Michael Clair
@michaelclair.bsky.social
I like baseball and I write about it for MLB.com. Special focus on the World Baseball Classic, culture, and freaky little oddities. I also like rock n roll.
Pinned
Michael Clair
@michaelclair.bsky.social
· Mar 24
66,000 words, thousands of miles traveled, and hundreds of hours at my desk later, my manuscript on Baseball Czech is complete!
It’s now in the hands of @univnebpress.bsky.social for the next round of work and edits. Hopefully next time you see this, there will be a cover and pre-order link!
It’s now in the hands of @univnebpress.bsky.social for the next round of work and edits. Hopefully next time you see this, there will be a cover and pre-order link!
Went to the KBO store and got this incredible Kim Young-woo Seoul high school baseball jersey!
November 10, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Went to the KBO store and got this incredible Kim Young-woo Seoul high school baseball jersey!
Two minute recap of the finale of the Czech Republic and Korea’s two game exhibition series. They’ll face off again in the opener of pool play in March in Tokyo.
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November 9, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Two minute recap of the finale of the Czech Republic and Korea’s two game exhibition series. They’ll face off again in the opener of pool play in March in Tokyo.
www.instagram.com/reel/DQ1X2b3...
www.instagram.com/reel/DQ1X2b3...
For 14 innings, the Czechs were able to hang with Korea, a talented team filled with pro ballplayers. But in these last few innings, with Chadim hoping to get some experience for very young arms, the Korean bats finally woke up.
11-1 going into the bottom of the 9th.
11-1 going into the bottom of the 9th.
November 9, 2025 at 7:53 AM
For 14 innings, the Czechs were able to hang with Korea, a talented team filled with pro ballplayers. But in these last few innings, with Chadim hoping to get some experience for very young arms, the Korean bats finally woke up.
11-1 going into the bottom of the 9th.
11-1 going into the bottom of the 9th.
Shortstop Milan Prokop, coming off a strong European championship where he hit .348/.435/.423, laces a hard-hit single to left-center and the Czechs are on the board.
Runners on the corners now with two outs and the Czechs are trailing by just one.
Could we have an upset brewing?!
Runners on the corners now with two outs and the Czechs are trailing by just one.
Could we have an upset brewing?!
November 9, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Shortstop Milan Prokop, coming off a strong European championship where he hit .348/.435/.423, laces a hard-hit single to left-center and the Czechs are on the board.
Runners on the corners now with two outs and the Czechs are trailing by just one.
Could we have an upset brewing?!
Runners on the corners now with two outs and the Czechs are trailing by just one.
Could we have an upset brewing?!
New favorite Korean pitcher: Kim Seo-hyeon. Can throw 100 mph, wears glasses and eyeblack even in a dome.
November 9, 2025 at 6:23 AM
New favorite Korean pitcher: Kim Seo-hyeon. Can throw 100 mph, wears glasses and eyeblack even in a dome.
While the Czechs have been held scoreless through first 14 innings, there's reason to be hopeful: Stars Martin Červenka and Eric Sogard should return in March and mgr Pavel Chadim confirmed the team is hoping for up to 4-5 MLBers with Terrin Vavra and Randal Grichuk among them.
November 9, 2025 at 6:21 AM
While the Czechs have been held scoreless through first 14 innings, there's reason to be hopeful: Stars Martin Červenka and Eric Sogard should return in March and mgr Pavel Chadim confirmed the team is hoping for up to 4-5 MLBers with Terrin Vavra and Randal Grichuk among them.
Ondřej Vostatek, just 18-years-old, comes on to pitch for the Czech Republic. One way to tell his age: He's still using an infielder's glove out on the mound.
November 9, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Ondřej Vostatek, just 18-years-old, comes on to pitch for the Czech Republic. One way to tell his age: He's still using an infielder's glove out on the mound.
Michael Šindelka, who impressed as a 19 yo in Draft League, legged out an infield single. He's a big milk drinker and at the U-23 Euro Championship, where he won best hitter, he was given a milk carton after each knock.
Wonder if Pavel Chadim has some milk in the dugout.
Wonder if Pavel Chadim has some milk in the dugout.
November 9, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Michael Šindelka, who impressed as a 19 yo in Draft League, legged out an infield single. He's a big milk drinker and at the U-23 Euro Championship, where he won best hitter, he was given a milk carton after each knock.
Wonder if Pavel Chadim has some milk in the dugout.
Wonder if Pavel Chadim has some milk in the dugout.
Steals, bunts, and some well-placed singles open up the game against Lukáš Ercoli, the left-handed reliever and director of communications for the national team.
Shin Min-jae singled in a run before Ercoli gets Song Sung-Mun, who has MLB interest, to fly out.
2-0 Korea
Shin Min-jae singled in a run before Ercoli gets Song Sung-Mun, who has MLB interest, to fly out.
2-0 Korea
November 9, 2025 at 5:56 AM
Steals, bunts, and some well-placed singles open up the game against Lukáš Ercoli, the left-handed reliever and director of communications for the national team.
Shin Min-jae singled in a run before Ercoli gets Song Sung-Mun, who has MLB interest, to fly out.
2-0 Korea
Shin Min-jae singled in a run before Ercoli gets Song Sung-Mun, who has MLB interest, to fly out.
2-0 Korea
Korea is really taking advantage of having the young Jakub Winkler behind the plate. Called up to the national team after a scorching hot Extraliga playoffs, Korea has stolen three bags in the first three innings.
November 9, 2025 at 5:37 AM
Korea is really taking advantage of having the young Jakub Winkler behind the plate. Called up to the national team after a scorching hot Extraliga playoffs, Korea has stolen three bags in the first three innings.
New Czech captain Martin Mužík laces a single to right-field for his first hit of the tournament. The Czechs will not have to worry about a no-hitter tonight.
November 9, 2025 at 5:25 AM
New Czech captain Martin Mužík laces a single to right-field for his first hit of the tournament. The Czechs will not have to worry about a no-hitter tonight.
Don't be confused: It IS Oh Won-Seok on the mound, but he's wearing Been Gwak's uni from last night's game. Why? Guess we'll find out later.
November 9, 2025 at 5:08 AM
Don't be confused: It IS Oh Won-Seok on the mound, but he's wearing Been Gwak's uni from last night's game. Why? Guess we'll find out later.
Game 2 of the Czechia vs. Korea exhibition series is about to begin!
Tomáš Ondra (8-2, 2.88 in 2024, didn't pitch much in '25), who I think of as a kind of Czech Greg Maddux, goes up against Oh Won-Seok (11-8, 3.67) for Korea
Stream here: m.sports.naver.com/game/8888110...
Tomáš Ondra (8-2, 2.88 in 2024, didn't pitch much in '25), who I think of as a kind of Czech Greg Maddux, goes up against Oh Won-Seok (11-8, 3.67) for Korea
Stream here: m.sports.naver.com/game/8888110...
네이버 스포츠
m.sports.naver.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Game 2 of the Czechia vs. Korea exhibition series is about to begin!
Tomáš Ondra (8-2, 2.88 in 2024, didn't pitch much in '25), who I think of as a kind of Czech Greg Maddux, goes up against Oh Won-Seok (11-8, 3.67) for Korea
Stream here: m.sports.naver.com/game/8888110...
Tomáš Ondra (8-2, 2.88 in 2024, didn't pitch much in '25), who I think of as a kind of Czech Greg Maddux, goes up against Oh Won-Seok (11-8, 3.67) for Korea
Stream here: m.sports.naver.com/game/8888110...
Back at the Gocheok Sky Dome for Game 2 in a few hours!
LIGHTNING QUICK RECAP FROM GAME 1 of the Czechia vs. Korea exhibition series.
World Baseball Classic is coming
World Baseball Classic is coming
November 9, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Back at the Gocheok Sky Dome for Game 2 in a few hours!
LIGHTNING QUICK RECAP FROM GAME 1 of the Czechia vs. Korea exhibition series.
World Baseball Classic is coming
World Baseball Classic is coming
November 8, 2025 at 1:48 PM
LIGHTNING QUICK RECAP FROM GAME 1 of the Czechia vs. Korea exhibition series.
World Baseball Classic is coming
World Baseball Classic is coming
Down 2-0 in the 8th, manager Pavel Chadim went to his youngest pitcher, Filip Kollman. He didn't pitch poorly until giving up a run-scoring double. The inning ends with a baserunning mistake.
Korea takes a 3-0 lead with just three outs left here.
Korea takes a 3-0 lead with just three outs left here.
November 8, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Down 2-0 in the 8th, manager Pavel Chadim went to his youngest pitcher, Filip Kollman. He didn't pitch poorly until giving up a run-scoring double. The inning ends with a baserunning mistake.
Korea takes a 3-0 lead with just three outs left here.
Korea takes a 3-0 lead with just three outs left here.
My press box meal today courtesy the great Joe Na: Cheese balls and fried chicken. You know, health food
November 8, 2025 at 6:53 AM
My press box meal today courtesy the great Joe Na: Cheese balls and fried chicken. You know, health food
Lukáš Ercoli, the team's dir of marketing and comms, pitches a clean 6th but his defense didn't do him any favors. The team failed to convert a pickoff and a grounder ate up shortstop Vojtech Menšík, before Marek Chlup nearly lost a fly ball in the lights.
2-0 Korea after 6
2-0 Korea after 6
November 8, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Lukáš Ercoli, the team's dir of marketing and comms, pitches a clean 6th but his defense didn't do him any favors. The team failed to convert a pickoff and a grounder ate up shortstop Vojtech Menšík, before Marek Chlup nearly lost a fly ball in the lights.
2-0 Korea after 6
2-0 Korea after 6
Willie Escala, who gained fame after being drilled by Roki Sasaki in the WBC, laces a single to right in the top of the 6th to give the Czechs their first hit of the game. No combined no-hitter today!
November 8, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Willie Escala, who gained fame after being drilled by Roki Sasaki in the WBC, laces a single to right in the top of the 6th to give the Czechs their first hit of the game. No combined no-hitter today!
Hearing from people in the U.S. that this link is working for them!
For those interested in watching the Czech Republic - Korea game going on right now, this link may work. I'm currently in Korea though, so not sure if it's location based.
m.sports.naver.com/game/8888110...
m.sports.naver.com/game/8888110...
네이버 스포츠
m.sports.naver.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Hearing from people in the U.S. that this link is working for them!
For those interested in watching the Czech Republic - Korea game going on right now, this link may work. I'm currently in Korea though, so not sure if it's location based.
m.sports.naver.com/game/8888110...
m.sports.naver.com/game/8888110...
네이버 스포츠
m.sports.naver.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:43 AM
For those interested in watching the Czech Republic - Korea game going on right now, this link may work. I'm currently in Korea though, so not sure if it's location based.
m.sports.naver.com/game/8888110...
m.sports.naver.com/game/8888110...
Rough first for Jan Novak, who also designed Czechia's special Korea series uniforms. Song Sung-Mun, who is drawing interest from MLB teams, laced a single to give Korea the lead.
Novak gets out of it with a breaking ball that gets Kim Young-Un lunging awkwardly.
1-0 Korea
#KBaseballSeries
Novak gets out of it with a breaking ball that gets Kim Young-Un lunging awkwardly.
1-0 Korea
#KBaseballSeries
November 8, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Rough first for Jan Novak, who also designed Czechia's special Korea series uniforms. Song Sung-Mun, who is drawing interest from MLB teams, laced a single to give Korea the lead.
Novak gets out of it with a breaking ball that gets Kim Young-Un lunging awkwardly.
1-0 Korea
#KBaseballSeries
Novak gets out of it with a breaking ball that gets Kim Young-Un lunging awkwardly.
1-0 Korea
#KBaseballSeries
World Baseball Classic preparation begins now: Czechia vs. Korea. Korea won the last game, 7-3, at the 2023 Classic.
November 8, 2025 at 4:47 AM
World Baseball Classic preparation begins now: Czechia vs. Korea. Korea won the last game, 7-3, at the 2023 Classic.
Jung Hoo Lee beer in Seoul!
November 7, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Jung Hoo Lee beer in Seoul!