by Christopher Della Valle

Created on: March 24, 2009   Last Updated: March 26, 2009

There are many reasons why I fell in love with the World Baseball Classic and find it so enjoyable. First off, it gives baseball fans something to watch other than less than exciting spring training games. I know that spring training is a necessary evil which allows players to wake up from their hibernation and get back into baseball shape, but the players don't show that same excitement they do when the calender changes from March to April. With the WBC however there's excitement from the get-go. Players aren't playing for individual stats or the next big endorsement deal, but something even more important, their country, and when a bunch of guys get together with a common goal, great things can happen. Who would have thought that the Netherlands, a team full of prospects and people past their prime, would be able to beat the baseball juggernaut known as the Dominican Republic. Beating the mighty Dominican team once would be considered a success for the Netherlands, but when they beat team "Super Stars" twice to move on to the next round, it felt like I was watching the David and Goliath story unfold before my very eyes.

Another reason why the WBC is so enjoyable is due to the fact that baseball fanatics can put aside their regular season rivalries and root for the home team. Just in my close net group of friends we have a Chicago Cub fan, a White Sox fan, a Yankee Fan, a Red Sox fan, a Padre fan, and a Dodger fan. But all differences are put aside when team USA takes the field. It was nice not to argue why my team is better than yours, why the Yankees are good/bad for baseball, and will the Cubs ever win a World Series, but to just root together as fans of our country and our game.

Finally it shows that even though baseball is no longer America's past time, it has a chance to become the world's past time. Now I don't want all of you soccer hooligans reading this to get upset and track me down to give me a piece of your mind, cause you're a soccer fan, you're going to need even piece of your mind just to keep from drooling =) I understand that soccer is still the world's sport, but with the WBC's popularity and success growing it won't be to long before there is a changing of the guard. Maybe in the next 10 to 15 years WBC tickets might be just as difficult to get as World Cup tickets.

(Ha Ha I just realized there was no way a soccer hooligans would be upset after reading this, THEY CAN'T EVEN READ!)

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