Layover in Detroit
March 7th- Mexico versus United States
USA 2 MEX 0 @ Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ

My anticipation of the World Baseball Classic waxed and waned from its inception until it commencement. At first, a worldwide tournament seemed like a great way to get more baseball into the schedule and from a different approach. Once the details came down the pipeline, it was obvious there would be flaws in the tournament’s design; many players cannot play at their best in early March, pitch counts diminish the role of an individual pitcher while the injury risk for any player remains present, and the threat of losing some of the best players jeopardized the tournament’s claim to being a true world championship. Still, when I found out that I would be in Arizona for the first round of games, I was thrilled. As a baseball fan more than a nationalist, my most anticipated matchups included the Dominican Republic’s huge bats, Venezuela’s star-studded pitching staff, Japan’s bunch of seasoned professionals and Cuba’s enigma.

The United States, built largely around some of the most loathsome players in the game- from mercenaries like A-Rod and Damon to wickedness personified in Clemens and Jeter-, seemed like a tough pill to swallow. Not that I particularly care for the Mexican team, but the contrarian in me wanted to defy these Yankee barnstormers and root for anyone who might knock them off. I left for the stadium not knowing which team would win me over once the first pitch was thrown and looking forward to the game itself more than any particular allegiance.

Upon arrival at the stadium, I was surprised to see how an institution in its infancy had excited so many fans. In Phoenix, a city with a large Mexican-American population, the area surrounding the ex-BOB was engulfed in a sea of green and red jerseys and face paint. As a country whose best sports include golf and softball, I don’t think Americans quite knew how to become so unapologetically partisan and enthusiastic. Tournament organizers did well to engage soccer and cricket friendly populations not only for marketing purposes but for setting the tone of the tournament, as excitement rubbed off. By the end of the game, middle-aged women in funny perms and high-cut jeans happily joined in “USA” chants, and not the condescending sort of semi-xenophobic nationalism that I’ve seen at pro wrestling and other such events, but a properly motivated pride in the country’s baseball chops. More than anything else, I will remember the festival atmosphere of the game and the reverence of players and fans alike. Moreover, I think the way the importance of the tournament has already taken hold bodes well for the future, as players and fans will feed off of one another for subsequent WBCs.

Game Notes

*One of the things that most exited me about this game had nothing to do with the game itself, but the fact that I would get to cross another stadium off of my list- one I had wanted to see for quite some time. When the BOB opened in 1998, it seemed like a futuristic baseball palace with amenities befitting its location in the retirement capital of North America. Although I did not take the full tour, I have to say I was quite disappointed by the stadium. While everything looks good on paper- excellent sightlines, comfortable seats, scoreboards that are useful but not overwhelming, some manufactured aesthetic charm- it comes together as mechanical and bland. The stadium itself is so grand that the field seems like something of a sideshow, an effect I felt in Seattle, although to a much lesser degree. In any quantifiable way, Chase Field far outdoes older stadiums like RFK and the Metrodome, but it lacks the comfort and kitsch to overcome the personal connections I have with the other two. Overall, I’d grade the stadium something like a C+, high on concept but without enhancing baseball in any way.

*It seems important to note that the game flew by, taking just over two hours from first pitch to last. With the already festive nature of the crowd, the fast-moving and defense-heavy game lent itself to fans celebrating rather than paying attention to the game in intricate detail. I doubt that any type of game would have transformed the party atmosphere to one commensurate with our understanding of a baseball crowd, but it was peculiar nonetheless. One group sitting in front of me spent three full innings in the obscenely long concessions lines, missing much of the game but probably not losing out on much of the experience. The ongoing party at nearby bars and restaurants before and after the game testifies to the game’s role as part of a larger festival rather than the end-all of the WBC.

*Mike Timlin got the win in the game, but Jake Peavy was the pitcher who stood out most for the U.S., and his performance was more memorable than the six relievers only because he pitched three times more innings. The closer-heavy U.S. bullpen seems like the way to go early in the spring because most pitchers are not confident in their ability to neither stay healthy nor execute when throwing heavy breaking balls. Anyone who saw any of Johan Santan’s start against the DR saw how much effectiveness he lost by staying away from his slider and relying heavily on a changeup that is not itself in great shape as of yet. In other words, if the tournament must stay in March, pitchers who get hitters out with fastballs will have a sizeable advantage. Additionally, if some pitchers have already rounded into mid-season form from playing winter ball or having extra time to train before the tournament, they will succeed by catching hitters off guard with anything that shows good movement.