World Cup of Baseball

[Cactus Drags]

I'm not dismissing the competitivity, I respect that that's what you guys are after. But World Cups I think are generally percieved as trying to prove which nation is the best, and by allowing multiple teams from one nation, it negates that principle.

[KJE]

Wow... This would have been some awesome discussion without the putdowns.

I still say it should be one team per country, and I just figured out a couple more reasons. I don't know how many Americans even now about the Spengler Cup as there is no American team, but what it is is (is that the correct way to word this using two is's?) like the top four teams from four of the European Elite hockey leagues or something, and another team made up of European pro players that are Canadian (and some AHLers). Anywho, the story of the tournament this year was Team Canada. Every team except for Canada had NHL players on it from the 2003/2004 season. It was awesome story going through and they finished 3-1, good for third place.

And in the World Cup of Soccer (not the right term) or the Olympics (forget which one), Iraq made it to the semi-finals. Iraq, one of the most underdog teams in the tournament.

Anyway, I bolded the word underdog for a reason. What if somehow Canada or Australia (speaking of which, beat the superteam from Japan to make it to the finals in the Olympics) came up in the semi-finals and played the States, or the DR, or even Puerto Rico who I wouldn't count out, and upset them?

Underdogs are always going to appear, and they can at the World Baseball Classic. Just food for thought.

[Hugar Twriker Eats Spam]

Well what if they did a playoff game or something like that for the tourny. Like have however many teams want to sign up sign up then have them play eachother. Give each team a pre tournament ranking and have and play based on those rankings

like for example if 40 teams sign up have the 40 teams play eachother giving a grand total of 20 teams left. Then have the bottom 8 play eachother to see who remains. And all that jazz

[sahyder1]

If it's a tournament aimed at deciding which country is the best at baseball, then the organizers shouldn't take steps which compromise the idea of 1 country, 1 team, just so as to make it more media savvy. It's not like the Americans are certainly going to field the best single team anyway; giving them 2 teams just gives them 2 chances to win.

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Edited May 14, 2005 by sahyder1

[IAceI]

By saying weaken one team, by splitting them, they still have the talent to beat certain countries.

Still, it gives them an increased chance, even by weakening them. I'm sure the almighty US-of-A can beat certain countries that are in, with just however many players there are in a game of baseball, because its a much bigger sport in America.

Although Japan do own you, since they did invent the sport, right?

[Cactus Drags]

"The World Baseball Classic reflects and will demonstrate the continued growth of baseball's appeal worldwide,"

[Summers]

Anyone arguing with Dragsy's point is an idiot. We were led to believe this was a WORLD CUP. Meaning Nations would be fighting to see who the best was. Then we hear America might get more than one team. As far as a World Cup goes, that's not fair at all. It's now been said, it's not a world cup at all, which makes it a little more understandable - but I still don't agree with the whole "let's give America more teams" routine. It gives the country an easier chance of winning.

[Green Demon]

By saying weaken one team, by splitting them, they still have the talent to beat certain countries.

Still, it gives them an increased chance, even by weakening them. I'm sure the almighty US-of-A can beat certain countries that are in, with just however many players there are in a game of baseball, because its a much bigger sport in America.

Although Japan do own you, since they did invent the sport, right?

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[naiwf]

Anyone arguing with Dragsy's point is an idiot. We were led to believe this was a WORLD CUP. Meaning Nations would be fighting to see who the best was. Then we hear America might get more than one team. As far as a World Cup goes, that's not fair at all. It's now been said, it's not a world cup at all, which makes it a little more understandable - but I still don't agree with the whole "let's give America more teams" routine. It gives the country an easier chance of winning.

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[Ananas]

If it's a tournament aimed at deciding which country is the best at baseball, then the organizers shouldn't take steps which compromise the idea of 1 country, 1 team, just so as to make it more media savvy. It's not like the Americans are certainly going to field the best single team anyway; giving them 2 teams just gives them 2 chances to win.

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what can you guys not understand about dividing up a country's team actually weakens them. Same can be done with the Domincian Republic. Comparing it to the FIFA World Cup is retarded because a) Soccer has a much bigger following worldwide B) is played in more countries and c) has a different qualifying system. Iraq didn't take a deserving team out....they qualified from their region. That's how the system is.

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[Cactus Drags]

The thing is, USA could easily get compalcent at these unheard of African players, and the whole underdog thing could come into play.

[Underage Politician]

Australia has some very good players in the minors now and there are alot of countries who went very well in the Olympics that you guys have ignored completely. Just because you guys don't know their names doesn't mean they'd be terrible. I think you're under-estimating baseball's popularity. While those teams may not be as strong as the ones posted before, I doubt there would be the 21-2 trouncings you guys are predicting.

And to have two American teams would kill the credibility of the tournament. Maybe it'd make it more fun for the American's to watch, but it wouldn't be a true World Cup.

[Cactus Drags]

Are Olympic teams allowed though, seeing as they're amateur (if I remember rightly).

[sahyder1]

Are Olympic teams allowed though, seeing as they're amateur (if I remember rightly).

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[Lowerdeck]

Yeah, but some of the Olympic teams in these other countries didn't even have their own players.

Greece for example, had an American citizen playing for them. He lives in Massachusetts. His grandfather is Greek, so that's how he got to play. And there's probably more stories like that. Foreigners on the national teams.

Edited May 18, 2005 by Lowerdeck

[Green Demon]

Actually almost the entire Greek team was made up of Americans for the Olympics. Baseball isnt a very popular sport in Grecce so they had been allowed to use forigners most from the US so that the host country was able to participate in the Olympics.

[sahyder1]

100% of the Greek team was American with some sort of Greek connection a few generations ago. Olympic rules say that the host nation must be represented in every Olympic sport.....and that's why countries look up filler players.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

The Europeans, especially the Dutch are pretty good.

But we all know the truth....

JAPAN WILL WIN!

Whooooo! NI-PPON! NI-PPON!

ICH-I-RO! ICH-I-RO!

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Wow... This would have been some awesome discussion without the putdowns.

I still say it should be one team per country, and I just figured out a couple more reasons.  I don't know how many Americans even now about the Spengler Cup as there is no American team, but what it is is (is that the correct way to word this using two is's?) like the top four teams from four of the European Elite hockey leagues or something, and another team made up of European pro players that are Canadian (and some AHLers).  Anywho, the story of the tournament this year was Team Canada.  Every team except for Canada had NHL players on it from the 2003/2004 season.  It was awesome story going through and they finished 3-1, good for third place.

And in the World Cup of Soccer (not the right term) or the Olympics (forget which one), Iraq made it to the semi-finals.  Iraq, one of the most underdog teams in the tournament.

Anyway, I bolded the word underdog for a reason.  What if somehow Canada or Australia (speaking of which, beat the superteam from Japan to make it to the finals in the Olympics) came up in the semi-finals and played the States, or the DR, or even Puerto Rico who I wouldn't count out, and upset them?

Underdogs are always going to appear, and they can at the World Baseball Classic.  Just food for thought.

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That would be the WORLD CUP.

Or the Football World Cup.

Or the FIFA World Cup.

What is soccer anyways?

Iraq were more likely to make it in the Olympics as all the footy teams entered have to be either amatuar or teams like Brazil play their U23s...