World Baseball Classic 47 Everything Thread

by **Free Republics** » Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:41 pm

World Baseball Classic 47: Free Republics

Welcome to the 47th World Baseball Classic! Teams from 42 nations will soon compete, with the best 16 traveling to the Free Republics to determine the best baseball team in the multiverse. For some of those teams, this is their first time competing in the most prestigious international baseball tournament. For others, this is just another chapter in a long series of tournaments. For the Free Republics, this is an opportunity to defend our World Baseball Classic 46 title on our home soil. OOCly, this tournament marks the return of style modifiers and park factors to the World Baseball Classic. This tournament also marks the WBC debut of the Casaran format. Teams will play 8 series of 2 home games and 2 road games. Below, you will find a list of all nations that are signed up for this tournament. Their rankings and pots for the Series 1 draw are available in the 2nd post.

Participating Nations

A Mushroom Kingdom (UR)
Abanhfleft (18)
Aeprelh (UR)
Anthor (29)
Banija (7)
Bliuji (UR)
Bolgano (UR)
Cassadaigua (1)
Chromatika (UR)
Damukuni (UR)
Devonta (34)
Drawkland (20)
Equestrian States (19)
Ethane (10)
Free Republics (2)
Furby Island (UR)
Greater Cebu (UR)
HUElavia (UR)
Hampton Island (8)
Hapilopper (28)
Joshenia (UR)
Kita-Hinode (45)
Ko-oren (9)
Lisander (22)
Liventia (12)
Nazi Flower Power (UR)
Newmanistan (3)
Nooooooooooooooo (UR)
Nova Anglicana (11)
Rusticus (UR)
Saintland (24)
South Covello (31)
St Saratoga (27)
Terre Septentrionale (UR)
The Greater Nordics (17)
The Royal Kingdom of Quebec (66)
The Sarian (UR)
The Sherpa Empire (6)
Tornado Queendom (32)
Volinovia (UR)
West Phoenicia (4)
Xanneria (26)

The format for this WBC will be a Casaran, with each team playing a total of 32 games in the Casaran stage against 8 opponents (2 home and 2 away). Matchups will be determined based upon each team's record with teams being matched against teams that have similar records. A strict no Casaran stage rematches rule will be in effect. The top 16 teams in the final standings will advance to the Playoffs which will be seeded based upon the final Casaran stage standings. Should there be a tie for 16th and 17th place at the end of the Casaran stage, the tied teams will be guaranteed at least a tiebreaker playoff game in the Free Republics for a spot in the Round of 16. The tiebreaker format is described in more detail in the host bid.

The first series will be scorinated on MONDAY, OCTOBER 14th at the earliest. You may post your rosters and RPs at any time. Please use the WBC Discussion Thread for purely OOC posts and comments and reserve this thread for rosters, RPs and results.

If you wish to use umpires in your RPs, we do have an Umpire Thread, which has (unfortunately) not been used in a long time. If you wish to add umpires to this thread, feel free to do so.

Rosters

Rosters are a list of your players, the positions they occupy and your team's home stadium(s). This can also include statistics, both personal and about their play, as well as their handedness, stengths and weaknesses, uniforms, nicknames, coaches, or anything else you find appropriate. You can find examples of rosters in last WBC's thread, starting here and continuing for the remainder of the first page.

Rosters are appreciated and there will be a roster bonus for nations that post rosters. Rosters may include a RP permissions box (godmodding, injuries, choosing scorers, etc.) if players want to put restrictions on the roleplaying of their characters. Here is an RP box form that you could copy and paste into your roster post:

Code: Select all: My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following: Choose my runscorers: Yes/No Choose my lineup: Yes/No Follow my pitching rotation: Yes/No Godmod scoring events: Yes/No RP injuries to my players: Yes/No Godmod injuries to my players: Yes/No Eject my players: Yes/No Godmod other events: Yes/No Use DH at home: Yes/No Style Modifier: Park Factor:

RP permissions boxes will only be enforced by the host if a roster is posted with them. Involving the host in an RP permissions dispute should be a last resort. Please make an attempt to address the issue before getting me involved. If you're planning to RP anything that might be borderline regarding somebody's RP permissions, please discuss it with them first.

Style Modifiers and Park Factors

Baseinator utilizes style modifiers and park factors. The style modifiers work like style modifiers everywhere else is NS Sports. Any number between -5 and 5 (including decimal numbers such as -3.14 and 3.14) is a valid style modifier. Negative numbers signify a team built around pitching and defense while positive numbers signify a team built around hitting. Baseinator style modifiers do not alter the margin of victory under any circumstances, so there is no need to worry about the effects of choosing positive or negative modifiers on your team's run difference. Instead, they add or subtract runs from both teams. A style mod of -5 is the most pitching-oriented while a style mod of 5 is the most hitting-oriented. A style mod of 0 is considered neutral (a team equally balanced between pitching/defense and hitting).

Park factors work slightly differently. The park factor is a number reflecting the home team's ballpark, which acts as an additional style modifier. Park factors range from 50 to 200, with 100 signifying a neutral ballpark. A park factor near 200 signifies a park comparable to RL Coors Field from the 1990s. A park factor near 50 signifies a pitchers park as extreme as 1990s Coors Field. You may find a list of RL park factors useful. You may specify up to 8 park factors (one for your home games during each series) provided that your team plays each series in a different ballpark. You may not specify 2 different park factors for the same series as I will be scorinating the entire series at the same time. During the playoffs, the park factors for my ballparks will be in use.

New to baseball RPing, or sports RPing in general?

If you're new to sports RPing in general, please read this thread, as it provides a great guide for what you need to know. If you have any questions, you can send a TG to Free Republics, post on the WBC Discussion Thread, or on the Sports Roleplaying Questions thread. You can also utilize the NS Sports Discord to either contact me or ask questions.

One thing unique to baseball is the designated hitter, a feature often confusing to newcomers. For explanation, I turn to Equestrian States' concise summary:

Equestrian States wrote:The Designated Hitter (DH) Rule is an aspect that is unique to baseball here on NS Sports. In short, the DH rule allows for teams to designate a player to bat for their pitcher, generally giving teams more flexibility when at bat. For more information on the DH rule and its implementation, please refer to the Wikipedia article on the subject, as it goes into far more detail than I can here. In regards to the WBC, the DH rule is only used if the home team uses a DH. If the home team does not use a DH, neither team will use the DH, regardless of the away team’s preference. If the home team has not specified (in their roster or an RP) whether they use a DH or not, the first participant to RP will dictate the use/nonuse of the DH in that game.

IC information, as well as the group draw, is provided in the posts below.

Helpful Links
World Baseball Classic Discussion Thread
My bid
Signup Thread

by **Free Republics** » Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:42 pm

Schedule

Monday October 14th: Series 1
Tuesday October 15th: Series 2
Wednesday October 16th: Series 3
Thursday October 17th: Series 4
Friday October 18th: Series 5
Saturday October 19th: Scheduled Off Day
Sunday October 20th: Series 6
Monday October 21st: Series 7
Tuesday October 22nd: Series 8
Wednesday October 23rd: Scheduled Off Day
Thursday October 24th: Tiebreaker Game
Friday October 25th: Unscheduled Off Day
Saturday October 26th: Unscheduled Off Day
Sunday October 27th: Round of 16 Games 1 and 2
Monday October 28th: Round of 16 Games 3 and 4
Tuesday October 29th: Round of 16 Game 5
Wednesday October 30th: Quarterfinals Games 1 and 2
Thursday October 31st: Unscheduled Off Day
Friday November 1st: Quarterfinals Games 3 and 4
Saturday November 2nd: Quarterfinals Game 5 (not necessary)
Sunday November 3rd: Semifinals Games 1 and 2
Monday November 4th: Semifinals Games 3 and 4
Tuesday November 5th: Semifinals Game 5
Wednesday November 6th: Finals Game 1/3rd Place Series Games 1 and 2
Thursday November 7th: Finals Game 2/3rd Place Series Games 3 and 4
Friday November 8th: Finals Game 3/3rd Place Series Game 5
Saturday November 9th: Finals Game 4
Sunday November 10th: Finals Game 5
Monday November 11th: Finals Game 6
Tuesday November 12th: Finals Game 7

*The 23rd and 24th are reserved for potential tiebreaker games.

The above is subject to change based upon my RL schedule. The start of the following playoff series may also be moved up a day if no game 5 is necessary.

CUTOFF TIME: 7-9 PM Eastern (this will be Eastern Daylight Time to start but will become Eastern Standard Time whenever the US changes clocks)

Series 8 Schedule

Ko-oren v. Free Republics*
Banija v. Hampton Island*
Abanhfleft v. The Greater Nordics*
Nova Anglicana v. Ethane*
Liventia v. Drawkland*
Saintland v. Cassadaigua
Newmanistan v. Lisander
The Sherpa Empire v. Hapilopper*
Equestrian States v. Anthor*
A Mushroom Kingdom v. South Covello
Xanneria v. Kita-Hinode
The Royal Kingdom of Quebec v. The Sarian
Nazi Flower Power v. Rusticus*
Bolgano v. Devonta*
Greater Cebu v. Aeprelh*
West Phoenicia v. St Saratoga
Chromatika v. Tornado Queendom*
Terre Septentrionale v. Joshenia
Bliuji v. Furby Island
Damukuni v. Volinovia
HUElavia v. Nooooooooooooooo

*Matchups adjusted to avoid rematches

by **Free Republics** » Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:45 pm

Free Republics National Information

History of the Free Republics

The Federation of Free Republics was formed in 1767, following decades of revolutions in the Lunia region. In the previous few decades, there had been a wave of revolutions. The ideas of liberalism had become popular in the region, as Abram Schmitts, an economist from Shostistan, wrote several books promoting the benefits of capitalizm. Soon, absolute monarchies fell throughout the Lunia region. The Kingdom of Saintland remained unaffected by this wave of revolutions, due to its self-imposed isolation.

Following the revolutions, there were now many Republics scattered throughout the region. These Republics faced seemingly constant attempts from reactionary elements to reverse the revolution and bring back absolute monarchy. They also had trouble trading and communicating with one another. The newly free, with a lowercase f, Republics had numerous antiquated laws and contradictory systems of measurement in effect. A foot in Vorita was 2 feet in Amolotopia and a meter in Roxawa was a decimeter in Nejax. It was a total mess all around. This mess was made even worse by the multitude of languages spoken in the different Republics. As they sought to eliminate trade barriers and forge closer ties between one another, their efforts resulted in confusion. In the days of absolute monarchy, the inability to speak one another's language was a benefit, since kings were always waging wars against one another. However, as the Industrial Revolution heated up and brought an unprecedented degree of prosperity to the land, they could no longer maintain separate languages, separate measurements and the arcane laws and regulations that were hindering commerce in the region.

Then, a rebellion broke out in the Republic of Roxawa. The rebels sought to abolish all property, all laws and even government itself. Rampaging around the countryside, they attacked government buildings, vandalized property and stole whatever they felt like. All the while, they spoke of total freedom. Terrifying the Republic's well-armed militia into inaction, the rebel crime spree continued for weeks. Fear spread throughout the region that other "rebellions" of this sort would soon break out, providing the perfect excuse for the Federationists. The leaders of 77 Republics throughout the region agreed to send delegates to the city of Baseton in Amolotopia to discuss an appropriate response to the rebellion. This was a pretext, which was seized upon by the Federationists to push their "Constitution" scheme.

The Federationists proposed that a document called a "Constitution" would establish a new unified government of all of the Republics, known as the Federation Government. This would be a relatively weak government, as the Republics would remain mostly autonomous and generally free to do as they wished in governing themselves. The Federation Government would have an enumerated list of responsibilities, such as promoting commerce, maintaining a common foreign policy and common immigration policy and several other minor tasks, such as the option to establish a national postal system.

The Constitution guaranteed a number of fundamental rights. Among them are the rights to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion and the right to own weapons for the defense not only of oneself and of the Federation, but also against tyranny. Other provisions of the Constitution prohibited unreasonable searches, cruel and unusual punishments and double jeopardy. The document also included a strict prohibition on the practice of slavery and declared immediately and permanently free any "slave" that was brought within any territory subject to the Free Republics. The Federation Government has the power to pass any legislation it deems necessary to free slaves. While ratification was controversial, due to the feeling among many people that the Federation Government was too powerful, it was eventually ratified by the electorate in each of the original 77 Republics. Today, there are the number of Republics in the Federation is well into the hundreds.

The Constitution created a bicameral Legislature and an executive branch where power is shared equally by the 2 heads of state. The Assembly is the popularly elected branch of the Legislature. Originally, it used a first-past-the-post system, but this was later changed to proportional representation after political parties and coalitions became the norm. The entire Assembly has always been up for re-election every second year. The Senate, by contrast, is a purely appointed branch and Senators serve for life terms. When a Senator is elected to another office, he becomes an inactive Senator, but other than such periods when he may serve in other offices, he is a Senator for life, without exception. Each Republic may appoint a new Senator every second year and Senators are appointed in the same years when Assembly elections are held. Finally, the Consuls are elected to 8 year terms, with a new Consul elected every 4th year. This means that every other Assembly election is held simultaneously with a Consul election. The Constitution prohibits any Consul from serving more than a single term per lifetime. Originally, Consuls were also elected first-past-the-post, but that has since changed to a 3 round system. In the first round, the top 2 candidates, plus any other candidates that get at least 10 percent of the vote advance, assuming that no candidate gets a majority of the vote. The second round sees the top 2 candidates advance, again assuming that nobody wins a majority of the votes cast. In the third and final round, whoever wins the majority of votes cast is elected. Both Consuls have and have always had full power to veto any act of the other and former Consuls automatically become Senators upon the expiration of their term in office.

The government of the Free Republics quickly moved to standardize the system of measurements used throughout the Federation and adopt English as the national language. To help transition the Federation to an English-speaking nation, the Federation Government established a system of schools funded by the Federation Government, which ensured that the next generation would speak English and identify themselves as Republicans, rather than identifying themselves by their home Republic and speaking their Republic's native language. A substantial minority of parents resisted this effort, but children were allowed to go to school and learn English, whether or not they had parental permission. By 1830, almost everybody spoke English and identified as a Republican, not an Amolotopian, Roxawan, Voritan, Schost or whatever the demonym was for their home Republic. This brought about a more unified society. Around this time, education was returned to the Republics, most of which eventually adopted a voucher based system.

The government also banned trade barriers between Republics. This was an expected and noncontroversial move. The funding of the government by a tariff also proved uncontroversial, since politicians generally agreed that the tariff should be limited to revenue only and not used to "protect" industries from competition. However, an income tax was eventually adopted as foreign imports began to dry up. The Republican economy was simply too much of a powerhouse to justify importing goods from abroad. Discontent with the income tax grew as the government kept pushing it higher and higher. Finally, Paul Musgrove ran for Consul on a platform of capping all taxes at 10 percent of income. After his election, the amendment passed both the Assembly and the Senate before being sent directly to referendum. Voters in every Republic overwhelmingly voted for it and it became a popular amendment.

In the 20th century, the Free Republics became even more of an economic powerhouse, thanks to the capitalizt economic system. Business thrived in the FFR, as the nation became progressively wealthier. Over the years, the FFR has expanded its territory while remaining on the cutting edge of technological advancement. In the present day, the Free Republics have a population in the billions and are one of the wealthiest nations in the multiverse, with a correspondingly high rate of income inequality. The exact population of the Free Republics is unknown, due to a Constitutional amendment adopted in 1934, which prohibited the taking of a Census by any entity, whether governmental or otherwise.

Several years ago, the Free Republics were left leaderless following the death of both Consuls within the span of a few months, one of them via assassination. In the chaos, Reino Kulseth of the Holy Party was elected Consul and gradually obtained dictatorial power for himself at the expense of the nation's Republican institutions. Kulseth established a tyrannical government that passed laws against lying (despite routinely lying to their own people) and mandating the use of the word "thou" instead of you in most circumstances. Kulseth dragged the nation into a large-scale war that proved extremely costly for both sides and which led to his downfall.

In the end, the Republican people rose up against Kulseth and, aligned with several foreign armies, brought down Kulseth's "Holy Republican Empire" and brought back the Federation of Free Republics. Robert Nicholls, the father of Veleik Nicholls (leader of the popular revolt) and owner of Nicholls Enterprises, was named the new Acting Consul until such time as the normal electoral process could elect his replacement. However, the following election led to the rise to power of another tyrant, Consul Caleb O'Reilly, who jailed Acting Consul Nicholls and basically turned over control of the country to a hivemind of robots which oppressed the people of the nation until one day when hackers disabled the robots and Consul O'Reilly resigned from office, claiming to have been under hypnosis during his entire time as Consul. In the aftermath, Consul Nicholls was restored to power as the Senior Consul as the FFR geared up for another election. Consul Nicholls intended to spend his time as Consul restoring the Free Republics to its former glory and was relieved that the Republican people selected retired soccer player and current professional wrestler Kyle Bolton to be their new Junior Consul in the election.

Unfortunately, the left-wing extremists in a handful of Republics, who had previously scared many Republicans into voting for Kulseth and O'Reilly, rose up in a wave of anarchistic street violence. When the Federation Government adopted measures to stop the violence, the 32 Republics they controlled seceded from the Free Republics and declared themselves a Confederacy of Leftist Republics, which quickly became a state sponsor of terror. Consul Nicholls waged war against this rebellion and ultimately defeated them. After the conclusion of this short-lived civil war, Consul Nicholls introduced "charter societies" located in the 32 former Leftist Republics and sold off ownership of these autonomous societies, whose residents are prohibited from participating in Federation Government elections or sending any representation to Republica, to the highest bidding political extremist groups in an effort to address the FFR's political extremism problem once and for all.

With the extremist groups largely exiled to the charter societies, political stability has improved in the nation. This quickly bore some fruit with the decision by the Free Republics to join the Reichsburg Free Trade Agreement and negotiate other free trade agreements with the various nations of the multiverse. Scarlett Nicholls was elected as the new Consul 2 years ago and has focused on a moderate socially progressive agenda, highlighted by her successful effort to legalize same-sex marriage, her push for gender equality in Republican society and her support of the FFR's famous sex-positive culture.

Transportation

Just about every mode of transportation is an option in the Free Republics. Visitors for the Baptism of Fire may arrive at any seaport or airport in the Free Republics. Planes and ships may also be used to travel between cities. As the Free Republics spans 4 continents and many thousands of miles, the use of planes is recommended for long-distance travel.

Several private companies offer high speed rail between cities. It is possible to travel through most of the Free Republics on high-speed rail, although in some places you may have to walk across the city to a competing company's station to go to your desired destination. There is a high speed rail network across the Malifornia Charter Society.

The use of bicycles, although unregulated, is not recommended. The Free Republics are simply too vast a nation, so players and fans that travel by bike risk missing a match altogether.

Taxis are available in every city that will be hosting Baptism of FIre games. Most bus services cover a radius of less than 100 miles, so the use of buses is only recommended for short distance travel.

Automobiles are legal in the Free Republics and can be rented near any airport or seaport. Travel by automobile is possible to any nation located on one of the 4 continents upon which the Free Republics are located. However, as the Republican continents are located in Lunia, it is not possible to travel by automobile to-or-from the Free Republics and any other nation participating in the Baptism of Fire. Anybody who intends to rent a car is strongly encouraged to get a Republican drivers license, as foreign drivers licenses are only recognized in certain Republics. Most Republics will hand out a drivers license to anybody that applies and passes the driving test. The difficulty of these tests varies greatly by Republics. The test in Nejax is notoriously easy while the test in Amolotopia is notorious as one of the most difficult. Despite this, all Republics are required by Federation law to recognize out-of-Republic drivers licenses as valid. A wide variety of cars are commonly available in the Free Republics, such as SUVs, sports cars and pick-up trucks. Those that have money to burn may rent luxury cars or limos. The vast majority of cars on the road are produced in the Free Republics. Many roads, especially long distance roads, are underfunded and in poor condition, so planes and high speed rail are much more popular in the Free Republics.

Lodging

There are numerous hotel firms throughout the Free Republics. Participating nations will be required to pay for their own lodging. We encourage participating teams to visit hotels.co.republica and purchase rooms before the rush. Those that wait may very well end up staying in a cheap motel with holes in the walls and bedbugs under the sheets.

Those national teams that do not wish to stay in hotels may stay at campgrounds outside of the host city.

Weather

The Free Republics has a varied climate but as the World Baseball Classic will be held during the summer, there will be warm weather everywhere for the duration of the competition. Rain and thunderstorms may or may not make an appearance as well.

Language

The official language of the Free Republics is English and all government documents are printed in English. Most private businesses do not print anything in a non-English language. While the rise of xenophobia in the Free Republics has subsided, most Republicans still don't speak any languages other than English. The most common foreign language spoken in the Free Republics is Latin, due to the influence of the Church of Saintland in recent years, but its use is currently frowned upon outside of the Malifornia Charter Society because of the language's association with the former Kulseth dictatorship.

Currency

The Republican Thaler is the only widely accepted currency in the Free Republics. Financial institutions are generally willing to change Sanctii bullion, Acedonian Aces or Universal Standard Dollars into Thalers. Due to the large number of currencies in the world, it is impossible for financial institutions in the Free Republics to keep track of all of them. Therefore, it is highly recommend that everybody visiting the Free Republics get their currency converted into Thalers, USDs or bullion before entering the Free Republics. Non-Republican Thalers, such as the now-defunct Taxachusetts Thaler (which was notorious for its extremely high inflation rates), are not accepted as currency in the Free Republics and are not convertible into Republican Thalers.

Entertainment

There are a plethora of entertainment options in the Free Republics. Every quality hotel room comes equipped with cable or satellite television, including thousands of channels and an interactive program guide. No matter what your preferences, you can probably find something on Republican television that you'd want to watch. If you can't find anything to watch on TV, you can always log on to Sanctustube, a video sharing website from Saintland, and browse the uncensored version of the site, which has (illegal) copies of just about every television program and movie in the multiverse.

Virtually every town in the Free Republics includes a movie theater, which is a popular social hangout. Tickets are relatively inexpensive, to keep an endless flow of teenagers coming into the movie theaters. Concerts are held in the major cities on a near-daily basis and there are several popular groups in each major genre.

Nightclubs and bars are available in virtually every village, town or city in the entire Federation. The local laws do differ, but most Republics will allow anybody over the age of 15 or so to enter a bar or nightclub. Strip clubs and brothels are also popular, although the regulation of those establishments greatly differs in each Republic. Women should be forewarned that the definition of consent in the Free Republics tends to be somewhat looser than they may be used to. In particular, Republican law regards intoxicated individuals as 100% capable of giving consent to the same extent as sober individuals and holds such individuals fully responsible for their actions and choices while intoxicated. Republican law also applies a "reasonable belief" test under which non-consensual sex is lawful if the consenting party has a "reasonable belief" that the other party is consenting. Many bars and clubs also sell marijuana, which is legal throughout most of the Free Republics (despite the efforts of the Outlaw Marijuana Party to change this).

In the past, pro wrestling has been a popular form of entertainment in the Free Republics, especially among guys between the ages of 13 and 30. The wrestling company in the Free Republics put on extremely violent and sexualized shows. As their shows grew more explicit, their ratings steadily increased to the point where they were once of the most popular programs on television in the Free Republics. The Republican Wrestling Conglomerate attempted international expansion at one time, but the rise of Consul Kulseth and the restrictions he imposed on the content of their programming eventually drove them out of business. Abelino Sagese, their former owner, established the New Republican Wrestling Conglomerate, but it is not quite as popular yet as its predecessor. The issues of the NRWC have been exacerbated by its recent decision to fire an executive because his wife was a vocal critic of certain radical forms of Christianity on social media. This inspired the National Baseball Team to launch a campaign called "Stand Up to Sexism" to promote gender equality in Republican sports and eventually forced the NRWC to back down, apologize and offer the executive his job back. All-Taiyou Pro Wrestling of Noburu Taiyou has recently attempted to enter the Republican market and even held a number of events in major arenas earlier this year after purchasing arena dates from the National Basketball Team due to the numerous delays of this year's IBC tournament.

Republican entertainment has been hit hard by the Kulseth and O'Reilly regimes, but businesses in that sector are currently trying to revive it. The Republican video game industry, long dominated by the RepublicSoft Saint, a device created as part of a partnership between RepublicSoft and the Sanctii government, has been hit particularly hard due to RepublicSoft's extremely close ties to the Kulseth regime. Republican gamers are currently enjoying the Miktondo Flip, a Taiyouese import that was the first to release of a new generation of handheld gaming devices while increasing numbers of Republican computer users have begun migrating to open source alternatives to RepublicSoft's Doors operating system and Citrus Computing's cOS mobile operating system, particularly after the free upgrade to Doors 12 was discovered to contain numerous backdoors designed to aid the efforts of the Kulseth government to spy on its citizens and Citrus Computing was discovered to have collaborated with the O'Reilly regime. Even Googol's Cyborg mobile OS has come under much criticism of late for overly restricting the freedom of its users. One of the more popular open source operating systems is Perestroika.
Important Laws

For the most part, visiting teams and fans will not have to worry about any unusual laws in the Free Republics. While public nudity statutes remain on the books in many Republics and around half of the Republics restrict the use of hard drugs, pornography, prostitution, alcohol, tobacco and cannabis are generally legal. In fact, pornography is legal everywhere in the FFR, as it is recognized by the Federation courts as freedom of speech. While many of these activities were barred at the request of the Kulseth regime and later barred again by the O'Reilly regime, there has been a push since the fall of the dictatorships to legalize them as widely as possible. However, laws against abortion tend to vary between Republics and some Republics have made it a crime to utilize their transportation infrastructure to travel to another Republic to procure an abortion. Public opposition to abortion has been growing in recent years, so more and more Republics are passing laws restricting or outlawing abortion.

Some Republics have their share of silly laws. The Constitutional provision prohibiting "cruel and unusual punishment" does not have as strong of an effect as you might expect because the Federation courts use an 18th century definition of cruel and unusual punishment. While nobody's going to be hung, drawn and quartered or tortured for evidence, several backwater Republics do practice some rather bizarre punishments for crimes. If you're going to run into any legal problems, it will probably be in some backwater Republic, since they have historically been the main power base of extremist politicians in the Free Republics. You may also run into problems in the charter societies as they are not required to follow the Federation Constitution and are generally run by extremist groups. Even under the Kulseth and O'Reilly Consulships, the federal system remained largely intact, so many of these extremist politicians have been in power since the days before Kulseth's rise.

In particular, women visiting the Free Republics should be mindful that sexual consent is defined slightly more broadly than they may be used to. The Free Republics has traditionally had a very sex-positive culture for the most part and has tended to be suspicious at times regarding the reliability of accusations of sexual crimes. The different sexual norms in the Free Republics have caused several international incidents in the past. Sexual norms changed during the Kulseth regime and have yet to fully return to the way that they were. Given Kulseth's popularity among Republican women, it is doubtful that the old sexual culture will ever be fully restored but there are many Republicans who long for a return to normalcy, including the old sexual norms, and the nightlife industry is currently bigger and more successful than it has been at any point since the rise of Kulseth.

Stadiums

Family Farmers Field

Family Farmers Field is an open-air natural grass ballpark located in Mortonsville, Exastrium in the central portion of the Free Republics. The left field fence is 313 feet away, the right field fence is 289 feet away and the center field fence is 413 feet away. The ballpark seats 37,809 and is the home of the Mortonsville Monsters of the X Baseball League. The park factor is 114.

RayDome

The RayDome is located in Doranto, Contoria and seats 72,469. Contoria is a southern Republic. The RayDome is the home of the Doranto SunRays. The SunRays are one of the more accomplished (gridiron) football teams in the FFR. The RayDome has a fully transparent roof and is an architectural marvel. The RayDome also hosts the Doranto Phoenixes baseball team. The fences are 328 feet away down the lines and 400 feet away in center. The park factor is 99.

General Milani Park

General Milani Park, located near the Army Academy campus in East Point, Orlandiana, is the home ballpark of the Army Academy Cadets baseball team. It is a natural grass park with fences at 325 (left), 380 (left-center), 407 (center), 377 (right-center) and 323 (right) with a capacity of 51,789. The park factor is 101. Orlandiana is a mid-northern republic and East Point is located about an hour's drive to the east of New City. General Milani is a famous general who led the land invasion of Noburu Taiyou during the war that led to their becoming a Republican colony.

National Organization for Men Stadium

Named after the National Organization for Men (NOM), National Organization for Men Stadium is a mid-size cookie cutter stadium located in Estonopolis, Keronama. NOM is a controversial, but politically powerful organization which advocates for the rights of men in the Free Republics. The stadium seats 58,534 and has an artificial turf surface. The fences are 335 feet to the corners and 408 feet to center. The park factor is 92. Keronama is toward the eastern part of the Free Republics.

Nicholls Air Park

Nicholls Air Park, located in Baseton, Amolotopia in the northern Free Republics, is an open-air natural grass ballpark modeled after classic ballparks. It is the home of the XBL's Baseton Bullies and has a capacity of 47,321. The fences are 329 feet to left, 298 to right and 404 to center. The park factor is 108. Nicholls Air is a subsidiary of Nicholls Enterprises, the company owned by Consul Nicholls, that provides flights throughout the Free Republics and the multiverse.

MingleDome

The MingleDome, named after popular dating app Mingle, is a domed stadium in Latroit, Yorkoba that was built as a multi-purpose domed stadium. It is the home of the Latroit Ligers, Latroit's team in the Yorkoba Baseball League. The fences are 330 feet away to the corners and 400 feet to center. Foul territory is massive and advertisements on the center-field fence further obstruct the vision of hitters, making this stadium one of the most famous pitchers parks in the FFR. It has a park factor of 72 and a capacity of 73,203.

Kountry Bank Stadium

Located in Albertope, Roxawa, Kountry Bank Stadium is a multipurpose stadium that seats 83,802 which was once known as Church of Saintland Stadium. The Church of Saintland chose not to renew the naming rights to the stadium and those were picked up by Kountry Bank, a regional financial institution. The Republic of Roxawa is one of the southern Republics. The fences are 330 feet to the corners and 406 to center. The park factor is 95.

Island Park

Island Park is located in the city of Toakameau, located in the island Republic of Falatulu and seats 51,882. Falatulu consists of several small islands off the southern coast of the Free Republics. The Republic is known for its libertine lifestyle and for its high levels of political apathy. The Falatuluan lifestyle is a non-stop party, making the Republic a popular vacation destination. Free love is practiced by the majority of Falatuluans and drug use is rampant on the islands. With a tropical climate, its always warm and its almost always sunny on the islands. During the O'Reilly regime, Falatulu declared its independence, but it has since rejoined the FFR. Toakameau is the only major city in Falatulu. The fences are 321 feet to left, 323 feet to right and 393 feet to center. Due to the high altitude on the islands of Falatulu, the park factor is 132.

Miktondo Flip Park

Miktondo Flip Park is located in Borotia, Iodara. Iodara is a western Republic, located in the middle of a mountain range. The city of Borotia is located in a valley between mountains. Iodara is relatively lightly populated and the Republic's populace tends to be very self-reliant and skeptical of outsiders. The fences are 283 feet to left, 462 feet to center and 324 feet to right. The park factor is 102. The capacity is 53,886.

Church of Technicology Stadium

Located in Tarita, Quartona, Church of Technicology Stadium is an otherwise unspectacular 61,403 cookie-cutter stadium that is mainly known for being named after the Church of Technicology, a religion founded by a failed science fiction writer named J.Q. Caballero. Widely considered a scam masquerading as a religion, the Church of Technicology has nonetheless managed to gain a following among some celebrities. They are mostly famous for their litigiousness, including a lawsuit against the leading domain name registrar in the Free Republics that was literally laughed out of court by a judge, on national television. Quartona is located in the north-western portion of the Free Republics. The fences are 335 feet to the corners and 412 to center. The park factor is 96.

Horn Field

Located on the campus of the University of Nejax in Goldberg, Nejax, Horn Field is proof that everything is bigger in Nejax. This massive ballpark seats 84,201 and has a spacious playing field that reduces home runs dramatically but turns many singles into doubles and doubles into triples. The fences are 346 feet to the corners, 419 to left and right center and 444 to center. The park factor is 117. Horn Field is the home stadium of the Nejax Horns, one of the most storied college baseball programs in the Free Republics. Nejax is a southern Republic. Nejax has acquired somewhat of an international notoriety in the past.

Federation Post Park

Located in Shottsburg, Shostistan, Federation Post Park is the home of the Shottsburg Sharpshooters. This retro-style park seats 53,201 and is noted for its tiny foul territory. The fences are 308 feet away in left, 312 in right and 388 in center. The park factor is 107. Shostistan is located in the north-eastern Free Republics. Federation Post was once part of the Federation Government but has been privatized. While they are no longer a monopoly, they remain a popular option for sending mail.

RepublicSoft Stadium

RepublicSoft Stadium is located in New City, Orlandiana. New City is believed to be the most populous city in the Free Republics, but RepublicSoft Stadium seats just 42,282. Ticket prices are notoriously high at RepublicSoft Stadium and many believe that the capacity was kept deliberately low to draw a wealthier audience to the stadium in New City. RepublicSoft is a computer company in the Free Republics. They make the Doors operating system, which was once the most popular OS in the Lunia region. One most recent version of Doors, Doors 12, became notorious for containing backdoors that allowed Consul Kulseth to hack into people's computers. RepublicSoft is also well known for their line of office software. However, they are most widely known as the co-creators of the Saint, along with Royal Computer Entertainment of Saintland (RCES) and were the producers of most of the first-party software for the Saint. Orlandiana is a mid-northern Republic. RepublicSoft Stadium's playing field is spacious, with large foul territory and fences positioned 341 feet away at the corners and 421 feet back in center. The park factor is 82.

BearOil Park

BearOil Park is located in Petrograd, Plymouth. Its surface is a special genetically engineered grass called BearGrass designed to be weather-resistant. BearOil, which is based out of Petrograd, is the largest and most profitable oil company in the Free Republics. The fences are 299 feet to the corners and 399 to center, with a park factor of 102.

AllMartDome

Located in Reco, Jolarus, the AllMartDome is an 88,234 seat stadium. Sponsored by AllMart, the leading big box store in the Free Republics, the AllMartDome is a multi-purpose domed stadium used for soccer, football, baseball and several other sports, as well as conventions. A giant green and yellow AllMart logo is one of the stadium's defining features, along with its transparent roof, which permits a natural grass surface to be installed inside of a domed stadium. Jolarus is a socially conservative Republic located in the central part of the Free Republics. Its fences are 325 feet to the corners and 402 feet to center. The park factor is 96.

Nail Frolov Colosseum

The Nail Frolov Colosseum, located in Santangiago, Perotutia, is a spacious stadium named after Nail Frolov, a long-time Senator from the Republic of Perotutia. Frolov, a Progressive Senator, was known around the FFR for his skill in bringing Federation tax funds to Perotutia. Santangiago is a relatively small city that nonetheless has a 99,406 seat stadium. However, since Frolov has been dead for several decades and Perotutia has been unable to find another Senator so skilled at bringing tax dollars from other Republics to Perotutia, his Colosseum has fallen into disrepair. As the progressive-minded citizens of Perotutia have grown less interested in sports over the past few decades, their Republic government has done no upkeep on the stadium for years. While most Republican coaches are not willing to play there, Nail Frolov's personal Colosseum somehow made it onto the list of ballparks for the World Baseball Classic. Perotutia is a south-eastern Republic. Due to the high altitude in the mountainous Republic of Perotutia, the fences have been placed at 350 feet to the corners and 440 feet to center. The park factor is 151.

Gem of the Oceans Stadium

Located in Republica, the capitol of the Free Republics, Gem of the Oceans Stadium is a massive stadium that seats 101,208 fans. Gem of the Oceans Stadium is named after the National Anthem of the Free Republics. Republica is located near the center of the Free Republics, but is slightly north of the true center. The fences are 330 feet to the corners and 400 feet to center. The park factor is 100.

by **The Sherpa Empire** » Mon Oct 07, 2019 9:33 pm

Sherpa National Baseball Team Roster

C: Pei Tan (Fuzhou Bats)
C: Rita Katiyar (Lhasa Lamas)
1B: Nawang Gurung (Righteous Bay Lions -- North Prarie)
2B: Yawei Qu (Hangzhou Brewers)
3B: Tandi Ojha (Islamabad Snow Leopards)
SS: Kencha Qureshi (Islamabad Snow Leopards)
IF: Tukti Sahu (Lhasa Lamas)
IF: Yu Qiong (Kunming Dragons)
IF: Yangzhi Yi (Nanjing Mandarins)
LF: Wangchu Namkha Qiang (Darjeeling Green Sox)
RF: Kusang Banerjee (Bengal Tigers)
CF: Tianling Qiao (Guilin Pangolins)
OF: Zhiku Tsongba Sherpa (Jaipur Jewelers)
OF: Changmin Le (Changsha Turtles)

All players are male, even when that's not obvious from the names. The teams listed after each player's name are where they play during the regular season. The "Bats" in "Fuzhou Bats" refers to the winged animal, not a baseball bat. The meaning of the name is clearer in the local languages.

Starting Rotation:

Kami Akunjee (Khumbu Icefall Doctors)
Tsheri Pham (Guangzhou Pirates)
Luochong Zhuang (Guangzhou Pirates)
Mingma Al Ali (Jaipur Jewelers)
Jian Zhang (Guiyang Grasshoppers)

Luochong Zhuang has previously been on the national team as a reliever, but this year he got traded to Guangzhou, where they moved him to the starting rotation. He's done pretty well with the transition, but he still might not go as deep into games as someone like Al Ali that is a seasoned veteran starter. Then again, Al Ali is not as young as he used to be, so we'll have to see if he still has the endurance to go deep into games.

The Khumbu Icefall Doctors are named after the people who prepare the path for mountain climbers up the Khumbu Icefall every year at the start of climbing season, and the team's logo is a pair of picks for rock-climbing -- but the name is often shortened to "Doctors" or "Docs" and there are some pun-loving fans that wear lab coats and stethoscopes to show their support. These people are most commonly found at Syangboche, but you might find one or two at other ballparks when Akunjee is pitching.

Bullpen:

Kaixiang Chang (Hangzhou Brewers)
Karan Sangakkar (Darjeeling Green Sox)
Sanjay Murthy (Bengal Tigers)
Tsewang Akbar (Chengdu Pandas)
Lakpa Fang (Guilin Pangolins)
Urkyen Bharadhwaj (Delhi Rajas)

Bharadhwaj and Fang are both closers on their regular-season teams. The national team is planning to use Fang as a set-up man and Bharadhwaj as a closer, but this could change if one of them doesn't do well in these roles.

Coaches: Phurwa Thapa, Apa Shah, Nuru Odiya, Finjhok Chang

Manager: Sarang Oli

Normal Batting Order

1. Qureshi
2. Ojha
3. Qu
4. Qiao
5. Qiang
6. Banerjee
7. Gurung
8. Tan
9. pitcher

At high-altitude ballparks such as Syangboche or Chokpori, Zhiku Tsongba Sherpa will replace Tianling Qiao in center field, and this batting order will be used:

1. Qureshi
2. Ojha
3. Gurung
4. Qiang
5. Sherpa
6. Banerjee
7. Qu
8. Tan
9. pitcher

Batting Order With DH

1. Qureshi
2. Ojha
3. Qu
4. Qiao
5. Qiang
6. Le
7. Banerjee
8. Gurung
9. Tan

Stadia for Casaran Home Games

Series 1: Chengdu Sports Centre
Park factor: 90
Capacity 42,000, located in Chengdu, Sichuan Territory. This stadium is known for the colorful Chinese opera skits during the 7th inning stretch.

Series 2: Chokpori Stadium
Park factor: 150
Capacity 29,000, located in Lhasa, Tibet. Despite having a large outfield, this still a hitter's park because of the high altitude -- around 3800m (12,400ft) above sea level. The architecture is very pretty with gold tile roofs.

Series 3: Queen of the Hills Sports Complex
Park factor: 140
Capacity 37,300, located in Darjeeling, Gorkhaland. This one of the smaller ballparks in the Empire, but its cozy feel, quaint brick work, and the pretty landscaping around the park are beloved by the fans. There are also other activities like mini-golf nearby if fans want something to do before the game. It has a short outfield, though the outfield wall is relatively tall and it's somewhat common for balls to bounce off instead of going out. Elevation 2,042m above sea level.

Series 4: Feroz Shah Kotla Ground
Park factor: 85
Capacity 41,820, located in Delhi Municipal District. Built in 1883, this park has a long history hosting both cricket and baseball games. Some of that history is not particularly glamorous, as the previous owners of the Delhi Rajas were Hindu fundamentalists and advocates of caste-based eugenics. However, the current owners have done a lot to clean up the team's image.

Series 5: Jinnah Stadium
Park factor: 85
Capacity 48,200, located in Islamabad Municipal District. This is a heavily Islamic part of the Empire, and as such day games will include a break for afternoon prayers. All food in the concession stands is halal, though there are a couple of places that sell alcoholic beverages like beer and chang.

Series 6: Syangboche Athletic Complex
Park factor: 200
Capacity 43,800, located in Namche, Khumbu Capital District, at an elevation of 3780m (12,402ft) this is one of the most extreme hitter's parks in the world because of the high altitude and the short left field. It occasionally has absolutely terrible weather such as snow or high winds. There is a nice museum under the stadium. Altitude sickness is sometimes an issue, and stadium security keeps a stockpile of oxygen tanks, just in case. Before the ballpark was built, this site used to be an airport, and the museum under the stadium includes a small exhibit about the people and planes that used it.

Series 7: Mandarin Park
Park factor: 60
Capacity 61,443, located in Nanjing, Jiangsu Territory. This park has a large outfield and does not get many home runs. It is known for having some of the best food of any ballpark in the Empire, with both typical ballpark fare like burgers and hotdogs and regional specialties like Chinese dumplings.

Series 8: Eden Gardens
Park factor: 60
Capacity 66,000, located in Kolkata, Bengal Province. This is the largest ballpark in the Sherpa Empire and the oldest still in use. It was originally built in 1864, but has been expanded and renovated many times. There is a museum documenting the history of the park as both a baseball and cricket stadium. The field has a lot of foul territory, giving fielders plenty of room to chase down foul balls.

by **Nazi Flower Power** » Tue Oct 08, 2019 1:26 am

֎ National Baseball Team of the Serene and Glorious Reich ֎

C: Sweet Pea Strasser
C: Daisy Drexler
1B: Hyacinth Himmler
2B: Sunflower Speer
3B: Gardenia Gangl
SS: Gillyflower Guderian
DH: Jasmine Jodl
IF: Goldenrod Goering
IF: Rose Rommel
LF: Snowdrop Schacht
RF: Violet von Schirach
CF: Gladiolus Goebbels
OF: Holly Hess
OF: Iris Eichmann

Starting Rotation:

1. Morning Glory von Manstein
2. Rhododendron Reichenau
3. Magnolia Mengele
4. Daffodil Doenitz
5. Clover Kaltenbrunner

Bullpen:

RP: Honeysuckle Heydrich
RP: Apple Blossom Bormann
RP: Tulip Todt
Long relief: Lily Ley
Set-up: Dogwood Dorpmueller
Closer: Forget-Me-Not Fegelein

Manager: Hydrangea Hitler

֎ Batting Order ֎

1. Speer
2. Himmler
3. Jodl
4. Schacht
5. Schirach
6. Goebbels
7. Guderian
8. Gangl
9. Strasser

For games without a DH, Jodl will play 3rd base, Gangl will be benched, Strasser will be moved up to bat 8th, and the pitcher will bat last.

Home Stadium:
Strawberry Fields
Capacity: 15,600
Location: Woodstock

֎ Information for Visitors to the Serene and Glorious Reich ֎

The Serene and Glorious Reich of Nazi Flower Power is an archipelago in the Sea of Green, known for its tangerine trees, marmalade skies, and unshakable devotion to National Socialism. The Reich is proudly Blue-Meanie-free as a result of a successful eugenics program. Visiting fans are advised not to wear blue body paint as it may result in being mistaken for Blue Meanies and arrested by the SS.

Allow plenty of time to go through border control as there is an extensive security screening process.

Any visitors who are interested in learning more about National Socialism are invited to attend one of the Führerin's speeches or take a tour of a concentration camp. Simply inform the Reich Committee for International Sport and they will make all the arrangements.

Visitors of any political persuasion will enjoy a visit to Woodstock Harbor where you can see the flowers that grow so incredibly high, eat marshmallow pies, and take a cruise aboard one of our famous yellow submarines to tour the coral reefs that surround the harbor. The harbor district is also known for its elegant stone bridges, riverboats, and the large fountain in the central square.

by **Bolgano** » Tue Oct 08, 2019 8:41 am

Bolgano Baseball Team

Rosters
C Ian Fard
B1 Samuel Linand
B2 Morgan Newst
B3 Hell Limands
CF Francis Townsed
RF Patrick Ghum
LF Daniels Robert
SS Nolghma Ramos
P Thomas Lined

Initial Rotation
1 Thomas Lined
2 Willian Morgan
3 Barris Lotus-Chek
4 Kevin Lomats
5 Rillon Martins

Bullpen
Oun Kat
Mauris Connor
Robert McShane
Lewis Ronald
Merton Connor

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following
Choose my runscorers: Y
Choose my lineup: Y
Follow my pitching rotation: N
Godmod scoring events: Y
RP injuries to my players: Tg First
Godmod injuries to my players: Tg First
Eject my players: Tg First
Godmod other events: N
Use DH at home: Y
Style Modifier: -1.5

Royal Camp: 32.000 Park Factor: 40

AOCAF Baseball Arena: 40.000 Park Factor 200

by **Banija** » Tue Oct 08, 2019 10:22 am

Banija National Baseball Team

Coaching Staff
After a disastrous 45th World Baseball Classic, where the 12th ranked Banijans faced an embarassing group stage elimination, Raymond Cloutier, the manager from WBC 41 through WBC 45, was fired, alongside the rest of the staff. Most of the present staff was hired preceding the 46th World Baseball Classic, and have mostly come back to give it a second go.
Manager- Ousman Kakay. 54 years old. Starting managing the team at the beginning of WBC 46.
Bench Coach- Isaac Oladipo. 44 years old. First Classic on staff.
Hitting Coach- Baluta Colley. 44 years old.
Pitching Coach- Yakuba Borussa. 68 years old. Likes big, tall, hard throwing pitchers. Holdover from previous coaching staff. Will retire after this tournament.
1st base Coach- Cyrus Marshall. 72 years old. Holdover from previous coaching staff. From Ethane. Will retire after this tournament.
3rd base Coach- Bamba Sanneh. 60 years old. Very aggressive, always looking for base runners to take that extra base.

The team used the same roster in WBC 41, WBC 42, and WBC 43.Ever since the disastrous WBC 45, they've overgone an overhaul, with this being the first time no players from the WBC 41/42/43 rosters are being used in a major tournament. They've largely kept most of their roster from their successful bronze medal run at WBC 46. Players that are on their first international callup are italicized.

Batting Order with Designated Hitter
1 SS Assan Mansaré. #30. 30 years old. Right-handed. Twin brother of Jibril Mansaré. Alumnus of Northern Moravica..
2 CF Duwa Sohna. #31. 29 years old. Switch-hitter(right-handed). Alumnus of Kizza I College. Has great defensive range.
3 RF Jonkong Sillah. #30. 27 years old. Right-handed. Easily the best hitter on the team. Can hit for power and average. Poor outfield range though he has a big arm. Alumnus of the University of Ankole.
4 1B Yakuba Kah. #5. 25 years old. Left-handed. Hits for power. Runs the base-paths poorly. Alumnus of the University of Moravica.
5 LF Cyper Kandeh. #19. 22 years old. Right-handed. He can throw baserunners out like nobody's business. Graduated from Golden Valley University.
6 DH Lama Ouattara. #12. 29 years old. Left-handed. Alumnus of the Islamic University of Busoga.
7 3B Lalo Diene. #3. 27 years old. Left-handed. Alumnus of the University of Ankole.
8 2B Jibril Mansaré. #4. 30 years old. Right-handed. Twin brother of Assan Mansaré. Alumnus of Northern Moravica.
9 C Xaaf Geele. #9. 20 years old. Right-handed. Plays at the University of Ankole.

Batting Order without Designated Hitter
1 SS Assan Mansaré. #30. 30 years old. Right-handed. Twin brother of Jibril Mansaré. Alumnus of Northern Moravica..
2 CF Duwa Sohna. #31. 29 years old. Switch-hitter(right-handed). Alumnus of Kizza I College. Has great defensive range.
3 RF Jonkong Sillah. #30. 27 years old. Right-handed. Easily the best hitter on the team. Can hit for power and average. Poor outfield range though he has a big arm. Alumnus of the University of Ankole.
4 1B Yakuba Kah. #5. 25 years old. Left-handed. Hits for power. Runs the base-paths poorly. Alumnus of the University of Moravica.
5 LF Cyper Kandeh. #19. 22 years old. Right-handed. He can throw baserunners out like nobody's business. Graduated from Golden Valley University.
6 3B Lama Ouattara. #12. 29 years old. Left-handed. Alumnus of the Islamic University of Busoga.
7 2B Jibril Mansaré. #4. 30 years old. Right-handed. Twin brother of Assan Mansaré. Alumnus of Northern Moravica.
8 C Xaaf Geele. #9. 20 years old. Right-handed. Plays at the University of Ankole.
9 PITCHER.

Bench
*1B/3B Lalo Diene. #3. 27 years old. Left-handed. Alumnus of the University of Ankole. *=Only on bench if there is no DH. If there is DH, he starts at third base.
OF Aman Teklu #22. 19 years old. Right-handed. Defensive utility player in the outfield. Plays at Northern Moravica.
1B/C Assefa Mulugeta. #25. 21 years old. Switch-hitter(right-handed). Plays at Northern Moravica.
2B/SS Bunama Danso #2. 31 years old. Right-handed. Alumnus of the Islamic University of Busoga.
OF Jabril Saidykhan. #14. 28 years old. Right-handed. Alumnus of the University of Loyola-Istria.
IF Lalo Kuyateh #15. 30 years old. Right-handed. Very aggressive on the base-paths, can bunt for hits and steal bases. Alumnus of the Islamic University of Busoga.

Starting Pitcher Rotation
For the knockout stages, we are switching to a four man rotation. Ensa Suso will be in the bullpen.
1 Assan Condé. #6. 30 years old. Left-handed. Alumnus of the University of Ankole. Staff ace- can hit 94 mph, and best pitch is a slider.
2 Banta Jawara. #23. 29 years old. Right-handed. Alumnus of the University of Loyola-Istria. Can hit 97 mph, and best pitch is a breaking ball. Brother of former Loyola quarterback Isaka Jawara.
3 Duta Condé. #35. 24 years old. Right-handed. Alumnus of Northern Moravica.
4 Suntukung Kandeh. #24. 23 years old. Left-handed. Alumnus of the University of Moravica.

Bullpen
LRP Ensa Suso. #33. 21 years old. Right-handed. Plays at Kizza I College. Starter during the Casaran stage, moved into bullpen for the knockout stages.
LRP Tairu Sesay. #44. 25 years old. Right-handed. Alumnus of Wild Valley University.
MRP Jebel Darboe. #17. 24 years old. Right-handed. Alumnus of Northern Moravica.
MRP Gibril Sowe. #48. 26 years old. Right-handed. Alumnus of the University of Ankole. Younger brother of former player and captain Jebel Sowe.
MRP Foday Kandeh. #45. 31 years old. Left-handed. The main lefty in the pen. Alumnus of the University of Ankole.
SU Sarjo Touré. #41. 29 years old. Right-handed. Alumnus of Kizza I College. Fastball can hit 102 mph, but is easily rattled and is known to hang his breaking ball.
CL Demba Baturu. #13. 33 years old. Right-handed. Alumnus of the Islamic University of Busoga.

Accomplishments
3rd place at XI Olympiad in Aeropag, Commerce Heights.
3rd place at 46th World Baseball Classic.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my runscorers: Yes
Choose my lineup: No (My lineup is here for all to see, so please use it. Of course, you can do substitutions for pitchers and players as you see fit, throughout the course of the game. But the starting lineup should remain the same)
Follow my pitching rotation: Yes (My pitching schedule is laid out to a T, matchday by matchday, so please follow that. It's not just a straight rotation, as I look to get extra starts for my top two starters. All laid out below, for each individual matchday. Thanks!)
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes (That's fine, but please say what the injury is, and please specify how many games the player will miss. No deaths please).
Godmod injuries to my players: Yes (That's fine, but please say what the injury is, and please specify how many games the player will miss. No deaths please).
Eject my players/coaches: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes (As long as you don't kill anyone, go ahead)
Use DH at home: Yes
Style Modifier: -3
Park Factor: 75
Other: When we are pitching, they induce a lot of ground balls. The strike out rates aren't terribly high for Banijan pitchers, but they play solid, fundamental defense, and they have strong arms all over the diamond. However, while Banija's rotation is one of the strongest in the multiverse, the bullpen leaves much to be desired, especially the middle relievers, who are well known to be the team's weakest link. For the knockout stages, we'll have one starter in the 4 man rotation available every game for an inning or two out of the bullpen. That is listed in the rotation. If those guys are brought in, it is for an absolute maximum of 35 pitches, however many outs that takes.

Banijan Rotation for Championship Series v. Ko-oren
Game 1- SP: Assan Condé. Regular starter available from the Bullpen- Duta Condé
Game 2- SP: Banta Jawara. Regular starter available from the Bullpen- Suntukung Kandeh
Game 3- SP: Duta Condé. Regular starter available from the Bullpen- None.
Game 4- SP: Suntukung Kandeh. Regular starter available from the Bullpen- None.
Game 5(if necessary)- SP: Assan Condé. Regular starter available from the Bullpen- None.
Game 6(if necessary)- SP: Banta Jawara. Regular starter available from the Bullpen- Suntukung Kandeh
Game 7(if necessary)- SP: Duta Condé. Regular starter available from the Bullpen- Assan Condé

by **Ko-oren** » Tue Oct 08, 2019 10:51 am

Ko-orenite National Baseball Team
野球コ・オレン代表 - Jakyuu Ko-oren Daijhou - Selesson Co-orenensa de Beisbol

AC = Amandine Challengers / AK = Arakura Knights / AW = Aminey Wanderers / ED = Echizen Dragons / FW = Ferrovente Whales / IA = Intermare Admirals / KE = Katashi Generals / KA = Katashi Giants / NS = Nitoya Silvers / SQ = Suvira Quarry / ST = Santa Teresa Stars / TD = Teragaseki Dynamo

SP = Starting pitcher / MP = Middle relief pitcher / 8P = Set-up man / CP = Closer

Name (Age) Team Handedness Position

Starting (by batting order):
Dodo Ritsushima (30) KA R SS
Jasuviro Esumi (28) KE R CF
Roibén Peredo (31) ST L LF
Sabino Lema (30) ST R 3B
(DH)
Joshinobu Vamada (26) KE L RF
Oscar Viera (24) FW R 2B
Tevi Kagulazaka (29) ED L C
(P)
Ré Fouquet (30) ED L 1B

Bench:
Infielders:
Simon Gray (29) AW R SS
Henrique Toca (32) SQ R 2B
Papa Girard (28) AK L 3B

Outfielders:
Ano Makkinga (28) IA R CF
Mason Bennett (25) AW R LF
Ryoma Okino (30) TD R CF

Catchers:
Juan Berganza (28) ST L C

Rotation:
Kasper Brands (35) AW R SP
Gus Gavreau (31) AW L SP
Senzo Utada (31) TD R SP
Suta Akija (26) KA L SP
Suno Matsuda (25) SQ L SP

Bullpen:
Distehonan Lambirthingun (24) IA R MP
Roman Sotolongo (30) ST R MP
Tacaro Cevocalu (27) IA R MP
Moises Carballar (31) FW L MP

Habi Hoga (27) KA R 8P
Koyo Igarashi (24) SQ L 8P

Virovaru Janagimoto (24) AC R CP
Varunobu Ozawa (27) AK L CP
Montaro Wakajoshi (21) ST R CP

Notes on the team
Whatever happens, it shouldn't be the fault of the catchers, Kagulazaka or Berganza. They remain incredible players that are the most dependable players in probably the entire domestic league, any position. Generally, players are selected for their defensive prowess first, and attacking speed/power/hitting ability second. In WBC 46, there was more of an offensive focus to the roster than ever before - and it went nowhere, given how the team went from WBC champions to early knockout exiteers. Even then, the selectors recognise the need for speed, and they've left in the sprinters brought in through WBC 46.

RP Permissions
Choose my runscorers: Yes
Choose my lineup: Yes
Follow my pitching rotation: Not necessarily
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Eject my players: Yes
Godmod other events: No
Use DH at home: No

by **Tornado Queendom** » Tue Oct 08, 2019 12:31 pm

We have the same list as last time, except Tornado Tiffany is playing. Also, we fixed the Umpire thread issue for you.

by **Hapilopper** » Tue Oct 08, 2019 2:14 pm

THE HAPILOPPER NATIONAL BASEBALL TEAM

Full Nation Name: The Dominion of Hapilopper
Short Nation Name: Hapilopper
Trigramme: HAP
Demonym: Hapiloppian
Team Nickname: The Thrashers
Manager: Samuel Kitchens

Choose my runscorers: Yes
Choose my lineup: Use my lineup as a guide, but I've included a depth chart for each position for if you want to swap players out. I've platooned 2nd base, so #2 or #12 could work just as well.
Follow my pitching rotation: Yes. I will indicate if the emergency starter is needed.
Godmod scoring events: Yes, but keep in mind I do not consider pitchers hitting grand slams to be godmodding. My OOC favorite team had two pitchers hit grand slams in a one-week span last year IRL.
RP injuries to my players: Yes, but please don't kill my players. I'll do that if necessary
Godmod injuries to my players: TG me beforehand.
Eject my players: Yes, but again, TG me, let's have fun with it.
Godmod other events: Yes
Park Factor: 105
Style Mod: 1.75
Use DH at home: Absolutely not.

Other: The pitchers are moody, the hitters like to steal, except for #1 and #7 who clog the bases a bit too much. I want to make a note of #38, Aaron Armstrong, a relief pitcher that I've set as a two-way player on the outfield depth chart. Think of Michael Lorenzen of the Cincinnati Reds, whose batting prowess is really good for a pitcher. If you want to use him as a designated hitter or an outfield replacement player, I'm cool with that.

Concerning the depth charts, I will indicate in RP if a player is at a point he should sit for a game, or serve as a late-inning replacement.

INTRODUCTION
For 136 years, the National League of Hapilopper has been one of the premier sports leagues in the nation, and baseball has long been the Dominion's national pastime. Children learn the basics and fundamentals of the "Dominion's Game" almost as soon as they're able to walk, and the elementary, middle and high schools of Hapilopper are filled with eager players looking to join the 16 teams that play in the NLH. The high schools around each of the major population centers hold baseball leagues that are just as intense, if not more so, than the major leagues, as players try to get spotted by NLH scouts looking for the next great player.

The NLH's games are regularly seen on each of Hapilopper's major broadcast networks - HTN, the Hapilopper Television Network, NBS, the National Broadcasting Service and VTV, the Venerable Television Network. All three networks boast huge ratings for baseball games, with HTN's concept, "The Series of the Week," featuring every game of a three-game set over a weekend, recently praised by industry insiders as "the most interesting idea to come to sports television in many years."

The NLH features a fast-paced, wild style of baseball. More often than not, those that can, steal bases like their life depends on it. A number of players run the belief that "chicks dig the long ball," and those players, such as Jerome Hayden and Terry Blanchard, are among the flashiest players in the sport. However, a good number of players - and teams - also believe in small ball tactics - manufacture runs at every instance. The West Hampton Royals, for instance, are well known for their insistence on bunting to generate baserunners and runs, famously winning the NLH Cup in 2016 with a walkoff suicide squeeze.

Last year, the NLH brought together a band of misfits and borderline personalities together for their first national team, a team that stunningly made the playoffs before getting knocked off by the Free Republics. This year, the HNBT vows to better that result and shock the world. Will it happen? Time will only tell.

TEAM FULL ROSTER
STARTING POSITION PLAYERS
#1 - Levi Berry | First Base | Hapilopper City Nationals
Age: 25 | Throws: Right | Bats: Right
--
A solid hitter, Berry is known for drawing walks - lots of them - while waiting for the right pitch for him. Unfortunately plagued by injuries last year, and hit .331 in a season shortened by foot injuries.

#2 - Campbell Braxton | Second Base | Peoria Warriors
Age: 29 | Throws: Right | Bats: Right
--
A solid piece of the Sherman-Braxton-Hammond double play trio for the Peoria Warriors, Braxton is known more for his defensive prowess than his offensive prowess - or lack of it. Braxton is asked to bunt more than anything else, and typically hits in the 7 position. He hit .262 last year with one surprising home run off of Cale Waller last July.

#3 - Leroy Hunnisett | Third Base | Free Agent
Age: 27 | Throws: Left | Bats: Switch
--
The older brother of Murray Hunnisett, Leroy's highlight last year, unfortunately, came just prior to the World Cup Qualifiers, when a group of players from the Hapilopper National Football Team, including Murray, came out to Capital Stadium to check out a crowd of fans waiting for tickets. Unfortunately, their presence distracted from an HC Nationals game that was going on inside the stadium, and Leroy got the heat from the team's general manager. Angered, Leroy left the team. Before his departure, he hit .316 with 25 home runs.

#4 - Jerome Hayden | Shortstop | Washington Metropolitans
Age: 22 | Throws: Right | Bats: Right
--
Jerome Hayden of the Washington Metropolitans is the power hitter of the national staff, hitting 53 home runs last year. Hayden also led the NLH in having pitches thrown at him, largely due to the fact Hayden also likes to showboat. Jerome has been asked by the NLH to tone down the showboating, "unless you really know what you're doing," as the league's deputy commissioner, Mike Jampa, told him.

#5 - Dayton Rowe | Left Field | North Hampton Generals
Age: 20 | Throws: Left | Bats: Left
--
Dayton Rowe, the darling of the North Hampton Generals, hit .297 last year including a higher than average amount of extra-base hits. Rowe is loved by the fans in North Hampton for his on-the-field abilities and his off-the-field antics, including, but not limited to, viral videos where he impersonates various celebrities at fast food drive thrus, and his video game "Let's Play" series.

#6 - Terry Blanchard | Center Field | Hapilopper City Nationals
Age: 24 | Throws: Left | Bats: Left
--
Terry Blanchard surprisingly got the starting Center Field position over Brandt Williamson, largely due to flashier play and his willingness to do anything, and I mean ANYTHING, to get the job done. Stunningly threw Ethan Abbey out at home from deep center field last year at Capital Stadium without the aid of a relay thrower. For the uninitiated, it means that Blanchard has a cannon of an arm.

#7 - Wes Sawyer | Right Field | Hapilopper City Nationals
Age: 23 | Throws: Right | Bats: Right
--
Wes Sawyer of the HC Nationals is a great contact batter, hitting .302 last year, but his year was punctuated by one of the most unusual injuries in the history of Hapiloppian sport. Last June, when he was on a date with his girlfriend, Wes apparently threw out his right arm throwing a tub of popcorn at a movie screen after the screening of a recently-released space opera movie encountered technical difficulties. He missed a month of action from this fit of anger. He is now known as "The Popcorn Guy" in clubhouses across Hapilopper.

#8 - Mo Beverly | Catcher | West Hampton Royals
Age: 24 | Throws: Right | Bats: Switch
--
Mo Beverly is considered the "meat and potatoes" of the West Hampton Royals and the Hapilopper National Baseball Team, taking a position as the de facto captain of the HNBT as it went through a period of roughness in the start of the season. Last year for West Hampton, he hit .297 and hit 17 home runs, but also hit into 22 double plays. Last year, Beverly was said to have gotten really, really lucky in a run-in with an unruly fan at Andrew's Pub in Hapilopper City following a physical series with the HC Nationals. The fan took a swing at him, missed, and accidentally decked Lawrence Malloy, crew chief for Chris Holmes, popular NSSCRA driver for Team Blue.

PITCHING STAFF
#30 - Charlton Forest | Starting Pitcher | Kingsland Braves
Age: 27 | Throws: Left | Bats: Left
--
The ace of the Hapilopper national staff, Forest went 26-7 with a 2.76 ERA last year. His fastballs top out at 99. His arsenal also includes a circle change, a forkball and a slider. Unfortunately, Forest is also known for being rather moody. Forest's feuds with HNBT players have subsided, but is still feared as a potential beanball pitcher. Forest indirectly caused a bench-clearing brawl last year between the HNBT and the team from Free Republics when he, on orders from then-manager Carl Gardner, threw a fastball at the head of the Republican Designated Hitter for reasons too stupid to print here. The NLH has told Forest to be on his best behavior and "don't do anything that would humiliate us."

#31 - Cale Waller | Starting Pitcher | Surrey Wolves
Age: 24 | Throws: Right | Bats: Left
--
Waller, named for a famous racing driver with a tendency to never give up, went 17-8 with a 2.91 ERA last year. His arsenal includes a 98 MPH fastball, a 12-6 curveball and a palmball. While Waller is a reasonably good hitter, hitting .214 last year, his baserunning prowess, described as "slapstick comedy" by HTN commentator Marty Miller, has led to the NLH seriously considering the designated hitter, largely on the "strength," if you want to call it that, of the infamous "Triple TOOTBLAN" from two years ago, when Waller's hilarious ineptitude on the basepaths got the other two baserunners in a bad spot.

#32 - Whit Dabney | Starting Pitcher | Peoria Warriors
Age: 26 | Throws: Right | Bats: Right
--
Whit Dabney, the no-nonsense knuckleballer for the Peoria Warriors, is projected to have a 20 plus year career throwing just the knuckleball. His no-nonsense attitude has fallen afoul of some unlikely targets, most notably "Ripper" the mascot of the Buckridge Blues. Between innings in a game late two years ago, "Ripper"'s antics offended Dabney, who charged at the mascot, leading to one of the wildest bench-clearing brawls in recent memory. Dabney was soon removed from the game as the fans at Buckridge's Raceway Park took to throwing garbage at the knuckleballer.

#33 - Victor Foster | Starting Pitcher | Hapilopper City Nationals
Age: 29 | Throws: Left | Bats: Left
--
Last year with the HC Nationals, Vic Foster went 17-10 with a 3.01 ERA using an arsenal including a 98-mph fastball, a 12-6 curveball, a circle change, a forkball and a spitball. Foster was caught in the act in a game against Oscioru, and was removed from the team for the playoffs as a result. Foster was nearly kicked off the team, but he has promised to be a good boy this time. We'll see just how much of a good boy he can be.

#34 - Milford Gibbs | Starting Pitcher | Washington Metropolitans
Age: 28 | Throws: Right | Bats: Left
--
Milford Gibbs, who, by the way, hates that first name, is the fifth of Hapilopper's pitchers. He had a 3.05 ERA last year and a 19-4 record, using a fastball exceeding 100 mph, a cutter, a straight changeup and a slurve. Gibbs has trouble with his endurance, however, and tends to fall off a proverbial cliff after reaching a pitch count of 95. Gibbs, for some reason, gained the name "Hot Sauce" after an unspecified incident involving a bottle of hot sauce in a team shower after a game in Garvinson last year.

#35 - Jordan Meadows | Relief Pitcher | Garvinson Trojans
Age: 25 | Throws: Left | Bats: Left
--
One of the two Meadows twins, Jordan Meadows is known as the resident LOOGY - left-handed one-out guy - of the Hapilopper team, but is also known for his alter-ego, Rodney DeRude, a mulleted redneck-looking throwback to the 90s that has made baseball fans in Garvinson double over with laughter - and on one occasion - sent Surrey Wolves announcer Jim Simpson into an apoplectic rage for something involving "respecting the sanctity of the game." Jordan wasn't even in the game at the time.

#36 - Martin Meadows | Relief Pitcher | Garvinson Trojans
Age: 25 | Throws: Left | Bats: Left
--
The other of the two Meadows twins, Martin Meadows is a fireballer, known for his fastball that has topped out at 103 mph. His control isn't always there, though, and batters have run for cover on several occasions. So did Garvinson announcer Robert McCall during one game two years ago. Martin threw a wild pitch that somehow made its way into the H-Sports/Garvinson announce booth. Fans watching the game on that channel heard McCall shout "Oh SHIT!" before ducking for his life.

#37 - Calvin Ware | Relief Pitcher | Buckridge Blues
Age: 30 | Throws: Left | Bats: Left
--
Calvin Ware, the Buckridge Blues' left-handed middle reliever, has several pitches in his arsenal including a forkball, a 12-6 curveball and a split-finger fastball that tops out at 95 mph. Ware is also known to be something of a hothead, having caused a bench-clearing brawl two years ago against Washington after Jerome Hayden admired a monstrous home run he hit. Ware is also known for destroying clubhouse phones and monitors after bad outings.

#38 - Aaron Armstrong | Relief Pitcher | Surrey Wolves
Age: 21 | Throws: Right | Bats: Right
--
Aaron Armstrong, the Surrey Wolves' middle reliever is known for his 22-inch biceps, his 101-mph fastball and his ability to hit monstrous home runs. Two years ago in a game against the HC Nationals, Armstrong blasted a tape measure home run that both exited BankTrust Park in Surrey AND ended up smashing a windshield of a car behind the stadium. Armstrong has received permission from the Hapilopper National Team and from the Surrey Wolves to cut the sleeves off of his jersey, allowing players and fans alike to marvel at his 22-inch guns.

#39 - Robert Stevens | Relief Pitcher | West Hampton Royals
Age: 24 | Throws: Right | Bats: LOL!
--
Robert Stevens, who typically serves as the closer of the West Hampton Royals, has been asked to serve as the national team's mop-up man. Stevens, who had a 1.48 ERA last year, got West Hampton out of some real bad jams last year - twice against the Emporia Reds, striking out the side both times when the bases were loaded. Rather than let the issue get to him, Stevens chewed his gum and calmly sat Emporia's top hitters down one-by-one. The WHR won both of those games, too. To give you some kind of idea of how bad Robert's hitting is, it is typically shown as part of the VTV show "Hapilopper's Stupidest Home Videos" as a regular feature.

#40 - Darren Goodwin | Closer | Peoria Warriors
Age: 29 | Throws: Right | Bats: Right
--
Darren Goodwin, Peoria's intense closer, registered 47 saves last year with an ERA of 1.63, mainly using his fastball clocked at a whopping 107-mph. Goodwin's control is sometimes an issue, but what would you expect with pitches that fast. Goodwin is known for dancing on the roofs of moving minivans around Peoria to the tune of various 80s pop hits after registering a save. Don't ask us why, and he's been asked to stop, but who's to say he won't do the same thing on the streets of Tundra Falls in Newmanistan should he beat that powerhouse of a team?

BACKUP POSITION PLAYERS
#11 - Carl Constable | First Base | Garvinson Trojans
Age: 27 | Throws: Right | Bats: Right
--
Carl Constable replaced Ben Hammond as the back-up first baseman on the HNBT after Hammond sustained a season-ending hamstring injury running the bases late last year. Constable hit .297 last year, and has shown surprising quickness for a first baseman, in what was a breakout year last year. Constable is quickly becoming a cult figure in the Garvinson area, an area that kind of needs a cult icon.

#12 - Ernest Brand | Second Base | Surrey Wolves
Age: 24 | Throws: Right | Bats: Right
--
A solid hitter but a questionable fielder, Ernest Brand will be platooning second base again with Campbell Braxton. Last year, he had the worst year of his career, hitting .243 after a slow start to the season. Brand has been seeing a sports psychologist in a way to help him with his fielding incapabilities.

#13 - Chandler Harrell | Third Base | Washington Metropolitans
Age: 31 | Throws: Left | Bats: Left
--
Chandler Harrell is a solid hitter on the Washington Metropolitans team, hitting .285, but has a solid dislike for anything that would distract his team from the ultimate goal of victory. Unfortunately, he also has a short fuse, and the combination of those two things actually got him in big trouble last year, when an overactive dugout phone kept ringing. He took a teammate's bat and smashed the phone into bits, then throwing the remains onto the field.

#14 - Alvin Bannerman | Shortstop | Kingsland Braves
Age: 25 | Throws: Right | Bats: Right
--
Alvin Bannerman replaces Dalton Sadler on the HNBT after beating him out for the position, largely on the strength of a .295 season and three throwing errors all season, while Sadler sadly appeared to gain a case of "the yips" and couldn't properly make routine defensive plays. Bannerman is the president of the Kingsland chapter of the Team Blue Fan Club.

#15 - Marion Pound | Outfield | Garvinson Trojans
Age: 21 | Throws: Left | Bats: Left
--
Marion Pound, son of Richard Pound, a famous knuckleballer for the Garvinson Trojans, started as a two-way pitcher and outfielder, but an injury to his throwing arm convinced him to give up pitching. Pound is a solid outfielder, known for his acrobatic maneuvers in center field, most notably one day two years ago when Pound seemingly climbed a 15 foot wall to rob Levi Berry of a home run.

#16 - Brandt Williamson | Center Field | Buckridge Blues
Age: 24 | Throws: Right | Bats: Right
--
A real power hitter, Brandt Williamson is known for hitting the ball to the opposite field, leading to the Buckridge Blues installing a gigantic bell above the right-field suites at Raceway Park. The "Oppo Taco Bell," as it is known, is loved by Blues fans, reviled by baseball purists and hated by opposing pitchers, notably Charlton Forest, who reportedly put out a $10,000 bounty on any player who can destroy the bell with a home run (or any other means).

#17 - Ethan Abbey | Outfield/Designated Hitter | Buckridge Blues
Age: 30 | Throws: Left | Bats: Left
--
Ethan Abbey is a solid outfielder but was held back from the Hapilopper's starting lineup out of any need for a designated hitter, if necessary. Abbey hit .323 last year with 48 home runs and 131 RBIs. Ethan has seen a strange growth in the last couple of years, and some reporters are starting to put two and two together. In other words, he could be cultivating some mass in less-than-legal ways.

#18 - Grady Elliott | Catcher | Washington Metropolitans
Age: 20 | Throws: Right | Bats: Left
--
20-year old Grady Elliott is a Washington lifer, and in his rookie year last year with the Washington Metropolitans, he hit .243 with two home runs. Not expected to see much playing time, unless Mo Beverly gets hurt.

TYPICAL BATTING ORDER, PITCHING ROTATION, DEPTH CHARTS

BATTING ORDER, NO DH:
1: #2 - Braxton
2: #1 - Berry
3: #5 - Rowe
4: #4 - Hayden
5: #3 - Hunnisett
6: #8 - Beverly
7: #7 - Sawyer
8: #6 - Blanchard
9: (Pitcher)

BATTING ORDER, DH:
1: #2 - Braxton
2: #1 - Berry
3: #5 - Rowe
4: #4 - Hayden
5: #17 - Abbey (DH)
6: #3 - Hunnisett
7: #8 - Beverly
8: #7 - Sawyer
9: #6 - Blanchard

PITCHING ROTATION:
1: #30 - Forest
2: #31 - Waller
3: #32 - Dabney
4: #33 - Foster
5: #34 - Gibbs
E: #36 - M. Meadows (Emergency starter)

RELIEF:
1: #36 - M. Meadows (Middle reliever)
2: #38 - Armstrong (Middle reliever)
3: #35 - J. Meadows (Left-Handed One-Out Guy)
4: #37 - Ware (Late inning setup man)
5: #39 - Stevens (Mop-up man)

CLOSER:
1: #40 - Smith
2: #39 - Stevens (If Smith is tired or just blew a save)

DESIGNATED HITTER DEPTH CHART:
1: #17 - Abbey
2: #38 - Armstrong

POSITION DEPTH CHARTS:
1B: #1 - Berry, #11 - Constable (if #1 tired)
2B: #2 - Braxton/#12 - Brand (two players platooned)
3B: #3 - Hunnisett, #13 - Harrell (if #3 tired)
SS: #4 - Hayden, #14 - Bannerman (if #4 tired)
LF: #5 - Rowe, #16 - Blanchard, #17 - Abbey (if no DH)
CF: #6 - Williamson, #15 - Pound, #38 - Armstrong (if no DH and hasn't pitched)
RF: #7 - Sawyer, #17 - Abbey (if no DH), #15 - Pound
C: #8 - Beverly, #18 - Elliott (when #32 pitches)

STADIUM:
Capital Stadium, Hapilopper City, Hapilopper
Built: 1970 | Seating Capacity: 63,535 | Open-Air | Artificial Turf
Dimensions: 330 ft. Left Field, 375 ft. Left Center, 404 ft. Center, 375 ft. Right Center, 330 ft. Right

--
Capital Stadium, the home of the HC Nationals, is Hapilopper's largest baseball stadium, seating over 63,000 for baseball and 66,000 for gridiron football. The stadium, the last of Hapilopper's classic cookie-cutter venues, is located just off the West River and right in the heart of towntown Hapilopper City. As is custom with cookie-cutter stadiums, the park is completely symmetrical and is surrounded by multiple decks of stands, typically filled with screaming fans when the HC Nationals are doing well. Back in the 1970s, the HC Nationals, and their vaunted "National Machine" dominated Hapiloppian baseball, and brought over four million fans through the turnstiles on six occasions. Hapiloppian fans have vowed to come to Capital Stadium in force for HNBT games.

Capital Stadium is considered a "neutral" park and does not favor hitters or pitchers per se, but the artificial turf, known as "HCNTurf", is seen as the HC Nationals' secret weapon. Balls bounce and fly like crazy off the turf, and the HC Nationals have commonly selected players that have been able to use that turf - and its unusual properties - to good use.

by **The Greater Nordics** » Tue Oct 08, 2019 8:23 pm

Starting Lineup
Position Name Age Bats/Throws

LF Soren Vang 29 L/L
1B Ludde Knutsen 31Switch/R
CF Caroline MacWilliam 25 Switch/L
2B Oscar Christiansen 29 L/L
SS Ester Isaksson 29 Switch/L
RF Torsten Eriksson 24 L/L
3B Mats Patriksson 27 L/L
C Sam Nilsson 31 R/R
Pitcher's Spot
The DH if used is Josefine Kron

Bench
SP Jon Isaksson 31 L/L
SP Saara Omdahl 25R/R*
SP Erna Wolff 25 L/L
SP Kai Nieminen 27 L/R*
SP Carl Karstensen 23L/L
RP Amanda Engberg 28 L/L
RP Katharina Dahl 22 R/R
RP Sari Albinsson 24 R/R
Closer Lise Olson 31 L/L
IF Josefine Kron 26 Switch/R
IF Emelie Bergman 23 R/R
IF Johanna Forsberg 22 L/L
C Sonja Jakobsson 25 R/R
C Loke Irving 22 Switch/L
OF Laila Albinsson 26 R/R
OF Andrea Smit 24 L/L
OF Freyr Hagen 22 Switch/R

*- World Baseball Classic rookie
Manager: Leif Holt
Pitching Coach: Anca Ahlberg
Hitting Coach: Oskar Toivonen
1B Coach: Rudolf Sörensson
3B Coach: Adrian Craig
Bench Coach: Magnus Sander
Team Doctor: Dr. Elisabet Bager
Other information
The home stadium of the Greater Nordics is King Lauritz II stadium. It is a classic style ballpark outside of Copenhagen. It seats 38,000.

My players are aggressive at the plate and on the basepaths. They may be caught stealing because of it but they also steal a lot of bases. They like to swing for the fences on every pitch so they strike out more than most teams but they can also score a lot of runs off of homers.Leif Holt is back as manager after leading the Nordics at the last 2 classics. If he does not do well then the federation may look to make a change since the team did not do so well last time. He has brought a new hitting coach in to help. There are two new starting pitchers this time around after some retirements and injuries. The lineup has a lot of experience now, with everyone but the two new faces appearing in at least one WBC.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my runscorers: Yes
Choose my lineup:No
Follow my pitching rotation: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes- as long as it is not too serious. If it is anything for a long time TG me.
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Eject my players: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes
Use DH at home: No
Style Modifier:3
Park Factor: 120

by **Rusticus** » Wed Oct 09, 2019 10:03 pm

OFFICIAL INFORMATION SHEET OF BASEBALL RUSTICUS

History of Baseball in Rusticus
Traditionally, baseball in Rusticus has long played second fiddle to more successful sports like football and ice hockey. In the past 20 years, however, the fanbase for baseball has grown immensely. The main baseball league in Rusticus, the Rustican Baseball League, has been in operation since 1978. Today, Baseball Rusticus has decided to join the World Baseball Classic for the first time, breaking the nation's long-held tradition of abstaining from international competition in sporting events. As the younger generation has seen baseball become its second most popular sport behind ice hockey, a major influx of talent is being seen. The sport has even seen popularity among immigrants and their descendants, who make up 19% of the RBL's players.

Roster
Catchers:
Raynard Kästner - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Buffle Blue Sox)
Marcel Micheli - Left-handed. (Pro Team: Chorsbar Northmen)
Garrick David - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Grenzstadt Dragons)

Infielders:
1B Brent Richards - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Fullhorn Meteors)
1B Jeff Chen-Vincent - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Snostad Buffaloes)
2B Diethelm Hoek - Left-handed. (Pro Team: Snostad Buffaloes)
2B Alexander Welch - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Grenzstadt Dragons)
3B Lazar Chaykovsky - Left-handed. (Pro Team: Fullhorn Meteors)
3B Everett Bjorkman - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Buffle Blue Sox)
SS Victor Williams - Left-handed. (Pro Team: Buffle Blue Sox)
SS Aputsiaq Smith - Left-handed. (Pro Team: Les Rogues Chiefs)

Outfielders:
RF Jon Linden - Left-handed. (Pro Team: Mittstad Laborers)
RF Owen Oestberg - Left-handed. (Pro Team: Snostad Capitols)
CF Adam Kappel - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Grenzstadt Dragons)
CF Gurdeep Kumar - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Frigus Freezers)
LF Yushua Mihajlović-Naaji - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Snostad Buffaloes)
LF Jesper Géroux - Left-handed. (Pro Team: Buffle Blue Sox)

Pitchers:
SP Isaac Hall - Left-handed. (Pro Team: Snostad Buffaloes)
SP Nathaniel Leitner - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Buffle Blue Sox)
SP Marcus Finley - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Fort Hollins Mackerel)
SP Peter Matsuoka - Left-handed. (Pro Team: Fullhorn Meteors)
SP Jacques Milani - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Snostad Buffaloes)
RP Jerome Langdon - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Blauer Titans)
RP Vincent Traversa - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Fullhorn Meteors)
RP Mahpiya Miyamoto - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Chorsbar Northmen)
RP Ethan Fuller - Left-handed. (Pro Team: Buffle Blue Sox)
RP Robert MacFarlane - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Mittstad Laborers)
RP Anthony Ford - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Flavo Mountaineers)
RP Miłosz Jaskólski - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Grenzstadt Dragons)

Designated Hitter:
Ludwig Gordon - Right-handed. (Pro Team: Snostad Capitols)

Lineup
without DH
1. Richards
2. Chaykovsky
3. Williams
4. Hoek
5. Mihajlović-Naaji
6. Linden
7. Kappel
8. Kästner
9. Pitcher

with DH
1. Richards
2. Chaykovsky
3. Williams
4. Hoek
5. Mihajlović-Naaji
6. Gordon
7. Linden
8. Kappel
9. Kästner

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my runscorers: Yes/No
Choose my lineup: Yes/No
Follow my pitching rotation: Yes/No
Godmod scoring events: Yes/No
RP injuries to my players: Yes/No
Godmod injuries to my players: Yes/No
Eject my players: Yes/No
Godmod other events: Yes/No
Use DH at home: Yes/No
Style Modifier: +2.4
Park Factor: 83

by **Cassadaigua** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 12:07 pm

Team Cassadaigua
Official Roster for World Baseball Classic 47

Home Stadium is the 70,000+ seat Dagan Airways Stadium in Concord Heights
Style Mod: +1
Park Factor: 103

DH: No
Choose my runscorers: Yes
Choose my lineup: It is posted here.
Follow my Pitching Rotation: It is posted here.
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: No
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Eject my players: Yes only if you make it exciting!
Godmod other events: Yes as long as no one dies or is seriously hurt.

Coach- Maddie Polanco- 7th Classic with Cassadaigua, Bench Coach of Super-Llamaland's WBC 40 Championship squad among other accolades with Super-Llamaland, and led Cassadaigua to the semis in each of WBC 41 and 42, and a runner up performance in WBC 46.

Starting Rotation (Stats in the last Cassadagan season included)
SP- #38- Katia Tavarez, 30, LHP (21-5, 2.19 ERA, 222 K's)
SP- #52- Lauren Sutter, 30, LHP (14-3, 2.33 ERA, 149 K’s) (lower numbers as she missed some time with an wrist injury)
SP- #32- Samantha Owens, 28, RHP (23-5, 2.44 ERA, 246 K’s)
SP- #23- Kayla Mason, 26, RHP (19-6, 2.37 ERA, 211 K’s)
SP- #27- Desiree Plummer, 25, LHP (18-6, 2.30 ERA, 224 K’s)

Bullpen
RP- #39- Meghan Townsend, 29, RHP, Anytime Relief
RP- #26- Sierra Ogletree, 25, LHP, Anytime Relief*
RP- #37- Sandra Quinones, 29, LHP, Long Relief
RP- #35- Claudia Van Larsen, 33, RHP, Long Relief
RP- #34- Tara McGuinness, 27, LHP, Short Relief
RP- #36- Elizabeth Chapman, 34, RHP, Short Relief
RP- #41- Roxanne Gomez, 28, Set-up Reliever
CP- #45- Rachel Sauter, 35, RHP, Closer

Here is our lineup with the players stats from the most recently completed season in Cassadaigua. All players are switch hitters, you don’t get to this level in Cassadaigua without having that ability.

1) #8- Katelyn Martini- CF, 24 (.291, 3 HR, 49 RBI, 93 SB)*
2) #11- Julie Sherman- SS, 33 (.305, 10 HR, 73 RBI, 32 SB)
3) #29- Macy Hamel- 3B, 24 (.269, 44 HR, 133 RBI, 1 SB)
4) #17- Cassie Daniels- 2B, 30 (.350, 37 HR, 129 RBI, 31 SB)
5) #28- Taylor Bryant- LF, 31 (.338, 32 HR, 106 RBI, 47 SB)
6) #21- Jordyn Prosser- 1B, 29 (.321, 28 HR, 101 RBI, 5 SB)
7) #24- Danielle Trufant- C, 30 (.274, 21 HR, 78 RBI, 1 SB)
8) #14- Rachel Adams- RF, 31 (.281, 18 HR, 71 RBI, 11 SB)
9) Pitcher

Bench:
#31- Eliza McReynolds- C, 28
#20- Natalie Shattuck- 1B/3B, 29
#2- Brianne Salvador- 2B/SS, 27
#9- Katrina Pavlovsky- OF, 27
#10- Avery Kallner- OF, 25
#16- Chelsea Barrett- Any but C, 28

* = WBC Rookie

by **-Anthor-** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 12:07 pm

Anthoran National Baseball Team
"The Thunderheads"

Last World Classic saw a continuance of what is becoming a national tradition; utter abysmal play on the international field. The kickballers can't win anything significant, the gridiron has some pockets of success and the only team that manages to produce are the blasted northerners and their hockey team; the Thunder is supposed to prove the southern provinces are just as good at their own sports, they even brought in the most successful Anthoran manager, Aarron Cannon last year to help propel them out of the cellar of "eliminated in the group stage" - the first year experiment failed, utterly. It's rumored Cannon was nearly fired after the Thunder placed in a historically bottom half of their group, and had to bribe the Minister to let him keep his post, though I'm sure that is merely common gossip and not actual fact.

Cannon brings his Thunder back, and they're looking to get things rolling, and get things rolling quick. Most of the players stay the same, the pitching rotation core of Gibson and McDonald returning however the rotation is being expanded into a 6 man position with Shane Woodward returning this classic as their 6th man on the rotation; he was left off the roster last Classic but after posting career best numbers with a 1.64 ERA and a .94 WHIP which netted him the RC's Pitcher of the Year, Cannon thought he would be an excellent edition, especially because the #3 starter Francis Reed sat out the whole season due to contractual disputes. Travis Killian was the other PoY in the ABL and continued to perform at higher levels with the beginning of each new season, though Cannon did mention that he may not traditionally follow rotation starting guidelines and may start based on performance, rest and overall condition. In addition to Woodward, long-time Thunder staple Alair Morgan has been disinvited from the team after an poor domestic season highlighted by frequent, long injuries and low level of play. Replacing him will be young pitching sensation on Tharsius's team, 24 year old Daniel Robertson who has astounded the league by demonstrating such mastery and baseball intelligence, laying claim to five solid pitches of a four seam fastball, a traditional curveball, a splitter and what has proven over the last season to be one of the best changeups in the league.

Home Stadium: Marblerose Park (45,600), Summercliff, Anthor
Manager: Aarron Cannon
Bench Coach(Takes over in case of ejection): Sinjin Phillips
Hitting Coach: Sophie Falconer
Pitching Coach: Easton Harmon
Jerseys: Home Away

Starting Pitchers
[RHP] Ben "Snake" Gibson (Sherborne) - #4, Aged 31
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 13-9, 2.48 ERA, .92 WHIP, 274 K's, 200 IP
[RHP] Daniel Robertson (Tharsius) - #50, Aged 24
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 18-6, 1.71 ERA, .82 WHIP, 261 K's, 220 IP
[RHP] Francis "Melody" Reed (Sherbourne) - #8, Aged 31
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 19-7, 2.04 ERA, 245 K's, 229.2 IP
[RHP] Travis Killian (Sherbourne) - #42, Aged 28
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 23-3, 1.35 ERA, .84 WHIP, 210 K's, 220 IP
[RHP] Wayne McDonald (Newark) - #7, Aged 28
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 15-13, 3.33 ERA, 220 K's, 256 IP
[RHP] Shane Woodward (Ashburton) - #22, Aged 31
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 14-7, 1.68 ERA, .94 WHIP, 165 K's, 225 IP

Relievers
[RHP/CL] John Kelsey (Sherbourne) - #19 , Aged 28
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 2-0, 43 SV's, 86.4 IP, .80 WHIP, .64 ERA, 12.8 K/9 (120 K's)
[RHP/CL] Mike Lighell - #61 , Aged 33
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 6-6, 46 SV's, 85.1 IP, 1.05 WHIP, 1.69 ERA, 10.8 K/9 (102 K's)
[RHP/RP] Jude Cooke (Bristol) - Setup #13, Aged 32
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 2-0, 1 SV's, 77 IP, 10.4 K/9, 2.49 ERA, 0.97 WHIP
[LHP/RP] Elliot Dougherty (Warwick) - Setup #44, Aged 30
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 1-3, 1 SV's, 57.2 IP, 11.9 K/9(76 K's), .92 WHIP, 1.25 ERA
[RHP/RP] Logan Grange (Nottingham) - Setup/Middle Relief #51, Aged 34
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 2-1, 18 SV's, 55.1 IP, .69 WHIP, 9.1 K/9(87 K's), .98 ERA
[RHP/RP] Julian Arscott (Warwick)- Mid Reliever #55, Aged 35
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 3-6, 28 SV's, 77.2 IP, .98 WHIP, 12.6 K/9(109 K's), 1.62 ERA
[RHP/RP] Bryan Richardson (Luton) - Middle Relief #34, Aged 32
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 5-5, 1 SV's, 54.2 IP, 1.35 WHIP, 14.7 K/9(89 K's), 4.28 ERA
[RHP/RP] Clyde Cherry (Coventry) - Middle Relief #31, Aged 35
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 2-1, 1 SV's, 60.1 IP, 0.86 WHIP, 9 K/9 (60 K's), 0.90 ERA
[RHP/RP] Steve Millar (East Kilbride) - Long Relief/Stopper #69, Aged 31
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): 12-1, 1 SV's, 74.2 IP, .79 WHIP, 12.7 K/9(105 K's), 1.57 ERA

Catcher
(R) Brandon Lyr (Wayford) - #54, Aged 27
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .292 AVG, .564 SLG, .917 OPS, 511 AB, 149 H, 32 HR, 99 RBI, 71 R
(R) Jason MacKey (East Kilbride)* - #88, Aged 31
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .233 AVG, .518 SLG, .831 OPS, 494 AB, 115 H, 40 HR, 93 RBI, 74 R

First Base
(R) Peter Eaves (Alnwick)* - #90, Aged 30
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .333 AVG, .640 SLG, 1.035 OPS, 633 AB, 211 H, 49 HR, 122 RBI, 115 R
(R) Eddie Sissons (Hutton) - #19 Aged 26
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .336 AVG, .604 SLG, .474 OBP, 1.078 OPS, 548 AB, 184 H, 33 HR, 87 RBI, 98 R, 126 BB

Second Base
(L) Tony Russell (East Kilbridge) - #31, Aged 37*
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .376 AVG, .548 SLG, 1.040 OPS, 551 AB, 207 H, 18 HR, 79 RBI, 92 R, 59 XBH
(S) Gael "Bronco" Luke (Holywell) - #33, Aged 31
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .340 AVG, .670 SLG, 1.102 OPS, 470 AB, 160 H, 40 HR, 94 RBI, 78 R
(R) Taylor "Slap" Townsend (Bradford) - #2, Aged 36
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .315 AVG, .681 SLG, 1.107 OPS, 492 AB, 155 H, 51 HR, 109 RBI, 115 R

Shortstop
(L/R) Brad "Buck" Green (Sherbourne)- #21, Aged 30
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .336 AVG, .570 SLG, .433 OBP, 589 AB, 198 H, 33 HR, 12 RBI, 96 R, 38 XBH

Third Base
(R) Ryan Hardy (Alnwick) - #11, Aged 35
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .273 AVG, .410 SLG, .377 OBP, 227 AB, 62 H, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 35 R
(R) Bill Jacobs (Buckfast)* - #1, Aged 33
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .303 AVG, .515 SLG, .391 OBP, 585 AB, 177 H, 26 HR, 84 RBI, 87 R, 43 XBH

Left Field
(L) Clive Harness (Plymouth) - #4, Aged 26
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .341 AVG, .590 SLG, .384 OBP, 580 AB, 198 H, 33 HR, 84 RBI, 96 R, 44 XBH
(L) John Kirby (Bournemouth)* - #26, Aged 26
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .330 AVG, .585 SLG, .410 OBP, 610 AB, 201 H, 41 HR, 95 RBI, 106 R, 32 XBH

Center Field
(L) Christopher "Broadway" Rogers (Morecombe)* - #7, Aged 28
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .350 AVG, .772 SLG, .455 OBP, 391 AB, 137 H, 42 HR, 94 RBI, 91 R, 24 SB, 34 XBH
(R) John Neary (Sherborne) - #40, Aged 31
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .335 AVG, .521 SLG, .397 OBP, 641 AB, 215 H, 18 HR, 65 RBI, 115 R, 57 XBH, 62 BB, 24 SB

Right Field
(L) Shane Kennedy (Luton)- #16, Aged 28
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .315 AVG, .480 SLG, .362 OBP, 537 AB, 169 H, 12 HR, 60 RBI, 75 R, 45 XBH
(R) Kyle Patterson (Nottingham) - #17, Aged 36
Last Full Season Stats(Last Season): .272 AVG, .699 SLG, .378 OBP, 541 AB, 147 H, 69 HR, 138 RBI, 117 R, 24 XBH

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my runscorers: Yes
Choose my lineup: Yes
Follow my pitching rotation: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes (TG first)
Godmod injuries to my players: Yes (TG First)
Eject my players: No
Godmod other events: Yes (TG First)
Use DH at home: Yes

by **Cassadaigua** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 12:27 pm

Strange World Baseball Classic Upcoming,
by Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

The World Baseball Classic is coming up, and it will not be hosted by either us or Newmanistan, surprisingly enough. This time, it is going back to Free Republics, who is hoping to use their momentum from winning the last title (and yes, it still stings), by defeating our beloved Fillies. It will not be the first time that a nation has hosted a tournament immediately after winning the title, and no nation has been able to successfully defend their title on home turf. The Free Republics is one of the great sporting nations in the world, as we typically give extra props to the nations that are not one or two-sport wonders, which can cross off a lot of the recent World Cup finalists. Nah, not worried about offending them, not many of them are reading this anyway. Ok fine, Vilita is good in NSSCRA, but like I said, they’re not reading media publications for the World Baseball Classic, so don’t go telling them I said that.

Free Republics has opted to buck recent tradition and the commonly accepted format for the World Baseball Classic and given us this thing called Casaran Baseball. I thought we had enough of that in the World Bowl. As a traditionalist, I am not going to come out and sing the praises of this format. However, let’s also face it, group stage baseball can be pretty mundane. There will be some people that like it, and of course the players are saying the right things. Here are some posts that I have seen on spacebook:

Katia Tavarez: “Casaran baseball! It’s about time! This will be more exciting for sure then the group stages that we have had.”

Danielle Trufant: “Crazy system they have in place this year for the World Baseball Classic. Not knowing who your next series is going to be against will add for extra drama and mean that no one will be looking past their opponent at hand.”

Cassie Daniels: “Unique format this time around. It will mean extra work for our scouts, but it should get more teams to go to the Dagan Airways Stadium and I think that will be great for all of us. Could be a good way for up and coming teams to make a name for themselves too. Though they can do that at the expense of other good teams, and not us.”

Samantha Owens: “Recent Classic group stages have been a little flat, despite the efforts of the organizers, especially the fine hosting that we had in the 43rd and 45th Classics. Free Republics is one of those nations that I would expect to try something like this. It will be fun!”

See, so like I said, the players are saying the right things. I have not seen any criticizing of the format from any of them. It would make sense for them to keep quiet, and I will say that I don’t think the format is poor, I just don’t think that it was broke. Anyway, we open up against Volinovia. You know you’re excited!

by **Newmanistan** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 5:26 pm

NEWMANISTAN ROCKETS

“Home of the Six-Time Champions!”

Let’s start with the technicalities:
My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my runscorers: Yes
Choose my lineup: No, my lineup is listed here. Use that!
Follow my pitching rotation: Yes. I will normally include upcoming pitchers in my prior RP.
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes, but only say they are hurt. I will determine the severity.
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Eject my players: Yes, on a basis of no more then one more then you eject from your own team.
Godmod other events: No
Use DH at home: Another “Hell no!” here

Additional Information that is very important to me: Newmanistan does not prescribe to the modern day concept of pitch counts determining how long a starting pitcher is kept in for. In fact, pitch counts are not even kept track of outside of curiosity sake. Such count is not displayed on the scoreboard, so if you want to track it for your pitcher, you must do it manually.

– If Newmanistan has given up 2 runs or less and WON, then the starting pitcher has gone all nine innings. No ifs, ands, or buts. This is true even if it would have been a save situation.

– Another Newmanistan trait is aggressive base stealing. Think back to the days of Vince Coleman and Ricky Henderson in their primes.

Home Stadium Schedule:
Series 1: Tundra Falls Proving Grounds, Tundra Falls
Series 2: Empress Jessica I Stadium, Jessicaville
Series 3: The Jungle, Loudon
Series 4: Keisler Stadium, Southport
Series 5: Emperor Michael I Stadium, Pocono City
Series 6: McAllister Stadium, Putnam Lake
Series 7: Cougar Stadium, Centralia
Series 8: Gladiator Stadium, Olympia

Park Factor: 100 for all (I know this isn’t realistic, I’m not sold on park factors based on WBC 42 so just keeping everything balanced).
Style Modifier: 0

Head Coach: Jessica Hedstrom, 54, Southport Tigers
– Successfully led the Rockets to the final in her first year as coach of the Rockets. Do recall that she replaced the legendary Ashley Stevens prior to WBC 45, as Stevens retired. The entire coaching staff was turned over then, so they were brought back for WBC 46. Then the embarrassment happened. Truly, this Classic is do or die for her career as national team coach.

Hitting Coach:Emily Martin, 56, Southport Tigers
– Coach Hedstrom bring in a familar face, as the former hitting coach, Chelsea Benjamin, is now 64, and still does the job with Pocono City, but officially declared that she would not be back to the WBC even if Hedstrom wanted to bring her in.

Pitching Coach:Rachel Cerullo, 59, Dover City Mountaineers
– You have probably noticed this trend now. Another new addition to the coaching staff. Cerullo was a great starting pitcher in her day and should be fine in this role.

STARTING ROTATION:
1A) Hannah Lee, 33, LHP, South Charlotte Condors (#25)
– In WBC 40 at 19, she was added to the roster to get the WBC experience, and was not used a ton. Made a spot start in qualifying for WBC 41, and tossed a shutout. Tossed another key shutout in the playoffs. Had a great WBC 42, and cannot be blamed for the Rockets premature exit in there. Moved to the top of the rotation of WBC 43, and was the starting pitcher for the Game 6 finale against Free Republics. Remained consistent in WBC 44 and 45, and was not the reason for our playoff choke last Classic.

1B) Cassie Burke, 28, RHP, Dover City Mountaineers (#37)
– At just 19 years of age, Cassie made quite an impression with the small market Seminole Bay Gators, the coach Stevens continues with the theme of going with the hot hands from the most recent ENBL season. She’s a bit young to be given this role, not even Hannah Lee was handed a starting spot this young, but her 1.86 ERA and 246 K’s were very impressive. Due to playing with Seminole Bay, the win-loss record is not as impressive, but she’ll be happy to get more run support now. Was somewhat inconsistent in WBC 46, but she has been good at home still, so she gets a chance to redeem herself.

1C) Madison Sullivan, 29, LHP, South Tier Seagulls (#40)
– Was part of the WBC 44 roster out of the bullpen as a long reliever, but was seen as someone who would be strongly considered for a starting position. The hard thrower appeared as a starter for WBC 46, and is liked a lot. Consistent at home, not going to the lead the nation in complete game shutouts, but never really gets lit up, either.

1D) Paige Norwood, 24, LHP, North Charlotte Wildcats (#46)
– Had a strong rookie year with the Wildcats, impressing the coaching staff so much that she was made a part of this rotation. The timing was right for a player of her age to get this opportunity, and Paige was on the money in seizing the chance. She’s been good so far.

1E) Andrea Courville, 34, RHP, Jessicaville Millionaires (#49)
– Andrea is not flashy, and sometimes people will wonder how she does it. Her secret is pinpoint location, and the ability to be a step ahead of the batter in keeping them guessing. Her curveball and slider are nasty, plus she even mixes in the screwball from time to time. Her fastball isn’t really super fast, but it just seems that way after facing the breaking stuff. Debuted in WBC 41 as a part of the bullpen, and after showing great progress the last two years, got a chance to start in WBC 42, went back to the pen for 43-46 but now starts again. She is a starter at home.

Bullpen:
Closer- Katrina Payne, 35, RHP, Dover City Mountaineers (#44)
– Katrina first appeared on the roster in WBC 42 as a short reliever. She was upgraded to the set up role for WBC 44, and now with yet another age-related retirement, she is the official closer of this team. That’s fine, as she is the regular closer in Dover City, and has been.

Set-Up- Brittany Overton, 28, LHP, South Charlotte Condors (#30)
– Overton stepped in to the closer role with Condors, and was impressive thanks in part of her fastball and splitter combination. She’ll mix in a tricky changeup to go along with that, too. As is usually the case on our roster, the set up reliever is a closer domestically.

Kristen Phillips, 25, LHP, North Charlotte Wildcats (#51)
– The lone member of the entire of pitching staff that is made her debut in WBC 46. The southpaw will be used in middle innings, and as is typical for a first time reliever on our roster, won’t be in major pressure situations until she has proven herself in them.

Alyssa Wolcott, 31, RHP, Tundra Falls Mariners (#48)
– A middle reliever for the team that is a bit unusual for the roster because typically Stevens just uses transformed starters in these spots. Wolcott, however, is a middle reliever at home as well, and through an incredible work ethic, has been impressive to the point of inclusion on the roster.

Heather Doran, 30, LHP, Tundra Falls Mariners (#32)
– She will be used in short relief situations where a left hander would be particularly useful.

Morgan Timmerman, 31, RHP, Pocono City Capitals (#38)
– Capable of pitching several innings if need be, but the preference will likely be to use her in short relief where a righty is useful.

Tori Fuller, 22, LHP, South Tier Seagulls (#53) (WBC Rookie)
– Usually young pitchers in Newmanistan with a ton of potential are starters, and they only go to the bullpen if they did not pan out as one, but still had the ability for relief work. Tori is an exception, as she has always been a short reliever, and no one tries to make her a starter. It’s worked out well as she is a closer with South Tier, and may be groomed for a similar spot here. Specializes in the fastball and cutter.

STARTING LINEUP (Throws/Bats)
1) Ashley Sorenson- LF (L/L) (#2), 25, Brighton Bulls
– Moves up from #2 to the prestigious leadoff spot for this Classic. That won’t mean much for everyone else, since we have two leadoff type players in our lineup in those spots all the time anyway. Ashley will run at will.

#2- Katie McCreary- CF (R/R) (#17), 28, Centralia Cougars
– McCreary was part of our roster for the last couple Classics, but now gets her chance to be in the starting lineup. She can fly, and will continue the tradition of being an aggressive base runner in not just the leadoff spot, but in the second spot.

3) Sydney Hassler- 2B (R/S) (#3), 33, Tundra Falls Mariners
– While many thought Sydney could have 45-50 HR potential when she was younger, she has become a more conventional 2B in terms of those numbers, hitting around 25. She hits for a good average, and can run a little bit.

4) Stephanie Reynolds- RF (R/S), 33, Pocono City Capitals (#14)
– Reynolds has impressed everyone at home with her power. As a rookie with Pocono City, she pounded out 49 long balls, while maintaining a BA of .318. She also has a great eye, and drew over 100 walks last season. Succeeded when moved up from 6th to 3rd in the last Classic, so being put in the #4 spot this year is an additional vote of confidence, but she can handle it.

5) Lori Brewster- 1B (L/S), 31, South Charlotte Condors (#23) (First time in starting lineup)
– Brewster has been a loyal member of the bench in recent Classics, including behind the great Mallory Harris. In the ENBL of late, her power numbers have continued to increase, and most important she is cutting down the strikeouts.

6) Joanne Collins- 3B (L/S), 29, Putnam Lake Eagles (#16)
– Made her debut in WBC 44. The first thing many will notice is how well she fields her position. Hits for a solid average, with enough pop in the bat to make pitchers respect it. Hit 6th in the last Classic as well, and some will question why Hedstrom put Brewster ahead of her since sometimes Brewster will strike out a little too much.

7) Mikayla Larson- SS (R/R), 26, Loudon Leopards (#4) (First time in starting lineup)
– The team is used to having great shortstops. Kayla Carey for so many years nailed down this position, and last year Kenzie Magee made the most of her one chance, now she too has moved on from international play. Larson hopes to be next in line, and is a very consistent hitter.

8) Kaylee Vickers- C (R/R), 32, Pocono City Capitals (#39) (First time in starting lineup)
– Another first timer in the starting lineup. Hits for a good average, with above average power. Does a great job behind the plate in calling a game and throwing out baserunners. Remember, in Newmanistan, she faces that challenge often.

9) Pitcher

Bench: (Newmanistan has more bench players then most because our bullpen is smaller then average).
Nicole Hoskins- C, 25 (#45)
Michelle Fraser- CI, 29 (#18)
Shelby Pritchett- CI, 24 (#19)
Sierra Davis- CI, 32 (#13)
Taylor Rethke- MI, 25 (#3)
Kelsey Hawke- MI, 27 (#8)
Stephanie Callahan- OF, 30 (#10)
Amy Coyle- OF, 21 (#12) (WBC Rookie)
Nicole Larkin- OF, 23 (#7)
Jessica Novotny, 35- Utility (#9)

(OOC) Why The Rockets are All-Female: From time to time, I get asked this. When we signed up for our first Classic, WBC 7, we anticipated that we would not be good right away. Therefore, for that Classic, I used a team of all women to provide an IC reason for why we might not have been as good. Then, we made it all the way to the championship series. Based on that, I just figured I would stick with it. As it continued to work, why mess with it?

by **Newmanistan** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 6:02 pm

THE ROCKET REPORT

YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT

by Brianne Henry,

Every time a tournament rolls around for a team, there are people who want to create a buzzword or a slogan for the effort. Sometimes, it might take a while to determine what the slogan should be. It might require a roundtable of highly sophisticated and educated people brainstorming ideas for that perfect idea. Or, you might just need to talk to players on a Little League team. For Newmanistan in World Baseball Classic 47, all we need is the kids. They know. You know. We all know. World Baseball Classic 47 for Newmanistan can be summed up in one word. REDEMPTION.

Very cliche, I know. World Baseball Classic 46 was a complete embarrassment for us on the field. In the stands, it was a great tournament and I know that a lot of people were demoralized from attending the playoff games of the other teams after you know what, but we still had plenty of entertaining baseball that we were able to host, and the fans from the participating nations scooped in and picked up tickets that frustrated Newmanistanians may have been less inspired to purchase. Thankfully, we only had to host half the playoff series after, you know what, thanks to the great efforts of The Sherpa Empire, our excellent co-host. Newmanistanians were left wondering not as much how it happened by analyzing the results of the series, and exploring the little things that went against us, but instead wondering how it could happen to us. We aren’t supposed to be upset in the first round. We are the Rockets. We were supposed to be immune to that. That is why it is an embarrassment. That is why fans were calling for the firing of manager Jessica Hedstrom in just her second Classic after she led us to the finals in World Baseball Classic 45. We were really in the finals two Classics ago? Because even that seems like an eternity now.

Liventia won three games, and we won two. Anything can happen in baseball, and in that series, it did. Looking back at that series, there is not anything glaring that stands out as to why we failed. As a team, we just didn’t have great moments. We had good moments, and when a great team is not great, a good team is going to be able to beat them. Liventia is a great baseballing nation, and I think that made it a little easier to swallow, as difficult as it was. We didn’t lose to Newbiestan or The Great Pond. Liventia was a part of World Baseball Classic 7, when we first entered, and while they have not participated in every Classic, there is no one in this tournament right now that goes back as far as WBC 7 then us and Liventia. Thankfully, we could still fall back on that.

There could have been massive changeover after the way the last Classic ended, but the roster has been held in tact, for the most part. They were, after all, the #2-seed in the playoffs for a reason, so they did show the ability up until the Liventia series. Many people were also a part of the World Baseball Classic 45 runner-up squad, so conventional thinking is that it will take another choke job to lead to massive overhaul. Instead, many of those who did fall flat on their face will get a chance to use all those “unfinished business”, “revenge”, “redemption” cliches that are overused in the press. We just haven’t had to use them much, because in baseball, we have finished our business, or at least had long extended runs.

Before World Baseball Classic 46, it was thought that number 42 was our most disappointing since our return to this title, and that is when it was last hosted by the Free Republics. Statistically, we were not ourselves with the bat, while the pitching still seemed to do reasonably well and were the only reason why we even got into the playoffs. Free Republics is our host again, and it is one of the best nations out there to watch a baseball game. They do a fantastic job with whatever they host, so on that aspect, we can be confident. However, they are throwing us a wrench with this format. I won’t rehash it, chances are you have already read about it if you are reading this far into my article right now. I am going to give it a chance, but I have to see how it all unfolds. If we are hoping to create a more entertaining “first stage”, then this should do it. The tried and true method of group stage baseball often led to some pretty predictable results, and a bit of monotony in playing the same five or six teams over and over. Now, there will be 32 games, with eight four game series. I like that concept, but what concerns me a little is how the luck of the draw may pan out as this “Casaran” format plays out. With the first series, all the pairings are logical; but a snowball effect could start from there if tough luck draws.

That will just give us fodder for more press releases, which I hope to see a lot of from all the nations that are participating. Let’s play ball!

by **The Sherpa Empire** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 7:13 pm

Sarang Oli was at his office in Chokpori Stadium, reviewing the information he'd been given for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. He furrowed his brow.

"The fuck is a Casaran?" he said.

"I never heard of them," said an administrative assistant who worked in the Lamas' front office told him. "It must be a new nation that's entering for the first time."

"No, that's not who we're playing," said Oli. "Our first opponent is..." He squinted at his computer, looking perplexed. His face was grizzled and very expressive. "Hm... There's some kind of glitch on this form and the name of our opponents is all garbled. I don't know who we're playing."

"Let me see, what does it say?" the administrative assistant said as she crowded in beside Oli to read over his shoulder. Oli pointed out what he assumed was a typographical error or a glitch. According to the information that the WBC organizers had provided, the Sherpa Empire's first opponent was "Nooooooooooooooo." The administrative assistant stared at it, puzzled. "Maybe someone fell asleep on the keyboard and their head landed on the 'o' key?"

Oli scowled. "Yeah, I'm going to talk to them and find out what the hell is going on," he declared grumpily.

After he had clarified what was going on, Oli was still scowling. Apparently there really was a nation called Nooooooooooooooo, and a casaran was an alternative tournament format that Oli didn't see the point of. He liked having the schedule announced in advance so he could plan ahead. "Listening to their explanation of how this tournament works was more boring than one of Luochong Zhuang's biology lectures," Oli grumbled.

"I don't know about that...," said the administrative assistant. "Have you ever gotten him going about panda mating rituals?"

"Thankfully no," Oli said dryly. "How did he end up talking to you about panda mating rituals?"

"I ran into him in the morning before a game when the Pirates were playing here."

"And naturally he had to give you a lecture on panda mating rituals..."

"Yes, he talked to me for almost an hour, and he would have kept going even longer, but one of their coaches came and chewed him out because he was late for warm-ups."

"Naturally."

Oli shook his head and went on about his work. He just hoped Zhuang would study the scouting footage of opposing batters with the same enthusiasm that he studied the habits of random animals.
"

by **Bolgano** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 5:44 am

Road to WBC in Free Republics
By: Lewis Nolton Coach of Bolgano

We played Lisander, well knowing this team, we can say that it can be a difficult opponent for a team like us, it is the first time of Bolgano in WBC but we will see what to do, I hope

The trip to Free Republics

Ramos: What will we do now?

Lined: What is always done, play

Ramos: Knowing that team, I hope we have possibilities

Kat: What are you talking about?

Ramos: Shut up, cat

Nolton: All shut up, I already have the tickets, what we will do is arrive, leave things in a hotel and start training, Ok?

by **Lisander** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:08 am

Lisander National Baseball Team
Ranking: 22th, 1.87pts
Style Mod: +3
Trigramme: LIS
Nickname: Arminhos (Stoats)
Colors: White and Black (Livery colors of Prince of Ermines)
Mascot: Lisanderian Stoat (Mustela Erminea Lisanderia)

General Information

Baseball in Lisander is forever a promise of evolution. The history of the sport in the principality is somewhat irregular. Arminhos, the national team, participated in two editions of the International Baseball Slam years ago before the interest fade away. Lately, the Ministry of Sports's continued support for the National Baseball Association (rebranded as National Baseball League) has been important in ensuring the continuity of the Arminhos on the international stage and Lisander national team played recently in editions 40, 41, 42, 44, 45 and 46 of WBC. In addition, local business investments are being very valuable for establishing professional teams in a league that may, in the near future, exceed current Rookie level.

The main contingent of first-generation baseball players in Lisander was made up of immigrants, especially from Caribbean nations such as Saint Ianina and the Far East as Kikunomi. In cities with large numbers of immigrants and descendants like Aomori, Kikunomijin names and surnames can be seen in the small ballparks. In the last decades, in particular, immigrant descent families have given their children Latin names, and this national team is a reflection of Lisander's miscegenated society, with names like Shunsuke Montells, Rafael Inoue and Alex Itosugi, four of the newcomers to the 28-man roster. Another influence of Kikunomijin baseball is the number of Rotation Pitchers, 6 instead of 5.

The growth of the sport over the years is due not only to immigrants but also to the media. Watching the big leagues of other countries, more and more young people are interested in baseball. College students began to form teams and play among themselves, and when these guys leave college, the sport continues. The amateur leagues received a great influx of this generation that learned baseball "in front of the tv, without interest in football or rugby". Aomori Institute of Technology won the biggest title of Lisanderian Baseball, the NationStates College Baseball championship. Names like catcher Guilherme Hirano, Milo Akagi (who plays for Shichijou Lions in the last Kikunomijin Baseball Alliance, for short, KBA) and the captain of that team, Eric Selden, joined the Arminhos for this WBC 45. Together with them, the Starter pitcher of Soria University, Lisandro Rafael Antos (the first Lisanderian without Kikunomijin ancestor to play for Amane Buffaloes, of Kikunomijin Baseball Alliance).

And it's with a mixed team of such diverse origins that the Lisander Arminhos begins its journey at WBC 47. A group of veteran remnants of the two IBS appearances, former college students trying to continue in baseball, and a few prominent amateurs betting his chips that can build a career in the sport. All of them preparing for a new era of professionalism, and full of expectations with what comes around.

Uniforms

Unlike most national teams, Lisander does not use white and green as his first combination of uniform, but rather white and black, which are the livery colours of the house of the Prince of the Ermines, heir to the Crown of the Principality. The Sovereign of Lisander Peter IV, while still Prince of the Ermines, placed the Association under his patronage. As a form of thanks, the national team adopted the colours of its coat of arms, which also represent the colours of the national animal itself.
Arminhos uniforms urgently needed an update. The previous model had been used since the IBS era. A new cap logo was created, and the new typography matches the jersey script. As usual, the Home uniform is white with black sox and the Away uniform have a subtle pinstriped black jersey, white pants, and black socks. The brand-new alternate uniform brings the national colours instead of prince colors, and features the name of the nation instead of the cap logo that can be seen in away one.

Roster

Catchers
#30 |C| Adrian Solis | 30 yo | Soria Mariners
A veteran from IBS, was the reserve catcher in that time. Now, with 30 years old, is unquestionably the better catcher in a nation with few good ones. He has great vision of the pitch. 8th at bat.

#2 | C | Guilherme Hirano | 20 yo | Aomori Institute of Technology
The NSCB champion catcher. He still has a college year to attend, but his abilities earned him a place on this team. Lisander is needing catchers, and this one is growing to be big.

Pitching Rotation
#4 | P | Tiago Porter | 28 yo | Antioch Arrows
Tiago Porter was a boy from Soria who has never played or watched baseball before the college, but his right-hand fastball is probably the best in Lisander.

#18 | P | Alain Matsumori | 26 yo | Aomori Blitz
Another IBS veteran. Alumni of Aomori Institute of Technology, founded with his brother Julian, the baseball section of Aomori Blitz. They also were coaching the AIT team who won NSCB.

#44 | P | Shunsuke Montells | 25 yo | Sirenia Suns
Montells is a Half-Kikunomijin who lived the last seven years in Kikunomi. He played for Oenara Hawks of Kikunomijin Baseball Alliance.

#90 | P | Martin Barrios | 23 yo | Kasandora Dockers
Played IBS VIII and IX. Is part of the effort to popularize baseball in Lisander being the Ace Pitcher of Kasandora Dockers, a newly-formed team who hasn't ever played.

#20 | P | Lisandro Rafael Antos | 21 yo | Amane Buffaloes, Kikunomi
Antos was in his last year of playing for the University of Soria when US joined NSCB. His skills were noted by the management team of Amane Buffaloes, from KBA.

#11 | P | Pedro Katzel | 20 yo | Aomori Giants
Katzel was the Ace pitcher of NSCB title of AIT. Like many other U-22s, he's playing part-time in local professional team.

Bullpen
#10 | P | Lucas Secondat | 19 yo | I Lupi di Moria (Moria Wolves)
Even tempted to go to the Academy of a KBA team, Secondat decided to finish his AIT graduation and play part-time for his city team.

#70 | P | Alex Barone | 30 yo | Soria Mariners
Alex Barone is a very reliable pitcher, being in the team as a relief pitcher since IBS VIII.

#24 | P | Frederic Nanterre | 32 yo | Kasandora Dockers
With many years of his life dedicated to baseball, he's a central figure in Kasandora Dockers, acting like player-manager.

#44 | P/DH | Rafael Inoue | 24 yo | Aomori Blitz
Inoue is another solid pitcher, but also have some good batting skills. He'll be Designed Hitter against Western Phoenicia because of his experience in Shichijou Lions Academy. 9th at bat, like every other pitcher.

#46 | P | Pierre Oyon | 26 yo | Despina Dragons
Ace pitcher for Despina Dragons, is on the team since IBS. Solid right 4-seam ball.

#15 |P | Theodore Canterville | 26 yo | Antioch Arrows
The second pitcher of Antioch Arrows rotation is recovering from an injury on his elbow, so won't be seen much around the field.

Infielders
#8 | 1B |Ricardo Rios | 30 yo | Antioch Arrows
A phisically strong First Baseman, is also know by strong hit. 6th at bat.

#3 | 2B | Trevor Essendon | 27 yo | Soria Mariners
Strong-handed, Essendon was a pitcher when first played. His vision of the field is renowned. He and Adrian Solis are friends for many years and have nice pitch chemistry. 5th at bat.

#7 | SS |Rei Yokoyama | 29 yo | Eiryou Stars, Kikunomi
Fast as a doe, Rei is three times the MVP of Lisander semi-pro league, and is playing in KBA, for Eiryou Stars. 4th at bat.

#19 | 3B | Alex Itosugi | 24 yo | Aomori Giants
Third baseman, 2nd at bat. A very agile player. Left-handed.

#33 | IN | Eric Selden | 21 yo | I Lupi di Moria (Moria Wolves)
Captain of Aomori Institute of Technology team, this First Baseman also acts like Moria Wolves manager, being probably the youngest baseball manager of all time.

#28 | IN | Milo Akagi | 20 yo | Shichijou Lions Academy, Kikunomi
Following the steps of his older brother Toji, Milo Akagi transferred to Shichijou Lions Academy, to study and work with Baseball. Despite his size, he's a very technical Third Baseman.

#13 | IN | Tiago Koizumi | 22 yo | Aomori Giants
Another AIT Alumni, he decided to keep playing baseball in one of the local teams. He's a Second Baseman.

Outfielders
#16 | LF | Martin Hansen | 26 yo | Kasandora Dockers
Called the "Silent Seven" for his speed and an excellent batter, Hansen signed a long-term contract with Kasandora Dockers, but some newspapers say he's leaving for KBA in the next season. 3rd at Bat.

#26 | RF | Toji Akagi | 28 yo | Shichijou Lions, Kikunomi
The Akagi older brother lives baseball 24 hours per day. He's a player for Shichijou Lions of KBA and also is a baseball teacher in a school for Lisanderian Expats. He's an all-rounder. His sense of position made him the best RF in the nation, and he's also a confident batter. 1st at bat.

#6 | CF | Julian Matsumori | 27 yo | Aomori Blitz
Julian, as his brother, is a founder and plays for Aomori Blitz. One is a pitcher and the other is a batter. Being a fast man, he left right field and was moved to center by Coach Hiddleston in IBS X. He now rules in that position.

#17 | OF | Iker Inglis | 19 yo | Aomori Institute of Technology
Inglis is a young CF, who had a great NSCB and is evaluating his career, thinking about moving to pros. Will be reserve for gather experience.

#81 | OF | Virgulino Kapsberg | 19 yo | University of Soria
Kapsberg can play in both left and right outfield since he's ambidextrous. Also can play as a catcher, if any problem happens.

Management
#9 | Manager | Kenji Hirano | 38 yo | Aomori Giants/Arminhos
After nearly fifteen years serving Aomori Giants and Arminhos as a Third Baseman, Hirano finally retired from the pitch and accepted a management position in the National Baseball League.

#1 | Assistant Manager | Christina Hishida | 20 yo | Aomori Institute of Technology
Christina is an outfielder ready to play, but since National Baseball League must adhere Ministry for Sport guidelines for sports competitions to receive financial support, she isn't allowed to play in NBL. Yet, Baseball rules make no distinction on gender, and the matter is on the Lisander Sports Superior Court. Hishida was officially assigned as Assistant Manager and players agreed to give her #1 jersey in protest against the Ministry for Sport rule.

#0 | Head Coach | Todd Heimler | 46 yo | Arminhos
The University of Soria Bats head coach was assigned to be the coach of Arminhos in this WBC.

#77 | Assistant Coach | Edward Langley | 39 yo | Antioch Arrows
A pitcher who recently retired, was invited to join the roster as an assistant. Langley played with most of its team in IBS.

Batting Lineup

1. Akagi T.
2. Itosugi
3. Hansen
4. Yokoyama
5. Essendon
6. Rios
7. Matsumori
8. Solis
9. Pitcher/Inoue (as DH)

RP Permissions

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my runscorers: Yes
Choose my lineup: Drop me a TG if you have a decent reason to modify my batters' lineup
Follow my pitching rotation: Drop me a TG if you have a decent reason to modify my pitchers' rotation
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes, provided not a permanent injury
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Eject my players: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes
Use DH at home: No. DHs are bad.

by **Banija** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 11:53 am

The Casaran Classic- New look WBC will measure growth of baseball within Banija and be both and test and opportunity for fans

Manager Ousman Kakay at a batting practice

ISTRIA, MORAVICA- The Banijan national baseball team finally, it seemed at least, made its breakthrough at the last World Baseball Classic. After many years of sitting on the periphery of the truly good teams, competing for a berth in the knockouts but not getting past the first knockout round, this team took a massive step forward in terms of their own development. Ousman Kakay managing his first World Baseball Classic, following up behind Raymond Cloutier, who had managed the squad for five consecutive tournaments. They took a large step forward in their development in that classic. Faced with a tough group that had both historical power Schlitzberg and the defending champions, Ko-oren, the Banijans surprised many by powering through and winning the group outright. Not only that, but they then downed Ethane in the Round of 16, and following that, they pulled of an upset against co-hosts the Sherpa Empire to make the semifinals, to face juggernaut Cassadaigua. The Banijans won Game 1, of course, but that was their only win of that semifinal series, losing a trio of close games, to fall 3 games to 1 in the best of 5. They ended the tournament on a high note, however, with a bronze medal.

What followed, of course, was a boost of popularity for the game. The Baseball Division of the Olympic Committee of Banija(OCB) had announced that they were going to start a professional baseball league within the country, but unfortunately it was put off due to lack of interested investors. However, even without a national league, professional baseball is still entering the country. The sport's heartland is on the West Coast, in the Moravica Region and the Kitara Region. Inland, in this country, the sport still has plenty of work to do. But the Executive Vice President of the Baseball Division, Kamoyo Chikondi, announced at the baseball team's fan festival that he has secured an agreement with numerous investors, and the support of the Banijan Collegiate Sports Group, to create a professional Baseball league within the country. It will be called the Western Banijan Baseball League(WBBL), and will commence play after the World Baseball Classic, with the inaugural draft occurring soon after WBC 47 finishes.

With that coming, of course, Banija's highest level of competition remains the schools of the Banijan Collegiate Sports Group. And following the World Baseball Classic 46, Banija's college teams saw a spike in interest. Northern Moravica's Athletic Director, Horace Browning, commented on the rise of interest in the sport. "We've had crowds unlike we've ever seen here at Northern." Browning told reporters. "This sport is an entertaining sport, and our squad continues the standard of excellence that all Northern Moravica sports show. And with this country's WBC run, crowds have been stunning. We used to average just over 2,000 fans a game- now we're hitting well into 6,000. We even had 25,000+ fans total show up for a two game set that school down South(University of Loyola-Istria)." And attendance spikes are happening across the BCSG, but especially here on the west coast. Loyola-Istria reported 7,000 a game, while Wild Valley and University of Moravica both had well over 5,000 per game.

With that renewed interest and another World Baseball Classic coming up, that is expected to show in fan attendance and ratings across Banija, and especially in Moravica and Kitara. But this WBC will be far different than past ones. That is because it is being run under a different set of rules than normal. Instead of the format they are used to, a 6 team, 30 match group stage, it will be a 32 match Casaran stage, with a single large table determining whether teams will advance. Matchups are based on strength, and they are set up to ensure even strength matchups throughout the entirety of the Casaran stage- though crucially, that is not true for the first series. It will be a pair of 2 game series, 2 in a row at home and then 2 in a row away from home. Banija's first opponent is an unranked Chromatika, ensuring that the first matchup will be a competitive match between a pair of sides from Atlantian Oceania.

This, of course, will be exciting for the fans- more big matchups against big teams. It has a similar foundational philosophy to the 'Nations League' format that was used at World Bowl XXXVII, that was hosted in Banija and organized by the Gridirion Division of the Olympic Committee of Banija. The Olympic Committee, because of the growth of the sport in the country, as well as the abundance for entertaining matchups against the sport's top teams, is projecting even further growth. Kamoyo Chikondi told this magazine that he expects attendance to be through the roof. "If we can compete well in the opening series against Chromatika, protecting home field and taking at least one of two away from home, then we'll set ourselves up for a competitive matchup in the next Casaran series. The opportunity for fans to see a team like Ko-oren, or like Cassadaigua, or even Newmanistan, playing in Istria cannot be underestimated.

Of course, the flip side is that for fans who like to travel, which Banijan fans are well known for, it will be tougher to do so. "Away ticket sales, we expect, will actually drop". Chikondi told us. "The reason is simple- the opportunity to plan your trips abroad will be very small. When we only find out our opponents with so little time in advance, traveling to other countries, especially ones outside Atlantian Oceania, will be extremely tough. You gotta buy plane tickets, book hotels, etc... and that will be harder to do when you don't know where you're going." Banija Air, the country's pre-eminent airline, has announced a ticket booking package where fans can put a deposit down for Casaran stage opponents, but they declined to saw how many fans have taken advantage so far, though their public relations department said that they expect more deposits to be put down as the Casaran stage goes on.

Another thing that will be a challenge about this group stage will be the pitching staff. Ousman Kakay was a fan of shuffling around his rotation in the last World Baseball Classic, to ensure that his top of the rotation starters got the big matchups, against Schlitzberg and Ko-oren, respectively. But now, of course, he does not know who will be faced until only a few days before. Regardless, he has released a pitching matchday schedule ahead of the tournament, for all 32 games. He said that while he is ensuring his top of the rotation starters are still getting an extra start, it is important to trust the entire rotation. "Our goal is to go further than we did last time." Said Ousman Kakay. "We cannot make a deep run using just two pitchers. I trust all five guys on this staff, and all of them will surely have their moments to shine. There is no targeting certain teams, so any of these five could be called upon to face a Newmanistan, or a Cassadaigua, or a Free Republics, or even a Ko-oren. I expect them to be able to perform rather amicably."

Most of the squad returns from the previous World Baseball Classic, as this band of warriors wants to go at least one step further than they did in the Sherpa Empire last time around. How will the team do? It is difficult to say. They have big game experience, of course, with their semifinal run last time out. But can they make the last sixteen and survive the Casaran stage? This is an experienced team, with an experienced coaching staff. They are motivated and hungry. But this is not the most talented team in this classic. And, of course, the lack of a high-level domestic league, between classics, does not help. It is one of those things that is almost truly impossible to predict. The team will be favored to take at least three against Chromatika, however, and winning as many as they can against the unranked side to start the classic will help them in the standings as the tournament goes along, and could be crucial when it comes to determining the final table. As we always say, go Banija!

by **Hapilopper** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 12:52 pm

The HNBT Clubhouse, Capital Stadium, Hapilopper City
Just before the first series of the World Baseball Classic
For the first time in a year, the Hapilopper National Baseball Team had convened in preparation for another World Baseball Classic. There were a lot of familiar faces joined with a few new ones – Carl Constable, the backup first baseman from Garvinson and Alvin Bannerman, the exciting shortstop from Kingsland. The two quickly realized that while their national teammates would play hard and physical in the National League of Hapilopper, they were a brotherhood when playing with each other in the national team.

They saw guys like Leroy Hunnisett and Terry Blanchard cracking jokes with players like Charlton Forest and Whit Dabney. These were players that would not have gotten along otherwise, but they knew they had to stick together if they were going to get anywhere in this competition against some of the top nations in the world, and against nations that now knew how to play the HNBT Thrashers. Manager Sam Kitchens had told his players that it was better to work together than to fight each other, even if there had been some unfortunate incidents involving each other in the past. A hitter had admired a home run. Someone tagged too hard at second base. There was a hard collision at home plate. These incidents had happened between HNBT teammates in the last two years, but they knew they had to let those incidents go. They had to play hard to win, and that’s exactly what they were doing.

As the players were cutting up with each other, Sam Kitchens was sitting in his office with a group of coaches, tuned in to a live webcast where they would learn of their first opponent. This year’s World Baseball Classic was utilizing something called a “Casaran” format, which meant no groups, and… something. The coaches were making notes and crossing some names off their lists.

“Who do you want to face?” Sam asked his coaching staff.

“Not the Sherpas, because they'd kick our asses.” said first base coach Emory Riley. “Maybe someone like Nazi Flower Power or something. Or maybe the Tornado Queendom or A Mushroom Kingdom.”

“Holy shit,” said pitching coach Sherman Atwater. “I’m not sure I’d like to go to the Tornado Queendom, I don’t think we’d get out alive.”

The other coaches laughed. It seemed like an interesting place, to say the least, and it seemed like some place that the Haps might want to avoid for one reason or another.

Just then, the name “Hapilopper” was mentioned on the webcast.

“The team from Hapilopper’s first series will be with Kita-Hinode!” the webcast shouted.

The coaches nodded their heads. It would be the second time that a team from Hapilopper would go up against a team from Kita-Hinode. The last time was in the intense playoff rounds for the last qualifying positions for the 83rd World Cup, and what a wild match it was, with Kita-Hinode emerging victorious 4-3. For four games, two at Capital Stadium and two in Kita-Hinode, the two nation’s baseball teams would go up against each other. All things considered, it wasn’t a bad draw.
Kitchens stepped out of the office, just in time to see Jordan Meadows in full Rodney DeRude mode. The mullet was there. The dirtstache was there. The old-school shades were there. The Chet Byrd leather firesuit jacket was there. But the jean shorts weren’t there. In fact, there was nothing there below the waistline.

“First off, Jordan, put some pants on. Nobody wants to see that,” Sam said, his eyes gazing down south of the border. “Second, gang, our opponent has been announced. We’re facing Kita-Hinode.”

The players on the team nodded their heads, pulled out tablet computers supplied to them by the National League of Hapilopper and started looking up the Hinodejin baseball team. It was time for them to start looking for weaknesses, strengths and something – anything – that would help propel them to victory.

Meanwhile, Jordan kept prancing around the clubhouse, even as a vast majority of the players were studying the Hinodejins. What had been a lighthearted time to catch up and look forward to great times had turned into a deadly-serious study session. Jordan was reminded that it was time to get out of Rodney DeRude mode with the assistance of Leroy Hunnisett, who told him to put some pants on and start figuring out how to get the Hinodejins out.

The World Baseball Classic was about to begin, and the Hapilopper National Baseball Team had to be on the top of their game. Sure, they’d be playing a team ranked much lower than them, but that didn’t mean they could keep their foot off the gas. Their fellow national team, the one that played football, had stunned the multiverse on multiple occasions with some truly inspiring efforts during qualifying for the 83rd World Cup. Now, the HNBT was in a position of having a relatively good position rank-wise. It was time for them to kick some serious ass.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 4:51 pm

DRAWKLAND NATIONAL BASEBALL TEAM

Name: Base Corps
Demonym: Drawkian
Physiology: Special
13TH World Baseball Classic, Rank #20
Stadium: Hydrogen Cyanide Field, Drawk City
Capacity: 50,000

Manager: Blanton Evergreen

BASE CORPS
STARTING ROSTER
P   ##  PLAYER              BATS   THROWS
C   3   Dee Thomas          Right  Right
1B  4   Mark Fields         Right  Right
2B  17  Abram Kavana        Right  Right
3B  15  Bavid Ortey         Right  Right
SS  24  Roger Madison       Left   Right
LF  10  Chan Ford           Left   Left
CF  7   Lane Kavana         Switch Right
RF  23  Taylor Smart        Left   Left
DH  99  Franky Jones        Right  Right

BASE CORPS
RESERVE ROSTER
P   ##  PLAYER              BATS   THROWS
C   12  Lucia Goddard       Left   Left
1B  5   Jacquelyn Williams  Right  Right
2B  9   Christy Rhodes      Right  Right
3B  31  Braden Breckenridge Switch Left
SS  2   Aaron Gomez         Left   Right
LF  18  Paul Silvia         Switch Right
CF  11  Trinity Michaels    Right  Left
RF  20  Victoria Irving     Right  Right
DH  25  Amancio Hayes       Switch Right

BASE CORPS
PITCHERS
P   ##  PLAYER              THROWS
SP  22  Leo Roy             Right
SP  44  Darien Rodriguez    Right
SP  69  Bruce Moore         Right
SP  45  Will Knight         Left
SP  43  Andrew Tyler        Left

RP  55  Jack West           Right
RP  32  Danny Jefferson     Left
RP  41  Andre Phillips      Right
RP  39  Matt Carter         Left

RP  60  Carlos Gomez        Right
C   51  Franklin Bell       Right

BASE CORPS - STARTING
LINEUP WITH DH
1. KAVANA (A)
2. MADISON
3. SMART
4. KAVANA (L)
5. JONES
6. FORD
7. FIELDS
8. ORTEY
9. THOMAS

BASE CORPS - STARTING
LINEUP WITHOUT DH
1. KAVANA (A)
2. MADISON
3. SMART
4. KAVANA (L)
5. FORD
6. FIELDS
7. ORTEY
8. THOMAS
9. (pitcher)

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my runscorers: Yes.
Choose my lineup: My lineup is as specified above.
Follow my pitching rotation: Please do, same order as listed.
Godmod scoring events: Yes.
RP injuries to my players: Nothing career-ending. TG me if it's more than a couple games.
Godmod injuries to my players: As long as it follows the above rule.
Eject my players: Yes, only one per game and a duration of a game.
Godmod other events: As long as it doesn't destroy my nation or my organization, I'm fine with anything.
Use DH at home: Yes.

Style Mod: +3.5

As far as permissions go, as long as it doesn't totally wreck me, I don't mind. TG me if you do something major, but don't feel the need to alert beforehand.

by **Hampton Island** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:30 pm

Hampton Island Golden Bears

In regards to Midnight, who is an actual black bear: he is ok with being referenced as a Golden Bear for the competition. No one knows how he became so good at baseball. Will get along with teammates and opponents as long as he is well fed before the game. The team was looking to liven things up after making the playoffs for the first time in World Baseball Classic 43, before losing in the first round. He performed well during WBC 44, and the upswing continued in the last classic. He should not be considered sentient (he can’t talk).

Manager: John Morton, 67 (5th year)

Lineup:
1) Denny Ramirez- 23- CF (Speedy player excited to get his first chance in stating lineup)
2) Victor McClelland- 22- SS (Excellent range, good average hitter, not much power)
3) Larry Huckston, 34- 1B (Contact hitter, great with runners in scoring position)
4) Midnight, age unknown- LF (Actual black bear. Explosive power when he makes contact)
5) Phil Haggarty, 30- 3B (Excels when runners in scoring position. Not a power hitter, but has enough of it to respect).
6) Bryce Mueller, 32- 2B (Deceptive power, very intelligent player)
7) Danny Hackerbee, 25- C (Great overall contact hitter, works long pitch counts)
8) Mario Cortez, 24- RF (One of three new starters in the lineup. Good all-around player)
9) Dave Shanahan, 22- DH (Infielder otherwise, contact hitter)

Bench:
1) David Carson, 32- C
2) Kyle Hennessey, 21- 31, 1B, 3B
3) Phillip Greene, 22- 1B, 3B, OF
4) Shane Carinci, 21- OF
5) Jerome Jurdeen- 27, 2B, SS
6) Scott Van Allen- 29, 2B, SS

Rotation:
1) Chris Tyson, 34 (RHP)- Hard thrower, not afraid to throw at batters
2) Dean Douglas, 31 (RHP)- Good fastball but nasty breaking pitches
3) Cory Clover, 28 (LHP)- Up and coming phenom, nasty curveball. Doesn’t get along with Sanfredi
4) Curtis Sanfredi, 27 (RHP)- Young, very arrogant, and a wicked curveball. Doesn’t get along with Clover.
5) Justin Mohlander, 24 (LHP)- Hard thrower, the southpaw version of Tyson but not quite as consistent yet.

Bullpen:
1) Shawn Levinson, 25 (RHP)- Middle/Long Relief
2) Gabriel Wright, 26 (LHP)- Middle/Long relief
3) Byron Shannon, 24 (LHP)- Middle relief
4) Bryan Prater, 29 (RHP)- Short relief
5) Aaron Mayfield, 32 (LHP)- Short relief
6) Chad Whitlock, 31 (LHP)- Set-up
7) Martin Reynolds, 33 (RHP)- Closer

Stadium- National Stadium (Capacity- 68,217) in Stafford City; Park Factor of 107
Style Modifier- +1.8

Choose my runscorers: Yes
Choose my lineup: No
Follow my pitching rotation: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Eject my players: Yes
Godmod other events: Only if centered around Midnight, our actual outfield playing bear, but no killing or injuring him, or having him kill anyone.
Use DH at home: Yes

by **Hampton Island** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:45 pm

New Faces, Same Bear

There will be a few new faces on our roster for World Baseball Classic 47. We have been pretty predictable with the human players that we have sent for the last few tournaments now, but that is going to change with this roster. Thankfully, we still have Midnight, who is not slowing down any. No one knows how old he is anyway, so as long as he keeps being able to comprehend enough about the game, he will still be a part of the team.

The primary changes to the Golden Bears lineup will at the top of the batting order as both Denny Ramirez and Victor McClelland are new. Ramirez was part of the team in the last WBC, but did not start. McClelland is a completely fresh face.

However, the most exciting change we have is in the ownership of the National Stadium in Stafford City. We are proud to announced that it has recently been purchased by the same group of people who are in charge of the Stafford City Speedway. Fans of NSSCRA are well aware of the unique but successful way that the race track is opened, and the unconventional tactics that have been employed, some of which have generated controversy. Those who are not fans of NSSCRA will soon learn what we mean. Hopefully, they are prepared.

The Golden Bears will start with a series against Rusticus, who we hope will be Rusti. A religious organization has announced that there will be small protest which will merely be some signage and the passing out of literature to encourage the Stafford City Speedway to ban Kai Qiang, of The Sherpa Empire, from racing at the track due to his recent polygamous marriage. The protest has been allowed by the stadium, and it is seen as being motivated by retaliation for IRACT’s ban of Hampton Island racing sponsor Starlight Suites from a race in The Sherpa Empire due to their cultural beliefs not aligning with the company.

World Baseball Classic 47 Everything Thread

World Baseball Classic 47 Everything Thread

okay hear me out, what if I posted this time

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