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2009 wbc at rogers centre

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The 2009 World Baseball Classic will be an international baseball competition. It follows the inaugural 2006 World Baseball Classic, the first international tournament to feature a large number of major league players. It will begin March 5, 2009 and finish on March 23, 2009. The tournament takes place during MLB spring training.

Format[]

As was the case for the 2006 tournament, the sixteen teams have been split into four pools of four teams each.[1] Whereas previously the teams played in round-robin competition in the first and second rounds, this time they will take part in a double-elimination format, meaning that teams are only guaranteed of playing two games. This change was made to eliminate the complicated tiebreaking procedures,[2] which were required for one of the pools in each of the first and second rounds in 2006.

After the first round, the tournament will be held on American soil. The top two teams from each of the four pools - seeded from the final game in their respective pools - will progress to the second round, with the teams from Pools A and B meeting at PETCO Park in San Diego, California for Pool 1, and the teams in Pools C and D playing at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida for Pool 2.[3] Again, both pools will make use of double-elimination to determine the teams qualifying for the semi finals. In another change from 2006, the four qualifying teams will cross over for the semi finals, with the winner of each pool playing against the runner-up from the other pool.[2] The finals process is otherwise unchanged, with each semi final being a single elimination match, with the victors meeting in the final to determine the champions. All three final games are to be held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. [3]

Tickets[]

Tickets went on sale in November for all games, and were sold in strips for entire venues. Ticket prices ranged from $60 for the opening round to $1500 for the final round.[4] Single game seats went on sale in February 2009.

Teams and Venues[]

All 16 nations that participated in the 2006 tournament have been invited to play in the 2009 tournament.[5]

First Round (Double Elimination)
5-12 March
Pool A
Tokyo Dome
Flag of Japan Tokyo
(Capacity: 52,000)
Pool B
Foro Sol
Flag of Mexico Mexico City
(Capacity: 27,940)
Pool C
Rogers Centre
Flag of Canada Toronto
(Capacity: 49,539)
Pool D
Estadio Hiram Bithorn
Flag of Puerto Rico San Juan
(Capacity: 18,000)
Flag of China China Flag of Australia Australia Flag of Canada Canada Flag of the Dominican Republic Dominican Republic
Flag of Taiwan Chinese Taipei* Flag of Cuba Cuba Flag of Italy Italy Flag of the Netherlands Netherlands
Flag of Japan Japan Flag of Mexico Mexico Flag of the United States United States Flag of Panama Panama
Flag of South Korea South Korea Flag of South Africa South Africa Flag of Venezuela Venezuela Flag of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico
Second Round (Double Elimination)
14-19 March
Pool 1
PETCO Park
Flag of the United States San Diego
(Capacity: 42,685)
Pool 2
Dolphin Stadium
Flag of the United States Miami
(Capacity: 38,560)
Winner, Pool A Winner, Pool C
Runner Up, Pool A Runner Up, Pool C
Winner, Pool B Winner, Pool D
Runner Up, Pool B Runner Up, Pool D
Final Round
21-23 March
Dodger Stadium
Flag of the United States Los Angeles
(Capacity: 56,000)
Winner, Pool 1 Winner, Pool 2
Runner Up, Pool 1 Runner Up, Pool 2

↑*  - In international baseball tournaments, the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, is represented as Chinese Taipei.[6] See also Chinese Taipei baseball team and Sport in Taiwan

Round 1[]

Pool A[]

  Preliminaries Qualifiers Seeding
                             
-  Flag of China CHN  
-  Flag of Japan JPN  
  W1  Winner Game 1  
  W2  Winner Game 2  
-  Flag of Taiwan TPE
-  Flag of South Korea KOR  
  W4  Winner Game 4
  W5  Winner Game 5
L1  Loser Game 1  
L2  Loser Game 2  
  W3  Winner Game 3
  L4  Loser Game 4  
Game 1[7]: March 5, 2009—18:30 JST[8] at Tokyo Dome, Japan
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Flag of China CHN                        
Flag of Japan JPN                        

Game 3[7]: March 7, 2009—12:30 JST[8] at Tokyo Dome, Japan
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Loser Game 1                        
Loser Game 2                        

Game 5[7]: March 8, 2009—18:30 JST[8] at Tokyo Dome, Japan
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 3                        
Loser Game 4                        

Game 2[7]: March 6, 2009—18:30 JST[8] at Tokyo Dome, Japan
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Flag of Taiwan TPE                        
Flag of South Korea KOR                        

Game 4[7]: March 7, 2009—19:00 JST[8] at Tokyo Dome, Japan
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 1                        
Winner Game 2                        

Game 6[7]: March 9, 2009—18:30 JST[8] at Tokyo Dome, Japan
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 4                        
Winner Game 5                        

Pool B[]

  Preliminaries Qualifiers Seeding
                             
-  Flag of Cuba CUB  
-  Flag of South Africa RSA  
  W1  Winner Game 1  
  W2  Winner Game 2  
-  Flag of Australia AUS
-  Flag of Mexico MEX  
  W4  Winner Game 4
  W5  Winner Game 5
L1  Loser Game 1  
L2  Loser Game 2  
  W3  Winner Game 3
  L4  Loser Game 4  
Game 1[9]: March 8, 2009—13:00 CT[10] at Foro Sol, Mexico City, Mexico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Flag of Cuba CUB                        
Flag of South Africa RSA                        

Game 3[9]: March 9, 2009—20:00 CT[10] at Foro Sol, Mexico City, Mexico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Loser Game 1                        
Loser Game 2                        

Game 5[9]: March 11, 2009—20:00 CT[10] at Foro Sol, Mexico City, Mexico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 3                        
Loser Game 4                        

Game 2[9]: March 8, 2009—20:00 CT[10] at Foro Sol, Mexico City, Mexico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Flag of Australia AUS                        
Flag of Mexico MEX                        

Game 4[9]: March 10, 2009—20:00 CT[10] at Foro Sol, Mexico City, Mexico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 1                        
Winner Game 2                        

Game 6[9]: March 12, 2009—19:00 CT[10] at Foro Sol, Mexico City, Mexico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 4                        
Winner Game 5                        

Pool C[]

  Preliminaries Qualifiers Seeding
                             
-  Flag of Canada CAN  
-  Flag of the United States USA  
  W1  Winner Game 1  
  W2  Winner Game 2  
-  Flag of Italy ITA
-  Flag of Venezuela VEN  
  W4  Winner Game 4
  W5  Winner Game 5
L1  Loser Game 1  
L2  Loser Game 2  
  W3  Winner Game 3
  L4  Loser Game 4  
Game 1[11]: March 7, 2009—14:00 ET[12] at Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Flag of Canada CAN                        
Flag of the United States USA                        

Game 3[11]: March 8, 2009—20:00 ET[12] at Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 1                        
Winner Game 2                        

Game 5[11]: March 10, 2009—17:00 ET[12] at Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 3                        
Loser Game 4                        

Game 2[11]: March 7, 2009—20:00 ET[12] at Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Flag of Italy ITA                        
Flag of Venezuela VEN                        

Game 4[11]: March 9, 2009—18:30 ET[12] at Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Loser Game 1                        
Loser Game 2                        

Game 6[11]: March 11, 2009—18:30 ET[12] at Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 4                        
Winner Game 5                        

Pool D[]

  Preliminaries Qualifiers Seeding
                             
-  Flag of the Dominican Republic DOM  
-  Flag of the Netherlands NED  
  W1  Winner Game 1  
  W2  Winner Game 2  
-  Flag of Panama PAN
-  Flag of Puerto Rico PUR  
  W4  Winner Game 4
  W5  Winner Game 5
L1  Loser Game 1  
L2  Loser Game 2  
  W3  Winner Game 3
  L4  Loser Game 4  
Game 1[13]: March 7, 2009—12:00 AT[14] at Estadio Hiram Bithorn, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Flag of the Dominican Republic DOM                        
Flag of the Netherlands NED                        

Game 3[13]: March 8, 2009—16:30 AT[14] at Estadio Hiram Bithorn, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Loser Game 1                        
Loser Game 2                        

Game 5[13]: March 10, 2009—18:30 AT[14] at Estadio Hiram Bithorn, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 3                        
Loser Game 4                        

Game 2[13]: March 7, 2009—18:00 AT[14] at Estadio Hiram Bithorn, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Flag of Panama PAN                        
Flag of Puerto Rico PUR                        

Game 4[13]: March 9, 2009—18:30 AT[14] at Estadio Hiram Bithorn, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 1                        
Winner Game 2                        

Game 6[13]: March 11, 2009—17:00 AT[14] at Estado Hiram Bithorn, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 4                        
Winner Game 5                        

Round 2[]

Pool 1[]

  Preliminaries Qualifiers Seeding
                             
-  Pool A winner  
-  Pool B runner-up  
  W1  Winner Game 1  
  W2  Winner Game 2  
-  Pool A runner-up
-  Pool B winner  
  W4  Winner Game 4
  W5  Winner Game 5
L1  Loser Game 1  
L2  Loser Game 2  
  W3  Winner Game 3
  L4  Loser Game 4  
Game 1[15]: March 15, 2009—13:00 PST at PETCO Park, San Diego
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pool B runner-up                        
Pool A winner                        

Game 3[15]: March 16, 2009—20:00 PST at PETCO Park, San Diego
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Loser Game 1                        
Loser Game 2                        

Game 5[15]: March 18, 2009—20:00 PST at PETCO Park, San Diego
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 3                        
Loser Game 4                        

Game 2[15]: March 15, 2009—20:00 PST at PETCO Park, San Diego
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pool A runner-up                        
Pool B winner                        

Game 4[15]: March 17, 2009—20:00 PST at PETCO Park, San Diego
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 1                        
Winner Game 2                        

Game 6[15]: March 19, 2009—18:00 PST at PETCO Park, San Diego
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 4                        
Winner Game 5                        

Pool 2[]

  Preliminaries Qualifiers Seeding
                             
-  Pool C winner  
-  Pool D runner-up  
  W1  Winner Game 1  
  W2  Winner Game 2  
-  Pool C runner-up
-  Pool D winner  
  W4  Winner Game 4
  W5  Winner Game 5
L1  Loser Game 1  
L2  Loser Game 2  
  W3  Winner Game 3
  L4  Loser Game 4  
Game 1[15]: March 14, 2009—13:00 EST at Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pool D runner-up                        
Pool C winner                        

Game 3[15]: March 15, 2009—19:30 EST at Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Loser Game 1                        
Loser Game 2                        

Game 5[15]: March 17, 2009—19:00 EST at Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 3                        
Loser Game 4                        

Game 2[15]: March 14, 2009—20:00 EST at Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pool C runner-up                        
Pool D winner                        

Game 4[15]: March 16, 2009—20:00 EST at Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 1                        
Winner Game 2                        

Game 6[15]: March 18, 2009—19:00 EST at Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winner Game 4                        
Winner Game 5                        

Final Round[]

  Semifinals Final
                 
1  Pool 1 runner-up -  
4  Pool 2 winner -  
       Semifinal 1 winner -
     Semifinal 2 winner -
2  Pool 2 runner-up -
3  Pool 1 winner -  
Semifinal 1[15]: March 21, 2009—18:00 PST at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pool 1 runner-up                        
Pool 2 winner                        


Semifinal 2[15]: March 22, 2009—17:00 PST at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pool 2 runner-up                        
Pool 1 winner                        


Final[15]: March 23, 2009—18:30 PST at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Semifinal 1 winner                        
Semifinal 2 winner                        


Additional rules[]

As was the case for the 2006 Classic, several rules have been announced for the 2009 tournament that modify the existing rules for international baseball set out by the IBAF.[16][17]

Once again there will be limits on the number of pitches thrown in a game, though the limits themselves have changed from the inaugural tournament:

  • 70 pitches in round 1 (up from 65 in '06)
  • 85 pitches in round 2 (up from 80)
  • 100 pitches in the semi finals and final (up from 95)

If a pitcher reaches their limit during an at bat, they are allowed to finish pitching to the batter, but must be removed from the game and the end of the at bat.

Any pitcher who makes 30 or more pitches in a game is ineligible to pitch on the following day. As the semi finals and final are played over three consecutive days, a so-called "pitcher rest equalization" rule has been added: a pitcher making 30 or more pitches in a semi final is ineligible to pitch in the final. This negates an advantage the winners of the first semi final would have in the final.

Instant replay will also be available to umpires during the tournament. As was introduced in Major League Baseball during the 2008 season, replays can only be used to adjudicate on home run decisions, to determine whether the ball was fair or foul, over the fence or not, and the impact of fan interference.

An alternative version of the IBAF's extra inning rule will also be introduced. If after 12 innings the score is still tied, each half inning thereafter will start with runners on second and first base. The runners will be the eighth and ninth hitters due in that inning respectively. For example, if the number five hitter is due to lead off the inning, the number three hitter would be on second base, and the number four hitter on first base. Whether this rule will be used in the final is still to be determined by the WBC Rules and Regulations Committee.

All base coaches will be required to wear protective helmets, and participating teams will be required to announce the next day's starting pitcher.

Television coverage[]

In the United States, ESPN and the MLB Network will share the rights, with ESPN broadcasting 23 of the games, including the semi-finals and final, while MLB Network will show the remaining 16.[18][19] Internationally, it will be broadcast to 167 countries by ESPN International.[19]

See also[]

References[]

  1. WBC 2009 Brackets. Major League Baseball (2008-07-31). Retrieved on [[2008-09-27]].
  2. 2.0 2.1 Classic changes advancement rules. Major League Baseball (2008-03-23). Retrieved on [[2008-09-27]].
  3. 3.0 3.1 Dodger Stadium to host Classic finals. Major League Baseball (2008-07-31). Retrieved on [[2008-09-27]].
  4. http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/ballparks/index.jsp?team=wbc
  5. World Baseball Classic field selected. Major League Baseball (2008-02-19). Retrieved on [[2008-10-25]].
  6. 101 of Taiwan's Baseball. Taiwan E-learning and Digital Archives Program (2006-11-16). Retrieved on [[2008-11-03]].
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Pool A. Major League Baseball (November 2008). Retrieved on [[2008-11-21]].
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 2009 WBC Tokyo Round (pdf). e-tix Japan. Retrieved on [[2008-11-21]].
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Pool B. Major League Baseball (November 2008). Retrieved on [[2008-11-21]].
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 2009 WBC Schedule. Major League Baseball. Retrieved on [[2008-12-20]].
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Pool C. Major League Baseball (November 2008). Retrieved on [[2008-11-22]].
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 2009 World Baseball Classic 6 Games Pack. BlueJays.com. Retrieved on [[2008-11-22]].
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Pool D. Major League Baseball (November 2008). Retrieved on [[2008-11-22]].
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 World Baseball Classic 09 Estadio Hiram Bithorn. Ticketpop.com (November 2008). Retrieved on [[2008-11-22]].
  15. 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 2009 WBC Schedule (MLB.com). Retrieved on [[2008-12-09]].
  16. Several rules changes adopted for 2009 World Baseball Classic. International Baseball Federation (2009-01-29). Retrieved on [[2009-01-31]].
  17. Miller, Doug; MLB.com (2009-01-30). Rules changes approved for Classic. Major League Baseball. Retrieved on [[2009-01-31]].
  18. Dodger Stadium to host Classic finals. TV Week.com (2008-10-07). Retrieved on [[2008-10-25]].
  19. 19.0 19.1 World Baseball Classic TV Announcement. International Baseball Federation. Retrieved on [[2008-10-25]].

External links[]

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