Maybe our starter was too experienced?

In the end, perhaps the secret was for Canada to send a bunch of dedicated amateurs after all: Mexico won their final Pool B game today, beating Canada 9-1 and moving onto round 2. Now Canada is in the position the U.S. was: depending on a miracle. If South Africa beats Team America tomorrow, Canada will move into round two. If not, we go home. I'd start packing now...when discussing the mercy rule before the Canada-Africa contest, the ESPN-2 announcers worried that it might come into play: "this isn't David and Goliath, but its certainly David versus David's much older and more talented brother". This match, S. Africa versus USA, is David and Goliath.

Francis got positively lit up, amassing an unbelievable 40.50 ERA in 1 1/3s of an inning. Veteren relievers Paul Quantrill and Chris Reitsma didn't do much better: 11.57 and 13.50 respectively. Myette also rated a 13.50 ERA, and only Cormer, Crain, and Perkins got respectable ERAs...in this case, 0.00 for each, over a combined 2 1/3 inning. The more experience you've got, the worse you are it seems in the WBC this year. That's the only hope Team Canada has left to cling to.

Justin Morneau, Canada's big batting sensation got a single walk and two strikeouts in 3 at-bats.
Jason Bay, Canada's best all-around player, got a hit and a walk in his 3 appearances, but to no avail.
Matt Stairs, Canada's post powerful hitter, did manage 2 walks in his two appearances, so you can't do much about that.
Pete Orr, the Braves rookie who held such promise as being Canada's secret young hitting ace, went 0/3 on the night. Game 2 hero Adam Stern got a hit and a walk in two appearances with nothing to show for it, and Edmonton Cracker-Cat Stubby Clapp ended up with one hit and one walk, scoring Canada's lone run on a walk to Pete LaForest. Corey Koskie struck out twice and went 0/4, Guiel struck out all three times, and the pitchers clearly didn't read my keys to the game. The newspapers seemed shocked at Mexico's hitting power...they shouldn't have been. I'll cover that more after we're officially eliminated tomorrow.