WBC was fun, but it could be a lot better

Tony DeMarco

Baseball has a hit on its hands. Screaming nationalistic fans say so. So do testimonial after testimonial from proud players, the perpetual smile on Vinny Castilla's face and the 'C' on his green and red Mexican jersey.

There was so much passion in the first World Baseball Classic, stoic Ichiro Suzuki displayed more emotion in three weeks than he has in five seasons in a Seattle Mariners uniform. And that was before he took part in a joyous flag-waving, manager-tossing celebration in the wake of Japan's 10-6 championship-game victory over Cuba.

We've come to know that Cuban second baseman Yuliesky Gourriel could be a major-league star. We've seen the swing that has made right fielder Osmani Urrutia a .400 hitter in the Cuban league in each of the last four seasons. And we've learned Cuban manager Higinio Velez's politics and penchant for quick pitching changes — cambios rapidos, if you will.

And we didn't even need the United States in the final to sell out Petco Park. In fact, only two major leaguers were in either dugout — Suzuki and Akinori Otsuka of Japan — for a captivating title game.

Growing the game internationally — and the revenue streams that follow — was the intent of the WBC, and we've gotten baseball as the great uniter in the process. So allow Bud Selig to gloat a little bit.

"I have said before that I thought history would show this was a watershed moment, and that the ramifications of it would be immediate, as well as mid-term and long-term, and I don't think there is any question in my mind now,'' Selig said. "It's exceeded in intensity, in interest, in every way that you can judge something, it has been really successful.

"The intensity in the stands, as well as the intensity on the playing field, has been absolutely remarkable. I am very confident that this will be the platform that we will use to take this sport internationally to the dimension that I want to take it. I'm thrilled; I really am. From the first game that I saw with the Dominican and Venezuela ... I knew that we really had begun to achieve what we set out to do, and then some.''

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Not that there aren't tweaks and improvements necessary. But with three years before WBC II, there is plenty of time to make a good thing even better.

A short list:

1. Better umpires. If the best players in the world are on stage, the best umpires should be there with them. Bob Davidson and crew made two erroneous and potentially game-changing calls in Team USA action. And in the final game, two calls went against the Cubans, prompting Velez to offer criticism in the postgame news conference. Umpire error can never be eliminated, but it can be curbed.

And we're not just talking about ironing out the finances and getting the best major-league umpires on the field. There needs to be better representation from all of the competing nations. Too many games were played with three or four American umpires on the field. Of the 37 umpires listed in the event's media guide, only 15 were from outside of the United States.

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The two finalist nations had only one umpire apiece in the event. Managers bringing interpreters with them to argue on the field could be lessened, if not eliminated.

And here's a thought: Maybe the WBC is the place to test the use of instant replay.

2. Better players. This is something that could take care of itself, at least when it comes to major-league players being involved. While injury issues and concerns will always keep some players from participating, you can expect more major-leaguers to want to participate in 2009, and adjust their training and preparation accordingly.

"When I was with the U.S. team in Scottsdale, player after player thanked me, and talked about what a great experience this has been,'' Selig said.

Team USA pitcher Jake Peavy said, ''I want to do this again. but it's going to be three long years waiting for it to come around again.''

Suzuki's emotional leadership of the champion Japanese team has elevated him in the eyes of his teammates and countrymen. Meanwhile, Hideki Matsui's lack of participation didn't win him any fans. Listen to what Japanese manager Sadaharu Oh had to say on the subject through an interpreter: "I'm not really backing up Matsui, but the time frame the Japanese team had (to decide on the roster) was a little too early. As for the popularity, players get their popularity on the field mainly, and Matsui hasn't played a real game yet this year.

"And there was a wrong impression of Ichiro, that he is sort of selfish. But as people can see, he really committed himself to this team, and he put so much time into this. Now, he is one of the leaders of the team. A lot of people would like him performing well, and I'm sure his popularity went up once again in Japan.''

There also is the likelihood of improving quality of play for the lesser nations in the event — South Africa, China, etc. — as they gain from the international experience and competition.