by Richard Todd, as first published in the WebBall Insider newsletter March 19, 2006

The purpose of the World Baseball Classic from the MLB viewpoint seems to be two-fold.

• First, it's a reaction to the Olympic decisions to cancel baseball and softball as events after 2008, presumably because they don't have sufficient global appeal.
• The second purpose, of course, is the published goal of exploring possibilities for expanding pro ball into other markets like Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Memo to the MLB:
Making it professional is often at odds with making it global.
I won't get too deep into this except to point out that one of the struggles in pro ball in the USA is the imbalance between rich and poor markets. And at least 3 examples of the fall-out are connected with prior attempts to expand pro ball beyond the US borders.

Montreal, for example, once had one of the more famous minor-league franchises in all baseball: the AAA Royals became the final stepping stone for Jackie Robinson's entry into the MLB spotlight. It was at the time considered to be less risky to introduce him to bigger-market baseball outside of the US borders, and in a city known for its cultural diversity. (Of course that cultural diversity may have ultimately led to the demise of the later Montreal Expos.)

Vancouver, at the other end of this non-US market, has more recently seen its AAA franchise drop down to single A. The argument has been made that this may be partly a weather related issue - the AAA team moved south to Sacramento - and partly economics. (My guess would be mostly economics.)

Third example, also in Canada - Toronto: a dramatic two years of glory (1992-1993 World Series wins) but nothing much prior or since. The reason really lies in relative payrolls. In the early 90s Toronto bought its way to the top, and since then its fans have proven to be as fickle as those in other less-invested markets. The jury is out on whether cities like San Juan or Monterey might fare better.

But how, you ask, is this related to what WebBall is all about: helping coaches and athletes play better baseball? Well, realistically, there are a lot of players and parents out there with stars in their eyes (I know, I see the emails) and the desire to make baseball a career is very much at the forefront of some of the questions we get about elite-level training. So in some ways this great MLB experiment may have shown them what it takes to be the best - whether pro or amateur.

However, whatever the economic intent of the MLB, the Classic has also helped us take away some valuable lessons related to amateur baseball, which leads us to...


The biggest lesson from the World Baseball Classic is, of course, what it can teach us about playing ball that can apply to our level. In part, that's the truism that the outcome can never be scripted. That's why you play the games. I mean: Korea comes out of nowhere to crush everyone, only to fall to a team they beat twice before? Canada beats US but does not advance? Mexico becomes the ultimate 'spoiler' team who, with no chance to advance themselves, takes out their closest rivals?

Despite all the hype about professionals playing for pride, one of the final teams is entirely from outside the MLB sphere - Cuba. (?) And the other finalists is led by a former player who became a global legend without ever playing in the US - Oh. (?)

But that's not the lesson we need to take from this.

We already know how fickle the game can be. As coaches dealing with unpredictable young players, we already know how un-scriptable the game is. As parents of young players, and as the players themselves, we know that it's tough to be consistent, to play your best game every time out. And we also know that out there may be players who are better than us - but that doesn't always matter. Sometimes the ball bounces our way.

So forget outcome - that's not the lesson. But maybe we can learn from the style of play, the approach of the players, the strategies of the coaches. Here, then, are a few of my random observations...


Slap Style
I thought it interesting that while Japan was led by this great slugger of old, that the Ichiro-style of stride-forward hitting has been so successful for Japan in this tournament. Notice that Ichiro is not the only Japanese lefty to hit on his way out of the box. It's almost a softball slap-hit approach and yet I wonder why we as coaches don't have our young players doing it? The answer I suspect is that we are uncomfortable with it and don't really know how to teach something that seems so, well, foreign. Heck, even a lot of US and Canadian softball players have gotten away from slap-hitting. I hope some kids somewhere are willing to try it, and I hope that we as coaches are willing to allow it. Hey, if a legendary manager thinks it's okay for his guys to hit differently than he ever did (recall the flamingo, high leg lift of Oh?), then why don't we as coaches allow more freedom in hitting styles? (I'm not insisting on a change - just asking a question.)

The Firm Base
If I myself have a preferred hitting approach (right now), it is the approach seen by some of the Dominican Republic players - not just Moises Alou. Knees in to open the hips, with the legs driving downward to create a very firm base on which to rotate the torso quickly. Yes, it is the complete opposite of what some of the Team Japan players do. Yes, both can be successful. And yes, big poppy is the opposite of what you expect from almost every other hitter from the Caribbean. So the lesson is: there may be more than one way to be a great hitter mechanically, but the important point is to get each hitter you work with to fully commit to his/her style. Consistency comes from understanding what works best for you, and from sticking with it. (An upcoming Hitting Challenge on WebBall, should push this envelope even more.)

Lefty Power
Lastly on hitting, we get to this theory espoused on ESPN (and heard elsewhere) that the reason Canada produces mostly left-side power is that they all grow up shooting left-handed in hockey (certainly true of Larry Walker who played hockey before baseball). It could just as easily be because Canadians are more right-eye dominant which is why they shoot left in the first place. I certainly believe there is merit in the eye-dominance theory (see Perception), less certain about the hockey connection. But whatever country or region you're in, don't rule out the notion that eye dominance may be worth checking - you could end up with some more switch hitters out of the experience.


Freesh Arms
Watching the MLB, we've gotten used to a wide variety of pitching body shapes and delivery styles, plus an approach to how pitchers are managed - you know the starter goes from 5-7 innings, the set up guy is in the 8th, closer in the 9th. Not just because of the imposed pitch count, but the WBC has shown us that there is more than one approach to managing pitchers. There were teams that took the count to the last possible batter, and other teams that kept pitchers in for fewer innings or batters. The oddest approach in our opinion: those teams that would squeeze every pitch possible from someone and then be forced to make a change mid-inning. Sure changes are sometimes necessary with runners on in tight situations - but I think it is always better to start a fresh arm at the beginning of an inning. I understand the temptation to stay with a pitcher until he gets into trouble, I just don't think that's a good practice for youth ball - leaves the exiting pitcher feeling like a failure, puts the new guy in a situation he may not be mature enough to handle. I say new inning, new arm.

Side Arm
There were some interesting results during the WBC with the mound-scrapers, knuckle-dusters, submariners, whatever you choose to call the pitchers who take "drop and drive" to the extreme. We actually received some emails from kids who want to learn how to pitch like that after seeing those games. I am of the opinion that slinging the ball from off the dirt is an inherent trait in a player, not really something most coaches can teach or would choose to teach. However, if there is a coach in the WebBall community who has experience as a sidearm pitcher or has successfully taught it, we would love to hear from you.

On Composure
Maybe the most interesting lesson from the WBC on pitching comes from the fact that the umpires were one rung below top pro capability. Despite the sometimes inconsistency in calls, the pitchers and coaches seemed to handle it well - way better in fact than most pro clubs do. There is a lesson for us youth league types in that. If everyone can keep their composure in crucial games with the whole world watching and with nationalistic pride on the line, then maybe we need to get a perspective on our game situations and not get worked up on missed calls, especially inb Spring season with nothing more than municipal/school pride to deal with. Let it go. Just a thought.


Outfield Gaps
You have to feel a bit sorry for the young players from South Africa who looked positively lost in that vast acreage. It had to be a jaw-dropping experience - even more so when you consider how effortlessly players like Griffey and Ichiro chase down everything. Likewise there were teams who exhibited a great deal of what's called "warning track power" - could contact but not enough to clear the fences. There have been many discussions (and at least one survey on WebBall) about field dimensions. Both the gap chasing and warning track flyballs are examples of why there is a right size field for every age group and skill level.

Errorless Ball
As everyone who watched knows by now, Korea played errorless baseball - not a single fielding bobble which is just amazing given the pressure put on them by some very fast-running opponents. It comes down to probably a couple of key factors - endless practice of course, and a stoic, matter-of-fact, approach to the game. Combine that physical and mental discipline and every play becomes a routine play. It was not enough to get them to the final (as noted before that's why we play the games) but it certainly was amazing to see.


Small Ball
This is one of the aspects of the tournament that had us most amused and most pondering. Why is it that those international teams which are so capable of playing small ball - bunts, steals, etc. - never once tried to execute a suicide squeeze? There were times with a runner on third and no outs and a contact hitter at the plate in a one run game, that a squeeze would have been just the thing to get the runner across. In discussions here we can't figure out why it never happened. Then again, why would one Japanese batter fake bunt on 2 strikes and then flail at a slider away. If you really plan to bunt with 2 strikes then do it - because I suspect everyone in the park figured it was a fake. Pulling back and trying to swing - big mistake.
 
Smart Subs
Some teams in this tournament used their substitute players well; others I don't think had a clue. This is an especially important lesson for amateur youth teams. Here's the thing - every player who comes to a tournament is making a commitment to cause and country; the team, therefore, should make a commitment to every player. I felt Team USA was acting too much like this was a regular MLB event - we stick with our starters. Canada seemed to have the same mentality - play the stars and others get minor roles if any. I would point out to every youth coach who gets trapped into thinking this way, consider the 2 teams heading into the WBC finals. Cuba made good use of its full roster; Japan showed the value of strategic substitutions. Now there is a catch, of course. Because everyone praised Coach Oh for his timely pinch hit runs scored - clearly an example of brilliant coaching. Right. However, if the subs had not come through, then I can imagine the newspaper headlines in Japan criticizing Oh-san for poor judgement. It's an adage in baseball: players get credit for wins, coaches get blamed for losses. The true measure of a good coach, is not when he tries something and it works - but when he tries it and it doesn't work, but he still has the courage to try it again. During some games in your coaching careers, those clever substitutions will not work. After all every strategy also requires good execution. So what happens next time? Will you be afraid to make subs, or will you still want to give every kid on the team those chances to be a star? You know what I hope the answer will be.