Disappointment: World Baseball Classic
There was a lot of support when it came to the World Baseball Classic this season. There were almost 1,000,000 fans in attendance to witness the teams representing their countries across the world. It was a sight to see.
Still, there were some issues that made us wonder if the timing of the event was appropriate.
Some of the worries were regarding players getting injured during the WBC, and “the WBC injury effect” was born.
There was some data collected, and comparing the WBC to spring training was interesting. You cannot play in the WBC unless you are fully (perceived) healthy. While in spring training you can technically still play while “recuperating from serious injuries or dealing with nagging ones that rule them out of tournament play.”
The overall result showed pitchers lost about four more days to their injury if they participated in the event, but four days is still less than a rotation so that barely makes a dent.
With the popularity this last WBC received, more prominent members in the baseball world will more than likely want to participate. Some teams will be concerned about having them do that.
The results in regards to these “injuries” are small, but they still exist. This could still be used as an instant “no” from participating in the next World Baseball Classic in four years.