Out-of-this-world excuses

White Sox fans are very proud of John Danks . He declined the chance to play for the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic, saying he wants to make sure he's prepared for the 2009 season.

[Patrick]

Phil, you cant say that Lance Berkman is a second tier player. He is one of the top 5 hitters in the game.

[Mark Liptak]

The WBC is a pointless joke put together by Proud To Be Your Bud.

Innings played in this farce add up come September but more importantly the pitchers have to start throwing harder and get their complete assortment of pitches earlier in the off season then normal. A week, two weeks, three weeks sooner with less of an off season also adds up.

Plus when these guys step on the field, especially the Latin American players, they have to go all out. That means pitchers trying to throw hard breaking pitches on March 3rd instead of easing into that frame of mind. That's an injury waiting to happen (ask Luis Ayala about that)

No thank you.

Personally I hope that Thornton, A.J., Quentin (especially since he broke that wrist) and Dotel all say, "thanks but no thanks."

Danks said it best. "My first obligation is to the White Sox."

Very well said.

Let the other teams supply the talent. Let the Sox keep their minds on what matters...defending their Central Division title and not on this made for TV garbage.

Mark Liptak

[Wait till 2108]

The WBC is never going to attract all the top talent each country can offer. Frankly, there isn't a good time to hold it -- as it stands now, players are afraid of late season burnout from the added pre-season grind. Moving it to the end of the season makes no sense as everyone is completely cashed from the 162 game (more if you happen to be in the playoffs) schedule. Putting it in the middle of the season makes some sense, but its obvious that no contender will let any of its top talent participate in a late June/July WBC.

Pitchers are especially wary of injury, and its unrealistic to think the majority of them would like to significantly alter their pre-season schedule. It might be best to leave the Olympics to sort out which country has the best talent in a given year.

[Nora]

Um, Mauer had surgery in Dec. not Oct. That is quite a typo. LOL

[Mark Liptak]

Phil and everyone else:

You may want to read this ESPN story by Peter Gammons:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index...

Mark LIptak

[Big D]

Let's scrap the whole thing and start the MLB regular season a week earlier.

[The Capitalist]

Given that the players' association wasn't the group that originally came up with this lame-a$$ed concept, I'm curious why, exactly, wonks like Phil think that a player declining an invite to play is some kind of affront to baseball??

Bottom line, Phil: The players should play for one team -- the one that pays them. This isn't the freaking Olympics.

[Jamie Driscoll]

Bottom line: Who cares about the WBC?

"major-league dugouts and front offices are populated by far too many short-sighted, self-interested players and executives" may or may not be accurate, but not having a desire to play in the WBC does not factor in as criteria to your argument. Bud started the WBC and somehow that obligates players to play for their country? Come on Phil, are you this desperate for material?

[WHATEVER]

This may be the worst column I have ever read.

[Chris]

Are you kidding me? Harden can barely make it through a regular season without landing on the DL. There is no way that he could pitch in the WBC and then make it through a whole season without it affecting him.

There is all the talk about the Cubs maybe getting Peavy. Well be glad he already said no to the WBC, if the Cubs do aquire him. After he pitched in the WBC the last time, he had a crappy year (for him), which is why he's saying no this time. He knows it affected him, and he doesn't want it to happen again.

[Art]

Are you crazy? There is absolutly no (none!) reward for winning the WBC. Short sighted?! Who are you kidding, it is the Whote Sox and Cubs who pays these guys, and as such they should report to spring training for those teams. If you want country dominance, petition the Olympics to re-include baseball. Maybe I'm wrong, but I belive that the first WBC cost the Sox a chance at repeating, given what Garcia and Vasquez had to throw in April. The WBC is pointless, stupid, offers no material reward (fukudome is no better in the NL because Japan won in 06), and both sides of town should be glad their aces said, "No."

[Steve]

The Capitalist wrote:

The players should play for one team -- the one that pays them. This isn't the freaking Olympics.

Someone thinks that in some parallel universe baseball's as big as football. Until more than a dozen countries prominently play baseball, it will never approach football as the world's biggest sport.

In England, the top teams (and thus, players) compete in four competitions simultaneously. Their 39-game season (remember, they run with only a 15 minute break and 3 non-reversible substitutions for 90 minutes) is augmented by the League Cup, FA Cup, and Champions League. THEN, every alternating two years there's the World Cup vs. European Cup/African Cup Of Nations/Copa America.

Bottom line? Baseball players are nancys.

[Tyler]

I really would like to know why anyone would want to play in this World Baseball garbage.

The Cub players need to worry about the world series. The risk reward is huge. The risk is that you get injured and are done for the year, the reward the clown commissioner will come to your house and give you a kiss for playing is this joke.

Also I do not want to hear the idea that oh well people get hurt in spring training. Do you honestly think that the manager of the Venezuela cares if Zambrano pulls a mussel? And will watch him like the Cubs would? If you do, you are a moron.

GET RID OF THE WBC!

[Tyler]

Until more than a dozen countries prominently play baseball, it will never approach football as the world's biggest sport.
In England, the top teams compete in four competitions simultaneously. Their 39-game season (remember, they run with only a 15 minute break and 3 non-reversible substitutions for 90 minutes) is augmented by the League Cup, FA Cup, and Champions League. THEN, every alternating two years there's the World Cup vs. European Cup/African Cup Of Nations/Copa America.
Bottom line? Baseball players are nancys.

First of all the sport is called soccer, and second it is the world's lamest sport.

[CaptainObvious]

This Bud Selig WBC folly is ridiculous, Phil. While you're fooled into thinking it's something special, the fans in this country aren't. It hinders teams' spring preparation. You probably like Bud's hair-brained idea that the All-Star Game winner get home field in the World Series, too.

[Mr Z]

Hey Phil, when you're going to list spring training injuries of the past, make sure you know what you're talking about. In '97 Ventura broke his ankle sliding into home, not the leg. I was just a kid and I remember that. Also, the WBC is never going to be very big amongst MLB players. Guys are going to continue to decline the invitations to play, as they probably should. A big part of spring training is practicing as a team, and especially with new players on the roster every season, it bodes well for the big name players to be there and meet there new teammates so they can build a better clubhouse in regards to chemistry.

[John Anthony]

Maybe DLee can work on not hitting into a doubleplay every other at bat...

[Art]

Steve, you said until a dozen (12) countries play baseball...well, okay.

Lets see, the USA, Canada, Japan, DR (Dominican Republic), Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Columbia and Korea are the countries which have the most Major Leaguers today. If you want to count India (the Pirates) and South Africa (the last of which have players on Major League Rosters), then you have 12. Or one dozen. So, shut up, and know your facts. The WBC is a pointless marketing exercise created by Bud Selig. There is not a single Manager or General Manager in MLB Baseball today that likes the thing, and no fan should either.

[Art]

I owe Steve an apology, he said until MORE than a dozen (12) countries play baseball...alrighty.

Let's count the 12 I listed already, and include...I don't know...Australia, then you've got over a dozen. So, again, you're point is invalid. And besides that, baseball has been, historically, an American (meaning of the USA) game. The fact is, the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox, Angels, Rays, Blue Jays, Rangers, Pirates, Reds, Dodgers, Giants, Dbacks, etc pay these guys, so their (the players) first obligation is to those clubs. I agree with Tyler, although I think soccer takes undeniable skill and endurance, NO ONE IN THIS COUNTRY OR ANY OTHER BASEBALL CRAZY COUNTRY WANTS TO WATCH IT!!!!! It's a ridiculous exercise. Period, paragraph.

[Allman]

Hey, its easy to pick on Danks, but the facts of life are, who cares. This is another money making idea for what is really a dying sport.
Like it or not, MLB's TV rating trail the NBA Finals which has almost no interest at all!
I give credit ot danks & the other players who say, why should I do this?