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JeeberD
06-18-2003, 05:07 PM
NEW YORK -- Major league baseball's staff made a presentation Tuesday on a proposed World Cup that could start before the 2005 season.

The proposal was very broad and there are many details still to be determined. While commissioner Bud Selig has said he is in favor of a World Cup, major league baseball has not made any decisions on whether to proceed with a tournament, how many nations to include and where to play the games.


I would love to see a Baseball World Cup. I'm sure that it might be difficult to find a good time for it, but it would be great to see the US versus Japan, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.

I just feel bad for the Canadian team. There's only so much that Larry Walker can do for one team... ;)
Easy Mac
06-18-2003, 05:10 PM
We'd get our asses kicked
GoldenEagle
06-18-2003, 05:18 PM
Soccer copiers.
Travis
06-18-2003, 05:21 PM
Don't forget to add Eric Gagne.........and..........um
Blade
06-18-2003, 05:22 PM
Hey, we have that Skip guy...

No idea where the hell he plays normally, but when Canadian baseball is involved, he is right there!

Now, if I only remembered his name...
SunDancer
06-18-2003, 09:02 PM
Get rid of the All-Star break and drop like 10 games from the schedule, and play this baby!
ice4277
06-18-2003, 09:12 PM
That would be great for the sport in general I think. The hockey world cup from a few years back was some of the best hockey I've ever seen, so I think it can be done in sports other than soccer. They just need to make sure they don't half-ass it, which is something I could easily see the MLB/MLBPA doing.
Maple Leafs
06-18-2003, 09:36 PM
Stubby Clapp, baby.
Cards4ever
06-18-2003, 11:01 PM
Maybe now MIJB will quit bitching.
GoldenEagle
06-18-2003, 11:36 PM
Originally posted by Maple Leafs
Stubby Clapp, baby.

He used to play for the Memphis Redbirds. He was cool.
Airhog
06-18-2003, 11:39 PM
I assume this will work like other world cups where you play for your nationality, not where you live.
stkelly52
06-18-2003, 11:49 PM
I could see how this could bring the level of play in MLB up another notch. Not only would it increase the popularity of baseball, but it would help MLB scouts find more international players.
Maple Leafs
06-19-2003, 08:49 AM
Here's a serious question:

If this World Cup happened, and the US got it's ass handed to it by, say, the Dominican Republic... would that be good for baseball's popularity in the States? Would the publicity of the tournament help out baseball regardless of the result, or would it be like other sports where the US has to win before Americans really get excited?
albionmoonlight
06-19-2003, 09:26 AM
Because its baseball, I think that Americans would get angry if we lost--not uninterested. In the best case (for baseball), it would cause people to care more because they want to take the game "back" from the foreigners.

Or, we may just stop caring.
primelord
06-19-2003, 10:31 AM
Originally posted by Easy Mac
We'd get our asses kicked

I don't know about that. Granted the Dominican would have a stellar team, but other than Pedro the American team picthing would be far superior.

And on offense I would say the Americans match up very well. Granted the Dominican team would sport players like Sosa, Pujols, Manny Rameriez, Soriano etc. But the Americans have Arod, Bonds, Helton, Sheffield etc.

I think it would be very competitive and very fun to watch although I think the Americans would come out on top because of the edge in pitching.
Airhog
06-19-2003, 11:10 AM
hmm, but what about japan?

I would imagine they can field a pretty competitive team.

Are there any other countries that have really good professional leagues?
tucker342
06-19-2003, 11:48 AM
That would be so cool if they had a baseball world cup. It would probably be very close between the Dominican Republic and the United States, Japan would finish third and Cuba forth. Canada would be lucky to score a run:D
BreizhManu
06-19-2003, 12:03 PM
Venezuela would be a contender for a medal too
henry296
06-19-2003, 12:42 PM
And the Puerto Ricans if they play as their own team.

Todd
primelord
06-19-2003, 12:48 PM
There are some other countries that have good players. For the Puerto Ricans Juan Gonzalez and Carlos Delgado come to mind. But I don't think any country really has the overall fire power that the Americans and Dominicans have.
Cards4ever
06-19-2003, 01:20 PM
I think Cuba would do well too.
ausonny
06-19-2003, 01:31 PM
Originally posted by Maple Leafs
Stubby Clapp, baby.

STUBBY!!! STUBBY!!!!! STUBBY!!!!
MIJB#19
06-20-2003, 06:13 AM
You mean a new World Cup in baseball?

There's been a world championship since the 1970s!
rexallllsc
06-20-2003, 06:16 AM
Originally posted by ice4277
That would be great for the sport in general I think. The hockey world cup from a few years back was some of the best hockey I've ever seen, so I think it can be done in sports other than soccer. They just need to make sure they don't half-ass it, which is something I could easily see the MLB/MLBPA doing.

Uhhhh yes. The World Cup in 96 or 97 (hockey) was insane...best hockey I've ever seen.
MIJB#19
06-20-2003, 06:18 AM
Dola:
Originally posted by Cards4ever
Maybe now MIJB will quit bitching. :D
MIJB#19
06-20-2003, 06:22 AM
Apperantly I was wrong, sorry for the mistake.

There's been a Baseball World Cup since 1938!

Link => Baseball World Cup History (http://www.baseball.ch/2003/t/wc/wc.htm)

EDIT: the link didn't work...
stkelly52
06-20-2003, 07:17 AM
well then I guess that a wolrd cup would not help its popularity considering it has bee going on for so long and no one knew about it.
MIJB#19
06-20-2003, 07:35 AM
Maybe the problem is that this years world cup will be played during the playoffs...

When rereading the article above from JeeberD, maybe it refers to the World Cup being rescheduled to before the MLB starts and thus helping the World Cup get better player to join (for all countries) and the tournament actually being noticed...