World Baseball Classic Vote

According to this it didn't go well with players.

Union representative Atsuya Furuta said:

"The WBC represents an effort to build a tournanment like soccer's World Cup, but in it's current form it has too many problematic isssues for us. As a result, we will not take part.

Furuta went on to continue:

"Since the Olympics have unfortunately decided not to continue baseball, this idea for a world tournament like soccer's World Cup is very important."

"The owners have agreed to participate, but we cannot."

Furuta went onto to say the problem with the WBC isn't the concept, but the unilateral nature of the touranment's organization and a March timeframe. Both of these points are ones I strongly agree with Furuta on.

Furuta went onto say about the problem of the WBC:

"If you look at soccer's World Cup you see a tournament that gets everyone excited, We have to think of promoting along these lines. Something for the whole baseball world."

Also, Furuta said "But as we see it, this touranment principally serves the long interests of major leagues. They are organizing with their future in mind."

About the March timeline Furuta said: "It's not just Japanese players who are troubled by this, It will be a problem for the players in the majors to prepare as well."

"A lot of MLB players are justifably concerned about hurting their teams chances in the season with an injury in March."

"Perhaps, having the qualifying round would be OK, if we could have the main event in July or August after soccer's World Cup in June. That would be attractive."

About the success of the WBC, Furuta said:

"Don't get us wrong. We believe an international touranment is vital. But if you're aren't going to make something good, then it has no meaning."

"This isn't just about Japanese players but about our concerns about the touranment. We have high hopes for it. We just can't take part in it as it stands now."

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20050723TDY24002.htm

If the Japanese players will not take part in the WBC in its current form, what about foreign players who play in Japan? For example, would Jeff Williams be able to play in the classic for the Australian team if he wants to?

Also, what do people think about the chances that MLB will change some aspects of the classic to suit Japan?

> If the Japanese players will not take part in the WBC
> in its current form, what about foreign players who
> play in Japan? For example, would Jeff Williams be
> able to play in the classic for the Australian team
> if he wants to?
>
> Also, what do people think about the chances that MLB
> will change some aspects of the classic to suit
> Japan?

About Jeff Williams and other foreign players, because there some from Venezuela like Alex Cabrera, and Panama like Segiugnol and Zuleta. If the NPB teams object I don't see they won't probably play.

About, making the WBC a success it needs to be put in control of a independent organization or MLB needs to give the other countries a lot more say than what they are getting currently. MLB, NPB, KBO, and the CPBL all need to be involved and have the same voice, not MLB dicating the WBC.

The March timeline, like Furuta said is a problem. Maybe we should hold the preliminaries in March, but then play the championship in July. The All Star Game has really started to get boring these days. The fact of home-field advantage is getting boring, anyway the touranment only comes once every four years. So we only miss 1 All Star Game every 4 years.

Also the WBC should be played also in Tokyo, Seoul, Mexico City, San Juan, and Taipei too in the years to come. I want to see the WBC go international with their commitment.

> About Jeff Williams and other foreign players,
> because there some from Venezuela like Alex Cabrera,
> and Panama like Segiugnol and Zuleta. If the NPB
> teams object I don't see they won't probably play.

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you are saying here... Also, I am looking for some official answer (and perhaps a source) regarding the foreign players. Yoroshiku.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you are saying here"

I saying that if a NPB team objects to say Jeff Williams playing for Australia for example, he won't play. I can't see NPB being forced to allow foreigm players to be forced to play in the WBC if the teams object.

Here's a FAQ on the WBC.

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/wbc/faq.jsp

Nilsson signed a special contract with Chunichi that allowed him to leave the team during the Sydney Olympics so he could participate in it. Barring something like that, I don't see any NPB players participating in WBC.

But then again, this time it's the players opposed to it and not the owners. And I don't know whether foreign players are in the player's association.

"And I don't know whether foreign players are in the player's association."

Only one foreign player to my knowledge that's eliglible for the JBPBA is Tuffy Rhodes . A foreign player has to be on the top team for 10 years(150 days) to register for free agency, if I'm not mistaken.

http://www.japanesebaseball.com/forum/thread.jsp?forum=1&thread=3515

According to a post I posted earlier about Tuffy Rhodes being able to join the JBPBA, Garland-san answered saying according to Japanese reports Rhodes is eligible to join the JBPBA. I'm interested in knowing if Tuffy Rhodes is in the JBPBA or not.

http://www.japanesebaseball.com/forum/thread.jsp?forum=2&thread=5272

My coment on this subject, is that like me, a lot of people are upset with the voting that happened with the league and the players in Japan. As everybody knows, Japanese players and their league are one of the best in the world. And without them the tournoment will not be the same. As a baseball fan, we want our sport to be better and better every single day.

In the last 20 years here in Mexico, baseball has lost interest in our contry, and soccer has grown in big steps. With this Classic we feel that baseball can be again the rei de los deportes, which means "king of sports" or in North America, "the American passtime." I know that in Japan baseball is the number one sport, over soccer or over any sport. But with this kind of negative attitude from the players' union, I feel that Japan's baseball players are turning their backs on baseball.

Here in Mexico we are dreaming to have our best ball players together on the same team. That's the same felling in all of Latin America, in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Panama. And I can bet that you guys, the fans in Japan, would like to see your best players on the same team, in a battle with the best players in the world.

I know this is the first time tournament. There are a lot of questions like "Are there going to be injuries?", bla bla bla. Yes, it's a big concern for everyone. But the only way to see if this World Baseball Classic will have succes is by playing the tournement. I hope you guys will give it a try.

If you think that you have on of the best leagues and have, without any doubt, some of the best players in the world, prove it by playing in the tournament.

The moment MLB forgets about making money and making this an actual international event, that's when I'll agree with it. Take for instance, they are trying to dictate which teams players are going to play for! Like Alex Rodriguez, he is Dominican, but they want him to play for the U.S.

Make it about baseball, and I bet the whole world will support it.

LET'S GO TIGERS!

First, the World Baseball Classic right now is a failure due to MLB and the MLBPA's insistence on taking the majority of the profit.

Second, without Japan's involvement in the touranment next year, this World Baseball Classic might as well not take place. This tournament isn't even representative of the best baseball in the world right now.

Third, like Furuta said, this tournament needs to be played in July, the preliminaries can be played in March. To make the finals we can either cancel an All Star game once every four years or play it in August. The idea of missing one MLB All Star Game every four years wouldn't hurt to me, as the games have became increasingly boring with the idea of playing for home-field advantage. Also, if the tournament was held in July, foreign leagues wouldn't miss their All Star games, as they tended to be holded toward the end of the month.

Fourth, like Furuta said, MLB and the MLBPA are doing this tournament with their interest in mind and no one else's right now. This is how MLB acts, and always has acted. It looks like someone has finally stood up to them. I'm glad Furuta and the JBPBA took a stand and turned down the World Baseball Classic for what is it right now, corrupt and completely in favor of MLB and it's player's assocation.

To close out my opinion, I see the World Baseball Classic as a highly unsuccessful event in 2006, and as a highly unsuccessful one in the future if MLB doesn't get their act together. Sharing power isn't one thing Major League Baseball likes to do.

John, be honest - sharing power isn't something anyone likes to do! One need only look as far as the neighborhood newsstand and Nabetsune's Yomiuri Shinbun on its shelves to see that.

It seems easy to dismiss MLB's desires to have A-Rod play for the US, but why should players be stuck performing for the countries of their citizenship? I don't want this tournament to turn into jingoistic nationalism. Why not let the players play for any coutry where they've played baseball? Julio Zuleta and Tuffy Rhodes for Japan if they wish; Ichiro can represent either the US or Japan, etc., etc.

Exacerbating national rivalries, especially in these days of China railing against Japan and Europe, sneering at George W. Bush and all things American, is something we need less of, not more. The fact that a player can move far from one's home, excel in that city, and bring joy to millions of its fans is one of the game's greatest strengths.

Look at Sammy Sosa and Chicago (well, leave out 2004) and see how much the fans came to love him. And now we want to split these clubs up and send the players off to play for the nation named on their government-issued passports? No, thanks. Give the players some freedom as to which country to represent, or have a championship involving the club champions from each country (with the players hailing from wherever they happen to come from), or don't bother at all.

- sharing power isn't something anyone likes to do! One need only look as far as the neighborhood newsstand and Nabetsune's Yomiuri Shinbun on its shelves to see that.

I am well aware that Nabestune doesn't like power sharing any more than MLB likes power sharing in this WBC. All I have to do is read the Yomiuri Shimbun and see this. If Nabestune was a table in power at this WBC, I would object just as much as MLB.

- It seems easy to dismiss MLB's desires to have A-Rod play for the US, but why should players be stuck performing for the countries of their citizenship?

This is where this tournament turns into a big mess. When MLB tries to dictate what country A-Rod can play for, how can we say it's representative of a true world championship? Alex Rodriguez asked to play for his country of origin which is the Dominican Republic. MLB commissioner Bud Selig will get the final say in whether he gets to or not, which I don't think this is fair.

This was one of Bobby Valentine's concerns about the WBC, nationalism [Link - The Japan Times]. I didn't think much about it until now. Though now, I am wondering about it. I can't stand political statements at sports matches either. America doesn't need anymore negative attitude towards our athletes either. I'm not so sure if we will see that here as it takes place in the US.

- John, be honest - sharing power isn't something anyone likes to do! One need only look as far as the neighborhood newsstand and Nabetsune's Yomiuri Shinbun on its shelves to see that.

In world competitions that is exactly what happens. When Japan takes part in world competitions it follows internationally recognised rules which have been drawn up by internationally recognised sports bodies made up of sports organisations sharing power. That is the only way a successful world tournament works.

- It seems easy to dismiss MLB's desires to have A-Rod play for the US, but why should players be stuck performing for the countries of their citizenship? I don't want this tournament to turn into jingoistic nationalism. Why not let the players play for any coutry where they've played baseball? Julio Zuleta and Tuffy Rhodes for Japan if they wish; Ichiro can represent either the US or Japan, etc., etc.

Your second point demonstrates the whole amateur nature of MLBs approach. Most atheletes are proud to play for their countries, considering it the highest honour they can attain. However, in certain circumstances, some may want to play for other countries. In this case most international sports bodies have eligibility rules. These allow people to play for other countries providing they meet certain requirements. Your suggestion of a free for all would mean that the best players would chose to play for the richest country and the lesser countries would lose out. I am afraid that is not acceptable for a fair world tournament.

A healthy love for your country is not a bad thing, and it is better to have any rivalries played out on the sports field than in more serious arenas. An international tournament is meant to bring together the best each country has to offer and pit them against each other in a higher competitive environment. It is also meant to promote the highest sporting ideals - to bring people together - and this is something that the MLB has no understanding or conception of.

- Like Alex Rodriguez, he is Dominican, but they want him to play for the U.S.

He was born in New York.

-- Like Alex Rodriguez, he is Dominican, but they want him to play for the U.S.

- He was born in New York.

My man, I was born in NYC, but nobody can tell me I'm not Dominican. I love the U.S. I even served in the Marine Corps. But it is my choice to claim what I want, isn't that what America is all about? Freedoom? Yeah right!

This whole tournament is about MLB making money. What if there were no prizes, and ALL the revenue went to helping young baseball players in poor countries? Would we even be mentioning having a tournament?

P.S. I don't like Bud Selig.

LETS GO TIGERS!

This tournamnent has already failed because of MLB's and the MLBPA's insistence on taking the majority of the profits and having the majority say. Other countries and their leagues don't have a fair say, or any say for that matter. We don't even have revenue sharing data of how money will be split between countries participating. MLB is the one dictating the shots here, and so far, hasn't cared what anyone else has said.

Alex Rodriguez might be born in the United States, but is of Dominican descent. And if he wants to play for the Dominican Republic, I can't see why Bud Selig would even have a say otherwise. It's like telling Moises Alou, "Moises you can't play for the Dominican because you were born in Atlanta."

Does this mean that the Japanese team in the WBC (if no new resolution can be reached) will consist of players under contract with MLB teams and amateurs?

- Does this mean that the Japanese team in the WBC (if no new resolution can be reached) will consist of players under contract with MLB teams and amateurs?

Right now it's unsure if Japan will play in the WBC or not. MLB hasn't made an announcement on the situation. There has been talk that they might just field a team of Japanese MLB players and amateurs, but I doubt that plan will go far. It's very unlikely in my mind Japan will play at the WBC. MLB really dropped the ball here with their power hungry approach in my opinion.

The Asian round of the WBC will probably now take place in Taiwan now that Japan isn't in it. Taiwan volunteered to host the Asian round if Japan dropped out.

We finally got an update on the WBC and Japan's participation. The ownership groups and players' unions are talking, and are trying to reach an agreement on the tournament. I certainly hope they make it happen. I think this can be a lot of fun, not to mention a good excuse to take a vacation in Japan for a while. [Full Story - MLB.com]