Team USA Beats China; Into Round 2 of World Cup

USA 8, China 0
Wrap, Box, Cumulative Stats

Team USA is going to the second round after their win over China in Regensburg, Germany. Jon Weber played today and went 1-4 with a triple and scored a run.

Team USA meets Team Canada in Reggio Emilia, Italy for a second round game (Group G) on September 13th. From the schedule this looks like they will play 7 games in 8 days in various towns in northern Italy. Probably an interesting trip there and interesting bus rides around northern Italy.

A major thank you to whomever is keeping the World Cup Wikipedia page up to date.

A while back I mentioned that the first game that the US played against Venezuela was settled in accordance with the “extra inning rule”. Well, here’s that rule in all its glory. The simple explanation is, if you’re tied after the 9th, you put two guys on base at the start of each inning thereafter and hammer away.

Extra-Inning Rule:

If the game remains tied after the completion of nine (9) innings, the following procedures will be implemented during extra innings:

• Each team will begin the 10th inning (and any subsequent necessary extra innings) with a player on first and second, no outs.
• To begin the 10th inning, representatives from each team will meet at home plate and will indicate (at the same time) to the home plate umpire where the team wishes to begin the batting order. That is, the teams have the option of beginning the 10th inning anywhere in the existing batting order that was in effect when the 9th inning ended. Note that this is not a new lineup (just potentially a different order), and it may very well be the same lineup that ended the 9th inning. The rationale for doing so is to ensure that both teams have an equal chance at having what they consider to be their best hitters and base runners in a position to score in the 10th inning.
• For example, if the team decides to have the #1 hitter in the lineup hit first, then the #8 hitter will be placed at 2B and the #9 hitter will be placed at 1B. Furthermore, if the team decides to have the #3 hitter in the lineup hit first, then the #1 hitter would be at 2B and the #2 hitter would be at 1B.
• Once those players/runners are determined for the 10th inning, the order of any subsequent innings will be determined by how the previous inning ended. That is, if the 10th inning ends with the #6 hitter having the last plate appearance (PA), then the 11th inning begins the #7 hitter at bat, and the #5 hitter at 2B and the #6 hitter at first base.
• With the exception of beginning the inning with runners on 1B and 2B with no one out, all other “Official Baseball Rule ” and “IBAF Competition Norms” will remain in effect during extra innings required to determine a winner.
• No player re-entry is permitted during extra innings.
• The traditional system of the visiting team hitting in the top of the inning and the home team hitting in the bottom of the inning (if needed) will remain in effect until a winner is determined.
• An official form will be provided to the teams for the 10th inning. During the meeting at home plate with the umpire prior to the start of the 10th inning, managers will turn in the forms which will state which player will be the first hitter in the lineup. The form will be signed by the manager and given to the home plate umpire, with the TC over seeing the process.