For all the complaints about Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, the arguments about whether or not it should matter, the inability to play it as a true game (and end up with ties because both teams ran out of players), the World Baseball Classic is the perfect alternative.
Especially with the top teams in this year’s World Baseball Classic, fans are offered the best of both worlds: all-star teams assembled of players that are playing as hard as they can and all-star games played with the passion of postseason baseball games.
The Dominican Republic beat the United States of America 7-5 on Saturday night, and the emotion shown from the DR players made fans yearn for the playoffs, or at least it should have.
There are still the underdogs stories many fans love, as Israel went 3-0 in pool play behind the trusty old right arm of Jason Marquis (remember him?). Puerto Rico notched an exciting win over Mexico.
The USA needs a win on Sunday against Canada, as chaos is possible in Pool C. Colombia is facing the DR, looking for a win to stay alive.
With the DR 2-0, USA and Colombia 1-1 and Canada 0-2, a Colombia win over the DR could present a three-way tie if the USA wins as well.
Here’s what MLB.com’s Andrew Simon said regarding a tiebreak situation.
The WBC is much more competitive than spring training, and should give baseball fans their fix of intense action until the MLB season starts.
Give it a chance, if you haven’t already.
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