Venezuela Beats Team USA After Negotiating with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs closer Daniel Palencia got the save in the semifinals for Venezuela on Monday night and then he did it again 24 hours later as he retired the side to close out a 3-2 win over Team USA. It was an incredible moment for Palencia and Venezuela, who captured their first World Baseball Classic title and it took some negotiating for the hard-throwing pitcher to even get the chance to pitch in the championship game.
Palencia closed the door on the United States in the ninth inning, striking out Kyle Schwarber, getting Gunnar Henderson to pop up and then clinching the championship for Venezuela by striking out Roman Anthony on 100 mph fastball.
As we’ve seen throughout the World Baseball Classic, countries have been navigating through games without a full arsenal from their pitching staff. MLB teams have been dictating when and how much their pitchers can be used as they get ready to begin the regular season and that’s added an extra wrinkle to these tournament games.
Palencia threw 15 pitches in the semifinals on Monday and if this were a spring training game, then he 100% would not have pitched on back-to-back days in the middle of March. The Cubs notified Venezuela that they did not want Palencia to pitch on Tuesday night, but Venezuela manager Omar Lopez didn’t back down and pushed hard, eventually negotiating a deal with the Cubs.
Venezuela could only use Palencia if it was a save situation in the World Baseball Classic. There’s a very good chance that if Eugenio Suarez doesn’t hit an RBI-double in the ninth inning, then the United States gets to bat against an inferior pitcher and in extra innings Venezuela would have been at a greater disadvantage on the pitching side.
But Suarez delivered, giving the green light for Lopez to give the ball to Palencia to close it out and the Cubs’ pitcher did in impressive fashion.
Kansas City Royals infielder Maikel Garcia was named World Baseball Classic MVP, but you could certainly make an argument for Palencia. The Cubs closer pitched in five games for Venezuela and he was nearly perfect, going 3-for-3 in save chances, including the semifinals and finals, while striking out nine, walking one batter and allowing no hits in five innings.
A moment Palencia and Venezuela will never forget.
Meanwhile, this was the second consecutive loss for the United States in the World Baseball Classic final. Mark DeRosa was forced to use Garrett Whitlock in the top of the ninth inning, when in any other must-win situation he would have used San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller. However, similar to the Cubs’ arrangement with Venezuela, the Padres told DeRosa that he could only use Miller in a save situation.
Miller last pitched on Sunday in Team USA’s 2-1 win over the Dominican Republic in the semifinals. Miller pitched in four games in this year’s World Baseball Classic and did not give up a hit as he only surrendered a pair of walks, while striking out 10 in four innings.