this would be hiLARious. The contest of wills would be uniquely entertaining. In a long and boring kind of way.

Baseball logic is wonderful isn't it? :)

I can't imagine the batter actually hitting a pitch when he's trying to miss, but if this ever happened, the batter could simply carry the bat to first base with him, and reach first base with it. I believe he's out, in that instance. Or he could run outside the basepath or something.

I think if the ball went into play the batter could just run the bases and miss one and therefore be called out. That would work wouldn't it?

Personally, I don't see what a 1-game series really proves. There's a reason why the World Series is a best of 7. If Team X beats Team Y in the 1-game WBC finals, so what? Who care? I know that it's not a longer series because there is REAL baseball to be played, but this really seems like a total waste of time the way it's set up. World Baseball Classic? Not hardly. If they wanted to push it as a world exhibition, then that would be fine. But as it stand now, it's a joke.

Mexico should just bat out of order until they give up a run, or until the 13th inning - thus registering three outs every inning without the United States throwing a pitch. That would make for a pretty quick game. :)

A similar situation has actually occurred in the Shell Caribbean Cup (soccer).

http://www.snopes.com/sports/soccer/barbados.asp

Actually, missing a base might only get you called out if the fielding team appeals :-)

I am sick of hearing about how the WBC doesn't count and it is not real baseball. What, pray tell, constitutes REAL baseball? How do these games not count, as some have stated? The players are trying to win. Nobody is just trying to just get their work in. How is the regular season any more "real"? How does it count any differently? It doesn't matter anymore than any other tournament someone is trying to win.

Sabernar:
A "1 game series" (actually a round robin) doesn't "prove" anything. What it does do is provide an effective from of competition for a large number of teams.

This is what we call a tournament. Basically all levels of baseball except MLB have been playing in them and deciding championships based on them for a very long time. So quit your whining.

Oh, and missing a base does require an appeal. And running outside the basepath will only get you out if you are trying to avoid a tag. The best way to get out when the other team doesn't want you to be is to simply walk back to the dugout.

Or you could grab the ball and chuck it into the outfield, that would be the most interesting way.

Maniakes: that is HILARIOUS.

So just plunk four batters in a row.

If a ball can be called for the pitcher licking his fingers, I always wondered why a pitcher didn't just lick his fingers four times when he wanted an intentional walk.

I think you can be ejected for repeated infractions Adam...

I was thinking the catcher could grab the bat. Catcher's interference, first base awarded, whether the batter swings or not.
Plunking won't work: it's just a strike if you swing.
But batting out of order now seems to me to be unbeatable (so to speak!) for the batting team. So if they are determined, they can go 1-2-3 each inning.

Still, Mexico has to win by three, so in the thirteenth they have to come to bat, and then how will they prevent the catcher's interference strategy from forcing them to win 1-0?