Help Save Olympic Baseball

One would have to question whether baseball should be an Olympic sport after what happened in the past few months. I think that it should not be if it is going to be tinkered with and changed. It should be left alone and played how it was meant to be played.

I also agree that the game shouldn't be tinkered with, but it's what the IBAF feels it needs to do to please the IOC. Misguided as it is, it's still an effort.

- I also agree that the game shouldn't be tinkered with, but it's what the IBAF feels it needs to do to please the IOC. Misguided as it is, it's still an effort.

I'm struggling to follow your logic. If you agree that the game shouldn't be tinkered with then why do you support the IBAF's decision to change the rule? Out of everyone, the IBAF as the world baseball federation should be looking out for baseball's best interest not surrendering to the IOC to try and please them. It's an insult to the game of baseball to change rules just for the sake of change.

My desire to see Olympic baseball reinstated supersedes my dislike for the silly extra-innings rule. It's easier to change a rule than reinstate a sport into the Olympic Program. I would prefer if the Olympic Tournament were an Under 23 plus 3 older players (like their soccer) competition.

I've got to say, some sports should just be dropped from the Olympics altogether. Soccer, baseball, tennis, golf - anything that already has another worldwide tournament doesn't need to be included in the Olympics.

The IBAF should do more to market the Baseball World Cup. We didn't need the World Baseball Classic, there has already been a world baseball tournament for some 30 years, MLB just hasn't been involved.

- The IBAF should do more to market the Baseball World Cup

Yeah, I agree. Though I think that the IBAF lacks the power to market the Baseball World Cup better. I mean here in the States, the Baseball World Cup is hardly a headline, I can't say what the story is in Eastern Asia, though from my experience there's more excitement in the Cup than in the States.

- We didn't need the World Baseball Classic, there has already been a world baseball tournament for some 30 years, MLB just hasn't been involved.

That's really debatable. The more international championships the better. Yes, while the WBC is far from perfect it has helped baseball's cause. Does it need reform, of course. MLB is a major baseball body and must be part of the process to internationalize the game.

Can MLB better cooperate with the IBAF to promote the World Cup? Of course. Though last I checked the United States has fielded in 2007 won the cup with a good minor league squad.

Also, I'm of the opinion that baseball is better off without the Olympics, you can see my opinions on the subject here.

Though if the IOC says it's really serious about baseball in the Olympics the IBAF and the IOC could do two things:

1. Rescind the stupid extra inning rule and
2. Move baseball to the Winter Olympics and then the prospect of big name MLB players could be more attractable

It would only be every four years, and to get around the weather we could play games in domes. In this example, I could be more in favor of proposing sending big name players to the Olympics since it would not require shutting down any league's season to accommodate sending big name players to the Olympics and would also keep the playing field level during the summer, too, and not take away from the level of play.

However, with the close proximity of the WBC and the Winter Olympics, this also doesn't bode well as the WBC takes place every 4 years, as does the Winter Olympics. For example the WBC would take place in 2013 and the Winter Olympics would take place in 2010.

Also, the financial cost of building a dome for the sole purpose of baseball isn't financially sound in most countries. For example, look at the baseball stadium in Athens built for the 2004 Olympics, it's basically rotting away. It costs money to build these stadiums, to police them after the Olympics if not used, and money to destroy them if it comes to that. As always, the IBAF and MLB have to make sure that baseball stays and prospers in the host country, which isn't always going to happen in countries like Greece, which why some countries will be wary to build expensive stadiums.

Also, of course, this would conflict with the WBC and Selig's goal of promoting the Classic, so I don't know how much Selig would like to promote that. Though also, it would go a long way in showing MLB cares about promoting the game internationally, and as I always said, more international play is good. I personally enjoy the WBC despite thinking MLB's "take it or leave it" attitude wasn't good for the game, but when watching the Classic I truly loved the excitement of the games.

- For example the WBC would take place in 2013 and the Winter Olympics would take place in 2010.

Slight correction, meant to say the WBC take place in 2013 and the Winter Olympics in 2014. Though of course the Winter Olympics in 2010 would be one year after the current WBC. Though since the Nichi-Bei series seems to be history, the scheduling conflict doesn't look so bad.

- [...] the WBC takes place every 4 years [...]

I was under the impression that the WBC was being held every 3 years. The first one was in 2006. Next is in 2009. So I'm afraid that there will be some overlap with Olympic years as the multiples of 3 match the multiples of 4.

- I was under the impression that the WBC was being held every 3 years. The first one was in 2006. Next is in 2009. So I'm afraid that there will be some overlap with Olympic years as the multiples of 3 match the multiples of 4.

Quoting from Wikipedia if I got this right:

The second WBC is scheduled to take place in 2009, with subsequent tournaments held every four years thereafter.

So wouldn't that place the next WBC in 2013? If so that wouldn't match the multiples of 4 with the Winter Olympics.

If it's the other way around, there is no way to save baseball in the Olympics. Though of course, the current WBC schedule can be accommodated to better coincide with the Winter Olympics, if your hunch is right Michael.

Thank you for listing this info. Olympic baseball brings the world together to enjoy this great game.

In my opinion, I still do not think that most of the world cares about baseball. The presence of baseball in the world of sports can not be denied, however, it will be quite some time before it can catch up to sports such as soccer - if it can ever catch up (in terms of popularity of course).

But after seeing the Olympics this past month, I think that what I saw was not an accurate image of the sport I have loved since I was a child. The basic rules were the same yes, but many were changed and it did not feel the same. As I stated earlier, if baseball is to be an Olympic sport in the future, it should be played how it was meant to be played or else it should not be a sport in the Olympics.

IBAF representatives met in Lausanne for Friday's meeting with the IOC Programme Commission. Curtis Granderson will be part of the six member delegation. Quote:

(LAUSANNE, Switzerland) The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) will present its case for reinstatement in the 2016 Olympic Games this week in Lausanne. In a Friday morning meeting with the International Olympic Committee Programme Commission, the IBAF will have one hour to offer reasons as to why it should be one of the two sports added to the 2016 Olympic Programme when the vote is held in Copenhagen, Denmark in October 2009. The IBAF will be the first of seven federations to present on Friday, with its meeting scheduled to run from 8-9:00 a.m. (local).

Source: IBAF News

Great!

Thanks for the link. Solid find. Of course baseball should remain an Olympic sport!

Fans must do their part. Let us hope they listen.

I believe cricket should get a chance in 2012, limited to 8 countries playing one-dayers. And then have both Baseball and Cricket for 2016.