Mar 24 2009
Reaction to WBC
Congratulations to Japan as they defeated Korea for the WBC title yesterday. Honestly it was nice to see the United State reach the semi final however this whole WBC is just a mess if you ask me.
First, most of the countries participating are far from legitimate competitors. Cuba looked like they had players on the team that could have played on or in a slow pitch soft ball tournament, not in a World Baseball Classic. Even the United States was not the team it could have been even thou they had some star power with David Wright and Derek Jeter. It was kind of like bush league baseball that you can find in any park around the country.
I really think baseball did this especially this year to try to diminish the whole steroid talk and the whole A-Rod fiasco. However changes need to be made if this is going to resemble anything better in the future. Team presidents and general managers are risking way too much before a MLB season starts, letting players play in this tournament. I know pride and playing for your country is important and I truly understand that, but that is what the Olympics are for not the World Baseballl Classic.
If the WBC is too continue why not just let minor league players or even players that are yet to be noticed play in this game. In international soccer this is a very common theme where certain tournaments are determined by youth. Why do you think soccer is so strong in other countries besides the United States. Mostly because very young players are thrown into very competitive stages and are trained young that no matter what size the tournament they are already accustomed because of year’s of exposure. More younger players need this kind of exposure and that is what they should do with this event.
In summary if you want to keep this thing then make some major changes, because I can just see the headlines if a super star gets injured in this WBC even before any real season has begun. Especially pitchers who nowadays are already stretched to their limits with an already demanding 162 game season.
