Because the USA blowout of South Africa lasted only five innings, many of the US pitchers didn’t get in the game, leaving them to work out after the dust had settled after the 17-0 victory.

Of course we had to capture Huston Street loosening up in the bullpen after the game. As we have chronicled on this blog, he is a favorite since his days in the Arizona Fall League all the way through his Rookie of the Year season with the Oakland A’s.

After seeing the USA slaughter South Africa, we made our way along the 101 Freeway to the Peoria Sports Complex (Spring Training home of the Padres and Mariners) to see Korea, the winner of the Asia Pool, take on the Padres in an exhibition game.

It was cold and windy, and after eight games in six days, we lasted six innings. It was 4-0 Padres when we left and the final was 7-1.

Korea is a very fundamentally solid team, but not quite at the level of teams such as the US and Mexico, but on any given day, anything can happen. Just ask the US team after they were defeated by Canada.

It’s too soon to predict the outcome of the Korea-Japan-US-Mexico pool but it’s not going to be a caekwalk of any sort for the USA team.

This was one David vs. Goliath battle that ended with Goliath on top: The USA Team crushed South Africa 17-0, allowing the USA to move on to the next round of the World Baseball Classic in Anaheim. The game lasted only five full innings before the league invoked the “mercy rule.”

USA pounded out 18 hits an Roger Clemens sailed through 4 1/3 innings before Mike Timlin and Chad Cordero came in to close the game out..

You have to hand it to those South Africans; they played hard and never hung their heads in shame. They have much to be proud of on their return trip home despite losing all three of their games.

So, USA and Mexico move on to play Japan and Korea. It would be great to witness the rematch between the US and Mexico; I think Vinny Castilla and company want revenge!

The day seems like a blur: a World Baseball Classic doubleheader. In game one, the USA beat Mexico 2-0 in a wonderfully played game. Jake Peavy and a host of relievers shut down a very good Mexican team on just a handful of hits. As expected, the crowd went wild over Vinny Castilla, arguably the best player to ever come out of Mexico. (More on Vinny later).

Derrek Lee and Chipper Jones hit home runs for USA’s lone runs.

After seeing Canada in game two, my bet is that Mexico and the US squad make it to the next round, but it’s still early.

It’s a little overwhelming to walk into a small ballpark--one in which you are used to seeing Cactus League and Arizona Fall League games--and see a group of the greatest American ballplayers. Today was the final pre-World Baseball Classic exhibition with the Giants hosting Team USA with a who’s who of stars: Derek Jeter, A-Rod, Chipper Jones, Chase Utley, Roger Clements…and the list goes on.

I did have a battery issue with my JVC camera, so the coverage is split into two. This segment includes most of the pre-game excitement; the ext clip (shot in MPEG-4) will have more of the in-game activity.

Here I thought I had this great coup for my Hall of Fame Series. Standing two feet in front of me was Lee Smith, former relief pitcher for the Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees and 15 other teams. He has 478 lifetime saves and was a multiple “Fireman of the Year” award winner, but is not in the Hall of Fame despite impressive credentials.

I thought he was enshrined in Cooperstown, but Smith informed me he is not. Believe me, one look at Smith’s imposing presence, and you are not about to argue. Smith still looks like he could take the mound and blow hitters away. BTW, how he became pitching coach for the South Africa team is still a bit of a mystery, but the story has something to do with Smith meeting a British man in a bar and….

Sure, the World Baseball Classic warm-up, between the Oakland A’s and South Africa was one-sided--what would you expect? Even though the South Africa team lost 14-1, the team was spirited and played their hearts out..

South Africa’s second baseman Paul Bell led the game off with a double and scored , but that would be the visit team’s lone run for the game. Oakland, playing with a split squad, featured Bobby Crosby, Nick Swisher (he hit a long bomb) and Daric Barton, Oakland’s top minor league prospect.

We talked with Byrne Donaldson (he’s the one wearing a really cool shirt) who gave a resounding rendition of the National Anthem on the sax. Later, we spotted Mr. Moneyball, Billy Beane, in the stands and even had a chance to talk to South Africa’s pitching coach Lee Smith. Yes, the Lee Smith with 478 lifetime saves. He’s not in the Hall of Fame, but that’s a story for another clip. We even spoke to a number of parents of players on the South Africa team, including the mom and dad of Ashley Scott, an outfielder who had one of the team’s eight hits.

All in all, it was a blast. Wait until the real games start next Tuesday. One more exhibition for us… and it’s a big one: USA vs. San Francisco Giants. It’s tomorrow! Stay tuned.