Watching the Netherlands' first victory over the Dominican Republic, Rangers third baseman Michael Young disagreed with the ESPN announcers who likened the outcome to some of the great upsets in sports history.
"C'mon," said Young, a veteran of the 2006 World Baseball Classic, as he stared at a television inside the Rangers' clubhouse. "For those guys (the Dominican major leaguers), it's like the first week of spring training."
Perhaps, but there is no excuse for the D.R. losing to the Netherlands twice, even if its team did not include Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Vladimir Guerrero; Manny Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez; Placido Polanco, Francisco Liriano and Ervin Santana.
Once is a fluke, twice is your basic national disgrace.
Critics of the WBC will point to the elimination of the D.R. as proof that the tournament is a sham; a team of the absolute best Dominican players never would have lost to Sidney Ponson, Randall Simon and Co.
Please.
A Dominican team featuring Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes and David Ortiz, starting pitchers Edinson Volquez and Ubaldo Jimenez and relievers Rafael Perez, Damaso Marte and Carlos Marmol still should have swallowed the Dutch treats whole.
Manager Felipe Alou can now join his son Moises in retirement. Pedro Martinez will be deprived of a further showcase after allowing two baserunners in six innings against the Netherlands, striking out six, walking none.
The absence of the Dominican Republic will be a short-term blow to the WBC; a second-round quartet of the D.R., Team USA, Puerto Rico and Venezuela in Miami would have rocked Miami. But the humiliation of the D.R. actually could benefit the tournament long-term.
A-Rod, Pujols, Guerrero and Liriano all had injury-related reasons for missing the WBC. But rest assured, a greater number of Dominican stars will participate in 2013. And if the D.R. is smart, it will take note of Team USA's success and construct a more cohesive outfit.
As one scout notes, Team USA assembled a much grittier cast for the second WBC, securing commitments from Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino, Curtis Granderson, David Wright and Mark DeRosa, plus, once again, the Yankees' Derek Jeter.
Pujols and Polanco, in particular, would have given the Dominican Republic more of an edge. Team USA also is better prepared than it was in 2006, more sensitive to the threat of embarrassment. Look for the D.R. to react the same way in '13.
Yes, it's early in spring training. Yes, the D.R. might beat the Netherlands 98 times out of 100. Yes, the Dominican roster did not fully reflect the country's proud tradition of baseball excellence.
Who cares?
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