Are we ready to call the World Baseball Classic a complete disaster yet?
Okay, that’s totally unfair. We haven’t even played a game yet, so such a conclusion is tomfoolery. Still.
Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story hd The idea is kind of cute: a World Cup for baseball where the best stars from each country join their nation’s team and compete for the honor of their country. On paper, not bad.
Reality is different. First off, there’s no time for this: the winter is no time for baseball, pushing the games to March, where athletes are just starting to get back in shape (not to the extent that they did decades prior, thanks to off-season training, but it’s still not mid-season form.) It also interferes with spring training, meaning teams don’t get as long to adjust to new acquisitions.
That’s for the people who actually go. Manny Ramirez was going, then not, and the same was true for Barry (asshole) Bonds. Those who go will carry less passion with them than they exhibit in many regular season games; what’s really at stake here?
Not that they need much passion: pitchers will be on strict pitch limits, and games won’t last longer than fourteen innings in the first round, even if the games is ties.
What’s the point?
It’s a novel concept and, I guess, worth trying, but I don’t see it working. Or anyone really caring.
Meanwhile, MLB exhibition games return to XM Radio
tomorrow. I am so there.