The World Baseball Classic was a resounding success across the globe, as TV ratings, attendance, and overall interest in Tuesday’s finale showed.
But Sal Licata says there is one crucial casualty to the success of the WBC: Major League Baseball itself.
“Players have said this is the most fun they’ve had ever playing baseball,” Sal said. “You know what that does to Major League Baseball? It diminishes the product. When you have these players who are getting paid hundreds of millions of dollars to play, not the World Baseball Classic, but Major League baseball…saying these moments are the greatest moments they’ve had playing baseball in their entire lives, that diminishes the product of Major League Baseball.
“Why should everybody be diminishing the be-all, end-all of baseball? The be-all, end-all of baseball is the World Series. The WBC is ruining baseball. And Rob Manfred, who is the worst commissioner in professional sports by far…he says he wants the pitching to match the rosters in the World Baseball Classic. Oh yeah, what could go wrong?”
Sal argues that Manfred’s praise of the event and his vocal desire to get more of MLB’s stars to participate in 2026 waters down MLB’s regular season, especially coupled with players who participate in the event openly saying that is a baseball experience unlike any other. So, while the World Baseball Classic is put on a pedestal, Major League Baseball is knocked down.
“Rob Manfred is doing all he can to destroy Major League Baseball as we knew it,” Sal said. “Blame me for valuing what I grew up loving: Major League Baseball.
“I love baseball so much that I can see the damage this stupid, worthless tournament is doing to Major League Baseball. Can you see it?”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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