Saturday, April 16, 2011

Games of the Decade: #11 Germany Stuns The US (2009 World Baseball Challenge) GER 6 USA 3 July 20, 2009

When I was asking around as part of my research, I ended up asking Ludwig Glaser, one of the stars on the Germany team. Germany is, without a doubt, the biggest up-and-coming team out there. And so I asked Luda, is there any game you can remember that really proved to yourselves that you are a team to watch out for. And the response I got was one that I was expecting. See, back in 2009 I was first starting to get into international baseball. I barely even payed attention to the 06 Classic. But something happened in 2009, I got really into it, I became instant believers in the Netherlands, and now I follow tournaments carefully. Well, in 2009, I stumbled onto the website of another tournament. The 2009 World Baseball Challenge, featuring amateur teams, a few senior level teams, and somehow, the tournament featured a few professional teams. And from that tournament alone, I loved Germany. Similar to the Netherlands, they play with grit and heart and never give up. So that right there is the intro for the #11 spot on the countdown.

On July 18th, USA Collegiate pitcher Drew Pomeranz (now playing in Class-A Kingston Indians) 1-hit the Germans. But the Germans would'nt be resigned to accept defeat. Two days later, they go out and battle and shock the US team. Now, unlike #12, the game wasn't all that spectacular, but it really put Germany on the map and it was the first time that the Germans beat Team USA.

LINEUPS
USA (WITH TEAM THEIR WITH AS OF 4-16-11)
TYLER HOLT CF (KINGSTON INDIANS - CLE A)
JOEY WONG 3B (ASHEVILLE TOURISTS - COL A)
CHRISTIAN COLON SS (NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS NATURALS - COL AA)
BLAKE FORSYTHE C (SAVANNAH SAND GNATS - NYM A)
YASMANI GRANDAL DH (BAKERSFIELD BLAZE - CIN A+)
BRYCE BRENTZ RF (GREENVILLE DRIVE - BOS A)
ANDY WILKINS 1B (WINSTON-SALEM DASH - CHW A+)
M NEWMAN LF
B MILLER 2B

TJ WALZ P1
T ZYCH P2
T BAUER P3

GER
SASCHA LUTZ LF
JENDRICK SPEER 2B
DOMINIK WULF 3B
SIMON GUEHRING C
MICHAEL FRANKE 1B
ANDREAS JANZEN SS
LUDWIG GLASER DH
CEDRIC BASSEL RF
JULIUS UELSCHEN CF

TIM HEKKENJOHANN P1
MARTIN ALMSTEDDER P2

As you can see, the USA lineup looked much stronger, but as I always say, it's about comraderie and heart and who'se comfortable playing with who.

#10, we will take a trip back in time to the 2006 World Baseball Classic

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