Hello, and welcome to Backups and Nerds, the Baseball Podcast with a British
tist. Are we host once again Russ, Lisa and I am joined again
by Gav to discuss the World Baseball Classic. But this time we can talk
about a victory gave. GB beat Columbia seven five in the World Baseball Classic.
We we're both lucky enough to witness this history in person. It hasn't
yet sunk in for me, It hasn't yet sunk in for Gav. We
are, what five six hours after it happened, and it still doesn't feel
like it's happened. I don't for me. For you, if you've got
any way of actually putting it into words, gave but I still can't quite.
I don't know. Like I said to you, just now, my
brain just feels frazzled because I don't know how many hours ago it was.
Let's say twelve hours ago. We recorded a pod and we were both pretty
down after the Canada result and we were looking in head. I think it
should be noted that I did predict a GB win over Columbia. Yeah,
and now we're in this situation where they've actually beaten a proper team in the
World Baseball Classic. They deserve to be there. It is it's almost indescribable.
And for it to be Columbia, who well, before the game,
the other journalists were saying, I think Columbia are the best team in this
pool. So for GB to come away with a victory to say, it's
yeah, absolutely incredible. Yeah, how are you feeling. I'm still just
riding, like riding this high. It was. It was We're obviously fortunate
to be here to kind of like I watched this moment happened, the moment
of history happen. Um. It was one of those games where GB went
behind. It felt, in some regards, fairly similar to that game against
Spain. They went one rundown, they went three runs down, but I
never felt like they weren't out of They were never thought they were out of
the game because in the second ending they left a runner on the base.
In the third inning, they left like two runners on the base. So
when we got that moment where we got one one back, we got the
two runs back to type the game, I felt the game was going GB's
way and it just felt, okay, this is going great. Visa pitched
well, Spreca came in and he pitched fantastically. Then suddenly we're in the
lead, and yeah, those two guys so they deserve mentioned, don't know.
So we've got Scottish born Visa, so that's fantastic. We've got a
British born player taking the ball in the game that we win. And then
we've got Spreaker who brought in for his debut and the bases are loaded and
he ends up picking up the win. I know that we all think that
pitcher wins a useless step, but still he's got that W by his name
forevermore now so good on the young lad. Yeah, and he basically he
came in in that basis dated situation and he gave up a hitch straight up
the middle and Columbia paid two to go three nil up, and you were
like, all right, he got the album. You're like, okay,
how is this going to go? GB immediately got the three back um,
capitalizing on I can't be a mistake and getting actually kind of like getting things
going from their hitting point of view. It was just nominal actually kind of
to see that. And then when Spreaker had the ball and it was like
zero zero or three or even when it was a tired game. He then
threw two innings without giving up a hit. I don't think he even walked
to anybody. It was he was fantastic, Yeah, in those two innings.
Yeah, And so when he came in and after like the first couple
of pitches, he had GP with three three down. By the time that
he was replaced at the top of the six, Jane and Round had hit
the double in the bottom of the fifth to put GP five three up.
And not that you never believe it was just starting to think in that like,
oh no, this is like not just like oh I believe we could
do this. This is starting to become a real possibility. And you're just
I'm sat there in the press box trying to behave in inverted commas like there's
there's probably some intrinsic rules, but we apologize to cut a glasser afterwards,
and he said, now, guys, it's fine, this is beautiful.
So but there was me, there was Gav there was Ren Contral with us.
He was doing some social media stuff for GBS out side by side,
kind of just slowly getting more and more excited for every single out. Yeah,
there was this moment where the defense just seemingly flipped on a dime from
maybe being a concern to being what GB was showing them what they could actually
do. Donald Sweeney made a great play at chalk, kind of like picking
the ball up onto his side, spinning around and throwing its first. And
then the next hit went to Chafe's Young and he picked something up like on
a run, made like a great great like sliding play to the foul line
to kind of get the to get that out for the inning, and you
were just like, oh, yeah, this is what GEB can actually do.
Like they Yes, we've seen some defense mistakes where we know some of
the infielder isn't playing in like their natural positions or the positions that they've played
the most in, but these guys are professional baseball players. They are capable
of stunning baseball. And it just felt this whole thing was going to be
different. And then Shavit's Young maid to another great play in right field where
he got it what would be like a routine like flyball into into into right
field, which the runner would normally go from second to third, but he
picked it up. He timed his positioning absolutely perfectly. He like positioned himself
like ten fifteen feet behind where the ball was going to land, and came
into the ball as he was catching it and launched a cannon. I saw
something from the sort of tweet was saying, there's something like it was like
ninety five miles an hour from stackcast that he basically just threw through that pitch
or through the ball and it stopped the runner advancing, and just everything seemed
to be going GB's way. Yeah, he really really has played well in
the outfield, and yeah, he was tempting them to run on his arm
and there was just no chance. He was just so strong. I have
to say I didn't share your confidence of like a transition of the in my
opinion of the infield. I I just had to hold my breath every time
the ball was hit in the infield. Oh my word. Yeah, yes,
a few of them came off, but a few didn't. And yeah,
it just makes a very exciting baseball when you just don't know if you're
going to get those routine plays. Just going back to Joan Rudd for a
moment, you know. So he delivered the double, which scored two to
put US five three up. Drew said afterwards that Rudds had come up to
him even the dugout before that and said, coach, you do know that
I can't hit left its, don't you? In an attempt not to get
pulled, because you know, he thought DeShawn or someone would come in instead
of him, and yet Drew stayed with him and he delivered that fantastic double
down the line. Maybe that was a shot of the game in my opinion,
but I know how he gets you the applaudence for the home run,
but driving it down the third baseline absolutely fantastic. Yeah, it was a
phenomenal hit. I think game run once again kind of like showed I think
a massive, massive ability in this game. Continuing to prove himself throughout the
tournament. I think we get to that, we kind of get through the
game's going. It's now like seven five or seven three, even we get
into that eighth and Fananda just doesn't quite have enough to kind of get those
first few outs and so, yeah, but he's been given quite a big
margin because of how is Homer, hasn't he because yeah, it was five
three and then Harry's made it or Harry made it six to three, and
then Nick scored his third of the day. Nick Ward scored his third of
the day, having walked originally. So, yeah, there were so many
many contributions from all of the hitters and then yeah, suddenly were seven,
three up, and yeah, Fernanda he was making it interesting. Yeah,
and this is just watching British baseball. It can ever feel like you're just
you're you're going to win the game when you're in a we're in a dominant
position. Especially after watching yesterday, I think you can you know what the
possible outcomes are of if suddenly one and then two and three three people lose
it. But we saw a Iman Jebaut, one of your bread together come
in and sensational Cincinnati reads. Yeah, within six pitches, get three outs
and take us onto the take us onto the bottom of the bottom of the
eighth, and then to the top of the ninth. And it didn't make
it a very ninth a very good home run and another era, but a
great pick, great pick to get the second out in that in that last
innings before Gibe got the final strikeout. And yes, so the way I
remember it is that in the start of the ninth we only needed three more
outs and we immediately gave up that home run, and then I think there
was a fly fly out which chapis young court, so that's it. We've
got one out and then Juga faroh he singled, So then they've got and
they've got runners on on first and third, and then there's a wild pitch,
so our farre has moved over to second, and yeah, then the
bulls hit too. I think it's to Murray or Barry as some people kill
him. And he's just thrown it a bit too wide of Nick on first,
and Nick has just scooped that up and stayed on the bag, and
that is the greatest player I've ever seen. Yeah, it's a back hand
pick off the bounce off the hot like just to the wrong kite for a
first baseman. And given everything that we know that he's not a traditional first
baseman, order hasn't has much of his professional career at first base. He's
been tested a lot with some of the throws that he's done and he hasn't
quite been able to get it. But when the moment mad at the post,
he got that and he got it clean, and you were like,
okay, Columbia challenged it, didn't they And it was ruled okay, but
then we only needed one more out, one more out. I can't remember
what, I can't remember what happened. Then it was a strikeout fantastic Angel
Boone struck out. I can't remember now some Columbia and that I do apologize,
like I do believe it was the a m I have even been the
catcher who wasn't the ass, which amused me halfway through the game that I
actually noticed that neither of Horror or the Ass was catching, And I was
like, you have two quite good catchers and neither of them are actually catching.
But yeah, and then suddenly all of that fear, all of that
joy, all of that excitement kind of dissipated for a second, and then
there was just elation. There was just me and friend next to each other
going a fist bump. Gav had basically put his head down onto his laptop,
Like, I don't know what was going through your head at that time,
but you look like you were just so emotionally drained that it was just
was quite an emotional moment. Yeah, and you cut up with a few
guys afterwards, didn't you. Yeah. I managed to speak with Drew Tyler
Wiser and Shaba's younger afterwards, will put the minute or so interviews We had
all of those on the back of this, so you can listen to that
as well. But it was just and obviously I spoke with Graham and I
spoke with like Liam Carroll, all these people that we've known over a time,
that we've built relationships with, and got to see that through. Just
to kind of see the look on the faces of all of those GB players
as they were walking out of their their dugout area, going to kind of
see where their friends and family are because there's a special section for them after
the game, and just smiles on everybody's faces. And I don't know that
the moment that maybe topped it off for most was Anthony Seymour just walking through
with the food that they've got. Everybody gets seemed to get to a nice
bit of food that they could take anyway. He's got like three trays of
the food when everybody has one. He's singing a song. I can't remember
what it was, and he's singing a song like as loud as he can
as he's walking through this corridor, like just having an absolute blast. And
so it was fantastic because everyone's looking at him. This guy just strutting along,
singing out loud, and then he just points at someone and says hey
man and carries on. And that's what I was saying to render, That's
what we need to somehow get that sort of charisma, that sort of personality
needs to be shown to the British public, because I would fall in love
with him as much as you have. Yeah, we've been privileged. We've
not got to know them through pods and through conversations, We've got to know
them even better on the ground during during being here for this tournament. It's
just it's just been an unbelievable experience. And to get the win, it's
just phenomenal. Obviously, the side of it that really matters is that why
that win matters, and it matters a lot, is that obviously we want
to be in the next World Baseball Classic, and to automatically qualify for the
next Baseball Class Will Baseball Classic, we need to finish not to bottom of
the group. And now, given the end of today, where three teams
that are on a record of one on one GB on a record of one
and two in USA are on a record of two and one that one win
might not necessarily be enough to actually stop them finishing bottom of the group.
They've still got to go out and go at Mexico in the game tomorrow to
really to really push it. GB will have a bit of knowledge about how
much that matters or doesn't matter, because Canada will play Columbia before that game,
and if we're a British and we want to get all our eggs in
the easiest basket, I think we want Canada to pummel Columbia. Doesn't really
need to be a bubbling, just Canada beating Columbia and then USA beating Columbia.
It is probably the simplest way of of GB making it not to be
the bottom of the group. But they've still got to go out and give
their all against Mexico. They've shown that they can hit. They've shown they
can hit against professional major league pitchers in all of the games that they've done
so far, so they've got to do that. We know that Joseph King
looks like he's going to start the game, so obviously like he's not not
one of like the top starts that we were talking about going into this tournament.
So if there's could probably be a lot of use of the bullpen arms
to try and get everything that they can out of that game. But it's
going to be amazing, Like the atmosphere is going to be ridiculous, because
currently it is a sellout. It's a sellout. Yeah, I was told
today by one of the guys from British Baseball Federation that it's a sellout and
figuring that it's not fifty fifty between Brits and Mexicans, so okay, there
could be a lot of green tomorrow. So it's going to be forty eight
thousan five hundred and fifty Mexicans and four hundred and fifty Brits also, and
that basically is friends and family and a few Brits that have made it out.
Oh, it's going to be an atmosphere no matter what happens, and
and gareful will bring you as much as we can from the game going forward.
So I hope you've enjoyed listening to me and gave try and barely remember
what happened a few hours ago, because I'm pretty certain we've got half the
facts wrong. But it was just so phenomenal that it happened, and I
just can't still believe it. So yeah, listen to us ramble a little
bit more in another podcast. I hope everybody had had a great viewing,
and yeah, let's GB bild up. So I'm here with Drew Spencer just
after the game. GB beat Columbia to play their first winning the World Baseball
Classics. How does that feel? Dream? I honestly don't know if I
have the words right now, Like it's it's it's all just a big bundle
of emotion. I'm just I'm super excited for the boys, you know,
for them to to experience that, you know, I think especially after yesterday's
going you know, to bounce back and get a victory against a team like
that thing in the tournament, it's huge. And again I'm just gonna keep
saying, like it shows what we're making. Yeah, there were some kind
of like key moments and kind of like key kind of like plays in that
game for me, like Chaves Young taking that catch out in right field and
then getting that throw down to stop the runner going to third. That was
such kind of like a momentum stopper and help the time build up, like
quickly describe what Chavis kind of like has done for this team, like in
the games. Well, I mean it just feels like whenever we've needed something
big, he's been one of the guys to deliver, right. You know,
it's what four stolen, four bases now, you know, some tremendous
plays on defense, clutch hitting um and you know the other thing is that
people don't always see is in the dug out. You know, he's the
first guy to turn around and go, hey, we're not done to spe
some more of this inning. You know, let's go out and play catch.
You know. So he's he's he's tremendous, cool, She's through all
the best of the rest of your games. This is going to be a
war. So how did that feel? It's amazing, man, I I
don't know how amazing are you? Gay baseball? Baseball? You do it
for them, man, you know, do keep anybody that can't play with
us right now in the field. You're doing it for them because you know
how I'm passionate and they're growing up baseball over there is Yeah. I just
want to say, like the for me, like playing the game, is
you out there in right field, taking that ball, getting that throw down
to third to stop the running from doing he did it twice kind of like
there's just momentum builders where I think the whole of that right field fund base
was all the you man, like, how does that feel when you get
those moments and you kind of it really works. I am my steams you
could control in this baseball game and the hitting, but I feel like defensive
that you could you have a you have a good chance to control them,
you know, being in the right position to help the team win. Um,
anything that what I could contribute to my team to win. I'm winning.
I'm just all about winning. I just love winning. It doesn't matter
to be an ugly win on nice win. I just want to win.
It doesn't it doesn't It doesn't take take that much this, you know,
to quick effort them. You know, you don't have to have talging but
win. You just got our hearts cool, just have has Congratulations on on
the win today, all the best for tomorrow. Thank you. So we've
just come off from the field. Gb have just picked up their first win
in the World Baseball Classic. Ever I'm here with Tugby's that starting pitcher.
Firstly, just how does that feel? It feels amazing? I mean,
obviously you know, we've had a rough first two games. Um, I
thought we've played well overall. You know, we've we've held our grounds for
the most part. So today, you know, for me and my job
was just sending a tone early. Um, me and Harry had a great
game plan going into it, and I think, you know, for the
most part, we executed that and you know, defense in the in the
bass came around were huge for us. Yeah, you were. You were
an absolute solid start. A couple of a couple of calls didn't maybe like
go your way and let you kind of like this, Yeah it is baseball,
but yeah, it's absolutely like fantastic start. Obviously, kind of given
what had happened in the previous game, you kind of settled like the not
only maybe like feels for all the British fans, but kind of like for
for all the players. Um, when you kind of then have to spend
the rest of the game like on the bench, watching what's going on,
like how tu like the highs in the late and the lows that kind of
come with that, and watching everything happened from then onwards. Yeah, I
mean, obviously you've been been a part of a lot of baseball and that's
all kind of part of it. Um. You know, as far as
the preparation that goes into it, I mean easier the moments that we you
know, we prepare ourselves for the rest of it, you know, our
whole life. You know, we're leading up to this moment. So it
was huge that we were paper from away with the win and you know,
it's this amazing feeling. And how does it feel to like represent like Great
Britain? Obviously kind of it's you. You've got your Scottish heritage and something
that you kind of like have maybe been close to doing a couple of times
in the past but things haven't quite worked out. How does it feel to
kind of finally kind of get that debut? It was amazing. You know,
I was supposed to go to Germany to be with the qualifiers. Um,
that's it supposed to but you know they asked me too, and you
know I was actually over in Taiwan plane in that league got that fun um.
So, I mean, it was just an absolute blast to be a
part of this moment. Chos for forever. Oh, She's like, thank
you so much. I appreciate it. Thank you