Throughout the offseason, CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly striker around the round table in almost everything. The latest news, a historical question, reflections on the future of baseball, all kinds of things. Last week, we discussed the future of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. This week, we will approach an MLB version of the confrontation of the 4 NHL nations.
Should MLB hold World Baseball Classic during the stars break such as the confrontation of the 4 NHL nations? What would be the best format?
RJ Anderson: I agree with the World Baseball Classic remaining in the spring – quite simply, it is good to have a significant baseball before the opening day.
Beyond that, there are a lot of logistical problems that arise from trying it to move the whole tournament to the stars break. It takes about two weeks, from start to finish, and there is no chance that the MLB (among other leagues) is closing its schedule. You might say that they divided the tournament in two: hold the pool game in the spring, then the quarter -finals during the summer.
This scenario seems more feasible (it would still take a few days of leave more than the league generally allows it), but I think there are consequences that deserve to be highlighted: for beginners, you must worry about The player’s injury during the first half of the first half of the first half of the first half of the first half of the first half of the regular season, weakening the teams passing through the direct elimination phase; You should also worry about the withdrawal of players, either to get a break in season, or, if their teams were unexpectedly, to focus on the race for the playoffs.
Maybe I overestimate these risks – NHL has always organized a fun tournament despite the same potential drawbacks – but I think MLB has a good thing with WBC and I’m not sure there is a real incentive Bring radical changes to this point.
Matt Snyder: I think the two events are perfectly well where they are. I realize that there are people who are frank against the two events, but that does not mean that they speak for everyone. Many people exactly appreciate what they are.
I also think that RJ makes an incredibly important point, namely that the stars break is in fact only a few days and that WBC as a whole cannot be played within this period. This means that we would be forced to start the tournament and go to the last four teams before taking an entire break until the stars break. The teams could be completely different in mid-July and any momentum of the previous towers will have been completely lost.
Everything is not for everyone. Some people do not like WBC or All-Star game. That’s life. Both can continue to live as they are.
Dayn Perry: I agree that it is like that. There is no ideal solution in terms of planning, but hitting a break in the middle of the season seems to be a great demand for the players and the assertive teams. The levels of participation between American launchers will probably be a problem, no matter when you hold the tournament. Keep him like that. It works quite well and it is gaining popularity.
Mike Axisa: No, leave the WBC where it is. 4 nations were explosive because it is a better event, not because of the moment it takes place. Give me a great big team of 20 teams in March. MLB has the best All-Star game of the four major North American sports in part because it is a small commitment (go launch your round or get your two at-bats, that’s all) and I do not see the need to replace it with anything. WBC is very fun. I wouldn’t like it. The All-Star game does not need to be “fixed” anyway.
To speak, an MLB version of 4 nations could be eight teams divided into two supports. Play a round to decide the two best teams in each medium. These teams play a game to decide the support winner, then the two victors of the deletion meet in the 4 nations 8 Game Championship nations. The calendar might look like this:
- Days 1-3: Games in the Round (six in total, two days)
- Day 4: The two games of the support winners
- Day 5: Day off
- Day 6: Championship match between two support winners
Canada, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the United States are obvious candidates to be the eight teams (sorry for Australia, Cuba and Taiwan). Japan and South Korea are very in international competition and would probably arouse their regular seasons for an event of the 8 nations. The other six teams could easily fill lists using MLB and triple A players.
Maybe you could press it in an eight-day break, although the more likely MLB should book nine or 10 days, and it is an eternity of baseball. The players complain about the Wild Card Bye series which considerably improves their ratings of the World Series! In addition, it would be difficult to align with pitch. If Team USA wants Tarik Skubal to be their AS, but he does not align himself in the Pitch 1 match of the Robin round, then the championship match, difficult. The confrontation of the 4 NHL nations was an explosion. I don’t think MLB needs its own version. WBC is as it is. (Now, if you want to talk about an MLB version of the NBA Cup, I’m all ears.)
