Play it like a Classic

Ben Godar

I am looking forward to the World Baseball Classic. And what fan of the game wouldn't look forward to a showdown of the world's all stars? Let's just hope they don't play it like an All Star Game.

The battle for hearts and minds is on when it comes to the WBC. Will it be a heated battle for national pride or the modern equivalent of barnstorming through a State Fair? Early indications are promising.

Tonight, the US team announced its 42-man roster, including names like Bonds, Clemens and Texiera. Teams from other nations also feature top-tier talent, so it's clear the players will be on the field. But it's not enough for them to just be on the field. If this thing's to be a "classic," the players and the managers need to crank it up to full speed.

What worries me is the All Star Game. Even these last few years, with home field advantage in the World Series on the line, players and managers insist on running the game like Class C Coed Softball. The "nobody wants to lose a player to injury" argument is patronizing to fans. We want to see competition. If I just wanted to see the star players, I'd go to a baseball card convention.

And, incidentally, I wouldn't go to a baseball card convention.

The world's best soccer players lose their club jerseys and lay it on the line for their country every four years in the World Cup. It pains me to say it, but baseball could really take a cue from soccer and make the WBC something worth watching.