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There is evidence to suggest that in terms of baseball history, people played games that involved a stick and a ball, right back to the early days of civilization. Ancient cultures in Persia, Egypt, and Greece played ball and stick games for recreation and as part of special ceremonies where celebrations were rituals. Ball and stick games of this type spread throughout Europe in the Middle Ages and became even popular as different varieties took hold. Europeans brought ball and stick games to the American colonies as early as the 1600s. Until the late 1700s, however, they were widely considered children’s games.
By the early 1800s, a variety of ball and stick games had also become popular in North America. Many people in northeastern cities such as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia played cricket, but rounders also began to take hold. Rounders most closely resembled modern baseball as we know it now.
This early version of baseball history then known as rounders, required a batter to strike a ball and run around bases without being caught out. Balls that were caught on the fly, or in some cases after one bounce, were commonly known as outs.
Varieties of rounders also involved the practice of plugging, soaking, or stinging the batter. This was where fielders could put runners out by throwing the ball at them as they ran between the bases. People used various names to describe it rounders depending on what part of the country you were in. It was also known as town ball, one o’ cat, and base ball (hence the now shortened version we know as baseball).
Americans began playing baseball in informal competitions in the early 1800s. By the 1860s, the sport, was being described as America’s “national pastime.” In 1845 Alexander Cartwright and the members of the New York Knickerbocker Base Ball Club, devised the first rules and regulations for the modern game of baseball. The first game was held at the Elysian Fields, in New Jersey.
In 1858, the National Association of Base Ball Players, the first organized baseball league with tournaments and competitions between clubs was formed and in 1876 the first major league, the National League, was formed. This allowed states to play against other states. State teams were fed players from local leagues where the cream of the crop was selected to play for the states League team. Baseball is know one of the most popular sports in the country.

In a sea of baseball and softball training devices some of the oldies but goodies get lost among the flashier designs.  Thing is old ideas stick around because they work.  So no matter how amazing that new training aid appears chances are it’s a new take on an old design or in many cases an old design will work just as well.  Today I’m talking about weighted baseballs and softballs.  This product remained pretty much unchanged and that’s probably because it’s a simple idea.  Add weight to the ball and strengthen your arm.  Truth is though it’s a bit more complicated than that which in turn will make your workout more rewarding.

Weighted baseballs and softballs come in all sorts of colors and sets.  You can even buy them individually, which is nice if you lose one I guess.  Most people would look at this product and immediately say it’s a pitchers training device and to be honest that is who will benefit the most from using them but everyone on the field throws the ball so the entire team can actually use this product and get results.

In the past weighted ball sets seemed a little pricey.  I mean come on, all they are is heavier versions of the real thing.  In fact most of them sport synthetic leather covers which should really make them less expensive than their tournament quality counterparts.  They are a specialty item though and thus the higher price tag.  That doesn’t mean you have to break the bank though.

Here is what to look for.  First off buy a set.  You need to gradually increase the weight to ensure you do not injure your arm by quickly over doing it.  Second you should make sure you buy a color coded set.  If they are color coded after a few workouts you’ll remember which color is which weight and you’ll save time picking up each ball and trying to determine which is which.  Third get the largest set you can afford.  A more gradual increase in weight is the best way to utilize this type of product.

There is one more thing you should know before I show you the two sets I recommend.  Weight… how much does an official baseball weigh?… how about a softball?  This information is critical otherwise you won’t know what you’re doing.  Official 9″ baseballs weigh 5 ounces and official 12″ softballs weight 6.8 ounces.  Ok now you’re ready to shop. 

Allow me to point you in the right direction.  There are a couple of relatively new sets on the market that come affordably priced and fully loaded.  Let’s look at the baseball set first.

The Weighted Baseball Set to the left comes complete with 9 training balls weighing from 4 oz. To 12 oz. And a nylon carrying case for under $50.00.

To the right is a Weighted Softball Set that comes complete with 8 training balls weighing from 5 oz. To 12 oz. And a nylon carrying case for under $60.

Both of these sets are perfect for developing arm strength and more.  You’ll notice that each set comes with balls that are lighter than the official game balls.  You may ask how these help to develop arm strength.  That’s a good question.  Well they don’t.

What I mean is that the lighter weight balls are not used in the actual arm strengthening they are used to develop better throwing skills.  Once you have progressed with the heavier balls you use the lighter weight balls to develop better ball control.  The lighter weight makes them more sensitive to the way you hold and throw the ball.

So weighted baseballs and softballs offer a good training program for pitchers and fielders alike for an economical price.  They can be used to develop both arm strength and ball control. 

You can find a complete selection of weighted baseballs and softballs, including the two sets pictured above along with competitive pricing on all of your other athletic needs at www.morleyathletic.com.

The information you’re about to read about is not available anywhere else in the world. No one has ever combined baseball skills with martial arts training and developed a “system” integrating the two disciplines. Feel free to search the world via the internet trying to find this combination. You won’t find anything because it’s never been done before. I started playing baseball at age 8. As a talented player in my teens and twenties I played on traveling baseball all-star teams while also competing in, and winning, martial arts tournaments. During this time I developed a unique and innovative “system” that integrated my martial arts skills INTO my baseball skills. The results were amazing!I’m now 59 years of age and I still play over 80 games per year on an elite traveling senior softball team in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. All players are over 50 years old. I have worked on perfecting this unique “system” for over 40 years and it’s still very effective. I’m going to give you a glimpse into these “secret” techniques to help you improve your baseball hitting. You will be required to “think outside the box” with these techniques, but they have been proven to work. Let’s try a simple technique… Pick up your bat right now and get into your normal batting stance. Take a few swings using the normal physical movements you are used to. Take mental note of your body position in your stance. Now before you swing again consciously rotate your hips just 2 inches backwards, away from the pitcher. Think about this 2 inches in your mind as you’re in your stance. Feel these 2 inches. Now take your normal swing with this extra 2 inches of hip rotation. You will be able to “feel” the difference in your swing. This simple 2 inch change in your hip rotation has just added much more force to your normal hitting power. Your swing will feel much more “free.” This small 2 inch hip turn “frees” up your swing and adds more power when you make ball contact. It will take some time to adjust to this change and you must remember to consciously think about it each time you step to the plate. But once you become comfortable with this simple technique and it’s timing you will see a dramatic improvement in the power you generate with the bat. I guarantee it.In Okinawa Shorei-Ryu martial arts all power punches are thrown beginning at the hips. The fist starts next to the hip, and just before the point of contact the hip is turned in perfect timing with the fist. This hip turn generates tremendous force through the arm, out the fist, and into the target. The more the hip is turned, the more power the punch generates. I learned to apply this force generated with the martial arts hip turn into my baseball hitting and the results were amazing after just a short time of practice. If you take the time to practice this you will see a marked difference in the power you generate with the bat in a short period of time. Let’s take a look at another mental technique that can help you improve your hitting power…Okinawa Shorei-Ryu teaches us how to mentally “draw” power up from the ground and utilize it physically. When we throw a punch we mentally imagine our feet are rooted to the ground like a tree. We mentally “see in our mind” the roots attached to our feet anchored deep into the ground below us. This mental technique gives us what we call “ground power.” A punch thrown utilizing this mental technique increases the actual force generated physically. We mentally draw massive power from the ground and this generates more physical force into our strikes. It can also generate more force into a baseball bat. When in your batting stance mentally picture that your back foot (your push-off foot) has imaginary tree limbs attached to it and they are rooted deep into the ground. These tree roots are attached to the bottom of your foot. Think about how solid this “push-off” foot anchors your stance with these roots buried deep into the ground. Now when you begin your bat swing picture in your mind the massive power you are drawing up from the ground through these roots. This power is coming out of the ground, into your body, up through your arms and hands, and out into the bat. Picture it vividly in your mind. Work with the timing of your physical swing as you hold this picture in your mind. Practice it over and over. Once you get the physical timing tuned with the mental picture it will produce results for you. This technique takes practice to learn. Any new skill, mental or physical, takes practice. But the benefits it produces are well worth the time spent to utilize it. This technique has been practiced by martial artists for centuries and has been proven to work. And it will produce results when hitting a baseball. The next technique is simple, and can be learned in about 5 seconds. It is powerful and can be used immediately…Okinawa Shorei-Ryu martial artists improve their balance by learning to “grab the ground with their toes” prior to making a move. Sounds crazy doesn’t it? But I’ll prove to you that it works.Stand in your normal batting stance again. Your weight should be evenly distributed between the balls of your feet and your heels. Most players never actually think about how this weight distribution affects their balance. But without good balance you cannot generate any true power. Now simply curl your toes downward and mentally and physically “grab the ground” below you with your toes. This is a very simple technique but when you curl your toes downward you will instantly “feel” more balanced and powerful. It’s a subtle feeling, but it’s there and you can feel it. Try it. Don’t strain to “grab” the ground, just do it easily. You’ll feel the increase in balance immediately. And when you swing the bat with this simple technique you are swinging with more balance in your stance.This is a technique that you can use immediately to add power to your hitting. Practice it.I’d like to talk about the importance of relaxation when in the batter’s box. Being able to relax until just the “right time” will improve your hitting with this next technique. Most batters are tense and rigid when standing in the batter’s box. The pressure is on to get a hit. But when you’re tense and rigid you cannot “transfer” and “release” your true power into the bat. When you swing and hit the ball in this state your power is “locked” inside you. You cannot “release” it properly with it’s full force. Muscular tension before your swing acts as a brake to powerful hitting. When a martial artist is fighting an opponent he learns to stay relaxed during the confrontation. By staying relaxed his physical movements are free and flowing and controlled. He has speed and quickness in a relaxed state. Muscular tension slows down all physical movements and restricts quickness and speed. But when he strikes he tenses all muscles in his body and delivers the blow with a “focused burst” of his total energy into the target upon contact. This relaxed state works extremely well when hitting a baseball also. While in your batting stance you should be totally relaxed, not tense and rigid. When the pitcher winds up and delivers the pitch and you decide to commit to swing at it you instantly tense all muscles and mentally “shoot” your energy out of the bat and into the ball at the point of impact. You mentally and physically “explode” all of your “focused energy” into the bat. By being relaxed before this point you are allowing all your power to “flow” into the bat in this “focused burst” of intense energy. By not being tense and rigid before this point you don’t “lock” your power inside you. When you’re relaxed up to this “explosive burst” you “release” all your power at the precise time of it’s total intensity. Your true power is transferred into the ball through the bat and a focused concentration of energy and power is produced.This may sound complicated to you at this point, but with dedicated practice it becomes very easy to master this technique. It’s a matter of timing the tension of the muscles with the exhalation of your breath at the precise moment you touch the ball with your bat. And once you become proficient at it you will quickly move up several levels in your hitting skills. For the first time in your life you begin to think of relaxing at the plate and “explosive bursts,” and “releasing” your power, and “focused energy.” You’re no longer tense and rigid with your power “locked” inside you. Once you’re exposed to this new way of thinking it grows on you. It stays in your mind. You begin thinking of it more and more and you begin to improve your skills. You see it’s true power. To end this sample of my “secret system” I would like to ask you a question. How good do you want to be, and how far are you willing to go to be the best you can be? When I was young I was not the best player on my teams. But I became one of the best on just about every team I ever played on. And I did this by outworking the more talented players. In my free time after school and baseball practice I decided to “practice on my own time.” I would go into the garage at our house and simply swing my bat 200 times each night by myself. I did this 7 days a week It only took 20-30 minutes. In one week I had swung my bat at least 1,400 times. In one month I had swung my bat over 5,600 times more than the rest of the players on my team. My hitting improved dramatically. Doing this can make a huge difference in your hitting? Practicing “on your own time” will make a huge difference in your skill level. Are you one of the few willing to put in this extra work? Most players won’t do this. But if you want to move up to the next level and you commit to doing this you will reap tremendous rewards. I guarantee it!

Baseball in the United States dates back to the 1840s, but many other countries picked up and played the sport soon after. In Cuba, students who enrolled in the United States educational system returned home to the island nation with a bat and a ball. The popularity of the game in Cuba was so high as to be considered part of the identity during the war for independence during the late 1800s.

The Spaniards assumed that the baseball practice and teams were just a cover-up for the preparation to go to war. Throughout the Caribbean region, Cuban players spread their newfound knowledge which increased the popularity of the game. It was two Cuban brothers who carried the game to the Dominican Republic and Cubans in the country of Venezuela along with Venezuelan nationals who had matriculated in the U.S. brought the sport to Venezuela, beginning in 1895 and to the island of Puerto Rico in 1897.

In Mexico, it was also Cubans who had fled from the island during its struggles for independence that brought baseball to Mexico. The Cubans in Mexico were assisted by U.S. merchant marines and railroad workers. Various regions of Mexico were converted to the sport during the years from 1877 to 1899. In terms of popularity, the sport of baseball is number one in Cuba, Dominican Republic and Venezuela with a strong showing in Puerto Rico.

Mexico still places football as the dominant sport. In Central America, baseball is also very popular. In the United States, players from Latin America and Puerto Rico have become a growing force in major league baseball. There are professional leagues organized in Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

As in the rest of the world, football (soccer) is unquestionably the most popular sport in Latin America. Yet, it is also true that in much of the Caribbean basin, baseball is the number one sport. In fact, where U.S. imperial power spread throughout the world, and in Latin America specifically, the influence of baseball was the strongest. During a military occupation, many countries were introduced to American baseball.

It has been said that if Fidel Castro had been a better baseball player, the history of the Cold War might have played out very differently. Castro is an avid fan and once played the game. The reverse is also true: Orlando Hernandez “El Duque” left Cuba in 2000 and played for the New York Yankees in the World Series.

Baseball season in Latin America stretches from October to January. The winners of the four national leagues meet in February to play the Caribbean Series. Mexican players participate in a summer minor league that has connections with the U.S. Minor League Baseball governing body. Mexico has been given Triple A status. There are also Dominican Republic and Venezuelan summer rookie leagues that are affiliated with Minor League Baseball.

Although professional baseball existed in Cuba from 1878 until 1961, it was abolished by the Cuban government at the professional level. The Cuban national team now dominates the world amateur competitions, winning gold medals at Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996.

About 30 percent of the major league players in baseball today are connected to Latin America in some fashion. Either they are from Latin America or are descendants of Latin Americans who grew up in the U.S. In the general population, only eleven percent of the people are from Latin America. Latino baseball players overwhelmingly are foreign born and claim Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic as a birthplace.

Unfortunately, some of the major teams have gained a reputation for an almost sweatshop approach to baseball academies in the Latin American region. Young boys with talent are signed and sent to these training regimens where life is harsh in the hopes of winning a contract with one of the major clubs. Many of these players travel to Latin America to play the winter league baseball games in the Latin American leagues.

The countries in the Caribbean basin that are baseball enthusiasts send national teams with championship titles to participate in the Caribbean World Series each year since 1949. For players of Latin American descent, the opportunity to play in Major League Baseball is high success and tremendous financial gain.

Beginning in 2006, the World Baseball Classic between the United States, Puerto Rico, Japan, Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, was held. Nicaragua did not attend, but Cuba did send a team. The tournament was won by Japan, which was a tremendous surprise to many if not most of the observers.

Presently, the MLB World Series tournament is in progress. Considerable numbers of important games have been played and more attractive games for which 2006 MLB betting is sky rocketing will soon be played.
The game of baseball is not much spread outside of the US. But, Americans are simply crazy about the game and the MLB World Series is the greatest Baseball event in the country. Baseball betting rises to its peak during the running of the tournament.
Sports books are the best avenue for baseball betting and in the US, great sports books like Bet Cris, VIP Sports, Sportsbook.com and many more are doing good business by offering systematic betting opportunities and some times guide the bettors in respect of betting in a particular event or on player.
Betting experts generally recommend these sports books as they publish time to time basic baseball betting guide lines..
Let us discuss about some of the basic MLB Baseball betting guidelines generally one should follow.
In fact, MLB Baseball betting is much more an intelligent and thought provoking activity than betting in other events. You must be aware that the clientele of baseball betting are well informed about the game. Also the MLB baseball bettors are serious enough and hard core gamblers. So don’t take them lightly and bet rampantly.
If you want to bet professionally in 2006 MLB Betting, you must avoid overlays at all costs, particularly with heavy favorites of over two dollars plus.
In MLB betting, the normal range is generally only ten cent. But in practice, it was observed that the games in which the favorite is two dollars or more, the MLB Base ball betting odd makers will increase the spread to a twenty thirty or even up to a forty cent spread. So bettors should be careful about this.
However, our recommendation for Betting on MLB will be with top sport books that allow MLB wagering. These Sports books offer the fairest odds, fast payouts, and superior customer service.
Let us now discuss about some features of the top sports books for MLB baseball betting.
Bet Cris is a great sports book for your MLB betting needs. This sports book has 24 hour service to meet all of customer requirements.
This sports book has a unique interactive sports betting service which allows bettors to bet online or over the phone. This sports book also has wireless services.
Another great sports book is the Sportsbook.com. This sports book process over $3 billion in wagers a year in audited business. The business company is a publicly traded one with sound capital base. This enables the sports book to cover any size bet, from $5 to $1 million. Furthermore the sports book feature uninterrupted live operator support, by phone or via the Internet. This is really a top notch sports book.
In the VIP Sports – MLB betting is at its finest on the web in the VIP Sports. The sports book is one of the top notch sports book. A simple to use interface arrangement enables the bettors to view the games, wager on them, and much more.
This sports book provides up to date news, statistics which will help you make intelligent, informed betting decisions in MLB baseball betting.

Sometime between 1867 and 1873, an American professor, Horace Williams, at what is now Tokyo University, is credited with introducing baseball to the country of Japan. Williams came to Japan to teach English and American History, but his sports interest is what has impacted Japan the most. Fellow American Albert Bates, teaching at Kaitaku University, organized the first baseball game in Japan.

The first Japanese baseball club, the Shinbashi Athletic Club Athletics, was organized in 1878 by a former U.S. student who was a fan of the Boston Red Sox. By 1896, the skill of the still amateur players was demonstrated during the first international baseball game played between Ichiko team from Tokyo’s First High School and an American team organized at the Yokohama Country and Athletic Club. The Japanese had challenged the Americans to the game and were not taken seriously. The American spectators jeered and booed the Japanese at the thought that they could beat Americans at their ‘national pastime.’ The Japanese team soundly defeated the Americans.

During the years between 1903 and 1934, amateur baseball in Japan was wildly popular. University teams were vying with each other in the Sokeisen, between Waseda University and Keio University; and at the Summer Koshien or National High School Baseball Championship as well. The National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament or Spring Koshien began in 1924. Many senior high schools in Japan participate in the National High School Baseball Championship and or the National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament. The tournament is named after Koshien Stadium which was built in 1922 and is the oldest of the Japanese stadiums. The stadium seats 55,000 people and still has grass, unlike most other stadiums in the country which have astro-turf.

Professional baseball in Japan can be traced back to 1920, although the first professional league was not organized until 1936, consisting of six teams. The first professional team was created by Shouriki Matsutarou and is now known as the Yomiuri Giants. The current highest Japanese professional competition is Nippon Professional Baseball, created in 1949 consists of four leagues. The year 2005 marked the foundation of the Shikoku Island League. Japan fielded a franchise known as the Tokyo Dragons as part of the now defunct Global League in 1969. An effective minor league in Japan is formed by corporate sponsorship of employee teams that play in local leagues and for a national championship.

There was a professional women’s baseball league as well. Beginning in 1952, the women’s teams took part in semiprofessional leagues until early in the 1970s. The Japan Women’s National Team took silver medals at the Women’s Baseball World Cup in both appearances.

Japanese youngsters in the Little League World Series have won five of the championships and have placed second three times. As of 2007, the Japanese championship team will not be required to win an Asian regional competition, but will proceed directly to the Little League World Series.

The Big Six University League was the organizational structure for baseball in Japan from the 1900’s through the 1930s. Now, at the university level, the All-Japan University Championship is an annual competition for school teams.

In the search for stronger competition, a Japanese team from Waseda University traveled to the United States in 1905. Three years later, the baseball team from the University of Washington returned the visit and played in several games that became the pattern of international interest in the sport of baseball. 21 American college teams made the trip to Japan and several Japanese teams made the return journey to the United States. Professional players from the United States, including Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb, also toured and played exhibition games in Japan.

In 1934, during Ruth’s visit, 75,000 spectators jammed into the Koshien Stadium to see the MLB stars. Internationally, the Japan national team has won three Olympic medals, two Intercontinental Cups, and captured medals in six Baseball World Cups. The outstanding star quality of the Japanese baseball players has now made many Americans newly aware of the history of Japanese participation in the American national pastime. In particular, activities of Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, and other players from Japan who have been playing in the major leagues have heightened interest in the history of the sport in Japan.

Intense nationalism in Japan in the years previous to World War II saw some major changes in baseball in Japan, but following the War, the interest in baseball play resumed and has been an integral part of Japanese life ever since.

Many of the modern games that we enjoy today come from the 19th century despite there are historical reference of games that could be associated to them coming from ancient civilizations. However the history ob baseball can be situated in the mid-1800s when people who lived in the rural towns of the United States practiced a game named “rounders” that would be the direct antecedent of Baseball.Rounders was also known as town ball, “one o ‘cat”, and base ball, similar to the actual game but with different regulations. It was until 1982, when then first baseball club was founded in New York, organized by Alexander Cartwright with the name of Knickerbockers Base Ball Club. The members of this club were called Knickerbockers and they drafted the 20 rules of the baseball game that were published in 1845, rules that are the foundation of the modern baseball game.The first official baseball game between the Knickerbockers and another team was held on June 19, 1846 at the New York Club, today Hoboken, New Jersey. However, the first professional baseball team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings who begin to play in 1869. During the 19th century, baseball was mostly popular only in New York and its surrounding so it was commonly referred as the New York Game.The turn of the century witnessed the establishment of the American Baseball League in Chicago on 1901. Later Ty Cobb was nicknamed the sensation of Georgia, after winning his first of nine consecutive batting titles in the American League setting a record in 1907 when the Tigers defeated the Athletics that year. By 1912, the first baseball stadiums were built; one was the Tigers Stadium and the other was the Fenway Park. In the early decades of the 20th century George “Babe” Ruth was best known as the “Sultan of the home run” so, the New York Yankees paid $125,000 to hire him in 1920. Babe Ruth’s style was imitated by many hitters and the baseball become more popular than ever by this time.In 1924, with the addition of first baseman Bill Terry, the Giants obtained a difficult victory over the Dodgers playing the World Series and soon baseball become popular in Japan until the present where every summer a large number of schools participate in the 4000 All Japan Baseball Tournament that takes place nearby Osaka. The New York Yankees played in April 1936 its first competition game with one of the greatest baseball players of all times, Joe Di Maggio. The New York Yankees have won the World Series 23 times.Baseball became “the King of the Sports” during 1940-1950 and the national Cuban sport until the present. Although many baseball players arose during the following decades, it was until the 1970s when Reggie Jackson became a baseball celebrity like Joe Di Maggio and Babe Ruth in their moment. Living the excitement of baseball and its new stars is possible at SBOBET, the online Sportbook that caters for all your betting requirements.

Baseball Classic Live Feed

The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament whose goal is to spread the popularity of the game of baseball all over the world. Sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation, the WBC is participated in by various national teams from all over the world. The first tournament was held from March 3-20, 2006 in various stadiums in Tokyo (Japan), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Orlando (Florida, USA), Phoenix (Arizona, USA), Anaheim (California, USA), and San Diego (California, USA).

During this inaugural edition of the World Baseball Classic, 16 countries adjudged as the best baseball-playing countries in the world were invited to send their national teams. These sixteen teams were divided into four pools, namely:

Pool A – Japan, China, Korea, and Chinese Taipei

Pool B – Canada, Mexico, South Africa, and the United States of America

Pool C – Cuba, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico

Pool D – Australia, Dominican Republic, Italy, Venezuela

The tournament was a conducted in a round-robin style of competition, wherein each team played once against the other three teams in the pool. The top two pool leaders of A and B were put together in the second round into one new pool (Pool 1), and the top two pool leaders of Pool C and D were put together in a new pool (Pool 2) also for the second round. Again each team in the new pools played against the other three once, with the top two from each pool put together in a single elimination pool for the semifinals. The champions and runner-ups of each pool face each other for a single game, with the winners facing each other for the finals to determine the champion.

In Pool A, Korea emerged the winner (3-0) while Japan came in second, while Mexico and U.S.A., each with a 2-1 win-loss slate, emerged as the winners of Pool B. These four winners formed Pool 1 for the second round.

On the other hand, Puerto Rico (3-0) and Cuba (2-1) led Pool C, while, in Pool D, the Dominican Republic (3-0) and Venezuela (2-1) clearly dominated. These four formed Pool 2 for the second round.

The second round again saw Korea (3-0) dominate Pool 1 to move into the single-elimination pool, with Japan, who tied with the United States and Mexico with similar 1-2 win-loss records, but became the second team from Pool 1 for the single elimination pool due to a better standing in the tie-breaker assessment. In Pool 2, the Dominican Republic and Cuba led the pack with identical 2-1 win-loss records. The Dominican Republic emerged as the champion in this pool due to a better standing in the tiebreaker assessment.

The single-elimination round for the semifinals was one characterized by upsets wherein runners-up Japan and Cuba beating Korea and the Dominican Republic respectively. In the final game, Japan defeated Cuba to become the first champion of the World Baseball Classic.

The next WBC tournament will be held in 2009, after which the tournament will be held every four years. Downloads of the First World Baseball Classic Live Feed may be downloaded from the official World Baseball Classic Website: http://ww2.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/multimedia/index.jsp?sid=wbc.

The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament that is sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and showcases the best players in the world representing their home countries and territories. It started in March of 2006 when 486 players with 235 of them coming from teams in Major League Baseball representing 16 teams from across the globe entered the event. Fans from 48 states and 15 countries attended the stadiums to watch the games while millions more watched on TV ensuring that the tournament was a success.The Japanese team which was bannered by the likes of Japanese stars and now MLB stars Suzuki Ichiro of the Seattle Mariners and Daisuke Matzusaka of the Boston Red Sox was crowned the first ever World Baseball Classic champions as they beat Cuba 10-6 during the  inaugural staging of the event in 2006.  This year, the tournament starts on the 5th of March up to the 23rd and again shall feature 16 baseball playing nations across the globe.  The tournament shall be held every four years afterwards with plans to expand the number of participating teams in 2013. Four different cities shall host the pool play which are Tokyo, Mexico City, San Juan and Toronto.Teams participating in the event are the same teams which were entered in the inaugural season. These are Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico, South Africa, United States and Venezuela.  Team Japan are out to defend their title and win the crown once again.  And the team’s roster got a boost when its star outfielder Ichiro agreed to return to the side. He could have easily refused to go back as he was included in the championship winning team but he wanted to return and win the classic all over again. With one of its stars having such a mindset, Team Japan is upbeat that the other stars shall follow.The tournament was also a launching pad for one of the Japanese pitchers. Matzusaka was still an unknown name in the baseball world outside his native country. But when he put up a performance worthy of a Most Valuable Player Award as he pitched to defeat Cuba, he was immediately noticed by scouts. Nine months later, he signed a six year contract with the Boston Red Sox after fierce competition among the top MLB teams for his services. He has since posted a record of 33-15 in the two seasons he has played for the Red Sox. He can be a factor once again in Team Japan’s bid for back to back titles.No roster spots have been filled officially, although several players have expressed their desire to join the team. Matzusaka for one, has not made a formal commitment yet but has confirmed to Japanese reporters numerous times that he wants to participate again.  A notable absentee in Team Japan’s line up is Hideki Matsui who is still undergoing rehabilitation for his knee injuries.Find the live baseball scores at ScoresPro.com/baseball/

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