As a huge soccer fan who “gets” the World Cup, it is a shame that most of America doesn’t give a rip about the World Baseball Classic. Sure, not many country’s teams are very good, and it is played during spring training, and is populated with third tier Americans who aren’t so highly paid that their teams “suggest” that they don’t play. But if this tournament WERE to be played by the best players from each country – those who began training in January to be ready for its beginning in March – the tournament would be a fantastic way to kick off the Major League season.

Until then, though, this is destined to be the red-headed stepchild that nobody wants to admit to.