World Baseball Classic 2009

[epper]

why shouldn't the BEST players in the world be allowed to represent their country?

Because they're very highly compensated to represent their clubs, and the World Baseball Classic is a liability for a lot of players by virtue of its timing. It's been proven as such. Freddy Garcia has never been the same, in the most egregious example.

Good for Ichiro, but ballplayers don't aspire to win the World Baseball Classic, established 2006, for Team USA or Team Canada or whatever. They aspire to win the World Series. That's the thing. That's what matters. Maybe it's different for Canadians, because you guys take a lot of pride in your exports, but I can't picture anyone in America getting worked up to a championship level because Team USA won the WBC. Riots in the streets, children being conceived, exclamations of "now I can die in peace." Not gonna happen. Never gonna happen.

so basically you're saying that because American atheletes and fans "don't care" (which I'm not so sure is true anyways? Peavy is going against the recommendations of his team because he so badly wants to play for the US), the rest of the teams in the tournament shouldn't get to display the players they're proud to have produced?

get over yourself.

[The_Admiral]

The world proudly displays its best players in our major leagues. Our baseball season determines who the best of the best are, because that's where the best are. I don't need to see this artificial People Whose Eyelids Are Folded versus People With More Melanin Than Others stuff to determine a "real world champion," because that doesn't do it. The World Series does.

[epper]

The world proudly displays its best players in our major leagues. Our baseball season determines who the best of the best are, because that's where the best are. I don't need to see this artificial People Whose Eyelids Are Folded versus People With More Melanin Than Others stuff to determine a "real world champion," because that doesn't do it. The World Series does.

lol. you just don't get what it means it represent your country, do you?

i'm done arguing.

[The_Admiral]

multiple post! whoops!

To salvage the glitch here, representing your country is fine and dandy when you're an amateur athlete. Some of these guys make in excess of TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR to do what they do, and that's too much of an investment to jeopardize, especially in the case of pitchers.

[baseballking99]

multiple post! whoops!

To salvage the glitch here, representing your country is fine and dandy when you're an amateur athlete. Some of these guys make in excess of TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR to do what they do, and that's too much of an investment to jeopardize, especially in the case of pitchers.

Your not a fan of baseball. Your a fan of the front office. You care more about money and contracts. I am a fan of the play on the field not of a GM. If you were a fan of baseball you would appreciate the tournament.

[crashcarson15]

Without our Major Leaguers, we won't get to really see how good the players in Japan and Korea are.

[Breakwood]

Although I understand the arguments against an event such as the World Baseball Classic, I have to respectfully disagree that it is a fake tournament that means nothing. It all has to start somewhere, and at one time the World Series itself was looked at as silly and not taken seriously. The truth of the matter is that the Olympics showcase some of the greatest athletes in the World, but not in baseball. Does the World Baseball Classic need some work? Yes it does. But in 2006 it was a great way to showcase players that I had never seen before while cheering for the players on the US team. You had players on the same team that people were excited to see play together. Some people that had never seen Korean and Japanese players play their way got to see some of the best baseball there is to watch. Players were being watched by the whole World, and it was a beautiful thing.

I could go on and on about what is right when it comes to the WBC. It has it's flaws, but so does every other major sporting event in the World. If anything, the 2006 classic has erased all doubt I had about this being a good thing for my favorite sport.

Your post sums up the whole idea very well. It's a new tournament so of course it wont have the same effect as the world series. Of course the tournament has its flaws, but it's a start. I can see down the road in 50 or so years, the WBC being just a big of a deal as the world series. It will take a couple more tournaments, but I have faith that the organizers will get it right sooner rather than later, and we will have a great event every 3 or 4 years.

[The_Admiral]

Your not a fan of baseball. Your a fan of the front office. You care more about money and contracts. I am a fan of the play on the field not of a GM. If you were a fan of baseball you would appreciate the tournament.

y-o-u-'-r-e

Yeah, I care more about money and contracts than baseball. I go down to the neighborhood park and play money and contracts with my chums. My favorite sports novelty song is "Talkin' Money and Contracts."

Without our Major Leaguers, we won't get to really see how good the players in Japan and Korea are.

They're pretty good.

[The Nation]

So admiral,

So Y-O-U-'-R-E saying that if a guy makes 20million dollars then he should not be able to represent his country in international contract? And the World Series is not an international event. It is a club competition. If it truly was a world series then it would pit the MLB champ against the Japanese League champ. Until that happens, the World Series is nothing more than the United States Baseball club champion. Just like the Boston Celtics are not the World Champions unless they take on the Euroleague champs. Until that happens, they are NBA Champions, nothing more, nothing less. END OF STORY!

You need to watch soccer to fully appreciate the difference between club and international competitions, and what it means for players represent their nations.

Now on to the competition itself. I absolutely love the idea. I'd be a fan of having (1) host nation, hosting this every 4 years. I have no doubt that if organizers keep up their efforts, that the WBC will be up there in stature and magnitude with the World Series.

[FiddySicks]

So admiral,

So Y-O-U-'-R-E saying that if a guy makes 20million dollars then he should not be able to represent his country in international contract? And the World Series is not an international event. It is a club competition. If it truly was a world series then it would pit the MLB champ against the Japanese League champ. Until that happens, the World Series is nothing more than the United States Baseball club champion. Just like the Boston Celtics are not the World Champions unless they take on the Euroleague champs. Until that happens, they are NBA Champions, nothing more, nothing less. END OF STORY!

You need to watch soccer to fully appreciate the difference between club and international competitions, and what it means for players represent their nations.

Now on to the competition itself. I absolutely love the idea. I'd be a fan of having (1) host nation, hosting this every 4 years. I have no doubt that if organizers keep up their efforts, that the WBC will be up there in stature and magnitude with the World Series.

I think the point he was trying to make was that professional ball clubs pay way too much money to their star athletes to have them go down before the season even starts because of an exhibition tournament. Patriotism is one thing, but money is definitely another. And it's not even that someone is a fan of "money and contracts" more than they are baseball, but it's just common sense. Hell, the Angels just pulled Lackey from the WBC for that exact reason. They're paying their athletes too much to have them get hurt in a volunteer tournament (and if it's not, it's pretty damn close) that most people will forget about by May.

[The Nation]

So admiral,

So Y-O-U-'-R-E saying that if a guy makes 20million dollars then he should not be able to represent his country in international contract? And the World Series is not an international event. It is a club competition. If it truly was a world series then it would pit the MLB champ against the Japanese League champ. Until that happens, the World Series is nothing more than the United States Baseball club champion. Just like the Boston Celtics are not the World Champions unless they take on the Euroleague champs. Until that happens, they are NBA Champions, nothing more, nothing less. END OF STORY!

You need to watch soccer to fully appreciate the difference between club and international competitions, and what it means for players represent their nations.

Now on to the competition itself. I absolutely love the idea. I'd be a fan of having (1) host nation, hosting this every 4 years. I have no doubt that if organizers keep up their efforts, that the WBC will be up there in stature and magnitude with the World Series.

I think the point he was trying to make was that professional ball clubs pay way too much money to their star athletes to have them go down before the season even starts because of an exhibition tournament. Patriotism is one thing, but money is definitely another. And it's not even that someone is a fan of "money and contracts" more than they are baseball, but it's just common sense. Hell, the Angels just pulled Lackey from the WBC for that exact reason. They're paying their athletes too much to have them get hurt in a volunteer tournament (and if it's not, it's pretty damn close) that most people will forget about by May.

Fair enough point, no ball club would want to see their star player go down in an "exhibition game." But one day the WBC will be just as important to athletes as the World Series is....you have to start somewhere. But from what I gathered from Admiral's point, he was saying that the WBC isn't an elite competition, and that the World Series is a the only competition that should matter. I could be wrong in my interpretation of his comments. But we'll see.

[JayJaxon]

I don't feel like anyone is wrong in this argument. But people are going to have a difference of opinion on the importance and impact of the tournament. This is supposed to be the equivalent of the Soccer World Cup. Baseball is not the most popular sport in the World (as soccer is) so for some, a World tournament would be difficult to understand.

I have stated why I love this idea as have many. I think I'll always love it. This is not only a way to showcase the best talent in the World but to see stars you have never even seen before. How many Americans heard of Daisuke Matsuzaka before 2006? I didn't. There are always going to be people against this. But I'll always be for it.

[The_Admiral]

And the World Series is not an international event. It is a club competition. If it truly was a world series then it would pit the MLB champ against the Japanese League champ. Until that happens, the World Series is nothing more than the United States Baseball club champion.

The Phillies have nothing to prove by playing the Nippon Ham Fighters or whoever. The highest level of competition in the world is Major League Baseball. People are too eager to give these other leagues more credit than they deserve. Is it an outgrowth of political correctness? I'm not sure. But I don't go for this "they're not the real world champions" stuff, because I don't believe any leagues are at the level of ours. That's not rooted in jingoism: they're not the best leagues because they're in the U!-S!-of-A-BABY!, them's just the facts. Paying lip service to overseas leagues doesn't make anyone more cosmopolitan.

You need to watch soccer to fully appreciate the difference between club and international competitions, and what it means for players represent their nations.

Haven't there been instances of club teams forbidding their players from participating in international play, or voiding contracts when players get hurt?

But one day the WBC will be just as important to athletes as the World Series is....you have to start somewhere.

I disagree. The World Series will always be what it's all about, at least for American players. And to be honest, I don't think the World Baseball Classic will last long enough to supersede the World Series. I'd like to see some form of international competition for the sheer novelty of it, I just don't want highly compensated talent to be jeopardized.

[baseballking99]

I'd like to see some form of international competition for the sheer novelty of it, I just don't want highly compensated talent to be jeopardized.

But what does their compensation have to do with anything? I don't watch Jeter and Arod because they are two of the highest compensated players in the world. I watch them because they are two of the best players in the world. The reason they are payed so much is because people are willing to pay to follow their baseball careers. If they get hurt playing in the WBC or the regular season you are still getting to watch them play.

[The_Admiral]

I'd like to see some form of international competition for the sheer novelty of it, I just don't want highly compensated talent to be jeopardized.

But what does their compensation have to do with anything? I don't watch Jeter and Arod because they are two of the highest compensated players in the world. I watch them because they are two of the best players in the world. The reason they are payed so much is because people are willing to pay to follow their baseball careers. If they get hurt playing in the WBC or the regular season you are still getting to watch them play.

World Baseball Classic games mean less than New York Yankees games. More people are watching Yankees games than WBC games, more people care about the outcome of Yankees games, &c. The greater concern is with pitchers over position players, though even position players can get injured from playing too hard without the proper conditioning. I don't think it's good for baseball if star players were to get injured in March and miss significant portions of April through October, when the games matter.

I wouldn't mind it if Albert Pujols's arm flew out of its socket and landed in the ocean, though. That'd be acceptable.

[baseballking99]

I'd like to see some form of international competition for the sheer novelty of it, I just don't want highly compensated talent to be jeopardized.

But what does their compensation have to do with anything? I don't watch Jeter and Arod because they are two of the highest compensated players in the world. I watch them because they are two of the best players in the world. The reason they are payed so much is because people are willing to pay to follow their baseball careers. If they get hurt playing in the WBC or the regular season you are still getting to watch them play.

World Baseball Classic games mean less than New York Yankees games. More people are watching Yankees games than WBC games, more people care about the outcome of Yankees games, &c. The greater concern is with pitchers over position players, though even position players can get injured from playing too hard without the proper conditioning. I don't think it's good for baseball if star players were to get injured in March and miss significant portions of April through October, when the games matter.

I wouldn't mind it if Albert Pujols's arm flew out of its socket and landed in the ocean, though. That'd be acceptable.

Okay, Your saying that you think the WBC games don't really mean as much as MLB games so MLB players shouldn't play in the WBC and risk getting hurt. I can understand your point but I disagree about the importance. I like that baseball is trying to get an international tournament that could rival the Olympics for basketball and hockey and the World Cup for soccer. I think it also creates exciting baseball games that are different from MLB games. It is another form of the sport which IMO is good. I like seeing these players on different teams. Where else are you going to see a double play combo of Pedroia and Jeter that actually means something. It is also great to see the Cuban players that we would never see otherwise. I am a big fan of the event.

[crashcarson15]

I'd like to see some form of international competition for the sheer novelty of it, I just don't want highly compensated talent to be jeopardized.

But what does their compensation have to do with anything? I don't watch Jeter and Arod because they are two of the highest compensated players in the world. I watch them because they are two of the best players in the world. The reason they are payed so much is because people are willing to pay to follow their baseball careers. If they get hurt playing in the WBC or the regular season you are still getting to watch them play.

World Baseball Classic games mean less than New York Yankees games. More people are watching Yankees games than WBC games, more people care about the outcome of Yankees games, &c. The greater concern is with pitchers over position players, though even position players can get injured from playing too hard without the proper conditioning. I don't think it's good for baseball if star players were to get injured in March and miss significant portions of April through October, when the games matter.

I wouldn't mind it if Albert Pujols's arm flew out of its socket and landed in the ocean, though. That'd be acceptable.

Okay, Your saying that you think the WBC games don't really mean as much as MLB games so MLB players shouldn't play in the WBC and risk getting hurt. I can understand your point but I disagree about the importance. I like that baseball is trying to get an international tournament that could rival the Olympics for basketball and hockey and the World Cup for soccer. I think it also creates exciting baseball games that are different from MLB games. It is another form of the sport which IMO is good. I like seeing these players on different teams. Where else are you going to see a double play combo of Pedroia and Jeter that actually means something. It is also great to see the Cuban players that we would never see otherwise. I am a big fan of the event.

And the Japanese, Koreans, etc.

There is no way of knowing how good these guys are until you see our best vs. their best. Hands down. Do I want Grady Sizemore to get hurt in this thing? No, but he'd still be going down playing for the Red, White, and Blue.

[The_Admiral]

Do I want Grady Sizemore to get hurt in this thing? No, but he'd still be going down playing for the Red, White, and Blue.

This doesn't terribly matter to me, and I guess that's why this argument keeps going in circles.

[The_Admiral]

Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Zambrano, Johan Santana, and Grant Balfour have all opted out of the World Baseball Classic. Probably smart moves for all of them, especially given the injury histories of Messrs. Ramirez and Zambrano. They have bigger fish to fry.

[Gothamite]

And the World Series is not an international event. It is a club competition. If it truly was a world series then it would pit the MLB champ against the Japanese League champ. Until that happens, the World Series is nothing more than the United States Baseball club champion.

The Phillies have nothing to prove by playing the Nippon Ham Fighters or whoever. The highest level of competition in the world is Major League Baseball. People are too eager to give these other leagues more credit than they deserve. Is it an outgrowth of political correctness? I'm not sure. But I don't go for this "they're not the real world champions" stuff, because I don't believe any leagues are at the level of ours. That's not rooted in jingoism: they're not the best leagues because they're in the U!-S!-of-A-BABY!, them's just the facts.

I am forced to agree. Any comparisons with soccer are a stretch.