My Name is Howard and I'm a WBC Hater!!!
So they say admitting it is always the first step, but I don't feel any better. As an avid fantasy baseball player and an even more avid baseball fan, I think that the World Baseball Classic is a terrible waste of time and an unnecessary risk to the players. George Steinbrenner had it right voting against the MLB, and more importantly, Bud Selig endorsed event. This isn't about spreading baseball internationally....it's all about money. Everyone sing it with me..."Money, money, money, money....money!"
First of all, baseball is extraordinarily popular on the international level. Countries all over the Carribbean, South and Central America have major teams. Australia, Africa and North America. Maybe it's not so popular in Europe, but big deal.....apparently there's enough interest that Italy fielded a team. But is that really the goal behind this tournament? Improve international interest? Was there so much outrage that baseball was cut from the Summer Olympics because we couldn't send our pros like they do in hockey and basketball? No......should we start singing again?
A tournament like this....the WBC....is just another way for Bud Selig, MLB and the higher ups in the unions to line their pockets. Sell more tickets. Sell more jerseys. Sell more caps. Don't look now but I bet there's an international baseball card out there that lists Derek Jeter's professional team as Team USA. If I were a true conspiracy theorist, I might go so far as to say that this is the first step in Selig's master plan to contract MLB and globalize the sport. That way the U.S. only has a small number of teams competing in a Western Hemisphere division. Not only could he be Commisioner of the "former" MLB teams, but of all the teams around the world. One big organization and one big union. A little scary if you ask me. See the original Rollerball with James Caan and you will know of what I speak. I'll get more on that as the story begins to unfold.
But now what does this really mean for MLB? Again, I think Boss George is right. I think we're going to witness some injuries....maybe not the big huge one that he thinks, but there will be some. I think the competitive games will hurt the players this early in what is supposed to be the beginning of Spring Training...a time to ease in and get yourself prepared for a 162 game season. These guys are playing full out. Especially the guys not on current MLB rosters. How's it going to look if A-Rod has to miss the first month of the season with an ankle sprain? Will the other owners still be supportive if they lose guys? Pujols with a hamstring pull? Tejada gets spiked turning a double play? No one's going to be happy.
And sure the pitchers are on pitch counts but they will still log more competitive innings than normal. Definite arm breakdowns this year. Usually in Spring Training they're just working on a pitch, trying things out, seeing what tweaking needs to be done. Now, they're going to be throwing the same on March 8th that they will on May 8th....well maybe not....we'll see how many arms start to wear down and fall off. Paging Dave Dravecky...Mr. Dave Dravecky.
What does this mean for fantasy? Well, I have to see the way some of these round 1 games play out, but my insticts say: hot starts in April for hitters competing but unless you're a top tier guy, a decline in second half numbers; for pitchers I say stay away from most. The majority will struggle after the All Star Break, injuries will be up. A guy like Santana should remain solid for pretty much the year, but guys like Carlos Zambrano and Bartolo Colon (guys who usually log a lot of innings) will falter.
In the meantime...this is my rant; or atleast the start of it. I'm sure it will continue as the tornament progresses and the piles of cash under Selig's mattress grow. Almost can't wait for my "I told you so" article.
First of all, baseball is extraordinarily popular on the international level. Countries all over the Carribbean, South and Central America have major teams. Australia, Africa and North America. Maybe it's not so popular in Europe, but big deal.....apparently there's enough interest that Italy fielded a team. But is that really the goal behind this tournament? Improve international interest? Was there so much outrage that baseball was cut from the Summer Olympics because we couldn't send our pros like they do in hockey and basketball? No......should we start singing again?
A tournament like this....the WBC....is just another way for Bud Selig, MLB and the higher ups in the unions to line their pockets. Sell more tickets. Sell more jerseys. Sell more caps. Don't look now but I bet there's an international baseball card out there that lists Derek Jeter's professional team as Team USA. If I were a true conspiracy theorist, I might go so far as to say that this is the first step in Selig's master plan to contract MLB and globalize the sport. That way the U.S. only has a small number of teams competing in a Western Hemisphere division. Not only could he be Commisioner of the "former" MLB teams, but of all the teams around the world. One big organization and one big union. A little scary if you ask me. See the original Rollerball with James Caan and you will know of what I speak. I'll get more on that as the story begins to unfold.
But now what does this really mean for MLB? Again, I think Boss George is right. I think we're going to witness some injuries....maybe not the big huge one that he thinks, but there will be some. I think the competitive games will hurt the players this early in what is supposed to be the beginning of Spring Training...a time to ease in and get yourself prepared for a 162 game season. These guys are playing full out. Especially the guys not on current MLB rosters. How's it going to look if A-Rod has to miss the first month of the season with an ankle sprain? Will the other owners still be supportive if they lose guys? Pujols with a hamstring pull? Tejada gets spiked turning a double play? No one's going to be happy.
And sure the pitchers are on pitch counts but they will still log more competitive innings than normal. Definite arm breakdowns this year. Usually in Spring Training they're just working on a pitch, trying things out, seeing what tweaking needs to be done. Now, they're going to be throwing the same on March 8th that they will on May 8th....well maybe not....we'll see how many arms start to wear down and fall off. Paging Dave Dravecky...Mr. Dave Dravecky.
What does this mean for fantasy? Well, I have to see the way some of these round 1 games play out, but my insticts say: hot starts in April for hitters competing but unless you're a top tier guy, a decline in second half numbers; for pitchers I say stay away from most. The majority will struggle after the All Star Break, injuries will be up. A guy like Santana should remain solid for pretty much the year, but guys like Carlos Zambrano and Bartolo Colon (guys who usually log a lot of innings) will falter.
In the meantime...this is my rant; or atleast the start of it. I'm sure it will continue as the tornament progresses and the piles of cash under Selig's mattress grow. Almost can't wait for my "I told you so" article.
posted by Howard Bender at
10:45 PM
