EDITORIAL:

In fairness, it was not billed as a prospect cup, but that's what it amounted to, a "futures game" tournament featuring (mostly) signed MLB draft picks. Even more puzzling, while the 4 top teams all came from the North American bracket...USA, Cuba, Canada, Puerto Rico, promotion and TV coverage was not exactly stellar on this side of the world, far more televised coverage it seems in Europe where the event took place.

That's too bad. Not only because I know who some of these players were - having seen them locally or followed them in the pages of Collegiate Baseball News - but also because this is the level of ball that the USA and Canada needs to embrace if the game is to have real growth internationally.

It's time for our insular, pro-centric view of the sports world to end. We need to expand our horizons because what's out there is our future too.

- Richard Todd, WebBall

The following has been pulled unedited from the original source: http://www.2009baseballworldcup.com. Comments added by WebBall are in italics and/or bold.



Sunday’s 10-5 win by the USA over Cuba in Nettuno, Italy gave the USA its fourth World Cup, and their second consecutive title…they defeated Cuba 6-3 for Gold in Chinese Taipei in 2007 as well..it is the second time USA has won back-to-back World Cups, having done so in 1973-74…it was just the second time that the USA beat Cuba for Gold…Cuba now leads the finals matchups 6-2. ..The USA’s circuitous route to the title saw them play games in eight cities (Regensburg, Germany and seven different Italian cities) during the three weeks…Texas Rangers prospect Justin Smoak was named World Cup MVP, while Tampa Rays prospect Jon Weber (.412 3 HR 13 RBI)  and Philadelphia Phillies farmhand Terry Tiffee were named All-World Cup…pitchers Lucas Harrell, a Chicago White Sox prospect, and Atlanta Braves prospect Todd Redmond both went 3-0 for Team USA.

* World Cup Record
 
TOP HITTER: Paco Figueroa, Spain (17-35, .500)
BEST ERA: Matt Kniginyzky Canada (2-0, 0.00 ERA in 18 innings)
MOST RBI:  Rene Reyes, Venezuela (23 RBI)
MOST HOME RUNS: Alfredo Despaigne, Cuba 11 *
MOST RUNS SCORED: Rene Tosoni, Canada (18 runs)
BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Angel Sanchez, SS, Puerto Rico

4 from USA, 3 from Cuba, 2 from Canada, 2 from the Netherlands (Antillies)
 
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Justin Smoak, USA (.291 9 HR 22 RBI)
Starter: Norge Vera, Cuba
Reliever:  Trystan Magnuson, Canada
Catcher: Sydney deJong, Netherlands
1B: Justin Smoak USA
2B: Hector Olivera Cuba
3B: Shawn Bowman Canada
SS: Hainley Statia, Netherlands
OF: Alfredo Despagne, Cuba, Miguel Abreu, Puerto Rico, Jon Weber, USA 
DH:  Terry Tiffee, USA
 

LARGEST TELEVISION AUDIENCE EVER FOR THE WORLD CUP: Sunday’s final was broadcast on the MLB Network in the United States, Eurosport2 across Europe, ICRT in Cuba, RAI Sport in Italy and on tape delay on ESPN STAR Asia, making it the most widely broadcast final in the World Cup’s 71 year history. (Basically the previous events were barely "broadcast" at all and this time it was far from full coverage, not network TV material?)

In addition to the final, World Cup country-specific games were shown live or on tape delay on NOS in the Netherlands, TVES in Venezuela,  VIASAT in Sweden,  TV4 in Nicaragua, CzechTV in the Czech Republic, WIPR in Puerto Rico and on NBC Universal’s Spanish language channel in the United States, WAPA TV, giving the event its largest broadcast footprint.
 
WORLD CUP BRINGS RECORD TRAFFIC TO IBAF.ORG : The IBAF’s official site, Ibaf.org attracted over 750,000 visitors and over 12 million page views through the World Cup, coming from over 170 countries, an increase of over 70% from during its last heavy visit period, which was the Beijing Olympics.
 
ATTENDANCE MARKS:  Further evidence of baseball’s growth in Europe was seen throughout the tournament. Leading the way was Regensburg, Germany, which saw crowds in excess of 5,000 for almost all of the three days of competition in the first round, highlighted by a Friday night crowd of almost 10,000 fans for USA-Germany… at other first round sites, Sweden had a capacity crowd of over 2,100 for Saturday’s final day and strong crowds approaching 1,500 on the others…Spain had overflow crowds on both Friday and Saturday in excess of the 1,500 seating capacity for their games with Puerto Rico and Cuba…and Prague had an overflow of 2,500 for Saturday and crowds in excess of 1,500 for Friday, all positive signs of growth…the Netherlands drew crowds of over 3,000 for their home games, capped by a near-capacity of 4,000 in Rotterdam for their game with Cuba…the Gold Medal game in Nettuno, Italy drew a sellout of 4,600. 

(Some of those attendance numbers could give some MLB teams a run for their money the way this saesons has played out.)
 
FUTURE STARS ALIGN:  Over 120 players from 17 countries under contract with Major League teams participated in the three weeks of the World Cup, the largest professional international tournament in the history of the sport. Also there were 25 players with Major League experience who participated in this year’s World Cup. Both the numbers of prospects and veterans were records for the event.
 
CUBA MEDALS AGAIN:  Despite their loss in the final. Cuba continued their consecutive run of medals in the World Cup…they have taken Gold in 25 of the 29 World Cups in which they have played, and have taken two silvers and two bronze medals in the other four…they had won all three of the World Cups held in Italy (1978, 1988, 1998) prior to Sunday’s loss
 
CANADA, AUSTRALIA LAND BEST-EVER FINISHES: Canada’s 6-2 win Saturday over Puerto Rico gave them the Bronze medal, their best-ever finish, while Australia’s 4-1 win over the Netherlands on Saturday gave them a fifth place finish, their best ever…Canada’s previous best was fifth on three different occasions, while Australia’s previous best was sixth in 2007… Kansas City Royals prospect Tim Smith (.414  2 HR 10 RBI), Future’s Game MVP, Eastern League All-Star and Minnesota Twins prospect Rene Tosoni (.357 3 HR 16 RBI) and  Milwaukee Brewers farmhand Adam Stern (.333 1 HR 9 RBI) led the hitting, while pitchers Matt Kniginyzky (2-0, 0.00 ERA in 18 innings), a Kansas City Royals prospect, Toronto Blue Jays prospect Trystan Magnuson,  and Brewers prospect Nick Bucci (0.00 ERA in 14 innings) led the pitching staff.
 
PUERTO RICO USES MIX OF YOUTH AND EXPERIENCE TO TAKE FOURTH: Puerto Rico used a mix of veterans and prospects to finish fourth, matching their best overall performance since 1976 (they also finished fourth in 1990). Baltimore Orioles prospect Miguel Abreu was an All-World Cup selection, leading the team in hitting at .380, while Toronto Blue Jays prospect Angel Sanchez (.333) finished second and was named top Defensive Player. Puerto Rico had a tournament high NINE players with Major League experience on their roster in addition to their rising stars.
 
NETHERLANDS CONTINUES AS EUROPE’S ELITE:  The Netherlands continued their spot as Europe’s top country, finishing sixth, after taking fourth in each of the last two World Cups. San Francisco Giants prospect Sharlon Schoop hit .364, while Los Angeles Angles prospect Hainley Statia (.333) took all tournament honors, along with leading hitter and veteran Sidney deJong.
 
GEOGRAPHIC DOMINANCE A RARITY:  The top four finishers…USA, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Canada…all came from the same geographic region, something which had not happened in World Cup competition since 1974, when the USA, Nicaragua, Colombia and the Dominican Republic finished 1 through 4.
 
ASIAN NATIONS MISS OUT: With Chinese Taipei finishing eighth, it marked the first time since 1974 that no Asian team medaled at the World Cup…Korea (9) and Japan (10), two traditional baseball powers, had their lowest-ever finishes…Korea had never finished lower than eighth (1988) while Japan had never finished lower than fifth (1998 and 2005)…


The World Cup thus saw several team and overall records be tied or fall. They include:

• Cuba’s Alfredo Despaigne set the World Cup record with 11 home runs.
• The USA’s Chris Smoak set the USA World Cup record with nine home runs.  
• Cuban pitcher Miguel Gonzalez struck out ten consecutive batters against Puerto Rico in his first start (13 overall in 6 1/3 innings), one short of the World Cup mark of 11 set by former Major Leaguer Burt Hooton (Dodgers and Cubs) of the USA in 1971.
• Australia pitcher and Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect David Welch set an Australian record with 13 strikeouts in just seven innings Tuesday against Chinese Taipei.
• USA pitcher and California Angels prospect Trevor Reckling, had 11 K’s against China, tying the team mark of pitcher Burt Hooten, who fanned 11 consecutive batters in 1970.
• USA infielder and Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Pedro Alvarez set a team mark by hitting three home runs in a win over Chinese Taipei