U.S. second to Cuba in world baseball rankingsUpdated: January 14, 2009, 6:58 PM LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - The United States was placed second and South Korea third in revised world rankings by the International Baseball Federation on Wednesday.
The IBAF originally had South Korea second and the United States third on Tuesday, but said it forgot to include points earned during the Haarlem Baseball Week.
Rankings were based on finishes in sanctioned events over the last four years, or in a period that includes two IBAF World Cups.
Cuba was No. 1 in the first world rankings.
Cuba won the World Cup in 2005 and finished second to the United States in '07. It also finished second to Japan, No. 4 in the rankings, in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006. Cuba won the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics, losing the final to South Korea.
Taiwan was fifth, followed by the Netherlands, Canada, Mexico, Panama and Australia.
The rankings were developed with Scott Goode, a sports information director at Harding University in Arkansas. Events are weighted for importance with the Olympics, World Cup and World Baseball Classic getting more credit than junior and continental tournaments.
