Pool B Wrap

The Philippines advanced to Pool A action this weekend by tying Thailand 0-0 this afternoon. That left them 2-0-1 to finish first.

I saw the game this afternoon. Thailand's pitcher, the one Dean and I saw pitch 6 plus innings Tuesday night vs. Hong Kong, took a 1 hitter into the tenth. Jeez. There wasn't even anyone warming up in the bullpen. Made the Philippines offense looked pretty anemic. Then again they probably are. For advancing, they get to play Japan Saturday night. They also beat Pakistan 2-0 and HK 4-1.

Thailand finished second at 1-1-1. In addition to the PH game they beat HK 8-4 and lost to Pakistan 5-3. Dean and I caught the TH-HK game Tuesday night. Truly some ugly baseball. Scattered moments of brilliance and excitement, but mostly just cold beer, cold wind and bad baseball. We left after the 7th.

HK finished 3rd at 1-2. They beat Pakistan tonight 8-6(I just got back). Down 6-2 in the 6th they loaded the bases with no one out and failed to score. They did it again in the 7th and this time got a bases clearing triple to pull within one. In the 8th they got 3 more to get ahead and seal it. They suicided in the last run. It wasn't pretty but they got him in.

Good on Pakistan for coming out. 0-3. Deep green unis with racing stripes. Too bad they had they meltdown in the late innings. I was rooting for them tonight. Dean was too until he started the HK rally in the 7th with his loud and profane exhortations for them to pick it up and make a game of it. To their credit, Pakistan played pretty well defensively making only 1 error.

HK was the worst fielding team I've ever seen. They need infield practice in a large way. They gathered in a big circle in front of the dugout after each inning to listen to the manager's pep talk. All players removed their caps when facing him. They ended their huddle with one of those everybody get your hand in there on top of everybody else's and make a big whooping GO TEAM! shouts before descending into the dugout. Though a night game, the manager wore sunglasses the entire game and took over coaching third in the late innings against Pakistan.

There was a lot of shouting and chanting and chatter by all the teams from the dugouts on every play. They reminded me of little league teams with their enthusiasm.
The mixtures of Thai, Cantonese, Tagalog, Urdu and English easily drowned out the crowds of 80 to 100 people. It was cold weather baseball though. Prob 14 degrees with the wind chill.

Admission was free.

We still saw people peering in through the barred gates on the second floor though. (?)

They had ball boys running around after foul balls in the stands. When a fan got one they were asked to hand it over. I've never seen the like. Baseball blasphemy. Is this because there was no admission?