U.S. stumbles again in World Baseball Classic, losing to Mexico in opener

PHOENIX – As grim and grisly as the first two versions of the World Baseball Classic turned out for the United States, the possibility now exists for 2013 to set an almost-unbeatable level of futility: Team USA may well be done after its second game. Such ugliness would take a little bit of help and a little more ineptitude, though after watching Mexico coast to a 5-2 victory over the Americans in front of a raucous Chase Field on Friday night, a sobering truth resonated: In WBC games, the country that invented the sport has lost more than it has won. It's true. Three WBCs, 15 games, seven victories, eight losses. And few as costly as Friday night's. The Americans buried themselves under an early deficit and were suffocated by bad plate discipline, runners stranded and subpar starting pitching. And by the end of the night, amid "Olé" chants from Mexican fans still sponging in a delicious win, Team USA, perpetual favorite and historic underachiever, found itself staring at WBC Gag 3.0. "In tournament play, talent does not always win," said U.S. starter R.A. Dickey, who allowed four runs, including a pair on the third-inning Adrian Gonzalez home run that broke the game open. "That's just the way it is." Indeed, and a duality sprouts from the format: The best team may not win, but the games themselves take on far more gravity. The Americans find themselves in an ugly spot of their own doing. With their ace pitcher on the mound and a lineup populated by All-Stars, they lost to a team with two stars, Adrian Gonzalez and Yovani Gallardo, and a potpourri of fill-ins, fringe guys and flameouts. It was, actually, pretty typical for Team USA in the WBC. Considering everyone in the sport, including commissioner Bud Selig, believes the Americans must win the tournament in order for it to evolve beyond this cute little thing baseball tries to shove down fans' throats every four years, the U.S. played Friday like it was activating a little-known provision in NAFTA that called for the country to give away ballgames to Mexico. Now the U.S. faces a number of scenarios, none of which is altogether desirable. Two teams out of the U.S.-Mexico-Italy-Canada foursome will advance to Miami. Italy is 2-0, Mexico 1-1 and Canada and the U.S. 0-1.