FanPost Friday: Danger versus reward in the Globe Baseball Classic

Hello and welcome back to FanPost Friday. We have around two weeks to go till the Mariners residence opener on March 30. We’re so close, pals. Till then, we’ve got far more practice baseball to watch (effectively, mainly listen to) and, far more excitingly, the conclusion of the 2023 Globe Baseball Classic.

The tournament was all entertaining and games till tragedy struck Wednesday evening when Edwin Díaz suffered a season-ending knee injury when celebrating Puerto Rico’s dramatic win more than the heavily-favored Dominican Republic. The requires, as one particular would consider provided Díaz’s current enormous contract with the New York Mets and their famously mild-mannered and rational fanbase, went nuclear immediately. Apologies for which includes a b*rstool tweet, avert your eyes as required.

That is about all I cared to search for. The Olbermann tweet is the one particular that genuinely blew up and I admit, my initial reaction to hearing Díaz was going to be out for the season was not also far off from Olbermann’s common sentiment, minus the sexism and jingoism. From a MLB fan’s viewpoint, the danger of injury in order to play in an international tournament that MLB has not carried out a very good job of integrating into the United State’s view of baseball globally feels like a substantial danger for not a extremely significant reward. The WBC has not been promoted sufficient into the mindset of the typical MLB fan in the identical way that the typical American soccer fan views the FIFA Globe Cup, which, granted is not an apples to oranges comparison, but close sufficient.

When you get beyond the knee-jerk, emotional reaction to seeing a beloved former-Mariners player go down like that, there are a lot of pretty rational motives to not get terribly worked up about this (Vinny from Staten Island…your mileage might differ, but hear me out, difficult guy).

• It is not about you, the fan. It is about the players

This might conflict with your whole worldview of qualified sports, but the players are people today, not commodities. They do not exist solely for our sporting entertainment. Baseball players, specifically non-US-born players, like to represent their nation proudly in the WBC. Yes, that is a generalization, but if there wasn’t a lot of truth to it, why else would they do it? It is their selection. The dangers are certainly worth it to them, whether or not they are beneath contract in MLB or not.

• In this distinct case, Edwin Díaz’s profession will be fine

There’s in no way a one hundred% assure that an athlete comes back from an injury as very good as new, but it is extremely most likely Edwin will recover just fine and will be back on the mound throwing gas in 2024 when Timmy Trumpet trumpets his small heart out more than that now legendary Blasterjaxx track and Citi Field goes certainly apeshit. Plus, that contract I described? It is assured. Edwin loses absolutely nothing but playing time and the chance to assistance the Mets win, which is not absolutely nothing, but he will be back.

• Do not be concerned, the billionaires will also be fine

Contract insurance coverage! What a intelligent, forward-considering idea. No wonder they’re billionaires.

So, these are three extremely rational motives to not be anti-WBC. The tournament offers entertaining and incredibly compelling baseball to watch even if you have no rooting interests. Injuries occur anyplace, anytime. Dodgers prospect Gavin Lux had a season-ending injury take place in Spring Coaching two weeks ago. Michael Saunders wrecked his knee on a god dang sprinkler head in Spring Coaching with the Blue Jays in 2015. We all recall what occurred to a particular Kendrys Morales at the then-Safeco Field residence plate when upon a time. It occurs.

Of course, it is uncomplicated for me to have this sense of detachment about it when it is not a Mariners player. Drew Smyly’s soggy arm injury he sustained in the 2017 WBC far more or much less destroyed the season for the 2017 Mariners simply because they had no starter depth. What if (jah forbid, throws an whole sack of salt more than my shoulder) some thing undesirable occurred to Julio Rodríguez in this tournament? Honestly the outlook for the 2023 Mariners season would be in shambles and I cannot guarantee with a straight face that I wouldn’t be going close to-complete-Olbermann on Twitter about it (in no way go complete-Olbermann). So, I do empathize with Mets fans, even although losing a closer would not have the identical effect on a season as losing your beginning centerfielder and finest hitter.

Anywas, it is FanPost Friday right after all and I want to hear from the LL hivemind on how y’all genuinely really feel about the danger of injury in WBC. Let’s hit the polls!

miss u

Joe Nicholson-USA Right now Sports

That is it for this week! Content St. Patrick’s Day to all these who celebrate, do not get into problems if you are going out tonight, and we’ll see ya back right here subsequent week for the final FPF ahead of the typical seasons. Hot damn, go Mariners!

Study far more