The World Baseball Classic

Now that the WBC is going, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on what I think should be changed, what can be changed, and if it can work in the long run.

The timing of this tournament is a huge concern for me going forward. You cannot help but feel you are watching a spring training game when there are 75 pitch counts and a couple thousand people in the stands. That kills me.

Can it be changed? I don't know. I've heard some say that it would work better at the conclusion of the season because guys would not have to worry about getting into shape earlier than usual, which I agree with. However, I'm not sure that any more guys would want to gut it out over the course of three additional weeks after the season than do now before the season.

I, like many fans I'm sure, hope that this turns into an event that fills stadiums and engrosses all country's involved. The overall premise of the WBC is great, and I applaud the players who are behind it 100%. At the same time, I totally understand the reasoning of those players who turn down invites to play. They are sitting on million dollar contracts that in some cases cannot be protected if they hurt themselves in the tournament.

I'd be hard pressed to find one GM who is for the idea of his players playing in this tournament at any time of year. An organization is only worried about themselves, and a GM is only worried about his players being healthy for the season. The WBC does not guarantee that Derek Jeter or Ichiro won't tweak a knee or break a bone, and I'm afraid this fact will never change the stance organizations have on it.

How do you create a WBC that players cannot come up with good reason not to play? I don't think you can. As long as MLB players are making millions and have guaranteed contracts, teams (and players in some cases) are not going to get behind the idea of playing in this thing.

Just look at some of the US players that could be on this team:

CC Sabathia
Tim Lincecum
Cole Hamels
Roy Halladay
Cliff Lee
Jonathan Papelbon
Joe Mauer
Ryan Howard
Chase Utley
Lance Berkman
Matt Holliday
Josh Hamilton

...and I am sure that there are names I left out.

This is not to show that I disagree with the makeup of this year's team - I feel that they have done a good job of putting together a well-rounded team as opposed to a team of all-stars. However, it would be nice if the rotation was Sabathia, Lincecum, Hamels, Peavy, Halladay (or something like that) rather than going to Jeremy Guthrie as your guy after Peavy and Oswalt (like they did the other day).

I think the best move going forward is to have the classic at the conclusion of the World Series. Advertise it during the whole postseason, get it out there to as many people as you can. With March Madness coming up the WBC is not as talked about as I feel it should be. Get it on one of the big 4 networks (NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX) to ensure that anyone who wants to watch it will. I don't want to have ESPN Deportes or ESPN 8 (the ocho!) to see a game.

Even though it would be in the fall weather should not be an issue. Pick domed stadiums - Seattle, Arizona, Houston, Toronto, Milwaukee - to gaurantee that weather will not effect the games.

Since its at the end of the World Series, pitch counts would not have to be used because pitchers will be in game shape. This would create more realistic, in-season-like games instead of having to take your ace out in the 3rd because his pitch count is up.

As for the brackets, I'd like to see more of a series format rather than the 4 team, 4 pool bracket that exists now. Figure out a seeding system (possibly from the results of this year's tourney or the International Baseball Rankings) and have 8 3-game series in the first round, 4 in the second, 2 in the third, and a final 3 game series for the championship.

I didn't like the fact that the US knocked Venezuela around in their first meeting then lost 5-3 in the second yet they have a lower seed and have to play Puerto Rico in the first game of the second round...that doesn't seem fair to me. Both teams beat each other once, both teams lost once, yet the other team gets a higher seed because they won a game in which both teams knew they were moving on? I think that really waters down the intensity of the games. Put more on the line in each game and see what happens. Seed the teams 1-16 and set matchups up accordingly for three game series. You can still have the first round in four locations, each hosting 2 3-game series each.

I really think if they take the time (and money in the right places), this can become a truly fun and great event. Right now it is interesting, but not important, in part because it is new and in part because those involved in planning in need to fine tune some things. . I would hate for it to go away and/or be watered down with any gimmicks because in my opinon, the WBC could be a great tool to spread the game worldwide and pump national pride into baseball.