World Baseball Classic Presents Opportunities
As the baseball exhibition season enters its second week many of the top players will be away representing their countries in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. This is a great opportunity for baseball to show itself off to the entire world. Its a chance for baseball to gain back many of the fans it has lost over the last decade but at the same time its a great opportunity to gain new ones. Its also a chance to encourage the development of baseball at the lowest levels of the sport in countries that haven’t quite made the radar screen yet.
I mean who doesn’t want to see the best play the best? Granted some of the best players, such as Barry Bonds and Randy Johnson, aren’t playing, but many are. Countries like Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and of course, the Americans are still loaded with many great players. This same format has worked in the past for other sports such as hockey and basketball, and look what has happened in those sports. Hockey and basketball are now developing quality, special players from all over the world. Why can’t the same happen to baseball? They are already drawing players from Canada, the Carribean, the Netherlands and the Far East. Why not strengthen these markets by entertaining the fans and by attracting new ones? By pitting the best against the best, while at the same time encouraging developement in some of the smaller markets. Hopefully a young kid in China will be able to watch the games and be inspired to play and work on his game. Hopefully there will be enough excitement so that governments will be able to infuse money into minor sports to help encourage and nurture these kids.
The Americans have always considered baseball to be their sport and they have always worked hard at developing the best players, but its becoming increasing obvious that the rest of the world is catching up. Take a look at the Dominican Republic. They have Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez leading the way and to be honest have an excellent shot at beating the Americans at their own pasttime. The world is developing parity, which can only end up strengthening Major League Baseball. Baseball should be able to draw the best players from all over the world to play in their league meaning the best competition playing against each other each and every day all summer long. You may be saying that this is already happening but its not. Take a look at the Japanese team. They have only one Major League player on their team, Ichiro, and they have already advanced to the next round by beating China and Chinese Taipei.
These games will be just the start. We cannot end here. In four years we can’t let the likes of George Steinbrenner tell us we can’t do the World Baseball Classic because it interrupts HIS team. This year is the year we have to start this tradition in order to ensure the long term stability of Major League Baseball. This is our chance to develop a worldwide base of players to draw from, to truly let Major League Baseball be the league of choice amongst the best players in the world.