Sigh

Every inning of every game? Maybe in another life.

IBAF Asia Cup

Asia Cup starts Tuesday in Taichung with Pool B games. All games will be played at the new Intercontinental Stadium. Pool B consists of the weaker teams, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong and Pakistan. Winner of Pool B gets to play in Pool A with traditional baseball powerhouses Japan, Korea and Taiwan next weekend. The winner qualifies automatically for the '08 Olympics in Beijing. Second and third place teams will advance to an Olympic qualifier to be played in Taiwan next spring.

Tuesday at 1 pm, Pakistan vs. Philippines and at 6, Hong Kong vs. Thailand (which I could possibly attend if anyone wants to go out there and drink beer with me)

Wednesday at the same times features Thailand v. Pakistan and Philippines v. HK. (I can't make these games)

Thursday sees Thailand v. Philippines and the evening game has Hong Kong v. Pakistan. I may get Thurs afternoon off due to exams at Wei Dao so I might take the boys up there for a daytime game. I'm curious to see what Pakistani baseball looks like so I may take in that game too.

No games Friday.

Saturday 12/1 at 1 pm Taiwan v. Korea. The evening game is Japan v. the Pool B winner. (I may hit the evening game) I've been told all Taiwan games are sold out but I bet if you really wanted to get in you could go stand in line and still get a seat. Not me though. I can't stand the horns that go with a full on Taiwanese crowd. I'll watch on TV with the sound turned down.

Sunday 12/2 in the afternoon has the Pool B winner vs. Taiwan. The evening game is going to be the main game I want to see in this tourney, Korea v. Japan. Both teams are sending their A squads and should be played in front of maybe 200 people. 500 tops. Be there!

Monday 12/3 the tourney wraps up with Korea v. Pool B winner at 1 and Taiwan v. Japan at 6.

There's no championship game per se though Monday's games could well be must wins for one or all teams.

The winner will be decided on wins/losses/runs allowed and run ratio.

See yall out there.

Link to Chinese schedule.

Wiki rundown.

world cup update

The preliminary rounds are over. The remaining games will be played in Taipei starting tomorrow.

Quarter final matchups have the US vs. Korea (who finished with the same record as Canada but advanced because they allowed less runs. That or because they beat the Leafs in head to head action). That winner will play the winner of the Taiwan - Netherlands game at noon. The winner of Australia vs. Japan will play the winner of Cuba vs. either Panama or Mexico, depending on which site you read. The IBAF site reads Mexico. Wiki says Panama. Panama beat Mexico 3-2 in the 11/9 game and allowed 28 runs to Mexico's 32.

UPDATE: There seems to be some question as to the eligibility of 5 Panamanian players because they weren't insured for the tourney. So they forfeited 2 games, dropping them out of 4th place, making it a Mexico-Cuba matchup. Explanation here.

world cup baseball

I hope to hit the Japan-USA World Cup Baseball game tomorrow night up at the new stadium at 6 pm. My family may or may not join me, we're not sure yet.
Tickets shouldn't be a problem judging by the abysmal attendance I've seen on TV this week. Taiwan eviscerated South Africa last night in front maybe 200 people. There were maybe 50 in the stands for US-Mexico game the night before. I expect Taiwan's afternoon games will sell out (apathy be damned!), Saturday vs. Spain and Sunday vs. Mexico, if everyone isn't at COSTCO all weekend. Sunday night at the new stadium has Japan vs. Panama, which should also be a nice quiet game. Leave a comment if I should look for you or gimme a buzz.

Baseball World Cup

The World Cup begins November 6. Here is the schedule.
Taiwan games are November 6 vs Italy, Nov. 8 vs S. Africa, Nov. 9 vs Japan, Nov. 10 vs Spain, Nov. 11 vs Mexico, Nov. 13 vs Panama, Nov. 18 vs USA. With the exception of the Italy game, which is in Tien Mou, all the games are in Taichung, either at the old stadium or the new Intercontinental Stadium, just off Chung De Rd. Unfortunately, Team Canada is in the other pool and play their games in Tien Mou or Shinchuan. I will be making a trip to cheer to cheer on the red and white. Only preliminary round games are played in Taichung, with the playoffs in Tien Mou and Shinchuan, beginning Nov. 16.

This month will see the start of two baseball tournaments in Taiwan - The Asian Baseball Championship (The Asian Cup) and the Baseball World Cup. The former will be held exclusively in Taichung at the old Taichung stadium and the new Intercontinental Stadium from December 1st-3rd (English schedule here, Chinese here). The latter will be hosted at several cities around Taiwan. Taichung games commence on November 2nd and end on the 14th. The finals will only be in the Taipei area. Chinese schedule here. (D-Wayne, can you help out with the English schedule you found yesterday?)

Ticket information - outlets, online purchasing and types -for the Baseball World Cup can be found here (English).

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Final Costco (好事多) post, I hope.

The grand opening for the Taichung Costco is November 11. Hours are 8:30am-9:30pm.

• Memberships purchased by the 8th will still include an extra membership card. So, if you purchase a membership you will get a primary, secondary and a gift membership for $1,200NT (personal) and $1,000NT (business)
• Regardless of when you obtained your Taichung membership card, it will be valid until the end of November 2008. Mine was purchased in August and I will not lose any months because I purchased it before the store opened.
• There will be a free "Western" breakfast for the first 6,000 cardholders. 8:30-10:30am
• They will also give away to the first 20,000 cardholders... 10 eggs. Yes, 10 eggs.
• The temporary office has been moved into the actual Costco building. So, if you want a card, go to 台中市南屯區文心南三路289號 and the office is on the 1st floor.

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"Too much garlic is not enough." Me. A long time ago.

I love garlic. A lot. And now there is some initial research that garlic can be really good for us. Researchers at UAB found that garlic juice injected into human red blood cells prompted them to emit hydrogen sulfide, which causes blood vessels to relax. They also say that after crushing or chopping the garlic, you need to wait at least 15 minutes to allow the reaction that produces this release. Here are two articles discussing the study. The first is more general and the second a bit more specific.

However, do not view this as a coronary panacea. Garlic has no effect on cholesterol and also this:

Eric Block, professor of chemistry at the State University of New York, Albany, has also done extensive work on garlic. He called the paper "provocative" but expressed some concerns.
For example, he said, "the benefits of garlic on cardiovascular disease remain controversial, because they have not been established by the gold standard method of placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical studies," he said.

My mother told me that while she was in Saudi Arabia the Saudis would swallow whole, peeled cloves of garlic to aid their digestion. While my wife was talking to a farmer near Taichung about a natural make-up remover and cleanser, he started talking about garlic. Now we have a bottle of garlic wine in the mail. They might be on to something. Drink up and reek not of booze, but of garlic.

Free! With Purchase of Holy Handgrenade

The Holy Handkerchief. At least that is the only translation I can find for Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau's Chinese name for Typhoon Sepat (國際命名：SEPAT，中文譯名：聖帕) which is set to strike Taiwan on Saturday.

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The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) cancelled the 13th World Junior Championship yesterday in Venezuela. The IBAF responded to Taiwan's complaint that Venezuela would not issue visas for the team, and lo and behold, they cancelled the tournament and told all teams to return home. They are even, gasp, considering sanctions and punishment for Venezuela.

There you go, Red A. That's my Ghost Month story.

Lubbock Wins

(Photo: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Congratulations! Lubbock Western beat Roswell Noon Optimist ,6-0, Friday in Waco to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, from Aug. 17-26.

There are four pools of four teams each playing a round-robin within their pool. The top two teams from each pool advance to the semifinals. Here is the team pool, bracket and TV coverage.

WHAT? D-Wayne, how did you miss this? Brockville had a team representing Ontario and made it to the semis, but lost to B.C. Maybe if you had been paying attention, you could have enlisted our help in employing some sports mojo and turned things around. Well, nevertheless, Canada will be represented by the winner of the B.C. - Prairies game (Saturday, 3:00pm, Regina time).

Taiwan Little League Baseball

At the time of this posting, the Taiwan baseball team that was scheduled to play in the AA World Youth Championship in Venezuela is still in Taiwan, still trying to get visas from Venezuela. The visa refusal jeopardizes the teams' chances of making the tournament due to what a top Venezuelan baseball official said were political problems. As if it's not enough to make teams from Taiwan use the name Chinese Taipei in competition and play the Olympic theme, now top commies from around the world are stopping them from competing at all.

However, there is good news. The Taichung Li-Shing All-Stars won the Asia-Pacific division championship and are going to Williamsport to compete in the 2007 Little League World Series (Hopefully, Lubbock Western will join them).

Taiwan was also well represented in other divisions, well. Taiwan's Palomino League team (17-19 yrs. old) advanced to the final game against Puerto Rico, but ended up one run short, 3-2. Taiwan's Bronco League team (11-12 yrs. old) from Sijhih Elementary School in Taipei County, also advanced to the championship game, but fell 16-10.

For a good roundup of MLB, NPB, CPBL, minor and amateur league baseball with a Taiwan theme, check out Taiwan Baseball.

Little League Baseball

I've been following this for the past week and haven't wanted to say anything for fear that I'll bring the dreaded - and real - sports jinx. However, I think the current window of jinxdom has been closed.

The Lubbock Western Little League All-Stars have advanced to the finals of the Southwest Region tournament. One more game, one more victory, and they go to Williamsport and the World Series. They are a collection of 11 and 12 year-olds from the Western division of Lubbock's Little League. They face a team from Roswell, also undefeated, on August 10, 8:00pm, EST. ESPN has it listed on their TV schedule, so D-Wayne, please check and see if you can get it for me and we can all come out Saturday and cheer them on.

Baseball Tuesday

If you haven't yet been lucky enough to gain an audience with His Breadness, he and his peeps will be attending tomorrow night's CPBL match up down on Shuang Shr Rd. (old stadium) to see the hometown Bulls take on the Lions. Should be a great time and a good crowd to boot. I know of at least 3 kids that are going so bring the family along if you're so inclined. Meet us at the gate 'round 6... first pitch is at 6:30, otherwise we'll be in the outfield stands I reckon... Weather permitting of course...

Things for today...

Part of the mostly inane conversation at FuBar was Roger Clemens signing with the Yankees. Was it purely for the money? Or the best chance to win the World Series one more time? I figure must have been a combination of both. I'm pretty sure the Sox would have offered similar money, and equally sure the Rocket isn't having a problem putting food on the table for his family. So to Clemens, The Evil Empire was the way to the Series. PIMP was screwed either way. Too bad for his beloved Jays. On another (fantasy) baseball note, the Shiretowners got their asses hand to them AGAIN, by the mighty Marauders. Next on the menu is the Stros, from parts unknown.



Nice post by the Hole. Standards are standards and, unfortunately, some people don't have any. BUT, the cook-off was a great day, and I got really drunk. Thanks to my Winnie, Gwen and Smrt Angie for taking care of things.



Regarding the failure of the USA and Iran to talk about Iran's nuclear program, and Condi's comment that she doesn't "run after anybody": Way to let pride stand in the way of solving problems.



Here's a HOWIGATI


A hot, half naked chick with beer. Throw in a big bag of Northern Lights #5 and hockey on the big screen, ain't that heaven?

KITT, get me another beer


AND, born on this day, master thespian, Traci Lords. Striking a blow for women's rights.

John Kuhel, grandson of legendary Chisox first baseman Joe Kuhel, carries on the tradition every Sunday for the Lin Fa Factory Cats down in Tainan...

video by Les Arthur...