Why do Americans Ignore World Baseball Classic?

The World Baseball Classic, a tournament hosting the world’s finest international ball players, gathering up for their country to find what nation is the best in America’s pastime. As the tournament continues to spew potential headline stories following the upsets of the U.S. and Cuba, America has ignored the tournament for the most part. The morning after the Dominican Republic sent the U.S into a do-or-die matchup against Puerto Rico, the Contra Costa Times neglected the story, seeing an article on the hurt shoulder of the Giants’ backup catcher Hector Sanchez was worthy of the front page. The Times deferred the Dominican’s win over the Americans to the back page, sharing a section with figure skating and motor sports. Yet as a young inspiring journalist, I’m curious as to know why the Americans ignore such an intriguing event as the WBC.

Why do Americans Ignore the World Baseball Classic?

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Why do Americans Ignore the World Baseball Classic?

Each game possesses a game 7 feel, each player, having a new desire to win not for the organization that pays the bills, but for the country that they and every fan derives from. A tournament whose final, is being held in the city by the bay, San Francisco. So why is America shunning the WBC? Because America already has the best league in the world and has enough baseball already. If you don’t believe America thinks that way, then why final series of the year in the MLB called the World Series, when it only hosts American teams. Yet the U.S is forgetting one important aspect of the league. 28.4 percent of the players on the opening day rosters of 2012 were foreign born according to an article published by MLB.COM. That is 243 players, including guys like Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera and Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano.

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Tim Fuller/USA TODAY SportsMiguel Cabrera (left) was honored by MLB commissioner Bud Selig before Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday night for his Triple Crown win.

The MLB, would only be a fraction of what it is now without the help of all the foreign ballplayers that each team has. With the U.S being ousted from the tournament by Puerto Rico, an international team will be taking the title as the World’s best baseball team, and the country that boasts the best league, will watch the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Japan or the Dominican Republic win it, in their own country.

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