@ head: The World Baseball Classic is the globe’s true title game
The World Series is supposed to be the apex of baseball competition, butit met its challenge last month in the World Baseball Classic.The first world tournament to feature the globe’s best players, including players from Major League Baseball, created a World Series-like atmospherein every game. Players and fans filled Petco Park with passion and national pride during the semi-finals and championship game.The WBC is the true World Series. The MLB’s championship game should be given a different name, a name without the word “world” in it. “World” should only be attached to a tournament that features the best baseball nations competing for a title.”This is like an all-star game that lasts three weeks,” Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic outfielder Moises Alou said a day before facing Cuba in the semifinals. “This is a great tournament. I might not be around for the next one but the younger guys will surely be up for it.”The best baseball is played in the United States, but the 16-nation tournament proved the globe’s best players aren’t always born in this country. Team Japan won the WBC title with two major leaguers on its roster, Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki and former Padre Akinori Otsuka, now with the Texas Rangers.”I was always thinking that we would need a good event to decide the best in the world,” Ichiro said, after Japan beat Cuba 10-6 in the final. “I thought this WBC tournament is the event that would decide the true world champion. To be on the championship team … this is probably the biggest moment of my baseball career.”A big moment in baseball history occurred when Team Cuba, a squad of amateur players, beat the Dominican Republic, a team with only major league players on its roster, to advance to the championship game. The heart of the Dominican lineup included 2005 All-Star Game MVP Miguel Tejada, National League MVP Albert Pujols, American League MVP runner-up David Ortiz and Adrian Beltre.Cuba’s victory reconfirms that major league baseball is not the world’sirrefutable standard of excellence.The World Baseball Classic was a MLB production, however, Team USA didn’t live up to expectations. The United States was supposed to face Team Dominican Republic in the final. Instead, Team USA finished with a 3-3 record and was eliminated by Mexico in the second round.Some argue that other countries had an advantage over Team USA, arguing that the team wasn’t in mid-season form and that the Americans lacked some of MLB’s best players who decided not to participate.Most American players had minimal or no participation in spring Training when the tournament began. An upgraded roster will give a team a boost, but it probably still would not have made a difference. You can’t get a better list of major league all-stars than the Dominican’s roster.After covering the games at Petco Park, there is no doubt the WBC is one of the finest sporting events in the world. The Mexico-USA second round game in Anaheim had a mood in the stands and onthe field resembling championship baseball. The fact that it was an elimination game for Team USA, and speculation that it was Roger Clemens’last game before retirement, stimulated the feeling.The World Series can create excitement, but last year’s series failed to do so with the Chicago White Sox sweeping the Houston Astros in four games.Not much thrill there.The Inaugural WBC was a success among players and fans, and its return in 2009 is almost certain. Major League Baseball is the best baseball available until then. The World Series will be compelling but will not resemble baseball’s zenith. The WBC will.
-Ivan Orozco is a journalism senior and contributor of The Daily Aztec-This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec
