The excitement the World Baseball Classic generates is felt throughout the baseball-loving world. In the United States, the wave of interest is mitigated by a breakwater, an obstacle MLB has nurtured through its branding of the American and National leagues as THE major leagues.
One Twitter wit, summed up the American fans who express vitriol toward the WBC as “People upset that a hard-fought meaningful worldwide championship interferes with practice for a domestic tournament that calls its North American winner the world champion.”
I made the mistake of looking at Twitter this morning when I awoke briefly, and was greeted with a night terror, the news that the Central League’s DeNA BayStars are finalizing a deal with Trevor Bauer.
I’m a huge believer in second chances, but giving Bauer a second chance in Japan now is giving an admitted serial shoplifter a second chance to steal more.
According to the BayStars, as reported by Sponichi Annex and Nikkan Sports, the team investigated Bauer’s status with MLB and talked to him, in which he denied doing what he was accused of in court. The stories said a complaint against him was thrown out in court, but that is a woeful misreading of the facts.
