World Baseball Classic begins in Florida, Taiwan, Japan, and Arizona

World Baseball Classic begins in Florida, Taiwan, Japan, and Arizona.  The 2021 World Baseball Classic was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it will be played this year.

The normal 4-year schedule will pick up again in 2 years for the regularly scheduled 2025 WBC.

The tournament will feature 20 teams for the first time ever (up from 16 teams in previous tournaments) divided into 4 pools with locations in Taiwan, Japan, Arizona, and Florida spanning from March 8-15.

The top 2 from each pool will advance to, essentially, an 8-team, single-elimination bracket culminating in the Championship Game on in Miami on March 21.

The Pool Play is a round-robin, double-elimination tournament tournament with each team playing the others in the
pool once.

There will be no tiebreaker games during Pool Play. Instead, the team who holds the head-to-head game moves on.

MLB fans will find the rules for this tournament to be very similar to the big leagues. Pitchers will have a 3-batter minimum, there will be a universal DH, replay review, and automatic runner at 2nd in extra innings.

But some of the major new rules that will be instituted in the majors in 2023 – including a pitch clock, ban on shifts, and larger bases – will NOT be enforced in this tournament. There will also be no limits on mound visits.

There is also a mercy rule during Pool Play, but none in place for the Quarterfinal or Championship Rounds. If a team leads by 10 or more after 7 innings, or 15 or more after 5 innings, the umpires can end the game.

This year’s Team USA roster includes 20 former All-Starts who have appeared in 66 total All-Star games. The only other time Team USA entered a WBC where all players on their roster had combined for 50 All-Star games entering the tournament was 2006 (58).

Potential lineup:

1. Mookie Betts
2. Trea Turner
3. Mike Trout
4. Paul Goldschmidt
5. Kyle Schwarber (L)
6. Pete Alonso
7. Kyle Tucker (L)
8. Nolan Arenado
9. J.T. Realmuto

Please, Please Please, nobody get hurt in this exhibition tournament.  More on this later today during Shemon and Sheppard 2-6pm.

NY Jets Red Alert !  One of my favorite radio segments on the Shemon and Sheppard Show on ESPN Southwest Florida is RED ALERT every Tuesday at 3:30ish! That's where we put people, teams or situations on BLAST because they deserve to be ripped. (I also like the missile launch sound effects that Chris plays from the other side of the glass!)

Common targets are prima danna athletes who are unaware of their social surroundings. It is our duty to point out their public deficiencies.

Other targets can be coaches who make bonehead decisions or team owners and general managers who drive their fans nuts. It is our job to set the world straight, at least during our ten minute segment.

Since we've been doing this segment for a while, I also enjoy how the texters like to add their nominations to the list.  Add your Red Alert via text at 239-337-ESPN.

Also, in case you are new to the show, RED ALERT blasts do NOT have to come from the world of sports. In fact, as of late, we like to close the segment by ALWAYS blasting Russian President Vladimir Putin just because. However, I should note that our show goes to painstaking lengths to avoid divisive politics at all costs.

So, NY Jets RED ALERT !  You made the list!  Let's see who else did!

So let's dial it up! Enjoy this week's RED ALERT!

-Craig Shemon

ESPN Southwest Florida

Since your time at Alabama it looks like you shrank 1 7/8 inches.

This week you Tweeted breaking news:  David Carr signs with the Saints.  ...uh Derek Carr?

Derek Carr turned you down.  What makes you think Aaron Rodgers will pick you?  Geno Smith is now off the table.  It's Jimmy G or bust... or back to Zach Wilson.  You are still a QB "away."

Your defense was bad.  So you cut LB Eric Kendricks who made 137 tackles last season.  SMH

Incredible talent.  Needs to grow up.

1.  Punched a girl at Oklahoma

2.  Brandished a gun downtown the week of a post season game.

3.  A shooting took place in his home where a juvenile was hurt.  Lot's of police activity.  Not sure if Mixon was there.

Stop the war ass-clown.