I’ll care about the WBC when Team USA makes an effort

Published 11:30 pm Friday, March 8, 2013

By Chris Parry

Cooper Rust, 12, of Salt Lake City, Utah, cheers on the United States team as players take the field in the first inning during a World Baseball Classic baseball game between Mexico and the United States on Friday, March 8, 2013, in Phoenix. (Ross D. Franklin | AP)

The World Baseball Classic started Friday.

Actually, it began last week with games in Japan and Taiwan. You might not realize this based on the television viewership and attendance of those games, which was severely lacking.

Baseball fans like myself can be forgiven for holding out until now to watch. First of all, unless you own a satellite dish or have super-duper cable, you probably do not have MLB Network — which has exclusive rights to this WBC. You can also watch the games on ESPN Deportes, again, if you subscribe to that channel.

But now comes the most important reason why the World Baseball Classic isn’t being taken as seriously as it could be.

America likes winners, and USA has been maddeningly the opposite in this competition.



It began during the first WBC in 2006 with a shocking loss to Mexico. It was as great result for our neighbors to the South, which admittedly cares more about scoring goals than hitting home runs.

As I watched the drama unfold (it was on available on regular TV then), I could only think this must have been what Mexican fans felt like in 2002 when Team USA beat them in the second round of the World Cup.

Embarrassment.

It knocked USA out of the tournament, not even making the semifinals, and we were forced to watch Japan and Cuba play for the championship.

Three years later and the USA did reach the WBC semifinals (although I still don’t know how, considering we lost to Puerto Rico 11-1 and Venezuela 10-6), but was stopped by eventual champion Japan.

So, now in 2013 we get the third World Baseball Classic.

Does the United States care about finally restoring the pride of our country’s national pastime?

Nope.

Not if you look at our country’s roster.

The pitching staff features no Justin Verlander or Clayton Kershaw. That’s like Argentina competing in a World Cup without Lionel Messi.

It just doesn’t make sense if the USA was really taking the event seriously.

At least Texas Rangers fans will be able to watch Derek Holland pitch for his country.

Also Cy Young finalist Ryan Vogelsong will toe the rubber for USA. If you believe the first part of that statement, I have some oceanfront property in Arizona we can talk about you acquiring.

But in reality, good for these guys. At least they stepped up to the plate (pun intended) when their country asked.

Too bad more of America’s best MLB stars did not follow suit.