Baseball Column: Columnist claims WBC brought its own March 'madness'

By Adam Bagni
Collegian Staff
March 29, 2006

I admit it. I was recently stricken with baseball’s March Madness.

Yes, there’s another massive sporting event that just took place this March, and the World Baseball Classic lived up to the billing of its organizers. It was truly a riveting, dramatic display of a tournament that eventually crowned baseball’s first world champion.

I have to admit that I was very skeptical when I first heard about this whole “WBC.” After all, the Italian team consisted of players like Mike Piazza and Frank Menechino – two guys that couldn’t speak a word of Italian if they were hit in the face with a pizza.

Add that to the fact that teams consisting of major leaguers were going to play against a bunch of amateurs from Cuba and Korea. What a joke, right?

Think again.

Korea beat the United States, and beat eventual World Champion Japan twice in the tournament. Cuba ripped its way through Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and one of the most talented teams I’ve ever seen assembled, the Dominican Republic.

Guess these guys can play.

With the whole nationality-factor added into the mix, the games were not only compelling, but took on an intense sense of urgency. I often found myself on the edge of my seat (literally), and watching in stunned disbelief as spectators at the games chanted and cheered like soccer hooligans who’ve been drinking all night.

When the United States was eliminated after a heartbreaking loss to Mexico, I was sincerely disappointed. Much to my surprise, so were my roommates. Obviously, we were very much into the Classic. As were many of the players.

“This is the greatest feeling of my career,” said United States reliever Mike Timlin. Timlin, an All-Star for the Boston Red Sox, added, “This is better than the playoffs, World Series, everything.”

Similar sentiments were also expressed by the New York Yankees third basemen, Alex Rodriguez, who also played for the USA.

“It’s a remarkable feeling,” Rodriguez said. “No words can describe it.”
Another Yankee, superstar shortstop Derek Jeter, who has won multiple MLB World Series Championships with the Bombers, was yet another U.S. player who spoke in favor of the WBC.

“I think it’s one of the greatest highlights of my career,” he said.
The next World Baseball Classic is slated for 2009, with the tournament scheduled every four years after that. I’m already excited to see if Cuba (George Mason), can make it back to the championship game (Final Four). Will Japan (UConn) be the subject of another controversial call? Can a team of youngsters, in Korea (Florida), knock off a bunch of season veterans like the United States (Villanova) again?

Look out for March Madness ’09.

bagnia1@lasalle.edu