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September 26, 2012

Punk Hits

A Not Altogether Helpful Primer to the World Baseball Classic

by Ian Miller

Apparently there is a thing called the World Baseball Classic. This is not the same thing as the World Series, which determines the champion of Major League Baseball. The fact that the word “World” appears in the title of each event is confusing, but these are two separate competitions. This essay will attempt to explain the World Baseball Classic so you can speak about it intelligently if asked.

WHAT THE WBC IS
The World Baseball Classic is not even sure what it is. There’s an About page on its website, but that page is blank! How can we attempt to define an event that cannot—or will not—even define itself?

Wikipedia is slightly more helpful in this regard. It defines the WBC as “an international baseball tournament” sanctioned by various bodies, including the International Baseball Federation and Major League Baseball. Which seems additionally weird that MLB would allow this thing to be called “World” anything, what with the potential confusion and inherent branding challenges. (Maybe they should rename the World Series, though, because it’s really the “United States of America Series Plus the Blue Jays.” And, let’s be honest, how likely is it that the Blue Jays will participate in the World Series in any of our lifetimes?)

WHAT THE WBC ISN’T
The World Baseball Classic is none of these things, except for the third-to-last entry on the list, which is the thing that it is.

HOW DO THEY DECIDE WHO GETS TO PLAY FOR WHICH TEAM
This is possibly the most confusing element of the entire megillah. You probably saw some headlines last week about the possibility of Kevin Youkilis and Ian Kinsler playing for Team Israel should Israel advance (it didn’t). My exhaustive research (Googling) reveals that

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10 comments have been left for this article.

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Mooser

(26842)

"The actual Classic will take place in May 2013 in various venues in the U.S"

I assume you mean March..

Sep 26, 2012 08:14 AM

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rating: 2

SamMiller

BP staff

(15518)

Thanks, fixed.

Sep 26, 2012 08:16 AM

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edwardarthur

(4967)

Re Israel and Spain, per the Wikipeadia, a player may be eligible if he "is qualified for citizenship or to hold a passport under the laws of a nation represented by a team" even if he "has not been granted citizenship or been issued a passport".

If I'm Luxembourg, I'm passing a law making any active MLB player eligible for citizenship....

Sep 26, 2012 10:01 AM

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rating: 2

LynchMob

(6915)

I went to a WBC game several years ago ... USA vs Mexico ... at what I think was Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix ... and it was VERY FUN! The Mexican fans there were a blast, very spirited ... and it helped get the USA fans into it also ...

Sep 26, 2012 14:05 PM

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rating: 1

R.A.Wagman

(32721)

Best game I ever went to at the Rogers Centre (SkyDome) was Canada vs. USA in the last WBC. I never knew the place could have such an awesome atmosphere.

Sep 26, 2012 14:07 PM

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rating: 2

Llarry Amrose

(1146)

It's not that we refuse DST here in Arizona out of stubbornness and independence, but rather that during the summer, we get plenty of the big nasty fireball as it is, there is no need to "save" any of it. Here the hottest part of the day is around 4PM -- do we really need to call that 5PM instead?

Besides, it's not like we don't have other things to be stupidly independent over... For example, when I first moved down here, there was a big hoo-hah over the 'NFL shoving MLK day down our throats' (by refusing to hold a Super Bowl here unless we adopted it as a state holiday).

Sep 26, 2012 14:56 PM

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rating: 1

Ian Miller

BP staff

(46294)

I intentionally avoided the MLK Day issue and went with DST because of its apolitical nature. I hope everyone read this in spirit in which it was intended, which is pure silliness.

Sep 26, 2012 15:22 PM

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Vicmill1

(67605)

I am trying to decide if you write better at 103 or 98.6. Both are funny, informative and ingratiating. Your prose makes you seem like a really entertaining person to have dinner with. (In point of fact, I have found you to be exactly that.)
I am just glad you chose not to remind the Arizonites that they invented John McCain.

Please reserve some tickets for your old man for next year's Worldy BB Classique.

Sep 26, 2012 16:04 PM

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rating: 3

Larry Herold

(45711)

Excellent use of phrase possibly not uttered since World War II: "had their national asses handed to them."

Great job, thanks.

Sep 27, 2012 14:58 PM

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rating: 1

AWBenkert

(10169)

If Selig & Co. ever want the WBC to be a truly relevant part of the sports culture, they will have to move it to June/July and suspend the regular season for two weeks as the NHL does with Olympic hockey. Having the tournament in March, when the dominant sporting event is the NCAA basketball tournament and players (especially pitchers) are working their way into shape, guarantees its irrelevance.

Feb 19, 2013 05:12 AM

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rating: 0

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