February 2009

Issue 1, Volume 7

It’s not right. It’s not right that Francisco Rodriguez will throw a pitch in a game for another team before he throws one for the Mets. It’s not right that David Wright and Jose Reyes will be on opposite teams before they occupy the left side of the Citifield infield. It’s not right that Derek Jeter will play a game against the Yankees. It’s not right that three weeks into Spring Training, names like Ortiz, Rollins and Chipper will be leaving to go play for someone else.

In theory, the World Baseball Classic is a great idea. The concept of bringing “America’s Pastime” to a global stage and showcasing the best players and their skills is great. The WBC is an opportunity to increase revenue, scout players from different countries, and give starved fans everywhere a taste of competitive baseball before Easter. I can see why advocates of the tournament feel this is the next logical step in the growth and expansion of professional baseball. In a time where many Major Leaguers hail from different countries, it would be foolish to ignore the potential global appeal of the tournament.

However, Baseball is a marathon season. Players are expected to grind through 162 regular season games and three rounds of postseason play (If they’re lucky). Adding more games to the schedule seems to be asking a lot from these guys, even the ones who are young and willing to play the extra innings. It also seems like a tough pill for the Major League teams to swallow, and I don’t envy the owners and GM’s who have to watch their multi-million dollar investments clock time for someone else. Granted, these players are not forced to participate in the tournament, nor are teams required to allow them to compete, however, it is strongly recommended that those without a medical limitation play.

Commissioner Bud Selig was instrumental in creating the WBC and encouraging cooperation around Major League Baseball. He introduced certain measures to assuage owner’s concerns about the wear and tear on their stars. Pitch counts are strictly enforced and position players often split time between their natural positions and designated hitter to alleviate some of the strain. No matter how much pitchers are limited or position players are rested, there is still a greater amount of exertion in a WBC game than in the average Spring Training contest. Players are expected to compete at a high level. They need to be game-ready weeks before Opening Day and this leads to players preparing earlier in the offseason. While these guys are world-class athletes at the peak of physical health, there is a point where players are going to start breaking down. Maybe the dog-days of August will arrive a little sooner, maybe the typical nicks and bruises happen a little earlier and last a little longer. A lot of these guys wind up playing in the All-Star game, which means they are playing baseball at a highly competitive level from March to October with a handful of days off. It sounds like a tall order for even the Jeters and Wrights of the world to produce quality numbers for that long. In an age where even mid-level players are pulling down multi-million dollar salaries, it seems very unfair to create a tournament that will require those same players to add more mileage to their bodies and more games to their schedules.

So, what’s the answer? Move the WBC to the fall, after the season? How many players will postpone their vacations or their offseason surgeries to participate? How many fans, disappointed about a late-season collapse or sub-par campaign, would even want to watch more baseball? With the World Series now playing out deeper and deeper into the fall, adding more games to the end of the season probably wouldn’t captivate a huge audience.

Should the tournament exclude Major Leaguers, opening it up to college players and minor leaguers? It would be an opportunity for young guys to show off for pro-scouts and test their skills on a bigger stage. It would still achieve the goal of bringing baseball to a global market without threatening the health and productivity of Major League All-Stars.

If anyone even watched the 2006 Classic final, it came down to two teams with barely any Major League talent, Cuba and eventual champion Japan. What does this mean? Hired guns don’t necessarily guarantee wins. And why rush Major League All-Stars through their pre-season workouts and risk injury for an exhibition? I know the only reason that I’ll be watching is to make sure no one who’s supposed to play in Flushing this year gets hurt playing for someone else.

Elizabeth Carroll is a Senior English Major who thinks A-Roid should be stripped of at least one MVP award.