2013 World Baseball Classic

[Joey Zyla]

I think there's a chance we will see USA in the final for the first time.

Is anyone else watching the games?

World Baseball Classic: Home

[Joey Zyla]

Nice comeback from China!

[EuroTroll]

I'm not very familiar with this "based ball". A fun game, is it?

Seriously though, does any country stand a chance against the USA?

[Joey Zyla]

A fun game, indeed.

And probably two or three countries stand a chance against the USA, namely Japan.

[Tazio]

Japan is currently two time defending champions. This tourney has a hard time drawing the best players internationally.

The World Baseball Classic could be a great event — but it flatly isn’t.
Every four years when the Olympics or World Cup comes around, we’re given a glimpse of what this tournament could be. Whether it be basketball, soccer or hockey, players are more than willing to sacrifice their time and their bodies to not just represent their country, but form a pool featuring the best of the best of the best in their respective sport.

The players representing their home countries in the WBC are no such thing.

Let’s put this in simple terms. Team USA will feature a starting rotation of R.A. Dickey, Gio Gonzalez, Ryan Vogelsong, Ross Detwiler and Derek Holland. While there are some great young arms in that group (and Dickey, too), they are not representative of the best American players that Major League Baseball has to offer.

How about a starting rotation of Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw, CC Sabathia, Stephen Strasburg and David Price?

The basic problem with the WBC is that people tune into such a tournament to see the absolute cream of the crop of competition. But since there’s apparently no urgency on the part of players to participate, why should there be any urgency to actually watch the games?

Especially considering that MLB teams for the most part don't want their players to participate.

But aside from that, teams, too, are putting pressure on players not to leave camp, as Kershaw admitted the Dodgers did with him. Obviously the Dodgers have a lot of their success wrapped up in that of Kershaw, but it’s still unfortunate, at the very least, that teams are allowed to put pressure on their players not to participate in the WBC

World Baseball Classic May Feature 45 All-Stars, But Weak Rosters Drain Tournament Intrigue | MLB | NESN.com

This will undoubtedly be an exciting tournament, but hardly representative of the best Baseball has to offer. I may catch the championship round.

[Joey Zyla]

R.A. Dickey is the man, though. Long live the knuckleball!

[Tazio]

tareup: Yes he is a great story , but then again it illustrates why top MLB "hard throwers" are discouraged. A knuckleballer can throw twice as many pitches as a guy whose stock in trade is the heater, screwball, or other more conventional breaking balls with 1/2 the stress on his arm.

[Tazio]

I'm not very familiar with this "based ball". A fun game, is it?

Seriously though, does any country stand a chance against the USA?

As Joey pointed out the U.S. has yet to make the championship game. In fact we haven’t even medaled in the first two tourneys. The first championship game was played here in San Diego and saw Japan defeat Cuba for the title. The second was played in Los Angeles where Japan defeated South Korea. And yes it's an extremely fun game to play one I played until I was 44 and only quit that young because of a severe hamstring tear.

[steveaki13]

I am not a huge fan of American sports. i.e I dont support any particular teams or watch the sports reguarly. However I watch MLS, Ice Hockey & Indy Car at times. NASCAR at times, I can watch Basketball & American Football.

The one sport from the US that I really dont get is Baseball. So I fear I wont be making many appearances on this thread.


When I think of Baseball countries, I think USA, Japan, Cuba & Venezuela. Are any of these apart from Japan at the top?

[Tazio]

I am not a huge fan of American sports. i.e I dont support any particular teams or watch the sports reguarly. However I watch MLS, Ice Hockey & Indy Car at times. NASCAR at times, I can watch Basketball & American Football.

The one sport from the US that I really dont get is Baseball. So I fear I wont be making many appearances on this thread.


When I think of Baseball countries, I think USA, Japan, Cuba & Venezuela. Are any of these apart from Japan at the top?

Excluding the USA the Dominican Republic has produced more than twice as many MLB players than any other country, followed by Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Cuba. Japan would probably have more but they have historically had a very good domestic system which has kept most of their best players at home. Cuba would be close to or equal with the DR if it wasn't for travel restrictions IMO.