Major League Baseball Needs To Take World Baseball Classic More Serious If Team USA Is To Win

Team USA lost in the World Baseball Classic for the second straight edition. Admittedly, in the 2023 one, they lost to an excellent Japan side. However, in this one, it was set up for the team to win it all. Yes, credit is due where it's deserved as Venezuela absolutely won it fair and square and congratulations to them, but USA should have won this tournament. There's a reason why team USA didn't win this (aside from a terrible manager) and that reason is Major League Baseball doesn't take this tournament as serious as it should. That might sound ridiculous considering some of the players who were on the team, but let's be realistic, unless USA lost to Dominican Republic in the semi finals, there was no reason for them to lose this WBC.

First and foremost, no disrespect to Nolan McLean, but Tarik Skubal should have taken the mound that game. That's where the beginning of my argument begins. I understand that with Skubal in his contract year and being the ace of the Detroit Tigers that he doesn't want to risk injury, but that sounds like a lame excuse. Personally, he should have pitched against Mexico instead of against Great Britain, but once Skubal committed to pitching for USA, then he should have pitched at any point in the tournament. In every other sport, especially in soccer and rugby, there isn't a club that won't allow their player to play in the World Cup especially in a "contract year". If that player gets injured in the World Cup, while it sucks, it doesn't affect much. The same should be said here and that's why Skubal should have pitched. If anything, it benefits Skubal to pitch in the WBC in a contract year as it helps him face some great hitters in a tune up before the season. It helps better prepare Skubal for the season and the Tigers benefit from that as well.

While a good chunk of stars are starting to take this tournament more serious, it's still not the best of the best. Japan doesn't have that issue as all their players from the Nippon League and few MLB guys are going to play. Dominican Republic doesn't have that issue as their players know the risk and they absolutely want to play. Same goes for Venezuela, South Korea, Mexico, Cuba, and Chinese Taipei. Puerto Rico had players wanting to play too, but couldn't because of insurance reasons (which is another reason MLB needs to take this seriously). That speaks volumes! Heck, even Australia is doing the same. Italy recruited so many guys with Italian heritage to play in the WBC and they have boosted interest in the sport just because of the run they went on. Yes, USA had a good chunk of amazing players and still could have won with this crop of players, but this roster could have been even more scary and deep if MLB took it more seriously.

And if they really actually wanted to take this seriously, please for the love of god don't have Mark DeRosa manage the team. It's clear that DeRosa has no clue how to manage. It was clearly all for show as DeRosa probably assumed with the talent he had that he could just coast to a title. You literally can't. It was clear DeRosa was doing this out of fun while taking it "seriously" when he made a mockery of himself chatting with his friends on MLB Network and saying that him and the team wanted to beat Italy, but were already on to the next round so the team sent out that night wasn't going to be the best possible fielded side. That wasn't true, there was still a chance USA could have been eliminated in group stage and it almost happened when Italy crushed them and then a game between Mexico and Italy decided USA's future. USA finished second in the group and advanced, but it shouldn't have come down to that as they got lucky.

Then there is the bullpen management and lineup decisions. Let's look at the lineup decisions, why would you bench Gunnar Henderson, who was hot in the WBC, for Alex Bregman? Yes, Bregman is a better player, but you go with your hotter player. Why play Paul Goldschmidt at all in games where it's going to be a close one as DeRosa knew Italy had some legit talent there? Start Ernie Clement over Brice Turang against Italy who is clearly a better player? Why start Will Smith over Cal Raleigh in the Championship game? There are ways to play guys in the lineup, but not quite like that. As for bullpen management, yikes! The amount of times Garrett Whitlock was used was way too much as he pitched in every game in the elimination stage. DeRosa clearly doesn't understand matchups as he had a wealth of arms to play with like David Bednar, Jeff Hoffman, Clay Holmes, Brad Keller, Griffin Jax, Gabe Speier, Michael Wacha, Will Vest, Tyler Rogers, and Ryan Yarbrough and with everyone on board, you as a manager should have no problem mixing and matching. Now this one is not necessarily on DeRosa, but he was asked by the San Diego Padres to not use Mason Miller, in the WBC Final, unless he was needed. So Whitlock was needed more than Miller when the game was just tied up? Come on!

Having a MLB club dictate how to use a player such as both Skubal and Miller still shows how little the league cares about the tournament. You commit to the team, then team you play for should know the risks, no limitations. Imagine Bayern Munich telling England how to play Harry Kane. That would be laughable. Another reason why MLB doesn't take the WBC seriously is pitch limits. It's understandable in group stage, but it doesn't in the elimination round.

The WBC is honestly one of the absolute best sporting events. American baseball fans and MLB need to realize this. If this was taken more seriously, Americans would love this tournament. Team USA should dominate this in every edition. Losing to Venezuela sucks, but they were the better side that game. Baseball is a funny game as the best team doesn't always win on certain nights and that's why playoff baseball is so much fun. While this is a different situation, same concept. But, the absolute best American players should play for USA and expectations should be high. If that's the case, multiple titles are expected. That being said, as outlined, until MLB takes this tournament seriously, more disappointing results like this will happen. There is nothing more exciting than rooting for your country. You should want the best players playing for your team. That should be so exciting for Americans to watch, but yet this country still does not value the WBC like they should thus why the MLB doesn't. If you actually sit down and watch the games and see the drama behind it, it's hands down more exciting than even the World Cup (HOT TAKE!). If we want to see USA win another WBC title, then MLB needs to take this event more seriously and market it better, because this is a really fun and amazing tournament. Otherwise, it would be insulting to the people who actually love and appreciate it the most.