The Seattle Mariners have signed the 16-year-old left-handed pitcher Luiz Gohara to a seven-year minor league contract. He receives reportedly an $800,000 signing bonus, the largest for a player from Brazil ever. The southpaw comes from Sao Paolo and was scouted by MLB representatives since he was 14 years old.
Chinese Taipei made a big step towards the medal round of the V IBAF Women’s Baseball World Cup on Monday afternoon at John Fry Park. They downed Venezuela by a score of 4-2, picking up their third win in the fourth game in the tournament. The South American dropped to 1-2 in a matchup of contenders for the possible fourth berth in the semi-finals.
After a dramatic ending Canada downed Team USA 15-9 on Monday evening at Telus Field in Edmonton. They survived as the lone undefeated team in the V IBAF Women’s Baseball World Cup. The host of the tournament blew an 8-1 lead in the seventh inning, as the US scored seven in the bottom half to force extra innings. However profiting of wild pitching as well Canada answered with seven runs in the top half of the eighth, deciding the outcome.
While Cuba’s vaunted national team was reestablishing some much-needed credibility last month at the Haarlem Baseball Week, ex-patriot Cuban players were also continuing to make considerable noise on more-celebrated major league diamonds. Aroldis Chapman has finally begun to display that can’t-miss stardom many were touting a few years back, while Yoennis Céspedes has so far enjoyed a rather noteworthy if not eye-popping rookie campaign. At the same time veteran Liván Hernández has been busy tracking down several long-standing pitching milestones earlier owned by some of his pre-revolution Cuban countrymen. And most recently two largely unheralded newcomers (one a recent Cuban League “defector”) have now elevated to 169 the total number of athletes to reach the pinnacle of the major leagues from the baseball-loving island nation of Cuba.
During the Major League Baseball (MLB) European Academy in Tirrenia (Italy) we had a chance to meet former MLB hitting star Wally Joyner. Now 50, Joyner is a hitting instructor for MLB international. He was happy to share with us his baseball knowledge, his insights and his opinions.
Japan rebounded from Sunday’s loss to Team USA with a 10-0 shutout to open day four at the Women’s Baseball World Cup in Edmonton, Canada. On Monday morning at Telus Field the defending world baseball champion scored four runs in the first and in four of the five innings en route to a ten-run rule shortened victory. For Cuba it was the fourth loss in the fourth game.
In a potential medal round prelude Team USA bested defending Women’s Baseball World Champion Japan 5-2 on Sunday evening at Telus Field in Edmonton, Canada. Tamara Holmes led the American offense with three extra base hits, breaking the tie in the fourth. Japan had three professional players in their starting lineup, but couldn’t do much against the pitching of Donna Williams and Jennifer Hunter.
In the first game at Bob White Field at John Fry Park in Edmonton, Canada, Venezuela beat Cuba 11-5 on Sunday afternoon. It was their first victory at the V IBAF Women’s Baseball World Cup, while Cuba dropped to 0-3 in the tournament. Venezuela scored in six of the seven innings to win the Latin duel.
Canada remains undefeated at the V IBAF Women’s Baseball World Cup in Edmonton, Canada. On Sunday afternoon at Telus Field, the Maple Leafs scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to edge out Australia 5-4. It was their third win in the third game at the tournament, remaining undefeated before their clash with Team USA on Monday evening. Australia dropped to 1-2.
Canada welcomed Venezuela at the V Women’s Baseball World Cup with an impressive ten-run rule shortened 14-2 victory. They scored four runs in the first and blew the score wide open in the fourth and the fifth to end it early. It is the second win for the host at Telus Field in Edmonton, remaining on course for a medal. Venezuela arrived only a few hours before game time and only was able to be a threat in the first.