2
2013
MMO Fan Shot: The World Baseball Classic Is Not A Nuisance
An article by 
In the wee hours of Saturday morning, righthander Chien-Ming Wang tossed six shutout innings to lead Chinese Taipei to a 4-1 victory over Australia. The 2013 World Baseball Classic is officially underway.
As the tournament kicks off, the sentiment from most fans I run into is that they view the WBC as a “big pain in the ass”. Some fans resent the fact that their team’s top players have bolted their Spring Training camps in Arizona and Florida just so that they can begin training and competing in the WBC. “What a damned nuisance.”
I beg to differ.
I believe the WBC should be embraced by MLB fans and players alike. It’s in the game’s best interest to promote our national pastime throughout the world and open it up to new markets for a variety of reasons. The least of which is uncovering new and brighter stars from an ever-increasing talent pool. We’ve seen this happen before.
In the history of baseball, breaking the color barrier in the late 1940′s and expanding the game to Latin America in the 1960′s did more to popularize the game and produce more stars than anything else MLB has ever done. The WBC can be another watershed moment for baseball.
In an interesting article about the this subject by Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, he mentioned that the WBC Championship Game in 2009, was the sixth most watched sporting event that year, drawing more than 82 million viewers world-wide. And yet fewer MLB stars will participate in 2013 than in 2009. Many of the stars who were invited to participate decided to opt out. Too bad.
Many Mets fans moaned yesterday when it was reported that David Wright had left Port St. Lucie to represent Team USA. Not me. I applauded him.
“Of course, I’ll miss being here and I’m sure I’ll have to catch up a little bit once I get back,” Wright said. “But for me, the chance to represent Team USA, to go play for your country, was something that I just couldn’t pass up. I had so much fun the last time. I wanted to do it again.”
By the way, before Wright left, he took care of business and lined a two-out single to plate Justin Turner with the go-ahead run in the Mets 6-2 win over the Tigers.
One more thing. Rosenthal makes a great point in his article when he said the U.S. loses on every level when its stars decline to participate.
“The reluctance of aces such as Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw and David Price is understandable, given the fragile nature of pitching. But position players such as Buster Posey and Prince Fielder? And youngsters such as Mike Trout and Bryce Harper? C’mon.”
The WBC isn’t a nuisance. It’s an opportunity.
I’d like to express my thanks to Joe D. for posting this article for me on such short notice. It’s an honor to contribute to such a prestigious site for Mets baseball.
This Fan Shot was contributed by Robert J. Loewen.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 42 | 30 | .583 | - |
| Phillies | 35 | 37 | .486 | 7.0 |
| Nationals | 34 | 36 | .486 | 7.0 |
| Mets | 27 | 40 | .403 | 12.5 |
| Marlins | 22 | 48 | .314 | 19.0 |
Last updated: 06/19/2013
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Kaz Matsui at bat right now.
OT – I went to Japan on business a couple years ago and tried to go to a game, no chance of tickets, they take their baseball serious, watched it on TV in hotel and you could almost feel the energy of the crowd through the TV.
Sorry I totally disagree with you. This is a big waste of time and nothing but a money grab by MLB. It’s all fun and games until a pitcher, blow out his arm because somebody else’s manager used him incorrectly.
It also dilutes Spring Training worse than it normally is. Do you want to go to a Met game for the next two weeks, knowing that the only Met people outside of Queens as heard of is not playing for his team?
This is nothing but a way to sell jerseys and hats.
Just wait till someone’s star player gets hurt and is out for the season.
To be fair, how much time do the big stars spend on the field during Spring Training? They’ll do morning workouts, might play the first inning of the game and then go play golf.
Spring Training to me is more about the new faces anyway.
true about ST. It is about pitchers getting ready, rookies trying to impress, and bubble guys competing for a job.
for the established guys, just get in shape and try not to act too bored.
I would venture that a good portion of the Mets fanbase is quite familiar with numerous Met prospects. I look forward to these St games where I get a glimpse of these kids playing.
Plenty of time during the regular season to watch the ‘regulars’ play.
The way the WBC is structured, the playing time is watched very closely especially for pitchers. I really do not mind it at all. The WBC is how some people noticed guys like Yu Darvish several years ago.
In fact I’d argue WBC is better for mlb teams because it allows their younger players to get a closer look in the spring. IE with Wright gone, somebody has to play 3B right?
You can also look at it as the opportunity for the entire Cuban team to defect. that is always a good time.
It’s like the Red Army hockey team during the Olympics used to be. You knew half those guys weren’t going back.
You wouldn’t be saying that if David Wright gets hurt and misses 6 weeks or more of our season would you unless you are a David Wright hater?
This tournament should not be played at this time of the year! PERIOD!
What do you say when players are injured in Spring Training?
Exactly. Explain to me what David Wright is going to do in WBC that he won’t do in Spring Training?
I mean in reality, I can understand frustration if a pitcher gets hurt in WBC. I’d argue it could have happened at any point but a pitcher can hold back a little more in ST than WBC. But a hitter? You can’t hold back on your swings. You don’t run less or throw less hard from third to first.
So what is David Wright going to do in WBC that he wouldn’t do in a Mets uniform?
The truth is, nothing except play more frequently and unless we’re going to sit here and argue Wright’s conditioning as a problem – then there really isn’t much to worry about
Maybe DW will get a game winning clutch single which advances the team to the next round or something like that
Sorry, but I would think that only the commissioner’s office applauds the idea of the WBC tournament. I could be okay with it if it were held two weeks after the 162 game season ended but at this time of the year, no way!
If David Wright gets hurt and misses 6 weeks of our season here to play in this tournament I would be pissed off to no end. Why do teams allow this? I understand the idea of being proud in representing our country but David is earning a huge amount of money to play for the NY Mets and his concern and allegiance should be to the N.Y. Mets
I always try to understand and respect the opinions of others but on this subject I am very stubborn and can’t see a reason that MLB teams allow this! .
How would be different than if Wright were injured in a Spring Training game?
Alan – Answer me this okay
Let’s say it’s 2017. The Mets are rockin and rollin. Guys like Matt Harvey have established themselves as quality big leaguers.
In October/November – you’re going to let Matt Harvey pitch in the WBC after he threw 200 innings? Why?
You’re not getting rid of the WBC – so we need to find a way to live with it right? I’d much rather it be pre-season than post-season. After 162 a player’s body is worn out.
I am with you Alan no matter who the player is and whether they make 100 million or 10 million or 5 million. Those players are business investments and if i were the owner I would not allow MY MONEY to be at risk overseas playing in tournament.
The money I spend is on this team and if the player gets hurt in Spring Training than it is under our watch and he got hurt as my employee which is entirely different than loaning the employee I pay millions go play a pickup game for free for some organization.
No way. The WBC is a thorn in baseball’s side in my opinion and every owner has every right not to allow any of their PAID employees to go.
From the investment side you can look at it as increasing brand awareness over seas. If a guy like Wright ingratiates himself with say, the Japanese media, that is just boatloads more money.
Well let another team send their player over for the sake of “brand awareness”. They can do the honors. Not me. Let them do it, and hopefully it would be the Nats allowing Strasberg and Harper to go. Let them promote “brand awareness”. Not the Mets, if i had any say.
Want to know what 2 teams blazed the trail for international brand awareness? Go ahead. Guess. And then take a look at what an international presence has done for those franchises. These are the first 2 teams any major international free agent looks at when he’s ready to jump to the US. One of these teams’ logo is behind only companies MacDonald’s and Apple when it comes to recognition over seas.
And don’t think that doesn’t contribute to success on the field.
Well whoever it is good for them and I hope they win the trailblazer’s brand Championships. I have no interest. I’m interested only in keeping my players healthy in order to try and win a championship for my city, for the fans that pay good money to see my ballclub and expect to see it’s stars. I owe it them first.
If i was a ballclub owner i’d want a stipulation in each contract for any player that signs here that they are forbidden to play in the WBC.
that is not a legal stipulation per the negotiated deal with WBC. The only time a team can have a say is if the player ended the year on the DL and in that case the WBC also has to be willing to insure the TOTAL amount remaining on the contract.
So even if the Mets said “go ahead Johan,” the WBC would need to insure every dollar on his contract.
So, you aren’t interested in making the Mets the #1 target for say, the next Yu Darvish or Hideki Matsui or Ichiro?
You aren’t interested in the idea of being able to laugh at things like a luxury tax or payroll limits when going after high end free agents?
You’d rather a team like the Nationals have those advantages?
If my team is a championship caliber team they’ll want to play. If I pay them more than anybody else they’ll go where the money is. Let somebody else trailblaze and if my team is good or I have the money i’ll just be standing in the background waving the bills/banner. They’ll come.
They’ll bypass that “trailblazing team” faster than you can say domo arigato.
“If my team is a championship caliber team they’ll want to play.”
And what happens when other winning teams do it? You are just forfeiting a huge advantage to them.
” If I pay them more than anybody else they’ll go where the money is.”
Is that what you want? A guy chasing the dollar?
I thought you wanted creativity and “outside the box” thinking.
Because what you suggest here is the same old same old. And it is a method that digs some very deep holes.
You’re also assuming you’re the only deep pockets in the room.
The problem with that is the deepest pockets in baseball are also one of the most aggressive on the international market. And their first basemen is playing for team USA.
The reality is, it’s 2013 and the game has been moving i nthis direction for a while now. You can either move forward or get left behind.
Bayonne, For once I agree with you 100%
Bayonne, in order for a player to play in the WBC – the WBC has to insure the player for the owner.
If a long-term injury does occur in WBC play, the player’s MLB club is insured at 100 percent for the salary he earns while on the disabled list.
This was something owners like Steinbrenner fought for. The provision is there because that is the protection the owners sought. So you’re correct, they have rights and they exercised them because they care about the bottom line.
From Jayson Stark:
Players who didn’t play in the WBC in 2009 were nearly twice as likely to spend time on the disabled list that April as players who played — 17.8 percent of non-WBC participants versus 9.5 percent of those who did participate. Only 11 of the 115 players on a WBC roster made a trip to the DL.
There were 73 players on the disabled list when the 2009 season opened. Only two of them were players who were involved in the WBC. Just one (Rick VandenHurk, of Team Netherlands) was a pitcher. The other (Ichiro Suzuki) wasn’t actually “injured.” He was out with an ulcer.
In only two of the past eight seasons has baseball started the season with less than 9 percent of active players on the disabled list. It happened to be the two years in which the WBC took place during spring training — 2006 and 2009. Here’s the year-by-year rundown:
2005: 9.5 pct.
2006: 8.1
2007: 11.7
2008: 12.4
2009: 8.5
2010: 9.9
2011: 11.4
2012: 12.5
And it’s also dangerous for players to be playing all out like it’s October but in March, risking serious injury, when they should still be just getting in shape.
Absolutely not.
Honestly, I could take it or leave it. Since everyone is so aware of burning out pitchers, I don’t think that is going to be any bigger a risk than Spring Training.
The only thing I can see is maybe the travel schedule messing guys up before they are fully back in “game mode”.
My concerns about the WBC are 3-fold: 1) A heightened level of competition begins before players are fully back in ‘baseball’ shape–risking serious injury; 2) Disrupts, disturbs, delays the ‘gel’ critical for teams to have when they prepare for the Season–particularly a team like the Mets, with many young, journeymen, and unproven parts; 3) The injury insurance issue–are teams fully insured against losing a player for a long period, for the Season, and/or against the risk that a serious injury reduces that player’s on-the-firled performance levels for the rest of his career?
I’d embrace the WBC a lot more if I could actually watch the games …
Would a fan rather have a player injured wearing his team’s uniform or some other uniform? I would think most would pick his team’s uniform. Getting past that though the point remains that a player is just as likely to get injured either way. I don’t think playing in the WBC is more likely to cause injury than not. You have players that go off and play winter ball every year who are just as likely to have an injury and rarely a fuss is made over that.
The WBC has strict rules in place I understand to guard against overuse of a pitcher in hopes to protect his arm. Personally I like the idea of players playing for one’s country even with the understanding that there is a risk.
Do any of you people who hate the WBC have a problem with the World Cup? That’s been going on for a long time, and no one seems to really care that their “investments” go to represent their countries. WBC is new, that’s the only difference, old school people are not going to like the idea.
Fans that dont like the classic just dont understand baseball. It isn’t a american game anymore but a international passion.
Red Sox vs Yankee games are like church meetings compared to caracas vs magallanes. Korea vs Japan in 2009′s final was one of the best baseball games of the year.
Koshien in Japan is huge for baseball, Venezuelan and DR baseball leagues are huge. Every international fan as always wondered how good would a all Japan, all cuba, all US team compared against the very best. Now we get to see that answer.
Pitchers are going to get hurt most do. I would rather my pitcher get hurt in the beginning then in the end.
The world baseball classic demonstrates that baseball is a very popular sport worldwide and that it will grow. That way MLB teams get better. Every 4 years is not asking much.
Do you not have pride in your country saying “We are the best baseball playing nation”? Major league baseball is great but often boring. The best times to watch it are in september and october. Whereas the classic has amazing games every week.
Korea vs Taipei was great, brazil almost beating japan and keeping a close game with cuba amazing to watch.
Out of all 150 MLB games how many do you really think wow that is a once in a lifetime game. In the 2009 classic I can recall 8 games were I thought man I was glad to see this.
Spring training is hardly entertaining and to people who would rather watch MLB spring training over the WBC. Just dont understand how good baseball can be and how important it is to the rest of the world.
WBC 2013.
If David Wright ruptured his knee or messed up his back, this entire post would become instant laughingstock material.
the same folks that were complaining about how useless this was 3 weeks ago are now doing an about face.
Had DW been 0-15 with 7 K’s, it would mean nothing b/c this is spring training time.
But b/c he is hitting HR against guys that would be bat boys and has not gotten hurt, we switch it up.