Centerfield
I’m as big a baseball fan as pretty much anyone I know. So when the World Baseball Classic was announced, I was stoked. (Sorry, I’m still trying to get the snowboarding vibe out of my system . . . stupid Olympics.)
Essentially, this was billed as the World Cup of baseball, only without the soccer hooligans. (And with the game out of the Olympics beginning in 2012, this was supposed to soften the blow of being kicked out of the greatest international sporting event ever devised.) Sixteen teams representiting 16 countries to determine the best baseball country in the world. (Alright, 15 countries and Puerto Rico, which I believe is a protectorate of the United States, but I digress.)
(Seriously, we in the United States need to have more fun at our sporting events. In nearly every other country on the planet, fires break out in the stands, people bring drums and trumpets and essentially throw a party for the duration of the game. The United States contribution: The Wave. I'm so ashamed of my country.)
But a funny thing happened on the way to the tournament. Players started dropping out. Not that I could blame them as the WBC is scheduled to begin Thursday. You see, the 18-day tournament is taking place right in the middle of Spring Training. As a fan of the Cubs, I’m hoping and praying that the Cubs players don’t get hurt in this thing. If Carlos Zambrano throws his arm out, I’ll be less than pleased.
And I’m just a fan. I can only imagine how the owners, managers and other players are feeling watching their teammates play in the WBC.
It’s like having Heidi Klum agree to go on a date with you, but only after undergoing
experimental plastic surgery on her face that has a 40 percent chance of permanent disfigurement. (And yes, I am that superficial, thanks for asking.)
So one by one, players have been removing themselves from the rosters of their respective countries, citing a variety of reasons from injury to lack of preparedness to plain old just wanting to stay with their team (you know, the team that’s paying them millions of dollars.)
However, famed Los Angeles Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda views things differently. (Lasorda also happens to manage the United States team in the tournament.) He’s told any media outlet willing to listen that he thinks it’s a disgrace that players wouldn’t want to play for their country.
“I've seen a couple of guys who were asked to play and they turned it down. They turned it down? I don't like that one bit. I think you owe something to your country," Lasorda said last week.
Now I’m not to question a man who has won a World Series and an Olympic gold medal, but I’m going to question this man.
What are you thinking? It’s not like these countries are asking their citizens to sacrifice to support a noble cause. They’re playing baseball. Let's not act as though this is some grand, transcendent moment like the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team. If we're using that analogy, we'd be the big, bad U.S.S.R. and the other countries are just waiting for a chance to knock us down a peg.
Somewhere along the line, Lasorda mixed up playing a game with some sort of national obligation to your country. Sure, it would be great if the United States team won. Truth be told, I’m kind of pulling for the Dominican Republic team to do well. I like their players more than the United States’ players, even without Manny Rameriz playing.
(Seriously, Jeff Francoer is on the United States’ team. After starting out hitting everything in sight for a month and a half, he fizzled during September and October, hitting something like .237 over the last five weeks. You’re telling me he’s one of the best 30 players the United States has to send? Who’s in charge of putting this team together, Isiah Thomas?)
Now I’m off to go do my civic duty as an American. I’m going to learn about the candidates seeking our nation’s highest office, then I’m going to vote in American Idol.
House update: As far as I know, they're still building it.
Cubs update: Still undefeated. (We could go all the way if this keeps up.)
Hostage update: Statesboro is still hostage free since January 17.
Blog update: Look for another post on Monday.
Thanks for reading. With thousands of choices, you picked me. It's like you're Lisa Simpson giving me a Valentine's Day card with a train that reads "I choo-choo choose you." I always appreciate it.
Essentially, this was billed as the World Cup of baseball, only without the soccer hooligans. (And with the game out of the Olympics beginning in 2012, this was supposed to soften the blow of being kicked out of the greatest international sporting event ever devised.) Sixteen teams representiting 16 countries to determine the best baseball country in the world. (Alright, 15 countries and Puerto Rico, which I believe is a protectorate of the United States, but I digress.)
(Seriously, we in the United States need to have more fun at our sporting events. In nearly every other country on the planet, fires break out in the stands, people bring drums and trumpets and essentially throw a party for the duration of the game. The United States contribution: The Wave. I'm so ashamed of my country.)
But a funny thing happened on the way to the tournament. Players started dropping out. Not that I could blame them as the WBC is scheduled to begin Thursday. You see, the 18-day tournament is taking place right in the middle of Spring Training. As a fan of the Cubs, I’m hoping and praying that the Cubs players don’t get hurt in this thing. If Carlos Zambrano throws his arm out, I’ll be less than pleased.
And I’m just a fan. I can only imagine how the owners, managers and other players are feeling watching their teammates play in the WBC.
It’s like having Heidi Klum agree to go on a date with you, but only after undergoing
experimental plastic surgery on her face that has a 40 percent chance of permanent disfigurement. (And yes, I am that superficial, thanks for asking.)So one by one, players have been removing themselves from the rosters of their respective countries, citing a variety of reasons from injury to lack of preparedness to plain old just wanting to stay with their team (you know, the team that’s paying them millions of dollars.)
However, famed Los Angeles Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda views things differently. (Lasorda also happens to manage the United States team in the tournament.) He’s told any media outlet willing to listen that he thinks it’s a disgrace that players wouldn’t want to play for their country.
“I've seen a couple of guys who were asked to play and they turned it down. They turned it down? I don't like that one bit. I think you owe something to your country," Lasorda said last week.
Now I’m not to question a man who has won a World Series and an Olympic gold medal, but I’m going to question this man.
What are you thinking? It’s not like these countries are asking their citizens to sacrifice to support a noble cause. They’re playing baseball. Let's not act as though this is some grand, transcendent moment like the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team. If we're using that analogy, we'd be the big, bad U.S.S.R. and the other countries are just waiting for a chance to knock us down a peg.
Somewhere along the line, Lasorda mixed up playing a game with some sort of national obligation to your country. Sure, it would be great if the United States team won. Truth be told, I’m kind of pulling for the Dominican Republic team to do well. I like their players more than the United States’ players, even without Manny Rameriz playing.
(Seriously, Jeff Francoer is on the United States’ team. After starting out hitting everything in sight for a month and a half, he fizzled during September and October, hitting something like .237 over the last five weeks. You’re telling me he’s one of the best 30 players the United States has to send? Who’s in charge of putting this team together, Isiah Thomas?)
Now I’m off to go do my civic duty as an American. I’m going to learn about the candidates seeking our nation’s highest office, then I’m going to vote in American Idol.
House update: As far as I know, they're still building it.
Cubs update: Still undefeated. (We could go all the way if this keeps up.)
Hostage update: Statesboro is still hostage free since January 17.
Blog update: Look for another post on Monday.
Thanks for reading. With thousands of choices, you picked me. It's like you're Lisa Simpson giving me a Valentine's Day card with a train that reads "I choo-choo choose you." I always appreciate it.
posted by Luke at 7:51 PM
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