Paul Goldschmidt sits in World Baseball Classic finale win over Puerto Rico
Mar 22, 2017, 4:15 PM | Updated: 11:17 pm
Goldy joins @IntentionalTalk on @MLBNetwork to chat about tonight’s #WBC2017 Final. #ForGlory 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/RDRi0ALbDx
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) March 22, 2017
Team USA’s lineup in Wednesday night’s World Baseball Classic finale included one tweak to it compared to the semifinal a day prior.
That tweak was at catcher and not first base. Manager Jim Leyland again played Eric Hosmer over Paul Goldschmidt at first in Team USA’s 8-0 triumph over Puerto Rico in the WBC championship game.
Hosmer also started ahead of Goldschmidt on Tuesday when the United States beat Japan in the tournament’s semifinal game, 2-1. That riled up baseball fans, and while Hosmer has a game-winning knock in this international tournament and Goldschmidt has struggled, those fans remained confused by the move.
Goldschmidt played in five games during the World Baseball Classic, and he batted 1-for-13 with three strikeouts and two runs scored. Hosmer had gone 9-for-24 with five RBI and five runs scored with only one strikeout before Wednesday.
Against Puerto Rico, he took two walks and added a hit while scoring a run.
Despite the success without Goldschmidt, fans were still not feeling the move by Leyland for the third game in a row didn’t even use a pinch-hitter.
So Goldschmidt will still be available for midgame interviews. https://t.co/auhcoisNgJ
— Sara (@gidget) March 22, 2017
Goldy, Murph and Nolan taking it all in before BP.#ForGlory 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/261wA5p04a
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 22, 2017
This is the closest Murphy and goldschmidt will get to the field tonight https://t.co/yoSGKK5X3w
— JWerth's Beard (@JWerthsBeard) March 22, 2017
who is "Goldy"
— KillTheSave(26-136) (@EvenYearBS) March 22, 2017
I'm only a mile away, but can't in good conscience go to a ⚾️ game where Eric Hosmer starts 1st base over Paul Goldschmidt. @mike_petriello
— mattresstagging (@mattresstagging) March 22, 2017
Prior to the game, Leyland said he was “trying to make America great again,” which of course wasn’t received well by those who know Goldschmidt’s nickname: “America’s first baseman.”
how about making the lineup "great" first??
— Trever Stone (@trever_stone) March 22, 2017
in loving memory of paul goldschmidt. he isn't dead but jim leyland acts like he is because hosmer's starting over him🙏
— maddie (@kyIehendricks) March 22, 2017
Did Goldschmidt kill Leyland's dog? Or steal his smokes or something? https://t.co/R9OM9sqM9q
— Desipio.com (@desipiodotcom) March 22, 2017
WHERE 🗣 IS 🗣 PAUL 🗣 GOLDSCHMIDT https://t.co/EUNyrsGJoL
— maddie (@kyIehendricks) March 22, 2017
