World Baseball Classic

While I have spent a lot of time preparing for the 2013 Major League Baseball season, I have not forgotten about the upcoming World Baseball Classic.  It is more anti-climatic for Americans than for those in some of the other countries who participate, as many of our country's biggest stars have opted not to play for the United States in the WBC.  And in all honestly, I cannot blame them for not wanting to play.  When you hear analysts on television in the United States talking about the WBC, you don't hear them talk about national pride or wanting to prove that the United States is the best baseball nation.  They talk about how major league general managers and managers just want to make sure that their players arrive back in Spring Training without an injury.

Let's state the obvious, Major League Baseball is what matters to Americans as well as any player who plays in the major leagues.  And team owners and general managers are nervous because there are guys they have signed to $10, $15 even $20 million dollar annual contracts who are going off to play for someone else in a non-MLB event.

The United States does not have the emotional and national investment in the World Baseball Classic that other countries may have.  For instance, who do you think wants to win the WBC more, the United States team compiled of players from different major league teams, or the Cuban national team, which practices together year round and basically is a team that has a baseball "job" for the country?

Yes, the United States should want to win the World Baseball Classic, and without a doubt you will see maximum effort from every participant on the United States team when this thing gets kicked off next week.  Baseball is after all, America's favorite past time, and given that the finals of the tournament are held on our soil each time it is played, it is a little disappointing that the United States is 0-for-2 in the World Baseball Classic, never even reaching the finals.

This year could be different, mainly because of one man, Joe Torre.

Torre not only wanted to fill out the United States roster with All-Star caliber players, but he wanted to make sure and get guys who could fill certain roles on the team.  In an article on MLB.com, Torre mentioned that putting this team together is much different than filling out an All-Star roster, because in an All-Star game you know guys will only be out there for a few innings in only one game.  The World Baseball Classic is stretched into four rounds.

The United States put together a strong group of position players and a salty bullpen that will definitely be able to face any lineup in the WBC.  The starting pitching is without a doubt the weak spot of the roster, but that is to be expected considering the timing of the event, and pitchers not being fully stretched out yet in Spring Training.  The big name starting pitchers in the major leagues are afraid to be put in a game situation too early and risk injury, while big league teams have denied some of their pitchers the opportunity to participate as well.

The rotation that the United Stats will use features a couple of really nice pieces however, starting with the 2012 National League Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey, now with the Toronto Blue Jays, and Washington Nationals left-handed stud Gio Gonzalez.  The rest of the rotation includes Derek Holland (Texas), Ryan Vogelsong (San Francisco) and Ross Detweiler (Washington).  Not a bad lineup, but imagine if it featured Justin Verlander, Cole Hamels and Stephen Strasburg!

Late in games, Torre and his staff will have lots of nice options to choose from, including the best closer in baseball, Craig Kimbrel of the Atlanta Braves and Chris Perez of the Cleveland Indians, who has become one of the elite relief pitchers in baseball today.

The offensive production of the United States team will be among the best in the tournament, as the lineup will feature some of the biggest hitters in the majors.  Ryan Braun, David Wright, Giancarlo Stanton, Adam Jones, Brandon Phillips, Jimmy Rollins and Mark Teixeira will be out there everyday doing their thing, while guys like Ben Zobrist and Shane Victorino will be available off of the bench.

This team could be a lot better.  In the next few days I'll take the time to compare this team to the best possible team the United States could field for the WBC, but I won't bore you with that today.  Regardless of what COULD be, this team is the one that will be responsible for leading OUR country to their first World Baseball Classic Championship.  It won't be easy, there are other great teams out there, and before the tournament starts next week I will highlight some of the other favorites in the tournament as well as make my final predictions.

Thanks to everyone who has stopped by and read the blog so far, I hope you all enjoy it and I hope throughout the season I'm able to add to your baseball viewing experience.  Remember to tell all of your fiends about the blog and share it on Facebook and Twitter.  Until next time, have a great one!