SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. ? Derrek Lee and his U.S. teammates never discussed or even envisioned a first-round scenario in which the Americans’ World Baseball Classic fate would be in the hands of another team.

After a serious scare, the talented roster of major leaguers suddenly has a much better grasp – not to mention appreciation – of the stakes in international play.

“I was really nervous,” said Lee, the Chicago Cubs slugger who homered, doubled and drove in four runs to help the U.S. advance to the next round with a 17-0 rout of South Africa on Friday. “You don’t want things out of your control.”

Now, they’ve got a clean slate, perhaps comparable to the start of the playoffs in October when every team is on equal footing again after the September chase.

The Americans begin the second round today in Anaheim, Calif., against Japan, which went 2-1 in its initial group with a 3-2 loss to unbeaten South Korea on March 5. Mexico and South Korea are set to meet in the second game today at Angel Stadium.

The U.S. team took Saturday strictly as a travel day and didn’t schedule a workout in Anaheim like the other squads. The Americans should be well rested considering they needed only five innings and 1 hour, 47 minutes to eliminate South Africa with the mercy rule.

After a surprising 8-6 loss to Canada on Wednesday, a complicated system had the United States on the brink of elimination from the inaugural 16-nation tournament.

But Mexico handily beat the Canadians – taking a big lead early – Thursday to boost the Americans’ hopes, then they went out and did their part a day later.