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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen, Robert Bos & Marco Stoovelaar)
     Brazil and Israel open World Baseball Classic Qualifier with win
Nederlands
 BROOKLYN, NEW YORK CITY, New York (USA) -
Brazil and Israel have opened the fourth and final World Baseball Classic Qualifier on Thursday (September 22) with a victory.
Brazil shutout Pakistan 10-0 in seven innings, while Israel won 5-2 vs. Great Britain.
The two winners meet each other on Friday-afternoon, while the two losers face each other in the evening.
The winner of the Brazil vs. Israel game moves to the Final on Sunday.
The loser of this game plays on Saturday against the winner of the match-up between Great Britain and Pakistan.
The event is played at MCU Park in Brooklyn, which is a borough of New York City.
The site is the home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, which is a Single-A team of the New York Mets.
The stadium is located at Coney Island, which is well known as the site of amusement parks and a seaside resort with a beach at the Atlantic Ocean.
Legend has it that the Island got its name around 1639 when the Dutch established the colony of Nieuw Amsterdam (New Amsterdam) and named the area 'Conyne Eylandt', which is old spelling in Dutch for 'Rabbits island'.
The winner of this tournament will be the 16th and final country to qualify for next years Classic.
The winner will meet Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), South Korea and the Netherlands Kingdom Team in Pool B of the preliminary round of next years fourth edition of the World Baseball Classic in March.
This group will play its games in South Korean capital Seoul.
In this tournament, three of the four teams will have 39 players on their 28-man rosters, who are affiliated with Major League-organizations.
Nineteen of them are on the roster of Israel.
Besides these players, there are also four former Major Leaguers on the Israeli roster.
Great Britain has eleven professionals in its squad.
Brazil, which first participated in the Classic in 2013, is the favorite in this tournament and has nine players on its roster who are affiliated with Major League-clubs.
Pakistan is the lone team without professional players.
World Baseball Classic rules permit players to represent nations for which they meet the qualifications of citizenship, even if they do not hold passports.
Earlier this year, the other three Qualifiers were played.
In February, Australia won the first Qualifier, which was held in Blacktown, near Sydney (Australia).
In March, Colombia won the Final in Panama City (Panama) to qualify for the first time to play in the Classic.
In the Final, Colombia nipped Panama 2-1, which has participated in the three previous Classics.
Also in March, México won the Qualifying Tournament that was played in Mexicali (México).
These tournament-winners join twelve countries, who already were qualified for participation.
Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the United States and Venezuela received automatic invitations based on their performance in the 2013 tournament.
The final of next years World Baseball Classic will be played in Dodger Stadium, the beautiful home of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
(September 22)
Related Articles:
 México wins big against Nicaragua to return to World Baseball Classic. (March 20, 2016)
Colombia nips Panama to qualify for World Baseball Classic. (March 20, 2016)
France eliminated after early lead in WBC Qualifier. (March 19, 2016)
Czechs eliminated in 11 innings in WBC Qualifier. (March 19, 2016)
France eliminates Spain; Colombia in Final WBC Qualifier. (March 18, 2016)
Czechs eliminate Germans; México in Final WBC Qualifier. (March 18, 2016)
Narrow escapes Nicaragua & México in WBCQ openers. (March 17, 2016)
Colombia & Panama open WBC Qualifier with wins. (March 17, 2016)
Australia wins first World Baseball Classic Qualifier. (February 14, 2016)
South Africa second finalist in World Baseball Classic Qualifier. (February 13, 2016)
Australia in Final World Baseball Classic Qualifier. (February 12, 2016)
Australia, South Africa open WBC Qualifier with convincing win. (February 11, 2016)
First World Baseball Classic Qualifier to open in Australia. (February 10, 2016)
Dominican Republic new Classic-champion. (March 19, 2013)
Dutch Team ends up short in semi-final. (March 18, 2013)
Dutch Baseball Team World Champion! (October 15, 2011)
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Brazil vs. Pakistan
In the first game of the Qualifier, Brazil shutout Pakistan 10-0 in seven innings on 13 basehits.
Initially, the game remained scoreless in the first two innings, then Brazil opened with three runs in the third at bat.
Brazil couldn't really take that much distance in the beginning, as the Pakistani defense made some fine defensive plays, especially by second baseman Faqir Hussain and short stop Arsalan Jamashaid.
Pakistan, which participates for the first time in the World Baseball Classic Qualifier, even got on base first.
In the top of the first inning, lead-off hitter Muhammad Sumair Zawar hit a line drive up the middle for a single off of starting pitcher Jean Tome.
The righthander, who comes from São Paolo, played three seasons (2007-2009) in the Minor League (Rookie League) for Seattle Mariners.
With Zawar on first base, Tome struckout the next batter.
That led to some confusion.
The third strike was dropped by the catcher, which led to Zawar leaving from first towards second base.
As first base was occupied, the batter was automatically out and Zawar was then eliminated in a double play.
...Barry Larkin during the MLB European Elite...
...Camp last year in Hoofddorp (Netherlands)...
...At left is former Major Leaguer Greg Swindell...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
Baseball is being played in Pakistan only since 1992.
Most players have a cricket-background, but the sport is somewhat growing.
While the players show they can play the sport, some of the rules are still unfamiliar, which is part of the learning process in the development of the sport in the Asian country.
While baseball is being played in Pakistan now for only 25 years (almost), the country quickly has become one of the contenders in Asia following leading countries such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China.
In the 2015 Asian Baseball Championship, Pakistan finished in fifth place and that earned them a spot in the World Baseball Classic Qualifier.
Pakistan, which is currenly in 23rd place on the World Ranking list of the World Baseball Softball Confederation, had won five West Asia Baseball Cup-tournaments since 2007.
Pakistan is managed by Syed Fakhar Ali Shah, who father Syed Khawar Shah founded the Pakistani Baseball Federation in 1992.
Brazil has a much longer baseball-history, as the sport was introduced there in 1908 by Japanese immigrants.
That why some many players over the years in Brazilian teams not only have Japanese names, but also come from the Japanese community in the South American country.
Brazil even has its first Major League-player, as Yan Gomes became the first Brazilian to play int he Majors in 2012.
In 2013, Brazil participated in its first World Baseball Classic.
...Dante Bichette (10) talks with...
...Manager Don Baylor on Opening...
...Day 1993 before the first-ever...
...game in the Major League of...
...the Colorado Rockies...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
Brazil is managed by former Major League-player Barry Larkin, who also led the team during the 2013 WBC.
He played 19 years (1986-2004) in the Major League, all with Cincinnati Reds and was elected into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Last year, Larkin led the coaching-staff during the MLB International European Elite Camp, which was held in August 2015 in Hoofddorp (Netherlands).
There, more than 80 players from 18 countries participated in the camp, which featured daily workouts and games.
In the bottom of the third inning, Brazil scored three runs to open the score off of starter Inayat Khan.
A force play on a grounder by Leonardo Reginatto led to the first run, then a triple by Dante Bichette, Jr. brought in Reginatto.
Hereafter, a single by Reinaldo Sato made it 3-0.
In the fourth, Brazil added a run on a single by Lucas Rojo, then two more runs were scored in the fifth.
With Dante Bichette, Jr. on base, Juan Carlos Muñiz hit a line drive into right-centerfield over the head of leaping centerfielder Muhammad Sumair Zawar.
As the ball rolled all the way to the wall, Muníz continued running and registered the first inside-the-park-homerun in World Baseball Classic-history.
Dante Bichette, Jr. is playing for Brazil with his brother Bo Bichette, who have a Brazilian mother.
The two are sons of Dante Bichette, who played 14 years in the Major League, including seven with Colorado Rockies.
In 1993, Bichette Sr. was a member of the Rockies during its inaugural season in the Major League.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Brazil got the bases loaded quickly.
A single by Fernando Luciano, walk for Luis Paz and a force play-grounder by Victor Ito lifted the lead to 9-0.
A walk-off single by Gabriel Maciel then brought in the tenth run and ended the game via the mercy-rule.
Pakistan recorded four basehits, including two by Faqir Hussain.
Three hits were registered off of starting pitcher Jean Tome.
With one out in the sixth, he was relieved by Eric Pardinho, who is only 15 years old!
Pardinho's fastball is clocked at 90 mph!
Hereafter, Edilson Batista completed the game for Brazil, pitching the seventh inning.
This year, Batista was 5-2 pitching for DSL Red Sox, a Rookie League-team of the Boston Red Sox in the Dominican Summer League.
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Israel vs. Great Britain
Initially, both teams scored a run in the second inning.
Great Britain then broke the tie in the seventh inning, but Israel answered with four runs to win 5-2.
In May of this year, the Israel Association of Baseball (IAB) and the Czech Baseball Association (CBA) signed an agreement recognizing Israeli baseball players as holders of European passports.
With that, they are permitted to play in the Czech baseball leagues.
The agreement also allows Czech players to play in the Israeli leagues.
Israel is a member of the European Baseball Confederation (CEB) and participates in national tournaments throughout Europe.
Israel and the Czech Republic have a long cooperation, including participation of Israeli teams in Czech tournaments, as well as exchanging coaches.
Under this new agreement, the two two Associations also extends their cooperation in youth programs, national teams and coach exchanges.
...British Manager Liam Carroll (left) during last week's European...
...Championship in the Netherlands with Assistant Coaches...
...Bill Percy and Will Lintern...
(© Photo: Robert Bos) |
Israel has nineteen active professional players on its roster.
Besides these players, the team also has four former Major Leaguers, being pitchers Craig Breslow and Jason Marquis (All Star Game 2009), infielders Ike Davis and Josh Satin.
Breslow was a key reliever playing for the Boston Red Sox when it won the World Series in 2013.
Early August, Breslow was released by the Texas Rangers.
In September 2012, Israel lost the Final of the Qualifying Tournament for the 2013 Classic to Spain in ten innings.
Trevor Hoffman, who pitched 18 years (1993-2010) in the Major League, is the Bullpen Coach for Great Britain.
In his career, Hoffman, who played sixteen seasons for San Diego Padres, was credited with 601 saves, which is the record in the National League and had been the Major League-record.
He only trails Mariano Rivera, who leads the Major League with 652 saves, which he earned pitching 19 years for the New York Yankees (1995-2013).
There are 12 professional players on the British roster, which now plays with a completely different team opposed to the recent European Championship, which ended last Sunday on Hoofddorp (Netherlands).
There, the British squad finished in ninth place.
During the European Championship and now again during the WBC Qualifier, the team is managed by Liam Carroll.
On the 28-man roster of Great Britain, there are eleven players who last week participated in the European Championship, including seven pitchers.
Another participant in last week's European Championship also was on the field tonight, as French umpire Serge Makouchetchev was behind the plate.
A week ago, he was a member of the umpire corps in the Netherlands.
...Serge Makouchetchev goes over the line-ups with...
...Netherlands Manager Steve Janssen and German...
...Manager Martin Helmig during last week's...
...European Championship in the Netherlands...
(© Photo: Robert Bos) |
In tonight's game, both teams scored a run in the second inning.
In the top of the second inning, Champ Stuart led off with a double Great Britain and then scored on an one-out single by Todd Isaacs.
In the bottom of the second inning, it was Cody Decker who led off with a double for Israel.
Decker then advanced on a grounder by Josh Satin.
Hereafter, he took off to score on a grounder by Rhett Wiseman towards first base.
There, first baseman Jordan Serena threw the ball to catcher Chris Berset in an attempt to eliminate Decker.
At the plate, Decker was in time, barely tagged the plate, then tripped.
The ball jumped to foul territory and when catcher Berset retrieved it, Decker suddely ran back to touch the plate again, apparently thinking he missed it.
Berset put on the tag, but was not in time, but Home Plate Umpire Serge Makouchetchev already had given the safe signal before, as Decker indeed already had touched the plate.
Berset is one of the players, who also played in last week's European Championship.
He plays professionally since 2010 and this season played in Triple-A for the Cincinnati Reds.
Decker, who scored the Israeli run, also is a longtime professional.
This year, he played at the Double-A and Triple-A level in the organization of the Boston Red Sox.
Decker played in eight Major League-games for San Diego Padres last year.
Those runs remained the lone ones for a long time, but Great Britain broke the 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh inning.
Champ Stuart again led off with a double, then moved on a wild pitch.
With one out, Stuart scored on a sacrifice fly by Todd Isaacs, who also had batted him in the first time.
That led to a pitching change.
Former Major Leaguer Craig Breslow took over from Josh Zeid.
Breslow pitched in 539 Major League-games since 2005, including 15 this season for Miami Marlins.
He was released in July, then signed by the Texas Rangers.
There, he briefly played in Triple-A and was released again after only 13 days.
Breslow gave up a grounder to Chavez Young to first base.
There, first baseman Nate Freiman fielded the ball and tossed it to Breslow, who reached the base just in time to beat Young.
However, he was ruled safe by 1B Umpire Shane Livensparger, who is an umpire in Triple-A.
As there is no challenge during the Classic, the call on the field cannot be reversed via video-images.
Young stranded, as a flyout ended the at bat.
...Vaughan Harris pitching for...
...Kinheim in 2007...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Israel answered with four runs to take a 5-2 lead.
Native Australian Vaughan Harris, who some years ago pitched in the Dutch big league for Kinheim, became the new British pitcher.
Harris took over from starter Michael Roth (Triple-A Texas Rangers, one game this year in Majors), who had pitched six fine innings.
However, the 35-year old Harris ran into problems.
He gave up a lead-off infield-hit to Rhett Wiseman on a ball that changed directions when Harris tried to field it.
Hereafter, Scott Burcham followed with a double, then a sacrifice fly by Mike Meyers tied the score.
Next batter Zach Borenstein singled to give Israel a 3-2 lead.
When Harris followed with a walk for Ryan Lavarnway, he was relieved by Nolan Bond.
He walked Nate Freiman, which loaded the bases.
The 19-year old Bond then faced Major League-veteran Ike Davis, who was inserted as pinch-hitter.
Davis singled to bring in Borenstein and lift the lead to 4-2.
Hereafter, Cody Decker drilled the ball into deep leftfield where Reshard Munroe made a great catch leaping up just in front of the wall.
Lavarnway scored (5-2), but the play also led to some confusion, as it might have been thought that the ball was caught off the wall.
That didn't happen and so Decker was out, but Great Britain made an appeal play on third base, as Lavarnway might have left too early.
When he was ruled safe, another appeal followed, this time at second base for Freiman, who had advanced to third base (he also was ruled to have left in time).
However, only one appeal is allowed at the same moment and it should have been to first base, because, when the ball was caught, Davis had reached second base.
He then returned to first base, but never re-touched second base on his way back.
And so, Davis stayed at first base.
Davis has played in 665 Major League-games since 2010, including eight this year with the New York Yankees.
Hereafter, the bases got loaded when Josh Satin was hit by a pitch, but three runners were left behind when a grounder ended the at bat.
In the top of the ninth, Great Britain got a chance to something back off of new pitcher Brad Goldberg.
Jordan Serena led off with a walk and a following double by Todd Isaacs led to runners on second and third base.
However, a line drive was then caught and a strikeout accounted for the second out.
Goldberg then also struckout pinch-hitter Mitch Evans to end the game.
With that, Israel now will play against Brazil on Friday, while Great Britain meets Pakistan.
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