USA v Venezuela: World Baseball Classic quarter-finals – live! | World Baseball Classic

Did I mention that the winner of the United States against Venezuela will face Cuba tomorrow in the semi-finals? Sounds like an important detail that I just totally sniffed at, but it’s a thing that will indeed happen.

You can tell there’s absolutely no respect for the World Baseball Classic because there’s no unnecessary pre-game chatter on FOX before this game starts. Instead, we get a compilation of 2022 MLB playoff highlights.

Predictions

Venezuela is the favorite team in this game, especially since the United States struggled to get out of the pool game. However, I just think the United States will fight through the collective indifference of its compatriots and shatter the dreams of Venezuela.

My reason? Mike Trout. After being stuck with the Los Angeles Angels and thus exiled from the MLB playoffs, he was keen to show off his generational talents in the big games. I have a feeling he’s going to have a great time today and the United States will get a win.

Do you have a different opinion? Feel free to send it to us, by email at hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com or via tweet at @HunterFelt and we’ll post them here and see how they hold up. (I realize this can, in fact, be a deterrent.)

Composition of Venezuela

1. Joseph Altuve, 2B

2. Anthony Santander, RF

3. Luis Arraez, 1B

4. Salvador Perez, C

5. Ronald Acuna Jr, FC

6. David Peralta, LF

7. Eugenio Suarez, 3B

8. Gleyber Torres, DH

9. Andres Gimenez, SS

Starting pitcher: Martín Pérez

USA Range

1. Mookie Betts, RF

2. Mike Trout, CF

3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

4. Nolan Areando, 3B

5. Kyle Tucker, LF

6. Tim Anderson, 2B

7. Kyle Schwarber, DH

8. JT Realmuto, C

9. Trea Turner, SS

Starting Pitcher: Lance Lynn

Preamble

Welcome to the final match of the 2023 WBC Quarter-Finals. Tonight’s match features the United States against Venezuela for the right to face Cuba in tomorrow’s semi-finals. Team USA barely made it out of Pool C, making them underdogs against an undefeated Venezuelan side that scored 23 points while allowing only nine.

Starting pitchers expected today are Martín Pérez, currently with the Texas Rangers, and the venerable Lance Lynn, who is now with the Chicago White Sox. Getting started will obviously be key here, but one wonders if there’s an x-factor at play: which team has the most at stake? While Team USA has cared enough about bringing out a stacked roster, there’s no doubt that there’s an enthusiasm gap between the countries these teams play.

When Edwin Díaz suffered a freak injury while celebrating Puerto Rico’s win over the Dominican Republic, there was an inevitable backlash from MLB fans who were upset that such an important player was injured in what was dismissed as an “exhibition game” rather than spring training. (It doesn’t matter that these are only exhibition games). While these games get big audiences outside of the United States, here in the United States it’s nearly impossible to find the scores in the avalanche of college basketball scores.

Well, they are missing. Mexico’s win over Puerto Rico was an absolute thriller, a match that was only decided in the final. Now that the pool game is over, the World Baseball Classic features some of the best baseball players on the literal planet playing game-winning or winning games in a post-season atmosphere. It only happens once every four years and we should celebrate it.

Do you want to intervene? This blog is partly yours, as we would love to use your questions, comments and more throughout today’s game. You can send them to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com if you prefer to use email or perhaps tweet them to @HunterFelt if you happen to use the Dying Bird site.

It’s USA v Venezuela at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida. The game is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. EST, airing primetime on FOX in America. We’ll be back before here at the Guardian with starting lineups, predictions and other equally important (and maybe a few unimportant) things as well.

Hunter will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s a look back at Mexico’s win over Puerto Rico on Friday night.