The World Baseball Classic’s All-Tournament team was announced yesterday.
Only one member of Team USA made the team. Was it Derek Jeter? Surely someone who would start over an MVP at shortstop would make the all-tournament team right?
Nope. Jimmy Rollins was the lone representative of Team USA on the team. After going 4-4 in the semifinal loss to Japan and hitting .417 overall with one HR and four RBIs, he deserved to be named to this team. He also tied for the tournament lead with four stolen bases.
It’s an absolute traveshamockery that Derek Jeter started over J-Roll in the semifinal game. Jeter shouldn’t have started over him during any game in the Classic. Rollins is simply the better player. Jeter may have been the best shortstop in baseball a few years ago, but not now.
The way Davey Johnson managed this team just showed how little he cared to win. He put Jeter in over Rollins simply because he was the captain and promised Jeter that he would start. Bullshit. Rollins is just as much, if not more, of a leader than Jeter.
Johnson also pinch hit Evan “Eva” Longoria for Shane Victorino because he felt bad that Longoria drove all the way down to Miami on short notice, so he wanted to get him an at-bat. Screw that. Play to win, not to satisfy the players.
That is what ultimately doomed this team. They were managed in order not to hurt any egos. The US Olympic basketball program had similar problems a few years ago but have now righted the ship and only bring players who want to be there and want to win. The players on the US basketball team are committed to it and want to win, even if they don’t start or play very often. The US needs to bring that attitude over to the baseball team.
I really, really want the World Baseball Classic to succeed, but it won’t if people in the United States don’t get behind it. If the team doesn’t treat the Classic with respect and play to win every game, then I don’t blame people for not supporting it. Anyone who watched the WBC final last night between Japan and Korea noticed how much different those two teams treated the Classic. They were emotionally involved the entire game and wanted to win for their country, not for themselves. It was incredible.
If Team USA could learn one thing from this Classic, it would be to watch how that final game was played and try to get players that will show the same emotion and committment to the games. Unless the US stops treating this as an “exhibition,” it will be doomed to failure.
-KK
