Thought of the day: What allows Justin Verlander to be so commanding on the pitcher's mound?
Many of the Earth's population my not even know it's happening. A lot of baseball fans don't even know that it is going on in countries around the World. 16 teams from around the globe playing for eternal glory. Playing to be crowned as the baseball kings of the whole world, they are all playing in the World Baseball Classic.
The WBC, like the World Cup of soccer or cricket, occurs every four years. Started in 2006, players from countries around the world are chosen to represent their home countries to play. Many of the players are Major League Baseball (MLB) players while others are players who play for in their respected countries, professional league. The rules are the exact same as a standard American style game of baseball, but the only differences are that there is a mercy rule of 10 to 15 rules and there is a designated hitter for each team.
The WBC has brought forth the brightest of international players and placed them in to the spotlight after playing a spectacular tournament. A prime example would be that of Daisuke Matsuzaka of Japan. After a phenomenal job in the 2006 WBC he was signed to play for the Boston Red Sox in the MLB. Another example of this would be that of Yu Darvish, also of Japan. Dice-K and Yu Darvish led Japan to their second WBC title in 2009. Darvish, a right handed pitcher got the attention of many ball clubs from the MLB and eventually signed with the Texas Rangers last year.
Although the WBC a big deal in the wolrd of baseball around the world, many people are not aware that it is currently going, or even know that it exists. To fix this, major corporations such as MLB, and ESPN should advertise more often than they do with upcoming Spring Training games. While Spring Training may be the best preseason in all of sports, the WBC should not be overshadowed because of the raw talent that players display for the honor of their country.
The WBC brings out the greatest talent that a nation has to offer. It showcases players ability to play with the likes of superstars that they never get the chance to see play from the Major Leagues. It is a great place for foreign players to strut their skills and hopefully get signed by a MLB club. But most importantly, it allows players represent their native land. To make their country proud of their talent. I urge every person who reads this post, research the WBC and support a country. Whether it be USA or Mexico, or any of the other 14 countries playing; chances are you will enjoy yourself a great deal.
This is the site for the WBC. It shows you scores or games, a schedule, and videos to catch up on all the games that were missed. ALl of the teams playing in the WBC are listed, as well as a player roster. http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/index.jsp
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Tweet me: @NeilShelat6
Email me: nshelat6@gmail.com
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