View from the Ivory Tower: World Baseball Classic

To take a look at the Classic, The Southpaw recruited the help of three very knowledgeable sports fans - news copy editor Josh Moyer, sports copy editor Matt Goul and business reporter Kevin Horan.

Mr. Horan, who could play center for American Samoa when it finally gets a team, says the Classic has to compete with too many other events. And he's just not willing to give up that much time.
"I don't make much of an effort to sit down to watch the World Baseball Classic, and I can't envision myself blocking out three hours of my undivided attention to watch a game from beginning to end.

"I'm sure each game has its fair share of intriguing sub-plots, like any Major League Baseball game. If I took the time to analyze a little more, I'm sure I could appreciate what the World Baseball Classic has to offer.

"Alas, the classic may be a victim of circumstance. It has to compete with Major League Baseball's spring training and the NCAA men's basketball tournament -- two sporting institutions that are far more established -- for the attention of the nation's sports fans."

Mr. Moyer, who is currently being recruited to play third for Uzbekistan, doesn't mince words. He doesn't like players playing for countries they aren't from.
"Glancing at the rosters, it's mostly players who compete in the MLB --- and a fair number of those players aren't even from the countries they're representing. As long as you have a parent who used to live there, even if you never set foot in the damn country, you qualify.

"It's a glorified spring training event. Most players are just third-tier MLB players. Screw it. It's worse than preseason football."

Mr. Goul, who could play second base for The Netherlands, is intrigued by the countries involved and national pride.

"I'm interested in the first round, but right now it's starting to feel old -- a feeling I get with baseball late in the season when football starts.

I think the big thing is the U.S. being alive. When or if it's eliminated, interest drops dramatically.

It's more of a thing you don't feel compelled to watch, but want to look at the standings afterward just to compare the countries."

That seems to be the way most people feel. It's kind of like a child playing with bubble wrap while a parent puts a Big Wheels together. The bubble wrap is amusing until the car is ready.

The question, of course, is how can the WBC make itself more relevant to baseball fans? Or will it never become the Big Wheels.