Cuz It's the O.G. D-O-Double-G, W-B-C
With the start of the World Baseball Classic upon us, we thought we'd let SFist Jon and SFist Jake duke it out over whether this thing will be any good. There wasn't much duking to be had, however, because both Jon and Jake pretty much agreed that this just might be the best thing ever. And despite all the naysayers, the cynics, and George Steinbrenner's whining, they're both excited as hell.
In short, SFist's official stance is this: Play ball! And onto the conversation:
SFist Jon: World Baseball Classic-- brilliant idea or dumb-ass idea?
SFist Jake: Brilliant idea. Are you kidding? When I watch the World Cup, or when I find myself in the midst of a crowd of people watching the World Cup and hanging on every pass, or whatever soccer/football fans can be said to hang on, or celebrating a national team victory, I am jealous of soccer/football fans. It's like the NCAA basketball tournament on a global scale, only with the best players in the world. Now, imagine that kind of event (or, for a more recent memory, say the Winter Olympics), only centered around a sport you understand and care about.
I wish I had the time/money/initiative to go to San Diego for a couple games--I think it's gonna be great.
SFist Jon: Yeah, my first thought is World Cup too, something that has become one of my favorite sporting events. As someone who worships at the Church of Baseball, it's great to think that my favorite sport could have something like that going on with it. I also like the fact that in a way, it's an All-Star game, except one way more exciting and interesting than the current one. That's become a bit of a joke, whereas this has all the potential to be something.
I have a lot of qualms about the thing, though, mainly because I don't trust baseball to get it right and the media to give it fair shake. The biggest issue is timing-- it just seems off to do it right now. It makes it more of an exhibition than it should be and there's all the issues about injury, being ready, etc. They should have moved this sucker to November or maybe do what hockey does with the Olympics-- shut down for three weeks.
What do you think?
SFist Jake: I take your point about MLB and the sports media (present company excepted, of course), and the tendency they share to, well, make garbage out of lemonade. But don't you think that if we were real soccer fans and FIFA had just invented the World Cup, we'd say the same thing? Or, even worse, if the NCAA had just invented the Division I men's basketball tournament? But those suspect organizations have managed to create and maintain their tournaments as institutions. Baseball will work the kinks out, too.
And so I think this is related to your other complaint: the schedule. Sure, this year it seems weird to interrupt (if you can call it that) spring training for an international tournament, and pitch counts will be limited, and all that. Personally, I'm worried sick about Danny Haren, Huston Street, Esteban Loaiza, Kirk Saarloos, Kiko Calero and Marco! Scutaro! (Aside, though: imagine if your favorite team were four games up in August and then took three weeks off for the WBC, during which its best pitcher tore his labrum--I think you'll agree that would feel worse than the same thing happening in March.) There are real problems with all the scheduling options, and I wouldn't be surprised if they try another one next time, but I'm excited to see them take it for a spin this year.
In any case, as much fun as I think this year's event will be--lots, no matter what MLB manages to ruin--the real prize for this thing comes in like twenty years, when it's a tradition and the rosters are made up of players who have grown up with this competition in mind. This year, we get to watch the very first one--I can't hate on that.
SFist Jon: Oh, that's the thing about this. While this year might not be that spectacular, it's the potential of the thing. This thing could be huge if it goes well. Which is kind of why I think the best thing that could happen is for the Americans to lose to either the Dominicans or Venezuela (their team is sick) in the final game, with Clemens on the mound. It seems that the usual bloviating blowhards in the media are hating on the whole thing and there's a lot of skepticism out there. Everyone just thinks it's no big deal and it's just an exhibition and the whole thing is silly. If we lose, then all of a sudden, that all changes. Now, it's personal. Just look at what happened with our basketball team in the Olympics, we embarrassed ourselves in Athens and now people are starting to care about winning.
As for injuries, I always think the risk of injury is always over-stated. You could get injured at home playing video games. As a huge Giants fan, I'm kind of glad Bonds won't be playing, but as a baseball fan, I'm a bit disappointed. His presence would have taken things up a notch.
There does seem to be a fair amount of big named players dropping out for kind of that reason, which is understandable. My feeling, though, is that the next few go-rounds if the thing gets established, that won't be happening as much. Look at in hockey-- those guys wanted to play during the Olympics. Same in the World Cup.
Are you going to watch only the U.S. games or as much as you can? I'm really excited about watching, say, a Japan/Dominican game. That should be way fun.
SFist Jake: OK, I think we agree about the event itself. As for the mainstream sports media? Don't let them ruin it for you. I mean, should we cancel or ignore the World Series because of those same blowhards, or the US government (wait, wait for the end of the sentence) because of Bill O'Reilly? My suggestion to you, and to our readers, is to 1. Watch what I expect to be exciting and interesting baseball, and then 2. Turn off the television and computer, go to the park, and play catch.
As for the US investment in the event, the basketball comparison doesn't quite work, just because of the longer story that involves the bronze medal in '88, the unmatchable charisma/nostalgia associated with the '92 team, and the rather transparent racism of the backlash against the '04 team. It raises another question, though, that I wanted to address: Are we somehow duty-bound to root for the US? I mean, it's not like there's another nation in the tournament to which my roots are traceable, and it's not like I root for those nations in the Olympics or anything anyway, but do hometown sports-fan rules apply here? Can we root for the winner of Tuesday's star-studded Venezuela/D.R. game? For Cuba? Do we hate America?
SFist Jon: I think I'm worried about the mainstream sports media because I have a bitter after-taste from the Olympics. Everyone involved seemed to have a great time and all the other countries had a great time, yet all you heard here was nothing but whining about this and about that. No wonder nobody watched it, all you heard was "oh no! Michelle Kwan won't be skating" or "curling? Why should we care about some stupid sport other countries play?" And also I worry because the more the thing takes off, the better it'll be next time around. If all you hear is whining about this or that and people putting it down, there might not be a WBC in 2009.
As for who to root for, I guess I'm rooting for America as it'll hold my interest more if they stay in through the whole way, but I'm really more looking at as a baseball fan. All I want is good, exciting well-played games. I want to see the Asian teams play with their crafty, small-ball ways and the loosey-goosey Latin America teams. I want the people who play to give it their all and I want to wake up with headlines about Clemens starting against Santana to see who goes to the finals. And I want drums and singing and synchronized cheers and all that stuff you see in soccer matches. If that happens, I'll be a happy camper. From what I'm reading in Deadspin, it's already happening.
SFist Jake: Right on the head: looking at it as a baseball fan. On Sunday, I saw the Mets play the Puerto Rican WBC team in Port St. Lucie, and everything you wanted, plus Roberto Clement jerseys, was in the stands. I want to see Johan Santana staring down an inning where he faces Tejada, Pujols and Ortiz (that game is Tuesday at 10 am, by the way--anyone know a Dominican or Venezuelan sports bar?); I want to learn about the Cuban and Japanese teams; I want to see Dontrelle Willis on the mound for the USA. I think once we do see that, baseball fans will be anxious for the 2010 WBC--no matter who wins.