Thoughts on Baseball and Softball’s Olympic hopes being dashed

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board announced on 13 August that golf and rugby would be put forward for entry to the 2016 Olympics.  The decision ended baseball and softball’s hopes for an immediate return to the Olympic fold after a previous decision in 2005 removed the sports from the 2012 London Games.

Read more at BaseballGB about what this means for the future of baseball in Great Britain and as an international sport.

World Baseball Classic: The games remain the same

Taking a look at the WBC tournament structure.

World Baseball Classic

The WBC is due to begin fairly soon.  Lots of people are suggesting ways in which it could be improved.  Here, we take a look at a recent proposal published on the excellent Mister-Baseball.com.

International Baseball

GB and the IBAF World Rankings - The IBAF recently published a list of world rankings.  BaseballGB looked at them from a British perspective, including getting the thoughts of Great Britain’s senior head coach Stephan Rapaglia.

World Baseball Classic – Provisional Rosters – The provisional rosters were announced on Monday and, judging by the players involved, the second staging of the tournament will be even better than the first.

MLB postseason, the Baseball World Cup and the World Baseball Classic

Great Britain confirmed for the 2009 Baseball World Cup – Some very positive news for British baseball fans.

Advantage Phillies and Red Sox – A look at the state of the two League Championship series after two games in the NLCS and one in the ALCS

League Championship Series – A preview of the two series

WBC Broadcast details – Information about the World Baseball Classic

Rays – White Sox at 22.07 BST tonight - A preview of the ALDS game

Nicaraguans complete GB’s pool for 2009 World Cup

Great Britain versus the Bangers: Game report – A report from Marcus Trescothick’s benefit baseball game.

Sweeps, WBC, MLB deadline day, and a new Extra-inning rule

‘Weekly’ Hit Ground Ball 2008 – Week Eighteen – Looking at the power of the ’sweep’ as the Cubs beat up the Brewers.

WBC – An alternative format – The World Baseball Classic is a fantastic competition, but it could be even better.  Here’s an alternative format for how the tournament should be structured.

WBC 2009 press conference news – A report on the L.A. press conference held on Thursday announcing details about next year’s World Baseball Classic.

New game-shortening rule makes debut - The IBAF’s new rule is taking effect

Manny deal saves the deadline day - Reviewing the deadline day

Trade Deadline day -  Previewing the deadline day

European League update - The IBAF caused some excitement a short while ago when announcing tentative plans to create a European Baseball League.  More details are now starting to emerge.

New rule to eliminate marathon games from the Olympics - An in-depth look at the new rule which will see runners placed on first and second at the start of each inning if the scores are tied after ten.

How to become an Olympic sport - The decision process for selecting sports to be part of the Olympics is strongly called into question by the BBC.  Perhaps an explanation why baseball and softball have been unjustly booted out?

National Baseball League: return of the seamed sphere – A review of last weekend’s games from the British National Baseball League.

WBC on the mind

I hope you’ve all been having fun watching/listening to some Spring Training action (I doubt it’s been hailing in Florida or Arizona today!). Am I the only person who gets a bit frustrated by the way some commentators constantly refer to spring training stats though? You can’t tell much about how a pitcher is throwing on the back of 15 innings work in practice games, just as a guy who gets 8 hits in 16 at-bats isn’t now a true .500 hitter.

WBC: Semi-final review – Final preview.

The favourites and the unbeaten team were sent packing in the semi-finals of the WBC on Saturday. Cuba and Japan will fight it out tonight to become the first ever winners of the tournament.

WBC: Semi-finals preview

Twelve down. Only four left. And the U.S. are out.

The WBC is reaching its climax, with the semi-finals taking place today (well, tonight and in the early hours of tomorrow morning for us) and the first ever Champion being crowned on Monday.

The Classic continues!

What a great couple of games the WBC served up last night!