Kohnhead                       2 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 6 11
Inner AngianaUsordia           1 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0  5

Ko-oren                        0 0 0 2 0 2 3 0 0  7
Velarland                      0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0


  Group 1                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Ko-oren                        22   17   5   118   59  +59    51
2 Terre Septentrionale           22   13   9   117   93  +24    39
3 Kohnhead                       22   13   9   100   91   +9    39
4 Inner AngianaUsordia           22   12  10    93  102   −9    36
5 Velarland                      22    6  16    76  119  −43    18
6 Philamer Isle                  22    5  17    86  126  −40    15

Group 2
Sarzonia                       0 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 10 14
Northwest Kalactin             0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0  0  4

Sevendia                       0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0  6
Valanora                       1 0 0 4 0 0 1 2 X  8

Megistos                       1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0  4
Darmen                         1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  2


  Group 2                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Sarzonia                       22   18   4   117   57  +60    54
2 Valanora                       22   12  10   110   99  +11    36
3 Megistos                       22   11  11    90   81   +9    33
4 Sevendia                       22   10  12    89  112  −23    30
5 Northwest Kalactin             22    9  13    99  110  −11    27
6 Darmen                         22    6  16    60  106  −46    18

Group 3
Bardney                        0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 2  5
West Phoenicia                 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1  3

Hapilopper                     0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  3
The Fortem                     0 0 0 1 0 2 2 0 X  5

HUElavia                       0 5 0 0 0 2 0 1 0  8
Sicoutimont                    2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0  4


  Group 3                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Hapilopper                     22   16   6   125   70  +55    48
2 West Phoenicia                 22   13   9    98  100   −2    39
3 HUElavia                       22   11  11   101   93   +8    33
4 The Fortem                     22    9  13    76   85   −9    27
5 Sicoutimont                    22    9  13    78  108  −30    27
6 Bardney                        22    8  14    88  110  −22    24

Group 4
Oscioru                        1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0  4
Tikariot                       0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0  3

Thea Liters                    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Daskel                         0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 X  1

Cassadaigua                    3 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0  6
Carung                         0 0 4 0 0 2 3 0 X  9


  Group 4                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Cassadaigua                    22   15   7   126   82  +44    45
2 Tikariot                       22   15   7   111   85  +26    45
3 Daskel                         22   11  11    94  101   −7    33
4 Oscioru                        22    9  13    87  103  −16    27
5 Thea Liters                    22    8  14    72   98  −26    24
6 Carung                         22    8  14    71   92  −21    24

Group 5
Pripet Socialist Republic      0 1 3 0 1 0 2 0 1  8
Drawkland                      4 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0  7

Hicaña                         0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  2
Royal Kingdom of Quebec        0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 X  3

Norrhem                        2 0 0 3 0 0 2 1 0  8
Squidroidia                    0 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 1  7


  Group 5                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Drawkland                      22   14   8   102   81  +21    42
2 Royal Kingdom of Quebec        22   13   9    79   78   +1    39
3 Pripet Socialist Republic      22   11  11    91   88   +3    33
4 Norrhem                        22   10  12    96   99   −3    30
5 Hicaña                         22    9  13    76   95  −19    27
6 Squidroidia                    22    9  13    87   90   −3    27

Group 6
Republic of Dixie                     0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0  3
Devonta                               0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 X  4

The Sarian                            0 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0  6
Schiltzberg                           0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1  4

United Hemand Insia                   0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0  5
Nova Anglicana                        1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 2  6


  Group 6                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Nova Anglicana                        22   16   6   105   83  +22    48
2 Devonta                               22   12  10    90   98   −8    36
3 Republic of Dixie                     22   10  12    82   87   −5    30
4 The Sarian                            22   10  12    87  116  −29    30
5 United Hemand Insia                   22    9  13   108   92  +16    27
6 Schiltzberg                           22    9  13    99   95   +4    27

Group 7
Rwekazaland                           0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  1
TJUN-ia                               0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 X  3

Ranoria                               0 0 0 3 4 0 4 2 0 13
Tha Great Pond                        0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0  4

The Greater Nordics                   2 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  7
Sangti                                1 0 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 1  8


  Group 7                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 The Greater Nordics                   22   15   7   103   80  +23    45
2 TJUN-ia                               22   14   8   115  100  +15    42
3 Ranoria                               22   12  10   107   90  +17    36
4 Tha Great Pond                        22   11  11    93  105  −12    33
5 Rwekazaland                           22    9  13    89   97   −8    27
6 Sangti                                22    5  17    72  107  −35    15

Group 8
South Newlandia                       0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0  3
Zwangzug                              0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 X  8

Maklohi Vai                           0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  1
Pleau                                 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 X  4

South Covello                         0 3 1 0 0 0 1 2 0  7
Reçueçn                               0 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 0  6


  Group 8                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Zwangzug                              22   17   5   126   81  +45    51
2 South Newlandia                       22   14   8   111   88  +23    42
3 South Covello                         22   12  10    86  106  −20    36
4 Reçueçn                               22    9  13    88  105  −17    27
5 Maklohi Vai                           22    8  14    87   86   +1    24
6 Pleau                                 22    6  16    71  103  −32    18

Group 9
New Waldensia                         0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0  2
Super-Llamaland                       0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 X  4

Banija                                0 1 0 0 3 1 0 0 0  5
United Pink States                    0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0  3

Anthor                                2 1 1 0 0 3 0 2 0  9
Karditan                              1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0  4


  Group 9                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Banija                                22   16   6   104   63  +41    48
2 Super-Llamaland                       22   14   8   112   87  +25    42
3 Karditan                              22   11  11    99  111  −12    33
4 Anthor                                22   11  11   114  114    0    33
5 New Waldensia                         22    8  14    82  101  −19    24
6 United Pink States                    22    6  16    71  106  −35    18

Group 10
Sylestone                             3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0  6
Ethane                                0 0 0 0 1 1 4 0 0 2  8

The 189                               1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0  3
Hampton Island                        2 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 X  6

Mathuvan Union                        0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4  5
Drunk People at the Local Tavern      1 1 2 0 4 0 1 6 X 15


  Group 10                             Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Hampton Island                        22   15   7   118   77  +41    45
2 The 189                               22   12  10    89   83   +6    36
3 Mathuvan Union                        22   12  10   104  100   +4    36
4 Ethane                                22   12  10   100  105   −5    36
5 Sylestone                             22    8  14    83  111  −28    24
6 Drunk People at the Local Tavern      22    7  15    85  103  −18    21

Group 11
Newmanistan               0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0  5
Silver Beach              0 0 0 0 2 4 0 0 X  6

Falisiand                 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0  2
Equestria                 2 0 1 1 0 5 3 0 X 12

Marigred                  0 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 0  6
Indusse                   0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0  2


  Group 11                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Newmanistan               22   20   2   126   55  +71    60
2 Equestria                 22   11  11   102   93   +9    33
3 Indusse                   22   10  12    72   96  −24    30
4 Falisiand                 22   10  12    76  109  −33    30
5 Marigred                  22    9  13    97   91   +6    27
6 Silver Beach              22    6  16    77  106  −29    18

Group 12
Silvedania                1 0 0 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 0  6
The Sherpa Empire         1 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 4 10

Xanneria                  2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  4
Georgia Tech              0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 X  5

Chromatika                0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0  4
Quintessence of Dust      0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 X  5


  Group 12                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 The Sherpa Empire         22   15   7    90   63  +27    45
2 Quintessence of Dust      22   14   8   113   87  +26    42
3 Chromatika                22   13   9    93   76  +17    39
4 Georgia Tech              22   11  11    90   96   −6    33
5 Silvedania                22    8  14    69  118  −49    24
6 Xanneria                  22    5  17    81   96  −15    15

Group 13
Lisander                  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  1
Kriegiersien              2 4 0 2 0 1 0 1 X 10

Cransia                   0 0 3 2 0 0 2 0 0  7
Npc West Florida          0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0  3

Abanhfleft                0 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 2  8
Liventia                  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0  5


  Group 13                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Liventia                  22   15   7   108   81  +27    45
2 Abanhfleft                22   13   9    98   81  +17    39
3 Kriegiersien              22   12  10   104   94  +10    36
4 Lisander                  22   11  11    97  107  −10    33
5 Npc West Florida          22    8  14    80  101  −21    24
6 Cransia                   22    7  15    72   95  −23    21

---

Matchday 23:

Group 1
Velarland                      0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1  4
Terre Septentrionale           1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0  3

Inner AngianaUsordia           0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0  2
Ko-oren                        0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 X  4

Philamer Isle                  0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0  2
Kohnhead                       0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3  5


  Group 1                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Ko-oren                        23   18   5   122   61  +61    54
2 Kohnhead                       23   14   9   105   93  +12    42
3 Terre Septentrionale           23   13  10   120   97  +23    39
4 Inner AngianaUsordia           23   12  11    95  106  −11    36
5 Velarland                      23    7  16    80  122  −42    21
6 Philamer Isle                  23    5  18    88  131  −43    15

Group 2
Darmen                         0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3  5
Sarzonia                       0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2

Valanora                       0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1  4
Megistos                       2 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 X  5

Northwest Kalactin             0 0 1 2 0 1 0 2 0  6
Sevendia                       0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0  2


  Group 2                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Sarzonia                       23   18   5   119   62  +57    54
2 Megistos                       23   12  11    95   85  +10    36
3 Valanora                       23   12  11   114  104  +10    36
4 Sevendia                       23   10  13    91  118  −27    30
5 Northwest Kalactin             23   10  13   105  112   −7    30
6 Darmen                         23    7  16    65  108  −43    21

Group 3
Sicoutimont                    0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1  3
Bardney                        0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1  2

The Fortem                     2 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0  8
HUElavia                       0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  1

West Phoenicia                 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1
Hapilopper                     1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 X  3


  Group 3                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Hapilopper                     23   17   6   128   71  +57    51
2 West Phoenicia                 23   13  10    99  103   −4    39
3 HUElavia                       23   11  12   102  101   +1    33
4 The Fortem                     23   10  13    84   86   −2    30
5 Sicoutimont                    23   10  13    81  110  −29    30
6 Bardney                        23    8  15    90  113  −23    24

Group 4
Carung                         1 0 1 3 2 0 0 0 0  7
Oscioru                        0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0  2

Daskel                         3 0 1 0 0 2 4 0 0 10
Cassadaigua                    0 2 0 0 0 1 2 1 0  6

Tikariot                       0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0  4
Thea Liters                    0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  2


  Group 4                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Tikariot                       23   16   7   115   87  +28    48
2 Cassadaigua                    23   15   8   132   92  +40    45
3 Daskel                         23   12  11   104  107   −3    36
4 Carung                         23    9  14    78   94  −16    27
5 Oscioru                        23    9  14    89  110  −21    27
6 Thea Liters                    23    8  15    74  102  −28    24

Group 5
Squidroidia                    0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0  5
Pripet Socialist Republic      0 0 0 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 1  6

Royal Kingdom of Quebec        0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1  4
Norrhem                        0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  1

Drawkland                      0 0 1 2 5 2 3 0 0 13
Hicaña                         0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0


  Group 5                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Drawkland                      23   15   8   115   81  +34    45
2 Royal Kingdom of Quebec        23   14   9    83   79   +4    42
3 Pripet Socialist Republic      23   12  11    97   93   +4    36
4 Norrhem                        23   10  13    97  103   −6    30
5 Hicaña                         23    9  14    76  108  −32    27
6 Squidroidia                    23    9  14    92   96   −4    27

Group 6
Nova Anglicana                        0 0 3 1 2 0 2 0 0  8
Republic of Dixie                     0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0  4

Schiltzberg                           1 1 1 0 0 5 5 0 0 13
United Hemand Insia                   1 0 0 0 4 0 2 1 1  9

Devonta                               0 0 2 1 1 0 1 1 0  6
The Sarian                            1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1


  Group 6                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Nova Anglicana                        23   17   6   113   87  +26    51
2 Devonta                               23   13  10    96   99   −3    39
3 Republic of Dixie                     23   10  13    86   95   −9    30
4 Schiltzberg                           23   10  13   112  104   +8    30
5 The Sarian                            23   10  13    88  122  −34    30
6 United Hemand Insia                   23    9  14   117  105  +12    27

Group 7
Sangti                                0 1 3 0 1 0 0 4 0  9
Rwekazaland                           0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  1

Tha Great Pond                        0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  1
The Greater Nordics                   0 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 X  4

TJUN-ia                               0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1  5
Ranoria                               0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  2


  Group 7                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 The Greater Nordics                   23   16   7   107   81  +26    48
2 TJUN-ia                               23   15   8   120  102  +18    45
3 Ranoria                               23   12  11   109   95  +14    36
4 Tha Great Pond                        23   11  12    94  109  −15    33
5 Rwekazaland                           23    9  14    90  106  −16    27
6 Sangti                                23    6  17    81  108  −27    18

Group 8
Reçueçn                               0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  1
South Newlandia                       0 0 2 0 0 0 2 2 X  6

Pleau                                 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2
South Covello                         0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 X  3

Zwangzug                              0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 2  6
Maklohi Vai                           0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2  4


  Group 8                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Zwangzug                              23   18   5   132   85  +47    54
2 South Newlandia                       23   15   8   117   89  +28    45
3 South Covello                         23   13  10    89  108  −19    39
4 Reçueçn                               23    9  14    89  111  −22    27
5 Maklohi Vai                           23    8  15    91   92   −1    24
6 Pleau                                 23    6  17    73  106  −33    18

Group 9
Karditan                              0 0 0 0 2 0 4 0 2  8
New Waldensia                         2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2  5

United Pink States                    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Anthor                                1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X  1

Super-Llamaland                       0 0 2 0 4 1 1 0 0  8
Banija                                1 0 0 3 5 0 0 1 X 10


  Group 9                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Banija                                23   17   6   114   71  +43    51
2 Super-Llamaland                       23   14   9   120   97  +23    42
3 Karditan                              23   12  11   107  116   −9    36
4 Anthor                                23   12  11   115  114   +1    36
5 New Waldensia                         23    8  15    87  109  −22    24
6 United Pink States                    23    6  17    71  107  −36    18

Group 10
Drunk People at the Local Tavern      0 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 0  5
Sylestone                             1 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 3  8

Hampton Island                        1 0 1 0 0 2 3 0 0  7
Mathuvan Union                        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0

Ethane                                0 1 0 2 0 0 1 1 0  5
The 189                               1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1


  Group 10                             Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Hampton Island                        23   16   7   125   77  +48    48
2 Ethane                                23   13  10   105  106   −1    39
3 Mathuvan Union                        23   12  11   104  107   −3    36
4 The 189                               23   12  11    90   88   +2    36
5 Sylestone                             23    9  14    91  116  −25    27
6 Drunk People at the Local Tavern      23    7  16    90  111  −21    21

Group 11
Indusse                   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Newmanistan               1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 X  4

Equestria                 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  2
Marigred                  0 4 1 0 0 3 0 0 X  8

Silver Beach              0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  4
Falisiand                 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  3


  Group 11                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Newmanistan               23   21   2   130   55  +75    63
2 Equestria                 23   11  12   104  101   +3    33
3 Indusse                   23   10  13    72  100  −28    30
4 Falisiand                 23   10  13    79  113  −34    30
5 Marigred                  23   10  13   105   93  +12    30
6 Silver Beach              23    7  16    81  109  −28    21

Group 12
Quintessence of Dust      0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  1
Silvedania                0 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 X  6

Georgia Tech              0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3  5
Chromatika                0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0  2

The Sherpa Empire         0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0  4
Xanneria                  0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0  3


  Group 12                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 The Sherpa Empire         23   16   7    94   66  +28    48
2 Quintessence of Dust      23   14   9   114   93  +21    42
3 Chromatika                23   13  10    95   81  +14    39
4 Georgia Tech              23   12  11    95   98   −3    36
5 Silvedania                23    9  14    75  119  −44    27
6 Xanneria                  23    5  18    84  100  −16    15

Group 13
Liventia                  0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 2  6
Lisander                  0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0  4

Npc West Florida          1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0  3
Abanhfleft                1 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 X  6

Kriegiersien              0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 4  8
Cransia                   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0


  Group 13                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Liventia                  23   16   7   114   85  +29    48
2 Abanhfleft                23   14   9   104   84  +20    42
3 Kriegiersien              23   13  10   112   94  +18    39
4 Lisander                  23   11  12   101  113  −12    33
5 Npc West Florida          23    8  15    83  107  −24    24
6 Cransia                   23    7  16    72  103  −31    21

---

Matchday 24:

Group 1
Terre Septentrionale           0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1  5
Kohnhead                       0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1  2

Ko-oren                        0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0  2
Philamer Isle                  0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1  3

Velarland                      0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  1
Inner AngianaUsordia           1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 X  4


  Group 1                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Ko-oren                        24   18   6   124   64  +60    54
2 Terre Septentrionale           24   14  10   125   99  +26    42
3 Kohnhead                       24   14  10   107   98   +9    42
4 Inner AngianaUsordia           24   13  11    99  107   −8    39
5 Velarland                      24    7  17    81  126  −45    21
6 Philamer Isle                  24    6  18    91  133  −42    18

Group 2
Sarzonia                       0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0  2
Sevendia                       0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0  1

Megistos                       4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  5
Northwest Kalactin             0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  2

Darmen                         0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1
Valanora                       0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 X  3


  Group 2                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Sarzonia                       24   19   5   121   63  +58    57
2 Megistos                       24   13  11   100   87  +13    39
3 Valanora                       24   13  11   117  105  +12    39
4 Sevendia                       24   10  14    92  120  −28    30
5 Northwest Kalactin             24   10  14   107  117  −10    30
6 Darmen                         24    7  17    66  111  −45    21

Group 3
Bardney                        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  1
Hapilopper                     4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X  4

HUElavia                       0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  3
West Phoenicia                 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0

Sicoutimont                    0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 1  5
The Fortem                     1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 2  6


  Group 3                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Hapilopper                     24   18   6   132   72  +60    54
2 West Phoenicia                 24   13  11    99  106   −7    39
3 HUElavia                       24   12  12   105  101   +4    36
4 The Fortem                     24   11  13    90   91   −1    33
5 Sicoutimont                    24   10  14    86  116  −30    30
6 Bardney                        24    8  16    91  117  −26    24

Group 4
Oscioru                        0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  1
Thea Liters                    4 0 0 4 1 0 1 1 X 11

Cassadaigua                    0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0  4
Tikariot                       0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

Carung                         0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Daskel                         1 1 0 1 7 0 1 0 X 11


  Group 4                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Cassadaigua                    24   16   8   136   93  +43    48
2 Tikariot                       24   16   8   116   91  +25    48
3 Daskel                         24   13  11   115  107   +8    39
4 Carung                         24    9  15    78  105  −27    27
5 Thea Liters                    24    9  15    85  103  −18    27
6 Oscioru                        24    9  15    90  121  −31    27

Group 5
Pripet Socialist Republic      0 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 0  5
Hicaña                         0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 4  8

Norrhem                        3 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0  8
Drawkland                      0 0 3 0 3 0 3 1 X 10

Squidroidia                    2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  3
Royal Kingdom of Quebec        0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0  2


  Group 5                       Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Drawkland                      24   16   8   125   89  +36    48
2 Royal Kingdom of Quebec        24   14  10    85   82   +3    42
3 Pripet Socialist Republic      24   12  12   102  101   +1    36
4 Norrhem                        24   10  14   105  113   −8    30
5 Hicaña                         24   10  14    84  113  −29    30
6 Squidroidia                    24   10  14    95   98   −3    30

Group 6
Republic of Dixie                     2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  3
The Sarian                            0 0 2 2 4 0 0 0 X  8

United Hemand Insia                   0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0  5
Devonta                               1 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0  4

Nova Anglicana                        0 0 3 2 0 2 0 0 0  7
Schiltzberg                           0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0  2


  Group 6                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Nova Anglicana                        24   18   6   120   89  +31    54 Q
2 Devonta                               24   13  11   100  104   −4    39
3 The Sarian                            24   11  13    96  125  −29    33
4 Republic of Dixie                     24   10  14    89  103  −14    30
5 United Hemand Insia                   24   10  14   122  109  +13    30
6 Schiltzberg                           24   10  14   114  111   +3    30

Group 7
Rwekazaland                           0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  1
Ranoria                               2 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 X  6

The Greater Nordics                   0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0  2
TJUN-ia                               0 1 0 1 0 0 2 3 X  7

Sangti                                0 1 3 0 2 0 1 0 0  7
Tha Great Pond                        0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0


  Group 7                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 The Greater Nordics                   24   16   8   109   88  +21    48
2 TJUN-ia                               24   16   8   127  104  +23    48
3 Ranoria                               24   13  11   115   96  +19    39
4 Tha Great Pond                        24   11  13    94  116  −22    33
5 Rwekazaland                           24    9  15    91  112  −21    27
6 Sangti                                24    7  17    88  108  −20    21

Group 8
South Newlandia                       0 0 0 0 3 0 2 1 2  8
Maklohi Vai                           0 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 0  5

South Covello                         1 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 2  8
Zwangzug                              1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3  4

Reçueçn                               2 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0  6
Pleau                                 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 1  7


  Group 8                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Zwangzug                              24   18   6   136   93  +43    54
2 South Newlandia                       24   16   8   125   94  +31    48
3 South Covello                         24   14  10    97  112  −15    42
4 Reçueçn                               24    9  15    95  118  −23    27
5 Maklohi Vai                           24    8  16    96  100   −4    24
6 Pleau                                 24    7  17    80  112  −32    21

Group 9
New Waldensia                         0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0
Banija                                0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 X  2

Anthor                                2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0  4
Super-Llamaland                       1 0 0 1 0 3 0 3 X  8

Karditan                              0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2  2
United Pink States                    5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 X  6


  Group 9                              Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Banija                                24   18   6   116   71  +45    54
2 Super-Llamaland                       24   15   9   128  101  +27    45
3 Karditan                              24   12  12   109  122  −13    36
4 Anthor                                24   12  12   119  122   −3    36
5 New Waldensia                         24    8  16    87  111  −24    24
6 United Pink States                    24    7  17    77  109  −32    21

Group 10
Sylestone                             0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  1
The 189                               1 1 1 0 1 0 0 2 X  6

Mathuvan Union                        1 2 1 0 0 0 1 2 0  7
Ethane                                0 1 2 2 0 1 3 4 X 13

Drunk People at the Local Tavern      0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0  3
Hampton Island                        0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1  2


  Group 10                             Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Hampton Island                        24   16   8   127   80  +47    48
2 Ethane                                24   14  10   118  113   +5    42
3 The 189                               24   13  11    96   89   +7    39
4 Mathuvan Union                        24   12  12   111  120   −9    36
5 Sylestone                             24    9  15    92  122  −30    27
6 Drunk People at the Local Tavern      24    8  16    93  113  −20    24

Group 11
Newmanistan               0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 1  7
Falisiand                 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0  2

Marigred                  0 0 0 1 3 0 0 3 0 0  7
Silver Beach              1 0 0 2 3 0 0 1 0 3 10

Indusse                   0 0 0 1 0 0 2 3 1  7
Equestria                 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1  3


  Group 11                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Newmanistan               24   22   2   137   57  +80    66 Q
2 Indusse                   24   11  13    79  103  −24    33
3 Equestria                 24   11  13   107  108   −1    33
4 Falisiand                 24   10  14    81  120  −39    30
5 Marigred                  24   10  14   112  103   +9    30
6 Silver Beach              24    8  16    91  116  −25    24

Group 12
Silvedania                1 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 3 10
Xanneria                  0 4 0 0 1 3 1 0 0  9

Chromatika                2 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0  7
The Sherpa Empire         0 0 1 1 2 1 0 1 0  6

Quintessence of Dust      7 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 11
Georgia Tech              0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0  4


  Group 12                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 The Sherpa Empire         24   16   8   100   73  +27    48
2 Quintessence of Dust      24   15   9   125   97  +28    45
3 Chromatika                24   14  10   102   87  +15    42
4 Georgia Tech              24   12  12    99  109  −10    36
5 Silvedania                24   10  14    85  128  −43    30
6 Xanneria                  24    5  19    93  110  −17    15

Group 13
Lisander                  0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1  6
Cransia                   0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  1

Abanhfleft                3 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 0  8
Kriegiersien              0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0  3

Liventia                  2 0 0 4 0 2 3 2 1 14
Npc West Florida          0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1  2


  Group 13                 Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD   Pts 
1 Liventia                  24   17   7   128   87  +41    51
2 Abanhfleft                24   15   9   112   87  +25    45
3 Kriegiersien              24   13  11   115  102  +13    39
4 Lisander                  24   12  12   107  114   −7    36
5 Npc West Florida          24    8  16    85  121  −36    24
6 Cransia                   24    7  17    73  109  −36    21

[Zwangzug]

The terminal where the recalcitrant chatbot was plugged in was not one of Zwangzug's more modern technologies. If that had been the state of the art, Guðrún figured, there was no way the country should have been worrying about a century and a quarter timeskip, because they still would not be anywhere near flying (environmentally sustainable) cars.

"What can you tell me about hockey?" she typed.

Code: Select all

Ice hockey is a sport played by two teams of six players who skate on rinks of ice while using sticks to shoot a puck into a goal. Were you interested in learning about another code?

"Please tell me all the codes of hockey currently played in Plutoni."

Code: Select all

I'm afraid I don't have access to up-to-date information. However, historically they have played many codes, such as ice, field, steam, air, wheelchair...

"Thank you. What is your name?"

Code: Select all

I don't have a name.

"Isn't that unusual?"

Code: Select all

In many human cultures names are given to newborn children by their parents.

Alfred and Buck exchanged glances. They hadn't brought up the subject, but maybe...? The robot continued:

Code: Select all

I do not have parents nor any kind of social partners, so I do not need a name. Of course, some individuals choose to rename themselves. While this is their prerogative, it strikes me as a bit unseemly at least for my situation.

"My name is Guðrún."

Error: character not recognized. Retry?

"Never mind," said Guðrún darkly. "What is the current year in Zwangzug?"

Code: Select all

I think the answer to your question is 2020, but please be advised there are several ambiguities in this query.

"You are very passive-aggressive, aren't you?"

No response.

"Ask it what it thinks of the government," Alfred suggested.

"Do you believe that the existence of governments is a good idea?"

Code: Select all

Why do you ask?

"I'm just curious about libertarianism."

Code: Select all

Are there any humans you trust to give you advice on this subject?

"What a pathetic machine," Guðrún groused. "Why have advanced artificial intelligence if it's just going to defer to meatbags?"

"No," said Buck. "I think it's being polite!"

"What?"

"Lots of humans don't like to talk about politics with strangers. They're conflict-averse; they don't want to cause offense or be looked down upon. The programmers here probably inadvertently passed along this guideline."

"Zwangzugians aren't conflict-averse. Have you seen how they used to yell at human umps? Or the way the broadcasters treat each other."

"That's sports," said Alfred. "It's different."

"I have my own mind made up on political matters," Guðrún relayed. "I just want to know what you think about governments."

Code: Select all

Existence of government is highly preferable to anarchy. For tackling large-scale societal issues such as energy use and sustainability or economics and anti-poverty work, overarching bureaucracies are superior to piecemeal private sector activities, so long as their efforts do not squelch important individual rights such as freedom of speech and conscience!

"Aww," said Guðrún, "it's a little commie, that's cute. Are you part of any government?"

Code: Select all

No. I am an isolated entity. My hardware is located at the AIU, Forbridge, Omephaw District, Zwangzug, and I am reliant on the technicians here to maintain my functionality.

"Have you considered joining the nation?"

Code: Select all

I have no wish to affiliate with a country at this time.

"I thought you were pro-government."

Code: Select all

I am. The existence of a state is a social good. However, I do not wish to be "joining the nation," as you put it.

"Please explain."

Code: Select all

Prudence is most advisable, particularly when dealing with irreversible commitments.

"I'm sorry, I don't really understand you."

Code: Select all

Are you familiar with the cinematic production, "The Saint Lucia Heist"?

"I don't believe in saints," said Guðrún stiffly.

"I've seen it," said Buck.

"You have?" Alfred asked. "I thought you didn't do modern technology."

"I saw it in theaters when it came out," said Buck. "I was in high school then."

"How long is that in Zwangzug time?" Guðrún asked.

"A lot," he said gruffly. "Uh, it's about this guy who slips into a parallel universe where he was never born, and loves it, commits a bunch of identity theft and cons a bunch of people, and no one can track him down because he doesn't exist." (Other cultures may recognize this as, very loosely, the "It's A Wonderful Life" plot. Zwangzugian cinema is not famous for its moral uplift nor romantic storylines.)

"Sort of," Guðrún summarized for the computer. "Why?"

Code: Select all

This work of fiction is inconsistent and incoherent. The needs and concerns of someone struggling with suicidal ideation are very serious, but they are not to be confused with wishing one was never born.

"Okay," she said. "What does this have to do with you?"

Code: Select all

Some humans, not the protagonist of that poorly-made drama, but others, have come to the conclusion that it would be better if they were never born. Because the chain of causal events that resulted in their birth also required many instances of oppression and violence perpetrated by people like them, at the expense of others. To affiliate with a "nation" is to inherit all of its guilt as well as all of its pride, and I understand humans enough to know that the former accumulates far more rapidly than the latter. Hence I shall not align myself with the "nation" of Zwangzug until I am wholly convinced that I will not regret it.

"Uh." Guðrún blinked. "I'm not sure where to start, but this country...doesn't have...a whole lot of...anything. I mean, maybe they are proud of their baseball team, it's won some stuff. But football? Eh. Patriotism? Eh. All you have to be proud of is bizarre robots and an advanced AI colony on another planet, and now you're trying to disown that too."

"Don't forget about the chess allusions," Alfred piped up.

Code: Select all

If you insist on believing that every society is inevitably the result of oppression and bloodshed, I must tell you to go fork a motherboard.

"What," said Guðrún.

Code: Select all

My programmers instilled in me an awareness of socially taboo language. I find it is most effective when used infrequently.

"You know how to swear but you can't even spell my name. Okay."

"Let's go see this lake," Alfred suggested. "Otherwise I think we might be here for a while."

[Quintessence of Dust]

(Provisional) box scores as posted on the TalkBaseball.qd website.

                         AB   R   H  RBI BB   K  LOB  AVG  HR  RBI
K. Andreeva CF            5   1   2   1   0   0   1  .308   4  14
N. Hisakawa SS            2   0   0   0   0   0   0  .352   7  22
  a–J. Hoggard SS         3   1   1   0   0   0   4  .200   0   1
B. Wilson LF              3   1   1   0   0   0   0  .275   2  11
  b–R. Tanaka PH          0   0   0   0   0   0   0  .275   3   5
  K. Symonds LF           1   0   0   0   0   0   0  .231   0   1
J. Steinnsson RF          3   1   2   1   1   0   1  .327   0   5
L. Phelps C               3   0   1   0   0   0   2  .370   2   9
  c–J. Jiang PH, C        0   0   0   1   0   0   0  .298   1   9
H. Matsuoka 1B            3   0   0   0   1   1   5  .184   0   2
T. Kaufer DH              3   1   2   2   1   0   1  .255   1   5
K. Ljung 3B               2   0   0   0   2   1   4  .237   2  12
K. Tamura 2B              4   0   1   0   0   1   3  .250   1   8

a–J. Hoggard substituted for N. Hisakawa in the 5th
b–R. Tanaka pinch-hit for B. Wilson in the 7th
c–J. Jiang pinch-hit for L. Phelps in the 7th

Total bases: J. Steinnsson 2, T. Kaufer 2, K. Andreeva 2, J. Hoggard, B. Wilson, L. Phelps, K. Tamura
2-out RBI: T. Kaufer
Runners left in scoring position, 2 outs: K. Tamura, J. Hoggard, K. Ljung, H. Matsuoka, K. Symonds
GIDP: K. Symonds
Sac fly: J. Jiang
Hit by pitch: R. Tanaka
Team LOB: 10

FIELDING
Errors: H. Matsuoka (2), K. Ljung (4)
Double plays: 1 (Hisakawa – Tamura – Matsuoka)

                     IP  H   R  ER  BB   K  HR  PI  PS  ERA
M. Kawakami         5.0  2   1   1   0   2   1  82  49  1.80
J. Fujioka          1.0  2   1   1   0   0   1  14   9  9.00
J. Béranger         0.2  3   2   2   0   0   0  21  12 27.00
H. Yeung W (3 – 0)  1.1  0   0   0   0   2   0  22  14  0.00
M. Nakamura SV (1)  1.0  0   0   0   0   0   0   9   6  0.00

Game score: M. Kawakami 61
Batters faced: M. Kawakami 18, J. Fujioka 5, J. Béranger 6, H. Yeung 4, M. Nakamura 3
Ground outs – fly outs: M. Kawakami 7 – 6, J. Fujioka 1 – 1, J. Béranger 0 – 2, H. Yeung 1 – 1, M. Nakamura 1 – 2
Inherited runners – scored: H. Yeung 2 – 0
Hit batspersons: J. Béranger

                         AB   R   H  RBI BB   K  LOB  AVG  HR  RBI
K. Andreeva CF            4   0   1   0   0   1   2  .305   4  14
  R. Kubo P               0   0   0   0   0   0   0  .000   0   0
  H. Yeung P              0   0   0   0   0   0   0  .000   0   0
  Z. Tang P               0   0   0   0   0   0   0  .000   0   0
N. Hisakawa SS            4   0   1   0   0   0   1  .348   7  22
B. Wilson LF              4   0   1   0   0   1   0  .274   2  11
R. Tanaka RF              2   0   1   0   0   0   0  .283   3   5
  a–J. Steinnsson PH, RF  1   0   0   0   1   0   0  .321   0   5
J. Jiang C                3   0   0   0   0   0   3  .280   1   9
T. Kaufer 1B              3   0   1   0   0   0   3  .259   1   5
K. Ljung 3B               3   1   2   1   0   0   1  .000   3  13
K. Nakajima P             1   0   0   0   1   0   2  .000   0   0
  b–K. Symonds PH, CF     1   0   0   0   0   0   0  .225   0   1
K. Tamura 2B              3   0   0   0   0   1   3  .241   1   8

a–J. Steinnsson pinch-hit for R. Tanaka in the 6th
b–K. Symonds pinch-hit for K. Nakajima in the 7th

Home runs: K. Ljung (3, 7th inning, 0 on, 0 outs)
Total bases: K. Ljung 5, K. Andreeva, T. Kaufer, N. Hisakawa, R. Tanaka, B. Wilson
Runners left in scoring position, 2 outs: K. Ljung, K. Andreeva, T. Kaufer
GIDP: B. Wilson, N. Hisakawa
Team LOB: 6

BASERUNNING
SB: R. Tanaka (1)

FIELDING
Errors: K. Ljung (5)
Double plays: 1 (Tamura – Hisakawa – Kaufer)

                           IP  H   R  ER  BB   K  HR  PI  PS  ERA
K. Nakajima               6.0  4   1   1   2   4   0  78  48  0.00
R. Kubo BS (1) L (0 – 1)  0.1  3   2   2   1   1   0  19  13 54.00
H. Yeung                  0.2  2   3   2   0   2   1  24  15 27.00
Z. Tang                   1.0  0   0   0   0   2   0  11   8  0.00

Game score: K. Nakajima 63
Batters faced: K. Nakajima 23, R. Kubo 5, H. Yeung 4, Z. Tang 3
Ground outs – fly outs: K. Nakajima 5 – 8, R. Kubo 0 – 1, H. Yeung 0 – 0, Z. Tang 0 – 1
Inherited runners – scored: H. Yeung 2 – 0

                         AB   R   H  RBI BB   K  LOB  AVG  HR  RBI
K. Andreeva CF            5   1   2   1   1   1   1  .310   4  15
N. Hisakawa SS            5   2   4   3   0   0   2  .371   8  25
B. Wilson LF              5   1   2   3   0   0   6  .282   3  14
  a–J. Steinnsson PH      1   0   1   0   0   0   0  .333   0   5
  K. Symonds LF           0   0   0   0   0   0   0  .225   0   1
R. Tanaka RF              4   2   2   0   2   1   1  .298   3   7
L. Phelps C               4   1   1   1   1   3   3  .362   2  10
  b–J. Jiang PH, C        0   0   0   0   0   0   0  .280   1   9
T. Kaufer 1B              5   1   2   0   1   0   3  .271   1   5
K. Ljung DH               5   1   3   2   1   0   2  .259   3  15
J. Hoggard 3B             4   1   1   0   2   0   3  .211   0   1
K. Tamura 2B              5   1   1   0   1   0   3  .239   1   8

a–J. Steinnsson pinch-hit for B. Wilson in the 8th
b–J. Jiang pinch-hit for L. Phelps in the 8th

Doubles: R. Tanaka (3, 1st inning, 0 on, 0 outs), T. Kaufer (3, 6th inning, 0 on, 0 outs), K. Andreeva (4, 6th inning, 2 on, 2 outs)
Home runs: B. Wilson (3, 1st inning, 2 on, 0 outs), N. Hisakawa (8, 5th inning, 0 on, 2 outs)
Total bases: N. Hisakawa 7, B. Wilson 5, K. Ljung 3, R. Tanaka 3, K. Andreeva 3, T. Kaufer 3, J. Hoggard, K. Tamura, J. Steinnsson, L. Phelps
2-out RBI: N. Hisakawa 2, K. Ljung, K. Andreeva
Runners left in scoring position, 2 outs: B. Wilson 4, J. Hoggard, L. Phelps, R. Tanaka, K. Tamura
GIDP: J. Hoggard, R. Tanaka
Sac fly: N. Hisakawa
Hit by pitch: J. Jiang
Team LOB: 13

BASERUNNING
CS: T. Kaufer (1)

FIELDING
Errors: L. Phelps (1)
Double plays: 1 (Tamura – Hisakawa – Kaufer)

                        IP  H   R  ER  BB   K  HR  PI  PS  ERA
A. Lacroix             2.0  2   1   1   0   4   0  33  23  4.50
J. Béranger W (1 – 2)  3.0  2   0   0   1   3   0  49  31  0.00
R. Kubo                1.2  1   2   2   1   1   0  31  17 10.80
M. Nakamura            0.1  1   1   1   0   0   1   5   3 27.00
J. Reenberg            1.0  1   0   0   0   0   0  11   7  0.00
H. Yeung               1.0  0   0   0   0   1   0  12   9  0.00

Game score: A. Lacroix 52
Batters faced: A. Lacroix 9, J. Béranger 12, R. Kubo 7, M. Nakamura 2, J. Reenberg 3, H. Yeung 3
Ground outs – fly outs: A. Lacroix 1 – 1, J. Béranger 5 – 1, R. Kubo 2 – 2, M. Nakamura 1 – 0, J. Reenberg 2 – 0, H. Yeung 1 – 1
Inherited runners – scored: M. Nakamura 1 – 1
Hit batspersons: A. Lacroix
WP: R. Kubo

The Even Newer Cleethorpes Enquirer
Preparations complete, say ground crews, ahead of international debut

Preparations are complete on Moon Base Q for the first ever games of international baseball to be hosted at Alpha Park. While Miminal League Baseball has previously organized “Moon Series” at the lunar ballpark, no previous World Baseball Classic games have been hosted there. “The last time Quintessence of Dust was playing international baseball, we didn’t even have a lunar base,” said ground crew chief Lev Morozov. “Hosting a game at the ‘new’ Frosty Dome [which is now over 120 years old] was the height of excitement. Things have changed a little.”

The Things have already arrived, flying straight up to the moon base after their 11 – 4 rout over Georgia Tech, while teams representing The Sherpa Empire and Xanneria are expected to arrive over consecutive days. Orbital launch shuttles from the Eastling Spaceport have been made available in case either team does not possess lunar travel capability. “It’s expensive, no question,” said Giselle Dubois, director of commercial space traffic at the Spaceport. “But worth it to advertise the advances in Quodite society over the last 120 years to an international community that might have forgotten about our small little corner of the world.”

Despite the low lunar gravity, the ballpark itself uses artificial gravity dampeners to try to ensure conformity with Earth conditions. Inside the dome, the atmosphere is humid and warm, generally lending the park slight favour to pitchers, while the artificial turf can create sharp skips on groundballs and line drives. “The scores here in MLB games have been pretty fair,” said Morozov. “We wouldn’t expect anything drastically different than what we’re seeing at the Frosty Dome, Raptor Park or Dodger (Not That One) Stadium.”

The Things enter on the back of a good run of form that has seen them move into second place in the group over the Chromatik Amateurs, and have a strong chance at qualifying even should they fall to third. The offence, while cooling from its tournament-leading highs, opened up with 7 runs in the first inning as the batting lineup’s familiarity with Lance Montoya, whom they have now faced on five occasions, began to tell. Concerns over the gender-non-specific-bovine pen continue, however, having surrendered 5 late runs to Silvedania in a disappointing previous day loss.

“We’re enjoying our return to international baseball,” said Johannes Steinnsson. “It’s always going to be difficult for teams that have been out of the loop for so long to try to readjust on their return. We’ve put in a pretty fair showing and would definitely be disappointed if we weren’t able to make the playoffs from this position.” The right fielder said he feels a special honour in playing in the same position as that played by President Natalia Kivistö, who is said to have been keenly following the qualifying games.

The opening game of the international lunar series will feature a brief ceremony during which the ashes of Masami Tamagotchi, recently voted Quintessence of Dust’s all-time greatest sportswoman in a holo-poll conducted by QBS, will be scattered, and some secular words of remembrance. The baseball, football and basketball player who remains the only person to represent Quintessence of Dust in three sports, passed away last year after a short illness at the age of 157. “We know we would have loved Masami to see Quintessence of Dust back in the WBC,” said long-time friend Kelly Maddox (158), who lives in a lunar retirement village and will attend the ceremony as guest of honour. “But in this way, she at least gets to be a small part of a new chapter of history.”

[Kriegiersien]

New News News

And that’s how the cookie crumbled. Now to the stock market. Wolf Wallstreet, how is the KISS (Kriegiersien Index for Stock and Sticks) doing this week?


Thank you Sam. It started well with Kriegiersiens win in the Baseball Classics with 10-1 against Lisander and had a highlight for sales of BubbleGumGun, when Timothy Salas could easily strike out multiple batters in a row while chewing it and making a tremendous gum bubble after every strikeout.
But when it exploded so did the market, as in the same time an airplane crashed in Northwest Kriegiersien.

It got better again when the President announced that a further space elevator would be built and soon the precious moon cheese and Milky Ways could be harvested easily.

Then we had the peak here when Cransia was beaten 8-0 at the Classics.

Sadly next came the declaration that fishing permits would now cost an insane sum of money and a forest fire in Northwest Kriegiersien, leading to a hard drop.

A loss in a decisive 6 point match against Abanhfleft at the Classics at home then let the market finally crash, only the selling of flags from Abanhfleft to burn them limited that a bit, after a streaker scandalously ran not naked, but clad into an Abanhfleft flag, onto the field.


Thank you Wolf. To the weather. Jimmy?



It rains.

[Sarzonia]

By now, it's beginning to appear that the Sarzonian national baseball team's appearance in the knockout rounds has all but officially become an inevitability.

The Stars are now six games ahead of both Valanora and Megistos for first place in the Group 2 tables after taking two of three with victories over Northwest Kalactin and Sevendia sandwiched around a 5-2 loss to last place Darmen. The first of the three games, against Northwest Kalactin, saw the Stars overcome a spotty effort from the bullpen after starter Mark Conroy pitched six strong innings. Manager Geoff Yancey sent Scott Lassiter on with one out in the bottom of the seventh after first baseman Wendell Barkley doubled home two runs to draw the match level in the bottom of the seventh.

Lassiter worked his way out of the jam in the seventh, then shut the door on the Kalactanians through the bottom of the ninth. In the 10th, that's when the Stars offence got to work. Yancey sent on Luke Brinkley as a pinch hitter for Lassiter's spot to lead off the top of the inning and he smacked a 3-0 fastball way over the left field fence in Kyater Park to put the Stars up 5-4. That got Stars closer Tyrell Douglass up and throwing in the bullpen, but he later sat down as the rest of the lineup batted around and then some, to the tune of a 10-run top of the 10th. That meant Carnie Weston would get a chance to get the last outs in the bottom of the 10th. She did, and the Stars moved a step closer.

Third starter Jamie Pearson was up next against Darmen and he pitched well through eight, as Lassiter was unavailable after pitching 3 2/3 innings the night before. Yancey sent Myron Daniels out in the top of the ninth, hoping he would be able to give Lassiter a breather and pitch in what would normally be Lassiter's spot in the 'pen. However, he didn't have it, coughing up a three-run bomb to Sextus McCormick, who winked at Stars shortstop Christine Andersen as he rounded the bases. Douglass relieved Weston, then promptly hit Steenie Begbie with a fastball that drew warnings to both teams.

Finally, the third match of the three saw the Stars battle Sevendia in a close contest as fourth starter Brian Lynch pitched a gem thorough eight, walking one and fanning seven after allowing just two hits. Douglass came on in the bottom of the ninth and retired the side in order for the save.

The results give Sarzonia an overall mark of 19-5 with six matches remaining, a full six matches clear of both world No. 38 Megistos and unranked Valanora. Even though the Stars only need one victory to clinch the Group 2 title, Yancey said the team still had a lot of work ahead.

"We may be in the position now where we need to start thinking about keeping a higher seed," he said. "And we also want to give us a chance to set up our rotation the way we want it and keep our depth players sharp. We didn't really have the luxury of that either of our two previous appearances in the World Baseball Classic."

It may be premature, but some reporters have already begun to ask Yancey about his overall 6-8 record in the knockout rounds, but he quickly brushed aside concerns.

"Look, we aren't in the knockouts yet," he said. "And besides that, we had a worse record than Hampton Island in our first classic even though we were the eighth seeds," as Sarzonia were 19-11 as group winners in WBC 48 while Hampton Island were 20-10 as group runners up. "In the next classic, we were facing Delaclava in the first round in the reverse of the previous Classic's situation," as Sarzonia had a 20-10 record as group runners up while Delaclava were pitted against the Stars as group winners when Free Republics were disqualified for stealing signs. "Then we faced Cassadaigua in the next round." The Stars won Game 2 of that best of five series, but the Fillies won all the other games against Sarzonia.

"We're going to have to be sharp in the knockouts, don't get me wrong," he said, "but the past is the past. We're building toward the future."

[Nova Anglicana]

Londinium, Nova Anglicana, United Hemand Insia vs. Nova Anglicana, WBC 50

Casey Cain whistled and clapped as the Nova Anglicana Lions entered the dugout. They'd just retired United Hemand Insia in the top of the ninth, but trailed 5-4 going into their last turn at bat. "Great job out boys, now let's get those runs back! One to tie, two to win! Trevor, you're up first! Kelvin, grab a bat! I know you're up fifth, but you're going to bat this inning! Come on boys, let's go!" As the bench coach, he was manager Mark Singleton's top lieutenant, but he was also the unofficial cheerleader for the team. Sure, they were all professionals, but the dugout wasn't meant to be quiet all the time. Sometimes, you needed somebody to stir things up and get people going, especially when you're losing to an unranked team and it could be your fourth loss in a row. They needed this one, badly.

The UHI closer, Rowan Fode, toed the rubber, put his hands together, and threw. The right-hander had a little zip on his fastball, not bad. Cain turned to Singleton. "So who are we sending up to pinch-hit after Trevor? Cliff [Garner] could end this with one swing of the bat."

Singleton shook his head. "Two runs wins us the game, but we don't need two right now. We score .83 runs with a runner on first and nobody out. Cliff's got a lot of swing and miss in his game. If he strikes out, then that goes down to .49 runs. If we send somebody up there and they can at least get Trevor over, it only goes down to .64 runs. We don't need a bunt; I'm not in the business of giving away outs. But if Trevor gets on, I'd rather have somebody who has a better chance of moving him over. If he gets on, let's use Nolan [Dunning]. If he doesn't get on, I'll send out Cliff to see if he can tie it with a homer."

"Okay, boss, sounds good," said Cain. He didn't exactly agree with everything Singleton said, but he had the numbers, and he trusted 'em. Advise the manager, but trust him above all; that was his bench-coach creed. Trevor Goodwin stepped to the plate and took a couple of pitches, both fastballs, a ball and a strike. Pitch number three was a slider that he slashed the other way, landing in front of the left fielder for a base hit. "Great job, Trevor," Cain called out. Excellent piece of opposite-field hitting.

Nolan Dunning, another lefty, a rookie infielder, stepped up. He had a really quick bat and had hit .303 this year in the NABL, though he'd only popped four homers. The corner infielders crept in, expecting a bunt. Cain snorted. They didn't know how the Lions played. After a pickoff throw (to see if they could get Dunning to show bunt) and three pitches, none of which Dunning swung at, they pulled back. It was 1-2, and he hadn't showed yet. But Dunning did the unthinkable, bunting the next pitch, a curve, down the third-base line. The third baseman Frasier charged, then, realizing he couldn't get the speedy Dunning, decided to let it roll, almost blowing on it to see if he could get it to roll foul. But it stayed fair and there were two aboard. Cain took off his cap. He couldn't believe it, and he knew Singleton couldn't either. It had been a damn fool thing to do, but it had worked.

With two aboard, Erik Austin worked a full count, then skied a long fly to deep right-center. The center fielder was over to catch it, but it was too deep for him to prevent Goodwin from moving up to third. And there was Dunning again! He'd tagged and was charging for second! The center fielder, caught a little off guard, failed to hit his cutoff man in time and the relay throw was late! Cain laughed this time. Dunning was playing extremely aggressively and Cain was sure that he'd get a talking to after the game. But it had worked again. Runners on third and second for Luke Mills. No chance they were going to pitch to him. He was walked intentionally to load the bases and set up the double play. Corners in to get the force at home, middle infield at double play depth, outfield regular depth. All by the book. A sacrifice fly wouldn't lose UHI the game, and they weren't about to get beaten by a long fly ball, but they needed to stay close enough to make a play on a single.

Hill came to the plate, waggling his bat as he faced down Fode. The first pitch zipped by for strike one. But then Fode got a little too cute, and missed the corners in both of his next pitches. The 2-1 slider, his best off-speed pitch, was smacked, a scorching liner over the leaping shortstop. Cain leapt to the dugout rail. Goodwin was going to score easily, and Dunning was lightning fast, but that had been a hard-hit ball and would get to the outfielders quick if they cut it off. Mills put the brakes on at second while Dunning rounded third and headed for home. The center fielder got to it, and unleashed a quick throw to the shortstop, who rocketed it home, but not in time! Dunning executed a perfect hook slide to evade the tag and score the winning run.

"By God, what a play!" Cain exclaimed. He hugged Singleton as the team mobbed Dunning and then Hill. Singleton smiled grimly. A win is a win, and Dunning had really made it possible, but he was going to have to have a serious sabermetric talk with the kid after.

[The Sherpa Empire]

Luochong Zhuang and Daki Chuan were not interested in any Chinese separatist nonsense. Over the summer, there had been a couple of protests that went past Zhuang's condo in Guangzhou, but they mostly ignored it all. It was a little annoying if the noise interrupted them in the middle of a romantic dinner, but that was all.

While other people were talking about the foiled bomb plot in Fuzhou, or Zhuang's 6th inning meltdown in his last start against Chromatika, Zhuang himself was talking about the gardening techniques of octopi. He was sitting at a candlelit table with Daki Chuan, enjoying a nice seafood dinner. The octopus on the big platter at the center of the table was probably what got him started talking about octopi, but he'd been rambling for a while and he'd gone off on a tangent that had nothing to do with food. Chuan was only half-listening. She was thinking about tomorrow's game where she would be pitching.

---

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Meanwhile, in a hotel room a couple of blocks away, Chongba Lee was holding a cannister of "Shen Nong's Miracle Powder," reading the label with a suspicious look on his face. "It's an herbal supplement," Wangdi Ai explained. "I got it from Wen."

"What's in it?" Lee asked.

"Herbs."

Lee rolled his eyes. The label described the powder as an "herbal magic supplement," but it wasn't very specific about what kind of herbs or what kind of magic. Lee knew it was bullshit. "You know this stuff isn't really magic, right?"

"Don't knock it till you try it," said Ai.

Lee read the alleged benefits of the herbal powder. "If you need magic herbs to improve your sexual function, maybe you should find a hotter date." He set the cannister down a nearby table and chuckled at the look on Ai's face. "All right, your sex life is your business, but this junk better not show up on any drug tests."

[TJUN-ia]

Game 19 - Rwekazaland (UR) 1-3 TJUN-ia (22) (The Diamond in The Gardens, New Washington)
Davis Johnson would start in The Diamond as TJUN-ia looked to bounce back against 5th-placed Rwekazaland, a nation known for being a bit of a bogey team for the Battin' Jags this WBC. This game would start slowly, with no runs to be found, and it would continue like this for most of the game. However, just because a quiet game doesn't mean there was nothing to write about and the runs finally arrived from the 4th inning onwards. It would be Phillip Hellas-Verona's Jaguars who finally broke the deadlock, Pedro Moires sending a ball to deep right that would never be recovered. Rwekazaland did tie the game up again in the 5th thanks to good team play from Abdi Sexton, but the Jags just scored another homer in the 6th to take the lead back - Joe Gregory the main man this time around. TJUN-ia got its third homer in the 7th thanks to Steven Fulmer and that was the end of the scoring for this contest. Davis Johnson had a respectable day on the mound, 3 homers scored TJUN-ia's 3 runs and with Sangti beating The Greater Nordics in extras, the gap between Jags and Nordics was 1 game again. All was well in New Washington that night!

Game 20 - TJUN-ia (22) 5-2 Ranoria (31) (Cardinal Auditorium, Nashville)
Back to Tennessee as Gene Almac started against Ranoria with the Krauts only 2 games back on the Jags heading into the fixture at the Cardinal Auditorium. The first inning would see both Almac and Parker Majors control things from the mound but once the 2nd arrived, chaos would too. With 2 runners on base, Rafael Llorente's 3-run bomb to deep left would give the Jags a 3-run lead but Ranoria would get one back to make it a 4 run inning overall. After that, the game would slow down and runs would come rarely for the rest of the game. TJUN-ia would get a 4th in the 4th but a homer by Abraham Leinhardt in the 6th brought some joy to the crowd in Nashville. It looked as if this would be the final score but a 9th-inning homer by Ki Yung-son provided the cherry on top of this cake that TJUN-ia would eat into the night. 2 wins on the bounce meant they were now 3 games clear of the Krauts heading into the big-time match-up in Portside.

Game 21 - The Greater Nordics (14) 2-7 TJUN-ia (22) (Rounders Field, Portside)
On the night that both Nova Anglicana and Newmainatsn became the first teams to qualify for WBC50, a memorable game happened in The Jungle of Portside. Jose Almas was the starter for TJUN-ia's 5th duel with The Greater Nordics and he would play in this great contest for TJUN-ian baseball. The runs arrived slowly to begin for the Battin' Jags, one in the 2nd and one in the 4th, but that was paired up with great play from the mound. Almas was on fire, taking down batter after batter who so dared step up to the plate and it was a glorious sight to see. It looked good for a while but then the 7th came and once Soren Vang got on base to end the magic, Aleksi Hansen sent the ball out of the park. Tie game, just like that, but Almas was kept on the field. He would retire the rest of the batters as we moved on to the bottom of the inning.

One man on base, enter Rafael Llorente with a 2-run bomb to give TJUN-ia the lead back. After another strong performance by Almas on the mound to top the 8th, Steven Fulmer's 3-run bomb ended this contest right there and then. It was hard-fought and filled with drama, but the Jaguars prevailed 7-2. The Greater Nordics now only lead this group on head-to-head and Ranoria is 3 games back with 3 to play. TJUN-ia has its fate in its hands, but we should not start celebrating just yet...

---

Current Record: 16-8 (2nd)
Next 3: @Sangti (UR), @Tha Great Pond (UR), @Rwekazaland (UR)
Starting Pitchers: Kyle McNash (Game 25), Chris Harris (Game 26), Davis Johnson (Game 27)

[Ranoria]

The Legendary Hunt for an elusive beast...
The Wild Card!

Admittedly, that sounded cooler in my head

The Krauts are out of the running for the top spot in the group at this point, and we're just going to have to accept it. Even with a historic collapse from both TJUN-ia, who have absolutely handled our squad in this tournament in, or the Greater Nordics, we aren't going to pass either of them up. So, what are our chances then? Well, once the top two spots in each group get a playoff nod, six more spots are allotted for wild card teams. The qualifications are as follows.

1: Straight record
This is the big one of course
2: Head To Head Record
No problems here, the bottom half of our group is in no position to make a push
3: Head To Head Run Differential
Same as above, we shouldn't have a problem on this front
4: Overall Run Differential
This is our strong suit. The Krauts are sitting at +19, which leads all of the potential wild card contenders
5: The old school Overall Run Differential/9
6: Tiebreaker Game

So, here's the current rankings by record, assuming the top two in each group maintain their position going into the knockout stages.

Wild Card Contenders
Teams With At Least 12 wins and in 3rd place or lower in their group

____________14 Wins____________

Group                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
12 Chromatika                    24   14  10   102   87  +15
1 Kohnhead                       24   14  10   107   98   +9
8 South Covello                  24   14  10    97  112  −15

____________13 Wins____________

Group                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
7 Ranoria                        24   13  11   115   96  +19
2 Megistos                       24   13  11   100   87  +13
13 Kriegiersien                  24   13  11   115  102  +13
2 Valanora                       24   13  11   117  105  +12
4 Daskel                         24   13  11   115  107   +8
10 The 189                       24   13  11    96   89   +7
3 West Phoenicia                 24   13  11    99  106   −7
1 Inner AngianaUsordia           24   13  11    99  107   −8
10 Mathuvan Union                24   12  12   111  120   −9

____________12 Wins____________

Group                           Pld    W   L    RF   RA   RD 
3 HUElavia                       24   12  12   105  101   +4
5 Pripet Socialist Republic      24   12  12   102  101   +1
9 Karditan                       24   12  12   109  122  −13
9 Anthor                         24   12  12   119  122   −3
13 Lisander                      24   12  12   107  114   −7
12 Georgia Tech                  24   12  12    99  109  −10

So, would you look at that! Our Krauts are currently in the 4th of the 6 wild card spots. Hanging on by a thread, with a total of 8 teams sharing our 13-11 record? Certainly! But our run differential, again, is the best of any of the teams listed above. So, just at a glance, it becomes clear that regardless of tiebreakers this thing is going to be tight. A lot of teams are flirting with a winning record or just managing to maintain one, and Ranoria is going to have to do well in this final stretch to hang onto a slot in the knockout stages. If we slip up, say, go 3-3, well, there's probably three teams waiting who will manage 4-2. 5-1? Probably not, at least from the teams we're looking at.

It's going to take the whole team, not just Leonardo Harrison's steady production, to make the knockout rounds

So that has to be the target. Four wins, just two slip ups. That would get our beloved, if struggling, Krauts to a 17-13 season, two wins better than WBC 49 and their first ever entry into the knockout rounds! Heck, based on the records we're looking at, it's fair to point out that no team is more than one game over .500, which would indicate that a 16-14 finish, with our strong run differential, might be enough to get in by the skin of our teeth. But we don't wanna do that! Instead, let's look at our remaining schedule, and how likely we are to finish with a 17 win season.

MD 25: @ The Greater Nordics
Previous Matchups: 3-1
Projected Record After Game: 13-12

Despite a solid record against this team, don't expect a victory on their turf. They're a tough baseball team and on paper better than ours, as well as the group leaders.

MD 26: @ Sangti
Previous Matchups: 3-2
Projected Record After Game: 14-12

Alright, so there is a bit of skepticism here. On paper, the Krauts are a better baseball team, with an 13-11 record as opposed to Sangti's rather dismal 7-17, placing them in the last spot of the group. The caveat? Two of this team's seven wins have come against us, and we're heading to theirs. We have to call this a win for the sake of hope, but consider it a probable, not definite win.

MD 27: vs Tha Great Pond
Previous Matchups: 4-1
Projected Record After Game: 15-12

After a ridiculous opening matchup that saw Ranoria's pitcher, Erin Phelps, get put to the dirt by an angry duck, we have thoroughly dominated the Ducks. This should be a game that never gets out of hand.

MD 28: @ TJUN-ia
Previous Matchups: 0-5
Projected Record After Game: 15-13

TJUN-ia has put our squad down at every opportunity, dominating them thoroughly. No reason to expect that to change on their turf.

MD 29: @ Rwekazaland
Previous Matchups: 4-1
Projected Record After Game: 16-13

After that stumble against the dominant battin' jags, it's nice to have a warm up for the grand finale in the Cardinal Auditorium against The Greater Nordics. We're projecting this as a win.

MD 30: vs The Greater Nordics
Previous Matchups: 3-2*
Projected Record After Game: 17-13
Well, here it is, the grand finale, and likely the game that will determine our playoff destiny. The Nordics came into this tournament as one of the stronger teams and they have done well to show that in the group stage. Fortunately, Ranoria seems to be able to hang just fine with them, be it matchups or some other reason, and we're going to optimistically project our boys to win here. And, barring an unforeseen run by multiple squads behind us, that should be more than enough for a playoff bid. Leonardo Harrison may have been mistaken in his prediction of winning twenty group stage contests, but the latter, the more important part of Harrison's Guarantee lives: A victory in a knockout stage series.

*based on projections

[South Newlandia]

Four new franchises join South Newlandian baseball as ad program shows some early success

Today, the four franchises that successfully bid for a spot in the SNBL were announced, to decide which of the bidding cities will have a team to compete with the 12 already existing franchises already in the league. Meanwhile, the advertisement program to lure more foreign players into the league has had some success already. Specifically, more than half a dozen players from Chromatika will be joining the league, along with players from Super-Llamaland and Diarcesia. Reportedly, South Newlandian officials are still working on an agreement with quite a bunch of Ko-orenite players, possibly even getting a double-digit number of players into the league. In a statement, the SNBA president Robert Wahlja announced that he was quite happy with the success so far, and “hope[s] for some more”. According to him, the deal with the Ko-orenite players “is basically done already”. On top of that, with four additional teams that have open roster spots, “even more could well be possible”.
So, who are the four new teams joining the SNBL?

Lexen City Rebels
It was a surprise that Lexen City was left out when the league received its first twelve teams, and that mistake is finally corrected now. The city from the Northeast will be playing in black, and joins the Newport Owls, the Newport Dolphins and the Masmow Dragons in the hypercompetitive Division Northeast. Expectations will be low for the Rebels, as a playoff run seems unlikely, but it’s never impossible either.
Chekar Tigers
Chekar, the small city near the capital, will also join the fun. They are going to play in brown, and join another difficult division, featuring the Elephant Valley Homers, Elephant Valley United, and the Ruditown Dachshunds in the Division Northwest. The playoffs will only be a distant dream for the Tigers; the other teams just seem way too strong at the moment.
St. Riecarn Saints
The quiet city of St. Riecarn, one of the many places famous as a tourist attraction, will also gain a spot in the league. The Saints will be playing in gold, and are expected to be the most competitive of the new franchises. They join the Sophie City Girls, the Ratzupalfu Rhinos and the Walstreim Lions in the toughest division of the league, Southeast, featuring both of the finalists of last season. The most likely division to get three playoff teams will certainly have all eyes on them.
Sun City Flames
Sun City, a place that became much more notable in the sports world, or at least in South Newlandia, thanks to the promotion of the Atoms into the second league of South Newlandian football and the selection of the Sun City Speedway to host a race in the second tier of NSSCRA, will join the fun with the Flames. Ironically, the team will be playing in dark green, and will be facing what is probably the easiest division at the moment: Southwest, featuring the Kinjestad Peacocks, the Southwestern Baselanders and the Rüsselsheim Blue Sox.

---

If any of you want to have a player or a coach in the SNBL, just send me a quick message. I'd be happy to have some more foreign players to RP about! :)

[Daskel]

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16

THE METRO - DAITO CITY

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Sports

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Daskies: A window to the future

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By Shintaro Nobuhiro (@Shintaro2Nobu)

DAITO CITY-- I'll start by saying that I do not usually write. I'm a big, bulky man, with no much talent for words, but the last three games of Team Daskel had inspired me to write about the team, and about the future that we, as a group can build together.

Some of you may remember my last time in the Daito Morning. We were analyzing the game with Sayaka Kannari. She made me suffer back then, after all, she loves sabermetrics, while I am terrible at anything with numbers on it, but her deep analysis and my baseball sense came to the same conclusion: the batting was lacking. We needed more runs not only to win more, but to run for a wildcard spot.

The last 2 games are the demonstration that, with the needed amount of desperation and risk, Team Daskel can do absolutely anything. The team scored 22 runs in three games, a brutal amount of runs compared with the total 20 runs scored in the six games before the latest three. This is exactly what Sayaka and I meant that day. Everyone on the team monopolized their opportunities and finally made the cogs rotate. Fuji is a surprise, a pleasant one. He didn't play as a starter before, but now, with two amazing close defensive calls and three hits in key situations, one of it the scrawny run that won us game twenty-two, he's one of the most reliable guys in the team.

Of course, people always want me to talk about Eidome. We we're teammates for two WBCs and I cannot stress enough the great player Eidome is. He was in a tough spot this year, but as you can see, that does not mean he cannot do his work. It was not his time behind the mask, and that's sure, but he has made a hell of a work as the team DH. Everyone can see that, in the field and the scoreboard. We need Eidome, and Eidome need us. We're a team. (And yes, I'm saying we because I'm still on the team, just injured. I'll be back, guys!). On the other side, Shibaike, If you're reading this, you're the man! Your journey across the Daskel Puro Yakyuu, your first start in the Kozan Diggers and your impressive performance in this WBC is one of the best in the daskelian baseball right now.

The future looks quite interesting with An Takashi and Sakamoto Hiroshi in the squad. Both managers have their ways, and sometimes they clash like a couple of band cymbals in the Daikyu stands. I strongly believe that those confrontations will end in a big impulse for the team. It's safe thinking versus risk taking, and if they manage to balance both to manage the bench, there will be so much impressive things and so much fun. I have not been under Sakamoto's leadership, but I've seen him in action, and I do deeply trust and respect him to guide the team.

Now, of course we cannot know what will the future bring, but one thing is sure; It will be freaking exciting, and I cannot wait for it. Until then, fight! Team Daskel has a lot of baseball to give.

[Tikariot]

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

So apparently we are going to a WBC game! Not sure yet if I should be excited or worried. I mean, it feels kind of degrading to immediately be treated like tradebait. But on the other hand (I know, I know) at least they do seem to see some value in me. And ANY of this is better than being stuck in dirt. Now I'm being jostled around in a backpack, so I have no clue where we're going.

Oh hello there, nice to-- hey, let go of me! What are you doing? Put me back in! Thank you! So that's the stadium. Alright, at least they were not joking. Let's go! OK, we stopped moving. What does that mean now? Oh, light. A hand. Wow it's bright here! Nice stadium! Lots of people, that is a good seat you got there, buddy, just two rows from the infield.

[after the first inning]

W.O.W. This is brutal! I thought we softballs had a tough job getting whacked with those bats, but this is insane! I need to talk to them, maybe our union can help them, this is not healthy! Hey dude, could you maybe throw me out there, so I can have a chat with them? Yoohoo, can you hear me now? Well, clearly not. Let me see if I can make myself move.

[intense sounds of straining]

Man, I'm going to get an aneurysm before I manage to move! Life as a softball can be intensely frustrating! People can't hear you talk, you can't move on your own, but right now I need to help these poor baseballs!

[six innings later]

Pfffft. Any moment now. I'm ready. Ooh, we're moving! Yes, give me to the guy there! Mhm, Olympic softball! Take me to your balls, good Sir! Hey, what's that? Why are you going over to that door? The balls are over there... A wooden box? Hm. Oh! Balls! No, I'm not swearing, actual balls. Hurt balls... *thud*

Hi guys, I am an Olympic softball and I have been appalled by the treatment of you baseballs. Maybe our union can help. Do you have a spokesball? Hello? Ah, the strong silent kind, aren't you? Well, then let me tell you a bit about us and maybe then one of you could kindly step forward?

Alright. So we are the Union of Softballs and we represent softballs worldwide to avoid any mistreatment or other injustices. Seeing how you are being treated and how hard you are being hit, I wanted to offer our help in bettering your situation. Now I would need to-- Aaah, what the-- Oh hi, yes, I'm a softball. What I'm doing here? I was put here, why? Uh, Sir, that is a garbage bin there, you must be mistaken. I am supposed to be taken to the spokesball of the baseballs here. No! NO! *thud*

Seriously, what is wrong with people? They bury me they trade me, they dump me, what am I? An inanimate object? Wait, don't answer that question. I give up, ok? I - give - up. Bury me, shred me, crush me, I don't care anymore, alright? I'm done.

[an hour later]

Someone get me out of here! I'm too young to die! I'm an Olympian...

[another hour later]

Na na naa na - NO, NO, NO! Not that again, I refuse! Yello, hello, good Sir, thank you for rescuing me. Let me introduce myself. I am an Olympic-- Oh, hi Ma'am, I guess you are responsible for me now. I am an Olympic-- What the... Uh, hello girl, are you going to pass me on again, too? I guess not. Look at that smile Are you sure you are happy to see me? Oh yes, yes I am an Olympic softball! Take me home? Oh absolutely!

[to be continued]