The NHL "4 Nations Face-off" is awesome. Should MLB follow suit?

[QuaoarsKing]

It seems like a pretty obvious "Yes." I don't even like hockey and I've been enjoying watching this. People would do the same for MLB.

The USA, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic would be obvious participants, along with:

• Japan would be the clear most deserving 4th participant. But MLB would have to coordinate with NPB to get all the players.
• Cuba has enough MLB players, but there are political issues to get around. I believe Cuba allowed a couple of defectors to play in the last WBC, but most defectors probably aren't going to want to.
• Puerto Rico also has enough MLB players, but they're all US citizens.
• Canada and Mexico actually don't have 25 MLB players, but they could supplement with minor leaguers.

Abolish the WBC, and play this during "All Star Week" every year. Figure out the right format, and we'll be captivated as a country. Also, let countries have unlimited roster sizes so you can accommodate players who want to play a little bit to minimize injury risk.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

MLB would never go for it. Not in the middle of the season.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

MLB would never go for it. Not in the middle of the season.

I would have said the same thing about the NHL, but here we are.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I would have said the same thing about the NHL, but here we are.

NHL and MLB are two different animals. The NHL has always stopped the regular season to play the Olympics and other events like this. MLB teams are overly protective of their players, especially pitchers and don’t want them throwing any more innings than is necessary. The WBC works for baseball because it’s in the preseason when these guys would be playing spring training games anyway.

 

[Villagedawg]

It seems like a pretty obvious "Yes." I don't even like hockey and I've been enjoying watching this. People would do the same for MLB.

The USA, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic would be obvious participants, along with:

• Japan would be the clear most deserving 4th participant. But MLB would have to coordinate with NPB to get all the players.
• Cuba has enough MLB players, but there are political issues to get around. I believe Cuba allowed a couple of defectors to play in the last WBC, but most defectors probably aren't going to want to.
• Puerto Rico also has enough MLB players, but they're all US citizens.
• Canada and Mexico actually don't have 25 MLB players, but they could supplement with minor leaguers.

Abolish the WBC, and play this during "All Star Week" every year. Figure out the right format, and we'll be captivated as a country. Also, let countries have unlimited roster sizes so you can accommodate players who want to play a little bit to minimize injury risk.

It’s been awesome in the NHL. So much better than the boring *** all star week. And you still get real games.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

It seems like a pretty obvious "Yes." I don't even like hockey and I've been enjoying watching this. People would do the same for MLB.

The USA, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic would be obvious participants, along with:

• Japan would be the clear most deserving 4th participant. But MLB would have to coordinate with NPB to get all the players.
• Cuba has enough MLB players, but there are political issues to get around. I believe Cuba allowed a couple of defectors to play in the last WBC, but most defectors probably aren't going to want to.
• Puerto Rico also has enough MLB players, but they're all US citizens.
• Canada and Mexico actually don't have 25 MLB players, but they could supplement with minor leaguers.

Abolish the WBC, and play this during "All Star Week" every year. Figure out the right format, and we'll be captivated as a country. Also, let countries have unlimited roster sizes so you can accommodate players who want to play a little bit to minimize injury risk.

I was thinking about this while watching the hockey game. Absolutely. Would be great to show my patriotism and hatred for other countries while watching baseball**

 

[dorndawg]

I'd love to see it but I'm not sure it'd be all that more popular than the WBC, which like dozens of us watch

 

[HotMop]

• Canada and Mexico actually don't have 25 MLB players, but they could supplement with minor leaguers.

Not so fast...those 2 could be U.S.A. players fairly soon.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

NHL and MLB are two different animals. The NHL has always stopped the regular season to play the Olympics and other events like this. MLB teams are overly protective of their players, especially pitchers and don’t want them throwing any more innings than is necessary. The WBC works for baseball because it’s in the preseason when these guys would be playing spring training games anyway.

Well, the NHL stopped pausing for the Olympics in 2018 and 2022 before planning to to back in 2026. So there was good reason to think the owners wouldn't go for this, but then they did.

For baseball, you would need to allow pitchers to have a maximum pitch count so they don't exert themselves midseason. And any pitcher who doesn't want to do it wouldn't have to.

Imagine this:

Pool A - USA, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela
Pool B - Dominican Republic, Cuba, Japan, South Korea

Two round robins, and then the winner square off in a 1-game playoff. Not the month-long slog of the preseason WBC. Just 4 days.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Unpopular opinion - I've never cared for the country vs country athletics. Olympics, Ryder Cup, this hockey thing, etc. I know I'm weird in that way.

 

[Herbert Nenninger]

i say yes, and just for kicks, use the same four nations: USA, Canada, Sweden, and Finland.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Unpopular opinion - I've never cared for the country vs country athletics. Olympics, Ryder Cup, this hockey thing, etc. I know I'm weird in that way.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Well, the NHL stopped pausing for the Olympics in 2018 and 2022 before planning to to back in 2026. So there was good reason to think the owners wouldn't go for this, but then they did.

For baseball, you would need to allow pitchers to have a maximum pitch count so they don't exert themselves midseason. And any pitcher who doesn't want to do it wouldn't have to.

Imagine this:

Pool A - USA, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela
Pool B - Dominican Republic, Cuba, Japan, South Korea

Two round robins, and then the winner square off in a 1-game playoff. Not the month-long slog of the preseason WBC. Just 4 days.

So just speed up the WBC. Sounds fine to me.

 

[leeinator]

It seems like a pretty obvious "Yes." I don't even like hockey and I've been enjoying watching this. People would do the same for MLB.

The USA, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic would be obvious participants, along with:

• Japan would be the clear most deserving 4th participant. But MLB would have to coordinate with NPB to get all the players.
• Cuba has enough MLB players, but there are political issues to get around. I believe Cuba allowed a couple of defectors to play in the last WBC, but most defectors probably aren't going to want to.
• Puerto Rico also has enough MLB players, but they're all US citizens.
• Canada and Mexico actually don't have 25 MLB players, but they could supplement with minor leaguers.

Abolish the WBC, and play this during "All Star Week" every year. Figure out the right format, and we'll be captivated as a country. Also, let countries have unlimited roster sizes so you can accommodate players who want to play a little bit to minimize injury risk.

Think I would include the "Caribbean Nations' as one team including Puerto Rico. They would be a real tough out.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

Think I would include the "Caribbean Nations' as one team including Puerto Rico. They would be a real tough out.

Shoot, one out maybe, couldn’t get three.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

So just speed up the WBC. Sounds fine to me.

Yes, condense the WBC to at most 10 teams, play it over no more than 5 days, play it every year, and move it to July when people will pay attention to it and all the players are in shape.

It would reinvigorate baseball at a time when it desperately needs it.

 

[mcdawg22]

Unpopular opinion - I've never cared for the country vs country athletics. Olympics, Ryder Cup, this hockey thing, etc. I know I'm weird in that way.

Good lord man, I just imagine you are the Rockwell guy standing up with absurd opinions meme at this point. I always assumed some of your schtick was devil’s advocate but now I’m starting to realize you are a black licorice is the best candy kind of guy. More power to you I guess.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

Unpopular opinion - I've never cared for the country vs country athletics. Olympics, Ryder Cup, this hockey thing, etc. I know I'm weird in that way.

I take the opposite approach. I can't get into the NBA or NHL or MLS at all, not because I can't appreciate the sport, but because I have no obvious rooting interest.

When it's the US national team playing, I immediately have one and can get into it. I love all the Olympic sports, World Cup, etc. It probably helps that I don't get worked the players' politics, sexual orientations, etc. - I just cheer for America.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I take the opposite approach. I can't get into the NBA or NHL or MLS at all, not because I can't appreciate the sport, but because I have no obvious rooting interest.

When it's the US national team playing, I immediately have one and can get into it. I love all the Olympic sports, World Cup, etc. It probably helps that I don't get worked the players' politics, sexual orientations, etc. - I just cheer for America.

Well I don’t get into those 3 either.

Maybe I’m a globalist and don’t know it.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Well I don’t get into those 3 either.

Maybe I’m a globalist and don’t know it.