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If anybody understood the nature of baseball, they would know why Team USA was knocked out in the second round and why this current format doesn't say anything about the relative level of baseball from around the world.

When baseball winds up in October in the US and football is taking a hold of everybody's weekend, the countries to the south of us start their winter baseball leagues. These leagues are usually populated by the players from those countries. Most of the major leaguers from the countries that have these leagues, will play in them as well as those players from those countries that can't make the jump to the majors.

The vast majority of American players do not play in these leagues. Typically, if a player is learning a new position, or attempting to rehabilitate from an injury, then he will be encouraged to play winter ball south of the border.

I would be shocked to find that more than a couple of the American players actually played winter ball. This meant that their timing was off at the plate and they would not have been as sharp in the field. One of the truisms of baseball that has been proven time and again is that pitchers come into form before the hitters which is why there were so many low scoring games during the WBC.

For the WBC to gain legitimacy, this event needs to be held during the July - August time frame when all of the teams can be at their peak. Maybe baseball can take a month off every four years to make this happen. As long as this event is held in this time frame, it will never be a true test of baseball.

Having said that, I think that Cuba and Japan should be congratulated on making the championship game.

For the WBC to gain legitimacy, this event needs to be held during the July - August time frame when all of the teams can be at their peak. Maybe baseball can take a month off every four years to make this happen. As long as this event is held in this time frame, it will never be a true test of baseball.

Won't happen. Not even WW2 interrupted the National Pastime.