Post-St. Patty's Day Post

So, for a few weeks now I have been touting the World Baseball Classic. I've argued it's legitimacy, it's place in the U.S. sports conscious, trying to get people excited for it as I was. Then, St. Patrick's Day hit and I missed, by far, the best game for the U.S. in the WBC since it's inception.

Fail.

The U.S. team, rebounding from an embarrassing 11-1 thumping came back to beat the Netherlands to survive. Then yesterday, in a second elimination game, the U.S. team, down 5-3 in the bottom of the 9th score 3 runs. 1 on a base on balls and than a 2 run single by David Wright to propel the U.S. team, left for dead less than a week ago, onto the semi-finals in Los Angeles. And I missed it.

Fail Again.

However, what this does mean is that the U.S. team plays on, granting all those who missed last nights heroics more opportunity to watch this team.

In other WBC news, Mexico was eliminated on Monday night. The bright side to that is of course, the Gonzalez brothers (Adrian and Edgar) will head back to Padres camp with Scott Hairston.

Now, onto some Padres news.

In the last post I mentioned how Kyle Banks was tearing up the Cactus League at first base while Adrian was away at the WBC. Currently, Banks is hitting a crisp .341 with 3 HR's and 9 RBI. But there is that small, Gold-Glove winning, All-Star in front of him at first who is not likely to be going anywhere soon. So, the question has been posed: What about moving Banks to the Outfield? Corey Brock, who blogs for the Padres at http://coreybrock.mlblogs.com/ asked Kevin Towers this.

"Towers he doesn't want to mess with Blanks confidence right now by asking him to start taking fly balls in Arizona. If the Padres do opt to see how Blanks looks in the outfield then it would likely be once the Triple-A season begins in Portland."

However, Towers has said, to both Corey Brock and Tom Krasovic that Banks will start taking fly balls before games in AAA Portland. For those of you scoring at home, this would be 2 corner infielders the Padres have attempted to convert into outfielders, assuming taking fly balls before Beaver games is the first step in that conversion.

So there's that. Needless to say, Banks and his bat need to find their way into the lineup at some point this season.

Krasovic also reports in that same piece that Chris Young has been scratched from today's start in Peoria due to "elbow tendinitis." Young says its not a big deal, it happens every March when he begins introducing sliders and curve balls to his pitching repertoire.

Finally, one of the great sporting events in America begins tomorrow (technically it began on Tuesday). March Madness is upon us and nothing beats the opening weekend, with games on CBS from the time you wake up until bed. Fantastic. For those curious, here are some of my bracket picks:
- Final Four Teams: Louisville, Memphis, Pitt, Syracuse with Memphis winning the whole thing

- Arizona as a 12 seed heading to the Sweet Sixteen with wins over Utah and Wake Forest

- Purdue toppling UConn in the Sweet Sixteen

- VCU making a serious run to the Sweet Sixteen

- West Virgina taking down Michigan St. to advance to the Regional Finals

- Gonzaga takes out UNC

Enjoy the madness! Enjoy the WBC! Enjoy the green beer hangover!

Thoughts While Waiting for Selection Sunday

Mercy Rule.

11-1.

One game away from elimination in the second round. Again.

The U.S. team finds themselves in a position sadly familiar today. In the World Baseball Classic, the U.S. is one loss away from being eliminated again in the second round after being flat-out embarrassed by the Puerto Rico team last night. Jake Peavy gave up 6 runs in the first two innings.

Said Peavy: ""I take full responsibility for the boys' loss." "Nothing was working. Just a tough night."

Ultimately, the U.S. team was mercy ruled in the 7th inning after falling behind by 10 runs. Roy Oswalt will take the mound today against the Netherlands to help avoid a fate that this U.S. team promised they would not suffer. Elimination in the second round of the WBC.

In Other News

Josh Geer had another nice start against Milwaukee on Thursday. Geer, who is primed to be the 4th/5th starter for San Diego this year, threw three hitless innings against the Brewers in Spring Training.

With Adrian Gonzalez playing in the World Baseball Classic, the Padres have had a chance to get an extended look at first basemen of the future Kyle Banks. Crushing a three-run shot, Banks has provided fans with an optimistic look toward the future.

Matt Antonelli is taking a page out of the Tony Gwynn School of Hitting nad has turned to videotape to help his swing. After slumping last year in AAA Portland to an average of .215, Antonelli began watching tape to fix a swing that, to that point, had never betrayed him.

Chase Headley continues to impress in spring. Perhaps knowing he will be the Opening Day starter will help in Headley reaching the potential of the Padres best prospect.

That's all for now. Enjoy the WBC and Selection Sunday. And follow me on Twitter at LeftCoastBias!