Yes, we all know that - it's been discussed throughout this thread. The past several pages of this thread mentioned the conditions and the MLB insurance denials being why Correa and Altuve aren't participating.
You were saying it's not equivalent to the Olympics in terms of players wanting to represent their countries. The players disagree - they care and they want to participate. That's true regardless of whether you or I think they should or the thing should exist.
Price for who? The players and MLB (and global baseball leagues) all seem more than happy to take the risk. Altuve getting injured didn't stop him from wanting to play again this year.
Plenty of other players get injured during Spring Training and might not have had they been playing WBC. Should baseball just get rid of spring training instead?
Because it isn't. How do you know what the players feel? Ok. They want to participate. That still doesn't support your side of the debate. If I'm an owner I'm telling them that if they decide to play and get hurt then they're not getting their salary for the time they miss. Then we'll see how much they care
WBC competition in no way compares to Spring training. These guys have been playing baseball all their lives. WBC is just a few more ball games. Spring training is about developing a team. Players learning to work together with one another by learning about one another. The opportunity for that is lost by cutting out Spring training time for WBC time and pro baseball teams are in fact harmed. Timing is disrupted, injuries become more likely, smooth professional play is replaced by less productive and less safe play. I believe the simplest resolution would be to make WBC games scheduled before Spring training begins. I would go the extra step and make WBC games unpaid, thus winnowing out the money grubbing arguments.
I'm saying you simply can't compare the WBC to the Olympics. They aren't even close. Obviously guys who participate are doing so out of desire. I don't agree with it but it's not my decision. The owners though can make theirs and as a fan I don't want someone of my team getting hurt in an exhibition.
Even your average employee gets paid some or all of their salary for a period of time through the Family Medical and Leave Act if they are injured and unable to work.
Personally, I am not a fan of the WBC in its current form. If it was amateur I would like it much more. I'm just not a fan of throwing all-stars together for 2 weeks and calling them a team. Also, unlike 10 years ago, I am not a baseball fan. I'm an Astros fan. It's been years since I watched a game that the Astros weren't in. My marriage takes too much of my time for that. And I hate the additional risk for my Astros Fandom. I know I'm in the minority and the player's and many others love it. I just wait until its over watching the injury reports.
I would argue it IS the equilavent to the Olympics for baseball players - or even more so, given that Olympic baseball was largely meaningless. WBC is the largest international baseball event in the world. Similar to how the World Cup in soccer matters more to players and fans and countries than Olympic soccer. Obviously, WBC isn't as big as the World Cup due to how established that is and the sheer size of the global soccer fanbase, but it's the closest thing baseball has. But I agree with you in terms of my personal interest - I don't watch or pay attention to any of it.
I can't really do anything but speculate but it's not the Olympics or the World Cup. To me it just can't make that add up. You acknowledge that. We probably won't find common ground on what we think of it. I do appreciate you being respectful and it was a fair back and forth
The US is basically the only country that has sports that doesn’t have an almost year-round “national team obligation/schedule” as part of it. Not saying thats a bad thing… or a good thing… just that it stands out and is largely why most US fans have trouble comprehending the desire for players to participate in national team events, even at the possible risk/expense of their club team.
