2008 Woodie Awards
World Baseball Classic
Pride and passion on full display
Lauren Rippee, Staff Writer
Issue date: 3/15/06 Section: Sports
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The first annual International baseball tournament, which kicked off the weekend of Mar. 3-4 features some of these all-star players. The WBC has been in planning for over two years and is set to be held every four years from here on out. This is the first international baseball tournament to feature major-league players and has replaced Major League Baseball participation in the summer olympics because the games conflicted with the major league season.
The landmark field of countries invited to the tournament includes Australia, Canada, China, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Chinese Tai pei, the United States and Venezuela.
Commissioner Bud Selig hopes that the tournament will increase worldwide exposure for this great American sport and also promote development of baseball in countries where the game is less known.
In front of 32,737 fans on day one of the WBC, team USA showed their talent in Phoneix Arizona, where they took on team Mexico and walked away with a 2-0 victory. Bay Area players Huston Street (Oakland A's) and Randy Winn (SF Giants) join east coast all-stars Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez and Johnny Damon to make up a team who is well put together not only on the basis of talent, but personality as well.
Team USA showed the world what luminary players can do when put together, as Jake Peary (San Diego Padres) and Mike Timlin (Boston Red Sox) were the first of seven pitchers to shut down the Mexicans on merely four hits. Derek Lee (Chicago Cubs) stirred up the U.S. offense with a fourth inning homerun off Mexico starter Rodrigo Lopez. Though both teams were hoping for a win in their opening games, the World Baseball Classic is mostly about the love of the sport and expressing pride for the participating countries. The USA team certainly did this as they signed autographs and posed for pictures after the game. Alex Rodriguez even had his own cheering section from the Mexican community who wildly cheered "A-Rod" every time he came up to bat.
"I wasn't really excited coming here, but now I am very excited. Once you get here, you realize how important it is and how special it is. I'm very proud to be wearing this uniform. It's going to be a great event," said Rodriguez in an interview with the Associated Press.
Though two players have gone to represent the Bay Area, it was initially supposed to be three. San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds pulled out of the baseball classic in January, saying that he didn't want to risk an injury that could jeopardize what might be his final season with the Giants.
"I would like to see him play and represent our country, but I understand his mind is focused on the season and winning the championship in his final season," said Giants fan Matt Means.
And it looks as though team USA could have used Bonds' help during a first round game versus team Canada on Wednesday Mar 7. Adam Loewen, a 21-year-old lefty got the win for Canada, giving up only three hits and three walks, and didn't allow a run in over three innings. Jason Varitek's grand slam helped bring the US back after losing 8-0 for most of the game, but Canada's team, made up of mostly minor league players, was able to hold onto the win and walk away with an 8-6 victory.
After round one of the tournament, teams will be ranked by winning percentage, with the top two teams in each of the four pools moving on to round two. The finals will be held at Petco Park on March 20. All three games in San Diego are already sold out.