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BowwwwBallll t1_jd6a42o wrote

I just feel bad for Ohtani and Trout. After all this excitement, now they gotta suffer through 162 meaningless games.

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Doggleganger t1_jd6esvo wrote

I'll never understand why Ohtani signed with the Angels. Also, wouldn't it make more sense for him to play in the national league, since he's the rare hitter + pitcher?

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LuckyPucks t1_jd6f6wc wrote

Pitchers don't hit in the NL anymore. Both leagues have a DH.

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Doggleganger t1_jd6fbr4 wrote

Damn, I'm an outdated old man. When did that change?

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LuckyPucks t1_jd6fh57 wrote

They only implemented it last season so it's understandable for some people not to know that rule change.

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fzkiz t1_jd720jo wrote

Does that mean they literally can’t hit and pitch in the same game or they don’t have to?

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tommypopz t1_jd78xtc wrote

I think they made a rule allowing a pitcher to DH for himself, then stay in the game, just for Shohei

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dalnot t1_jd85oii wrote

If they get a pinch hitter in for them, can they still pitch?

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tommypopz t1_jd8w648 wrote

I don’t see why not, since the original player is both positions merged, that pinch hitter becomes the DH and the pitcher stays as is. I don’t know if we’ll ever see that happen though, since it’s rare enough in the first, and Shohei’s such a damn good hitter that you’d rarely pinch him. Plus, modern day managerial pitch limits being what they are, one’s likelier to stop pitching before they stop batting.

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cdbloosh t1_jd7on3d wrote

They don’t have to. For about 50 years the American League had the DH rule, which allows a different guy to bat in the pitcher’s spot. Technically this is an option but until Ohtani it was an option that was literally always taken, because until Ohtani there hasn’t been a player who is world class at both pitching and hitting in over 100 years. The National League required the pitcher to bat.

As of a few years ago both leagues have the DH now.

MLB also recently implemented an “Ohtani rule” which basically allows the pitcher to DH for himself, meaning he can remain in the game as the DH once he is no longer pitching. Previously if he batted for himself, that would mean the team had chosen for the pitcher to bat instead of using a DH, which is a choice you can’t go back on, so he would have to be removed from the batting lineup once a new pitcher replaced him.

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the_quark t1_jd6hgzc wrote

They "temporarily" did it as part of the Coronavirus rule changes. But they just made it temporary.

And yeah, MLB sees all the excitement around Ohtani and their immediate response is "obviously no pitchers should hit."

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OneBar1905 t1_jd6lt21 wrote

Universal DH allows Ohtani to hit more often. He can hit every day, rather than just when he pitches.

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pspahn t1_jd6ixco wrote

Also, he chose the Angels because they were gonna let him play both ways.

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cdbloosh t1_jd7nhqq wrote

It actually made more sense for him to sign with an American League team, for the same reason. Using a DH in a game has always been optional (an option that, until Ohtani, teams basically took 100% of the time), so he could hit when he pitches in either league regardless.

But in the AL he could also DH when he wasn’t pitching, which he could not have done in the NL, he would have had to play the outfield on his off days.

He is by all accounts a pretty good outfielder but the general consensus was that playing outfield full time AND pitching every 5th day would have been too much of an injury risk.

So between the DH rule working in his favor, and the general preference that many Japanese players have to be on the West coast that I assume went into it too, he landed on the Angels.

As someone else said, both leagues have the DH now, but he had no way of knowing that at the time.

MLB also added an “Ohtani rule” a couple years ago that allows the starting pitcher to remain in the game as a DH once they have stopped pitching. It basically just allows a pitcher to DH for himself.

Previously once you chose to not use a DH, the DH was lost for the game, so Ohtani would have to stop hitting once he was no longer pitching. It’s a rule that basically only affects one guy and is pretty much only in place just to let everyone get what they want, which is to see that guy play more.

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xFaro t1_jd6e8de wrote

I don’t think it’s completely out of the question for the angels to get a wildcard spot. Still unlikely. And definitely not what those two deserve

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lusirfer702 t1_jd6occv wrote

Trout just played the World Series and now just has the U.S series to look forward to

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MikeHoncho_69_ t1_jd6owuc wrote

Wrong. He played in the WBC and absolutely doesn't have the world series to look forward to

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lusirfer702 t1_jd6rb1i wrote

WBC has teams from all over the world, the “world” series only has teams from the U.S.

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MikeHoncho_69_ t1_jd6s6nw wrote

Oh wow no way. It's so cool we got to see players like Ohtani, Abreu, and Altuve finally play now that its an international series.

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lusirfer702 t1_jd6toki wrote

Yes its been awesome watching this World Series,the players also seem to be having a lot of fun and taking pride in their country’s

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MightGuy420x t1_jd67rag wrote

Ohtani vs trout was like the ending of a movie

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the_quark t1_jd6hc7w wrote

My kids and I were all "this had better not result in a walk, this either has to be a strikeout or a homerun." Was glad not to be disappointed, even though we were rooting for Team USA.

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tommypopz t1_jd79cny wrote

A 3-2 pitch as well? The last out of the tournament? So good.

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norihitodesuga t1_jd7g67g wrote

The only thing more movie-like than this game was yesterday's game vs Mexico. Amazing tournament.

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Viper_Red t1_jd6ctdj wrote

I’m originally from Pakistan so had zero exposure to baseball growing up. Even after moving to the US, I didn’t really bother cause I thought the rules were too complicated.

But my Japanese friend asked if she could watch the game at my place so I learnt the rules specifically to watch this game and I was hooked since I actually knew the rules now. This was my first full baseball game and I think I’ll be watching MLB regularly once the season starts lol

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whostheme t1_jd6id2x wrote

That too was my first ever baseball game and I really liked how the tension continues to climb once you get to the later innings.

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dontthinkabtit t1_jd6zuwz wrote

That slower pace that some people complain about with baseball is, almost paradoxically, the exact reason games like this one are so gripping. The face-off between pitcher and hitter, the rising tension and then the release and outcome is exactly what makes it a great sport.

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tommypopz t1_jd792n5 wrote

Therein lies both the benefit and drawback of the pitch clock. Sure, faster games is good since we have 162 of them. But damn, that was exhilarating , and the pace made it even more exciting.

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pspahn t1_jd6jayv wrote

I've described it before as like a symphony, so you've got it right. The building tension is what makes it so different, and there's no time limit, so even though things can feel slow, the tension still builds, and you have no idea when it will climax.

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stouf761 t1_jd6gbpc wrote

That’s how I felt about cricket when I saw my first ODI in the fall, and now I’m excited for the pro T20 league to start up here in the States. Go Super Kings!

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JesusOfSuburbia420 t1_jd6u2jx wrote

Just be aware that regular season MLB games don't have nearly the energy or excitement of this game. I think with the new rule changes though that it will be a good year to get into the sport for new fans.

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Rocko52 t1_jdab6t1 wrote

How's your status with that Japanese 'friend'?

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V-Right_In_2-V t1_jd6ai5j wrote

What a great game, and a great tournament overall. Best baseball I have watched in a long time. I love the single elimination game aspect of it

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GasOnFire t1_jd7iwus wrote

I’m a sports fan but not a baseball fan. I think it’s the most boring sport to watch. I can’t even bring myself to watch the World Series anymore.

However, for whatever reason, I turned on this tournament and it hooked me. I hadn’t watched baseball in years and LOVED this. I still can’t put my finger on why though. It was great. I wish baseball hit like this all the time.

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DrunkOnShoePolish t1_jd976h7 wrote

Kinda like me during the World Cup lol. Never watch soccer and find it a little boring but watched every game I could during the cup

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Islandgirl1444 t1_jd9c4h8 wrote

I love World Cup and the near death throws on the field and the miracle cures!

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spyson t1_jdbgcr0 wrote

The talent in the MLB right now is very exciting and they are emerging as the new generation and face of the league. There's new life in baseball with this new generation as they are unbelievable.

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AwesomeWhiteDude t1_jd683bt wrote

If this were a movie I would bash it for being too cliché.

Amazing tournament, amazing game.

I fucking love baseball.

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[deleted] t1_jd6jfdx wrote

I lost interest in MLB over the years, but this tournament pretty much brought me back to the sport, It wouldn’t surprise me if the WBC gets bigger than MLB. You can tell the passion when playing for your country as opposed to a paycheck.

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Jac1596 t1_jd6nvov wrote

It’s already a huge deal in Japan and pretty much every country except the U.S which is pretty sad. The fans here simply don’t care as much and the players don’t care as much as the other nations. But I do hope it becomes more prestigious here as well. Team U.S fielded a fantastic roster but on the pitching side they still have a lot of room to grow where pitchers simply did not want to opt for it.

The other nations players like DR, Puerto Rico, Japan, Korea, etc. take it very seriously and I’ve seen from many players that this tournament means more to them than the World Series. And you can see it in how much passion they play with.

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[deleted] t1_jd7o42a wrote

Unfortunately, It takes place right in the middle of March Madness, So that’s where most of the focus is. But it did get the attention of casual sports fans and I am sure this could give the sport a much needed boost.

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thorpie88 t1_jd7ctek wrote

I'm one of two Aussies I know that like baseball and I had coworkers ask me how the tournament was going for us. Just a shame our coverage was only for the Aussie games and nothing more

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[deleted] t1_jd7oc4z wrote

It became such a huge deal in México, that the two prestigious soccer matches over the weekend took a back seat to the WBC. Despite the media giving soccer 90% of attention.

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droppinkn0wledge t1_jd8yaf8 wrote

American sports fans only care about professional and college football. It’s embarrassing.

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Jac1596 t1_jd9dds3 wrote

True and now they got the USFL starting up soon so even more football content for the masses to consume. It’s unfortunate because they missed out on a fantastic tournament

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luckylebron t1_jd7908g wrote

WBC is what the world series ought to be.

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nicgom t1_jd7hu76 wrote

If it keeps happening it will become to baseball like the world cup is to football, and most probably outshine the world series.

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[deleted] t1_jd7lzjb wrote

World Series ratings keep dwindling over the years. Not to mention the MLB season drags on forever. They should just cut back on the season and maybe alter it during WBC years to have this in the summer and do away with the meaningless ASG

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Ghiggs_Boson t1_jd6agou wrote

Superhero vs superhero. Ohtani even mentioned it in his pregame speech to his speech. Absolute greatness on display

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dontthinkabtit t1_jd7023l wrote

The fact that they play for the same team, so this is potentially the only time you’ll ever see these inner circle greats face one another really adds to the moment. It’s like a fantasy matchup.

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sabeshs t1_jd6jxc5 wrote

Are these 2 the best players in the MLB?

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Contende311 t1_jd6mscj wrote

Yes, and they play for the same team in MLB.

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vindictivejazz t1_jd6ntzo wrote

And they’re still probably gonna miss the playoffs

Baseball is weird

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EdwardBigby t1_jd78e0p wrote

Sounds like PSG

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HighKing_of_Festivus t1_jd7jv58 wrote

Ownership that spends blindly on the shiniest players on the market without any thought toward actual roster needs or team chemistry and completely squandering superstars as a result?

Yeah, I can see the comparison lol

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john_bear_jones t1_jd7z55q wrote

As someone who is familiar with the rules of baseball but not a dedicated fan, what is the importance of team chemistry in baseball in general (it seems like baseball, more than most other team sports, is closer to the whole being exactly a sum of its parts because individual players don't interact a whole bunch) and how specifically are the Angels mismanaging their roster?

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DefenciveV2 t1_jd80noq wrote

When personalities clash, morale drops and everybody plays worse.

It’s the same in every team sport.

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hhhhhjhhh14 t1_jd6o1f7 wrote

It's arguable between Trout and Judge for #2 but Ohtani is the undisputed best player in baseball

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tommypopz t1_jd795th wrote

Probably only last season, lot of respect for Judge but he’s gonna need to ball out insanely with his new contract to be anywhere near Trout’s level

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morelikeaaronfudge t1_jd82iiq wrote

Judge has been the most valuable player in MLB since he debuted in 2017. He's been worth more than trout since that time. Trout is an all time great but he missed a lot of time since then and Judge has been so productive even before last year. He most definitely is near trouts level right now despite not being near him on the list of greatest players ever.

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Alive-Ad-4164 t1_jd685jc wrote

Baseball might be back

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angrylawnguy t1_jd6ahtg wrote

People keep saying it's hit a peak. I saw one person say between the WBC and pitch clock rules, we may be witnessing a new beginning.

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thegoodreverenddoc t1_jd6gt2c wrote

If they forget the unwritten rules and let the players celebrate and show emotion then yes I would agree.

Edit: I mean in the MLB. The WBC was fun as hell, all the emotion and crowd involvement was great. MLB take notice

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poptartosaurus t1_jd88ahe wrote

I watched a lot of MLB last year and saw some pretty over the top celebrations without really any backlash from anyone or the opposing teams, especially during the playoffs. I think the unwritten rules are already a thing of the past. There’s probably more celebration in the WBC because every game is higher stakes, I saw the same amount of celebration during the playoffs last year when the stakes are similar

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kurt_go_bang t1_jd7r5bj wrote

I think players celebrate to a fair level in MLB. Showing up the other players should still be looked upon unkindly if you push it too far.

We don’t need shit like what Arozarena pulled with his amazing catch in the Mex vs Jap game. That’s still low class assholery. I think even he knew he went too far after he calmed down.

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Kaihann t1_jd6v8ug wrote

How can Japan possibly have won when America always wins the World Series?

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kurt_go_bang t1_jd7s3br wrote

MLB is made up of the absolute top players from around the WORLD. Most of the players in the WBC are part of MLB, with the goal of winning the World Series.

Maybe not originally designed that way, it definitely reps a decent chunk of the world now.

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jonasjlp t1_jd7i6lx wrote

Japan -3. Philadelphia Phillies -2

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reddogger56 t1_jd8wk3g wrote

ah yes, the real world series....

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SannyP t1_jd68mps wrote

That was fun.

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wigam t1_jd6ufe2 wrote

How many countries are in the WBC?

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theocrats t1_jd72kwy wrote

I was surprised to hear England had a team. We play rounders as kids but we grow up and play adult sports. Never once seen or heard of rounders being played by adults

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tommypopz t1_jd79ar8 wrote

Not gonna lie it’s a lot of kids with parents born in the Caribbean when they were British colonies. Not complaining too much, there are some pretty good players in the squad. We even won a match, so have autoqualified for 2026!

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HighKing_of_Festivus t1_jd7ku1k wrote

They mostly used players who are children of UK citizens. Lots of players from independent leagues and a handful of minor league prospects and one major leaguer.

Also heard that the British baseball federation operates on an annual budget of $30,000, or something around that, so not all that surprising that it's extremely niche there. That said, qualifying for this and the next WBC comes with at least $600,000 over the next six years so maybe they'll expand at least a little bit

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OsCrowsAndNattyBohs1 t1_jd8mfbb wrote

Funny thing here in America we play soccer as kids and then grow up and play adult sports.

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theocrats t1_jd8mtlr wrote

Like American football? Where they wear pads and helmets and the whole game is a vehicle for advertisement?

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OsCrowsAndNattyBohs1 t1_jd9pwlv wrote

Yes like American football where you cant be a 16 year old 65kg twink and play be at the top of the sport. That actually goes every single one of the big 4 leagues. You are never going to see someone under 18-19 years old and under 70kg in the NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB. American sports require a level of size and strength that teenagers dont have. You literally need to be a full grown adult to play American sports, you dont need to be to play soccer.

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theocrats t1_jd9rhle wrote

Don't know what soccer is. Yanks make me laugh, heard of rugby?

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OsCrowsAndNattyBohs1 t1_jd9ss03 wrote

Do you deny that association football can be played at the highest level by 65kg children? Sure I know what rugby union is, league is superior anyways. And if you wanna talk about pads how about the suit of armor that cricket batters, baseball players literally just where a helmet with no face cover. Some dont even wear batting gloves and they face much higher velocities than cricket batters.

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theocrats t1_jd9uhab wrote

Let the world decide which sport is better.

Anyway what weird machismo. Body weight and strength ≠ adult or athleticism.

Horses for courses. A 65kg footballer is still an athlete. Football requires more long distance running over long periods. Yank sports stop for adverts every 5 minutes, lots of time to get their breath back!

1

OsCrowsAndNattyBohs1 t1_jd9xd0b wrote

Sure and the most popular sport by far where you are from is literally played by children at the highest level. Being more popular doesnt make it more of a mans sport.

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theocrats t1_jda0rsv wrote

TIL long distance runners, swinmers, cyclists, triathletes, footballers, professional athletes are in fact children.

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OsCrowsAndNattyBohs1 t1_jdayzdc wrote

Never said they were all children simply that children can compete at the highest level of the sport. You are the one who brought up the "adult sports". Also to your previous comment, size and strength absolutely equals adult. Adults are stronger than heavier than teenagers pretty ismply. There is a reason you dont see teenagers at the highest level of strength and combat sports, certainly not 15-17 year olds.

0

thewarfreak t1_jd8gaqa wrote

Epic game. Epic tournament. Let's go, USA in 2026.

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Low_Comfortable8290 t1_jd8sbpn wrote

Guess we can no longer call the World Series the World Series

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English84 t1_jd78w8u wrote

Good jolly game this rounders thing is

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sparty1983 t1_jd6tbbw wrote

“World champions…”

−3

LesWhite t1_jd6imfp wrote

Yeah but USA wins in the BBC Final.

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