Curb Your Enthusiasm for the World Baseball Classic

The World Baseball Classic might be the only international tournament that includes Major League Baseball players, but it’s generating about as much interest among sports fans as The Rachel Ray Show.

On paper, it is a good idea to get all the nations and races that John Rocker has insulted into one competitive tournament, but so far the execution of this event has been poor.

Before the first pitch had even been tossed this year, Team USA—and many other nations—had a lineup full of All-Stars line up and walk out the door.

Pitchers like CC Sabathia and World Series MVP Cole Hamels declined invitations right away while others players like Grady Sizemore and Joe Nathan pulled themselves from the roster afterwards.

The major issue is a lack of incentives for the players.

They aren’t paid a cent to play and while some athletes want to represent their country, the thought of nationalistic pride just doesn’t have the same zing for the World Baseball Classic as it does for, say, the Olympics.

And in those aforementioned Olympics, athletes compete for a very precious medal. What is the prize for this tournament?

In the NFL, it’s the Super Bowl, in the NHL, players vie to get a drink from the Stanley Cup, and in baseball, it’s a ring.

In the World Baseball Classic, it’s a World Baseball Classic Championship Trophy, which is as anonymous as OHSAA wrestling.

With no money, no tangible prize and minimal pride on the line, the Major League players have little to gain from playing. As a matter of fact, they have a lot more to lose by participating.

The baseball season is a long, protracted one and most players—especially pitchers—only have a certain amount of mileage. For most players, the season won’t start for another month but for the ones participating in the World Baseball Classic, they’ll have one month of tread on their tires.

Wear and tear can lead to injuries, either now or later, or it could just lead to a weaker performance in the regular season.

For players in a contract year or for players who have a legitimate chance to be playing for a World Series in October, the World Baseball Classic is not worth the risk. Throw in the fact that the tournament is played in four different countries at different times, making it difficult to follow, and casual enthusiasts are left with a mess.

There’s no reason for the players to care, so why should the fans?