SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Win behind the Rocket and Team USA is in – the next round.
After a day of living dangerously Team USA got the help it needed last night when Mexico thumped Canada, 9-1. As a result, a win today over South Africa will send the U.S. on to Anaheim and the second round of the World Baseball Classic.
Mexico also will move on, while a Team USA victory today will mean Canada, despite beating the U.S., will be out. The U.S. (with a win today), Mexico and Canada will finish 2-1, but Canada will be eliminated as result of allowing more runs than Team USA in the three games involving those three 2-1 teams.
“We don’t want to go back to Tampa just yet,” Alex Rodriguez said yesterday at Scottsdale Stadium.
Sorry, George.
No one thought today’s game against South Africa would be anything more than a tune-up for starting pitcher Roger Clemens, but it has become a game the U.S. must win.
“It makes the stage bigger for Rocket,” Derek Jeter said with a smile. “He likes that.”
Team USA feels it has learned its lesson after losing to Canada, 8-6 Wednesday night.
“With our team we feel we can get off and win this [tournament],” Johnny Damon said. As for his scouting report on South Africa: “We know that they have a couple guys who play pro ball and there are some really young kids who are enjoying Scottsdale.”
Party on, dudes.
Team USA will be more focused. The players don’t want to slip up again. They know they are too talented to fall so early in the tournament.
“It’s sort of like in New York,” Jeter said. “You figure with all the talent we have [with the Yankees] that we should make it to the World Series, but no matter how you look at it, talent doesn’t win games, performance wins games. A lot of people are talented, you have to perform.”
Clemens was not at the workout yesterday, instead visiting the Rangers’ camp in nearby Surprise. The Rangers, Yankees, Red Sox and Astros are on the Rocket’s 2006 docket.
There was nervous energy throughout Team USA’s long practice, and when the workout was complete, a group of hitters that included Jeter and A-Rod went back out to take extra swings.
“The focus of our players was better than I’ve seen it,” manager Buck Martinez said after Mexico scored its third run last night, which gave Team USA its second life. “I’ve had several of them come up to me and tell me they are ready to play nine innings. This has come together very nicely for these guys.”
Expect A-Rod and Chipper Jones to both be in the lineup as the tournament rolls on. The near-elimination was a wakeup call for the U.S.
“I think it will be a great lesson for us in these tournaments,” A-Rod said. “It might be the best thing that ever happened to us going down the stretch because we realized we put our destiny in other people’s hands.
“We need to play with the urgency of an NCAA bracket, where every game is the most meaningful game,” he added.
Asked what the team learned, Jeter said with a smile: “We learned the rules. . . . I just figured pretty much if you win two games you’re in.”
The math ended up in Team USA’s favor. Now it’s time to take care of business with the Rocket on the mound.
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TEAM USA vs SOUTH AFRICA – Today 3:00, TV: Ch. 9
