2006 World Baseball Classic: Thumbs up, Thumbs down, or Thumbs in the middle?

Raderick · 03-21-2006, 12:50 AM

I have to give it a thumbs up. While the tournament format needs some work, stricter team eligibility is needed, and the need of preliminary games to determine what countries play in the WBC, the games were very exciting and had somewhat of a college basketball atmosphere to them.

canadiancreed · 03-21-2006, 12:52 AM

where's the "don't care" option?

QuestGAV · 03-21-2006, 01:13 AM

Thumbs down. It disrupted spring training and put players at risk such that the baseball we see at the beginning of the season may not be as good as it could have been. Nice concept, no way to make it work in reality.

canadiancreed · 03-21-2006, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuestGAV

Thumbs down. It disrupted spring training and put players at risk such that the baseball we see at the beginning of the season may not be as good as it could have been. Nice concept, no way to make it work in reality.

not have it durign spring training maybe?

Possibly in months when there's no baseball remotely close....like December or something.

QuestGAV · 03-21-2006, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

not have it durign spring training maybe?

Possibly in months when there's no baseball remotely close....like December or something.

Then you've got players who are in even worse shape and less happy about being there.

Boozie1580 · 03-21-2006, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuestGAV

Thumbs down. It disrupted spring training and put players at risk such that the baseball we see at the beginning of the season may not be as good as it could have been. Nice concept, no way to make it work in reality.

There's no risk for injury in regular spring training?

canadiancreed · 03-21-2006, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuestGAV

Then you've got players who are in even worse shape and less happy about being there.

it's not a perfect solution, just a though to float out there.

Myself I woudln't care if it wasn't done at all. There's been hardly any coverage of it up here other than us beating the states and the finals

Raderick · 03-21-2006, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boozie1580

There's no risk for injury in regular spring training?

I hate to compare this to the Soccer/Football World Cup, but those players are in just as much at risk of injury than they are during, say, a FA Cup or Champions League match. The World Cup is sometimes considered to be much higher than the above mentioned because of the sport's popularity. I hope that over the years, that the WBC can be that high in the baseball world. You gotta start somewhere, right?

boilermaker · 03-21-2006, 01:46 AM

The worst part of the WBC is that it doesn't happen every year.

Although I guess having to wait years for another one will build it up.

theasfl · 03-21-2006, 01:47 AM

thumbs up for a first time...they need to get a few things together for the next as has been mentioned.

Sdpm100 · 03-21-2006, 02:09 AM

Up for this tournament - competitive games from the 2nd Round onwards, okay turnouts at the games (bar most of the Asian Pool games), the USA going out before the semi-finals

, and thankfully for the moaners no major injuries.
But the tournament as a whole will need some changes and a lot of good fortune, or it's doomed to failure.

First the tournament had way too many teams. I realise it was trying to grow the sport around the world, but even so, at least six of them shouldn't have been there, and although Panama and South Africa had their moments in Round 1, only in one group were the two qualifiers in any doubt. If it's not competitive from the start people just aren't going to watch.
Secondly why were the semi-finals between the two teams from the same group? You have a team in Japan winning just one out of three against Korea and going into the final. It would be like saying the first six games of the World Series don't count, only game 7.
And thirdly, and most importantly, important people (owners, journalists) want the tournament to fail.

Skipaway · 03-21-2006, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

Secondly why were the semi-finals between the two teams from the same group? You have a team in Japan winning just one out of three against Korea and going into the final. It would be like saying the first six games of the World Series don't count, only game 7.

More like saying regular seasons don't count, only playoffs.

rudel.dietrich · 03-21-2006, 02:25 AM

About the only thing I did not like was the tournement rules reguarding tie breakers. But you cannot have the tournement go on forever playing multiple tie breaker games. I guess that will have to be something people accept.
The rules in the World Cup are even more complex so I guess I can deal.

Overall a big thumbs up from me. And the comments about it interrupting spring training as just plain ignorant and not very well thought out.
This is FAAAAAAR better spring training than playing exhibition games against college teams, split squads and minor leaguers.
These were All-Star and HOF level teams. Add to the fact that some players spent weeks getting ready and I think you will find that overall these players are going to be much more prepared than they would have been playing semi competative spring training games.
The injury risk is higher but not too much higher and the players were volunteers to a man. No one was forced to play.

rudel.dietrich · 03-21-2006, 02:28 AM

I will also say that I have thought about it and this is the perfect time of year for it. Right after the season you have tired and injured players to deal with and I think it would take on a sort of Pro-Bowl sort of letdown after the Superbowl.
In December or January you have to deal with players getting in shape and then back out of shape before spring training, but you have the holiday season to deal with and adverse weather in some places.
I think now is the perfect time of year for it and whoever planned it this way did a nice job.

Sdpm100 · 03-21-2006, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipaway

More like saying regular seasons don't count, only playoffs.

Touche.

Although maybe this ought to be Bud's next plan - each MLB team to play each other six times and the team with the best record wins the World Series.
No playoffs, just a regular season, and then that WOULD count.

BTW, back on the WBC, I really enjoyed watching it (so much so that I'm looking forward to the one in my DR) and it can be a real success in the future, but I just get the feeling that in about 12 months the next tournament will be cancelled or postponed for some obscure reason (no venues, evaluating first tournament etc.) and then just fade into the background to hopefully be forgotten by everyone.
I hope I'm wrong...

boilermaker · 03-21-2006, 03:22 AM

Yeah, when did Spring Training become so superly awesome and sacred that it was more important than seeing baseball at an excitement level only found in October? I've been watching ST on ESPN pretty much every day....newsflash: ain't anywhere as cool as the WBC. These guys are professionals. Work out and prepare earlier than normal on a WBC year. Big whoop. You can get injured in ST. You can get injured carrying venison. You can get injured during the regular season. You can get injured in the World Series. No valid arguments against the WBC on those fronts.

Skipaway · 03-21-2006, 06:46 AM

This whole event was so huge in Japan in the end, Matsui ended up as the biggest loser of it all.

Sublimity · 03-21-2006, 07:35 AM

I gave thumbs in the middle, leaning toward thumbs up. Only thing I don't like about it is the timing. Not because of the injury chance, but because of the pitch counts and things. I'd like to see everyone at full strength, whether through an abbreviated schedule at the All-Star break or right after the World Series, or something else.

ihatenames · 03-21-2006, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

it's not a perfect solution, just a though to float out there.

Myself I woudln't care if it wasn't done at all. There's been hardly any coverage of it up here other than us beating the states and the finals

I watched most of the games on tv here. None of the games were time delayed in the beginning so they were on pretty early in the afternoon and that could be why you missed them. I thought they covered the games pretty well.

I gave this a thumbs up, i really enjoyed watching the different styles of play. There is definately some logistics to work out, but i'm looking forward to the next games in 4 years.

Raderick · 03-21-2006, 08:05 AM

I didn't think there was a problem with the placement of the tournament in the calendar. I think what needs to be done is that the national teams need to get together in January or February before the WBC starts and get the kinks out of the players before they play out any of the games.

View Poll Results: How do you grade the 2006 WBC?
Thumbs Up	45	51.72%
Thumbs in the middle, leaning towards thumbs up	22	25.29%
Thumbs in the middle	4	4.60%
Thumbs in the middle, leaning towards thumbs down	6	6.90%
Thumbs down	10	11.49%
Voters: 87. You may not vote on this poll

03-21-2006, 12:50 AM	#1
Raderick Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 2,737	2006 World Baseball Classic: Thumbs up, Thumbs down, or Thumbs in the middle? I have to give it a thumbs up. While the tournament format needs some work, stricter team eligibility is needed, and the need of preliminary games to determine what countries play in the WBC, the games were very exciting and had somewhat of a college basketball atmosphere to them. __________________ Last edited by Raderick; 03-21-2006 at 12:53 AM.

03-21-2006, 12:52 AM	#2
canadiancreed Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 11,660	where's the "don't care" option? __________________ PT21 PT22

03-21-2006, 01:47 AM	#10
theasfl Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Coral Springs, FL or Orlando, FL (UCF) Posts: 7,988	thumbs up for a first time...they need to get a few things together for the next as has been mentioned. __________________ All-Sports Fantasy League The ASFL 22 different games, 9 sports. Please check out the website (www.theasfl.com/asfl2/). The league is free- if you're interested please fill out the signup form and/or email the commissioner. Miami Talons (ABL): 2004, 2005 & 2008 Champs

03-21-2006, 06:46 AM	#17
Skipaway Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Where you live Posts: 11,017	This whole event was so huge in Japan in the end, Matsui ended up as the biggest loser of it all. __________________ Jonathan Haidt: Moral reasoning is really just a servant masquerading as a high priest.

03-21-2006, 01:13 AM	#3
QuestGAV Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 2,010	Thumbs down. It disrupted spring training and put players at risk such that the baseball we see at the beginning of the season may not be as good as it could have been. Nice concept, no way to make it work in reality.

03-21-2006, 01:46 AM	#9
boilermaker All Star Starter Join Date: May 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,956	The worst part of the WBC is that it doesn't happen every year. Although I guess having to wait years for another one will build it up.

03-21-2006, 02:09 AM	#11
Sdpm100 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Cheltenham, England Posts: 7,644	Up for this tournament - competitive games from the 2nd Round onwards, okay turnouts at the games (bar most of the Asian Pool games), the USA going out before the semi-finals , and thankfully for the moaners no major injuries. But the tournament as a whole will need some changes and a lot of good fortune, or it's doomed to failure. First the tournament had way too many teams. I realise it was trying to grow the sport around the world, but even so, at least six of them shouldn't have been there, and although Panama and South Africa had their moments in Round 1, only in one group were the two qualifiers in any doubt. If it's not competitive from the start people just aren't going to watch. Secondly why were the semi-finals between the two teams from the same group? You have a team in Japan winning just one out of three against Korea and going into the final. It would be like saying the first six games of the World Series don't count, only game 7. And thirdly, and most importantly, important people (owners, journalists) want the tournament to fail.

03-21-2006, 02:25 AM	#13
rudel.dietrich Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 8,608	About the only thing I did not like was the tournement rules reguarding tie breakers. But you cannot have the tournement go on forever playing multiple tie breaker games. I guess that will have to be something people accept. The rules in the World Cup are even more complex so I guess I can deal. Overall a big thumbs up from me. And the comments about it interrupting spring training as just plain ignorant and not very well thought out. This is FAAAAAAR better spring training than playing exhibition games against college teams, split squads and minor leaguers. These were All-Star and HOF level teams. Add to the fact that some players spent weeks getting ready and I think you will find that overall these players are going to be much more prepared than they would have been playing semi competative spring training games. The injury risk is higher but not too much higher and the players were volunteers to a man. No one was forced to play.

03-21-2006, 02:28 AM	#14
rudel.dietrich Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 8,608	I will also say that I have thought about it and this is the perfect time of year for it. Right after the season you have tired and injured players to deal with and I think it would take on a sort of Pro-Bowl sort of letdown after the Superbowl. In December or January you have to deal with players getting in shape and then back out of shape before spring training, but you have the holiday season to deal with and adverse weather in some places. I think now is the perfect time of year for it and whoever planned it this way did a nice job.

03-21-2006, 03:22 AM	#16
boilermaker All Star Starter Join Date: May 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,956	Yeah, when did Spring Training become so superly awesome and sacred that it was more important than seeing baseball at an excitement level only found in October? I've been watching ST on ESPN pretty much every day....newsflash: ain't anywhere as cool as the WBC. These guys are professionals. Work out and prepare earlier than normal on a WBC year. Big whoop. You can get injured in ST. You can get injured carrying venison. You can get injured during the regular season. You can get injured in the World Series. No valid arguments against the WBC on those fronts.

03-21-2006, 07:35 AM	#18
Sublimity Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: This thread. Posts: 3,199	I gave thumbs in the middle, leaning toward thumbs up. Only thing I don't like about it is the timing. Not because of the injury chance, but because of the pitch counts and things. I'd like to see everyone at full strength, whether through an abbreviated schedule at the All-Star break or right after the World Series, or something else. __________________ mrs ria: I hereby dub Sublimity the Glorious Upholder of the 5B3. Current leading vote-getter in the Worst Poster in OT History poll.

03-21-2006, 08:05 AM	#20
Raderick Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 2,737	I didn't think there was a problem with the placement of the tournament in the calendar. I think what needs to be done is that the national teams need to get together in January or February before the WBC starts and get the kinks out of the players before they play out any of the games. __________________