The World Baseball Classic is entering the quarterfinals on Friday. Still, players are trying to prepare for the upcoming MLB Season, leading to some, such as Tarik Skubal, to leave the WBC and head back to spring training.
Skubal criticized the WBC schedule, and now, Jayson Stark of The Athletic has an idea to fix it.
“I think what needs to change is the timing of the tournament,” Skubal said Wednesday morning, “because it’s tough on all the starters — not just myself included. If you want the best players playing and not risking health. I think it’s midseason.”
So Stark came up with this idea. Pool play stays in the first half of March, with 20 teams over four sites around the world. Nothing changes. Then, the best week of baseball happens midseason. It starts on a Saturday with the MLB Draft, and the Futures Game on Sunday. The Home Run Derby is Monday, with the All-Star game Tuesday. On Wednesday and Thursday, two double headers for the quarterfinals. Friday has both semifinal games, and then the WBC championship on Saturday or Sunday.
Stark got immediate praise.
“Brilliant,” an official of one WBC team told Stark Wednesday, “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all year.”
Skubal was hesitant, but also liked the idea.
“I kind of like that idea,” he said. “It’s interesting, for sure. Pool play early. You win your pool (or finish in the) top two, then it’s only eight teams, and you can essentially get those games done in four days. If you want to, give a team an off day (after the) quarterfinals, because then bullpen guys are going to throw back-to-back-to-back.”
“If you go quarterfinal, semifinal, off day, final, so everyone’s ready for the final? Yeah, maybe. Maybe that’s the answer. I don’t know. I don’t have the answer, nor do I want to try and figure it out,” the Detroit Tigers star continued.
Regardless, there needs to be a change to make sure the best players in the world are at the event. In the meantime, the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals start on Friday.
