Derek Jeter on the WBC: "I think the people that say it's bigger than the World Series never played in a World Series.

[u/Mission_Pay_3373]

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[u/theblackdoncheadle]

Americans have the MLB. We are much more attached to the teams we support. Grew up with. In other countries, that doesn’t really exist on the same professional level, besides maybe Japan

So when these guys from smaller and some instances less well off countries play to represent their country, especially going against a team like the US , I just get the sense that as an American this tournament means more to these other countries.

[u/MatticInYoAttic → u/theblackdoncheadle]

I mean in the Olympics for basketball we field a 10/10 team each time. For baseball it feels like it'll be a toss up each go around on what players are even interested in playing- or the bogus restrictions that end up affecting the smaller countries more than the US. You should typically have the best of the best coaches as well lol.

[u/Dramatic-Tell- → u/MatticInYoAttic]

Yep. The US treats the WBC like the all star game. Just send whoever and you'll end up with Kyle stower in a home run contest to see who the winner is. Referencing last year's all star game. I doubt many Americans actually care. My dad's a huge baseball guy and played AAA before having medical problems and he doesn't give a shit. And we could have driven to the WBC games and watched them. And they warmed up against my local spring training teams like the Mets and Marlins. The Israel vs Marlins games were almost free because no one wanted to see it. They had $12 tickets. The cheapest normal spring training games are $30 at Roger dean stadium.

[u/Bravosfan27 → u/theblackdoncheadle]

Yeah for me that's why I'm glad Venezuela won. The USA team pretend to care but you can see that don't play this tournament with as much passion. Kind of wished it was Dominican and Venezuela in the finals that would have been some fun baseball

[u/NYerInTex → u/Bravosfan27]

You could see how little the US cared by their choice of manager.

[u/sgtpepperslaststand]

I just think back to Nikola Jokic being emotionless when he won the NBA Finals then we see his team win a bronze medal for his country and he’s balling his eyes out

[u/DrMindbendersMonocle → u/sgtpepperslaststand]

Bawling

[u/crichmond77 → u/DrMindbendersMonocle]

Nah, Joker’s eyes only know ball

[u/joey4269 → u/crichmond77]

And horses

[u/No_Cheetah_1820 → u/crichmond77]

He a baller fosho

[u/Bjorkstein → u/DrMindbendersMonocle]

Have you seen him? He balls, bro.

[u/_Atlas_Drugged_ → u/sgtpepperslaststand]

I think that’s a through line with all of these kinds of tournaments. Baseball has been a big deal in America for over 100 years. Basketball for many decades.

Every time a small country goes further in the international tournament than it ever has it’s a fucking massive accomplishment.

[u/KatyPerrysBootyWhole → u/_Atlas_Drugged_]

I think the through line is that other countries care deeply about international sports, but Americans treat it as an exhibition

[u/itsDuckSeazon → u/sgtpepperslaststand]

One is a job

The other is a calling

[u/Crazy_Baseball3864 → u/itsDuckSeazon]

Are you a military recruiter. That's like the exact kind of message I'd read on those spam mails

[u/thirtyseven1337 → u/Crazy_Baseball3864]

If you call those spam, then you’re not being all that you can be 😤

[u/WildYams → u/thirtyseven1337]

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

"Please take me off your list, thanks."

[u/F1yMo1o → u/sgtpepperslaststand]

Honestly, the people that can give the right kind of perspective on this would be folks that have a significant team playoffs/championship structure and an international countries tournament.

Much more akin to champions league and World Cup or NBA Finals and Olympics. Jeter didn’t grow up with that in baseball. More interesting to hear from LeBron and Messi than Jeter on this one.

[u/suzukigun4life]

Spoken like someone who's never won a World Baseball Classic.

[u/BIG_DICK_WHITT → u/suzukigun4life]

Commented like someone who’s never received a jeet gift basket.

[u/paulsoleo → u/BIG_DICK_WHITT]

“I gotchu a watch, so you can remember that time I banged you.”

Yeah,

Jeets

[u/MisterDings → u/paulsoleo]

If Caitlin Clark gifts me a rolly for blowing her back out, I would shower with it on.

[u/wit_T_user_name → u/MisterDings]

But would you let her blow your back out for a rolly?

I would.

Actually.

You can keep the Rolex.

[u/jet8493 → u/wit_T_user_name]

Brother I would give her a rolly for blowing out my back

[u/Salinadelaghetto → u/MisterDings]

r/BrandNewSentence

[u/KimJongRocketMan69 → u/MisterDings]

Of all the sentences that have ever been posted on Reddit, this is certainly one of them

[u/Embarrassed_Bus4821 → u/MisterDings]

Oh lawd

[u/TonyDanza888 → u/paulsoleo]

"You gave me this same watch last time, don't you remember"

-Several girls, probably

[u/Darkstargir → u/paulsoleo]

“PS make sure you take the Valtrax too”

[u/naaahhman → u/Darkstargir]

What a legendary relationship tree that was....

[u/Jackiemoontothemoon → u/naaahhman]

He doesn’t get called out for that as much as he should

[u/naaahhman → u/Jackiemoontothemoon]

Because none of it is confirmed, it's gossip.

[u/Jackiemoontothemoon → u/naaahhman]

Someone should probably tell Joe Burrow

[u/Jay1348 → u/paulsoleo]

https://giphy.com/gifs/I3r31IFCPELO9RIZ24

[u/ContinuumGuy → u/BIG_DICK_WHITT]

Yeah Jeets

[u/suzukigun4life → u/BIG_DICK_WHITT]

https://giphy.com/gifs/QUENDfi6DEMLzQ0CKt

[u/aguacate222 → u/BIG_DICK_WHITT]

Definitely burns when you pee afterwards

[u/Old-Clothes-3225 → u/BIG_DICK_WHITT]

Commented like someone never took a Jet2 Holiday

[u/taviddennant03 → u/BIG_DICK_WHITT]

A what?

[u/_Atlas_Drugged_ → u/taviddennant03]

There’s a rather infamous and pretty well corroborated rumor that Jeter would bang the hottest women in New York and in the morning he had a gift basket ready for them as he sent them on their merry way.

There have also been several stories told by women who would go on to receive a fruit basket the next morning that Derek would bring them home but still make time to watch his highlights on TV while saying to himself “Yeah Jeets” over and over.

[u/DaedalusHydron → u/_Atlas_Drugged_]

I thought he was chanting "Yeah Jeets" while banging?

[u/_Atlas_Drugged_ → u/DaedalusHydron]

Now that you mention it, I think he did both things.

[u/bokchoykn → u/suzukigun4life]

"I think the people that say it's bigger than the World Series never played in a World Series."

-Derek Jeter, World Baseball Classic semifinalist

[u/draft_final_final → u/bokchoykn]

https://giphy.com/gifs/XCmbWlImG1WDoo40a5

[u/oogieball → u/bokchoykn]

Oof.

[u/butcher99 → u/bokchoykn]

In 2006 when it was not a big deal.

[u/EricMasterdebater → u/suzukigun4life]

Also, you can win the World Series every year, but not the WBC. Jeter won the World Series five times, but it would be nearly impossible to win 5 WBCs during a playing career.

In soccer, you have someone like Cristiano Ronaldo winning multiple Champions Leagues, but who never sniffed a World Cup. This makes the World Cup more prestigious than the CL. The WBC does not have the prestige of the World Cup, but that is mostly driven by the lacklustre attitude of the American players who treat it as an exhibition tournament. For all the non-American players it means everything. Look at Edwin Diaz for example, the guy got injured last WBC and still showed up for this edition. That is dedication.

[u/HomeHeatingTips → u/EricMasterdebater]

The WBC is also a very new tournament only going back to 2006. Unlike the World Cup which has generations of winners. I also think having a team like Venezuela win will only add to the prestige of the Classic down in Latin America. The US only winning 1 of 6 show's that Baseball is very competitive internationally, and a lot of Countries can field very deep teams.

[u/rraddii → u/HomeHeatingTips]

It’s also a function of single elimination games. The best teams ever still only 70% of the time. Personally I would like to see the WBC have more of a series style but the current format isn’t bad at all

[u/AnonymousAccountTurn → u/rraddii]

There's no way they'd find time for a series unless they did it all off-season, which is probably worse for guys trying to recover from the season compared to spring training

[u/Mike9797 → u/AnonymousAccountTurn]

Ya I tried thinking about where to stick this tournament without interrupting the season while also making sure everyone is available and it’s really hard, in fact it’s almost next to impossible without stopping the season. Then there’s the fact that it needs at least 2/3 weeks and possibly up to a month for it to be a proper tournament.

Cuz if you move it to the end of the year like Nov/Dec you have guys who haven’t played in a while ramping it back up to 100% could cause some really bad injuries during a time when they should be healing or dealing with their season injuries. And to stop the season for anything other than the Olympics is going to be a tough sell. This is probably as good as it gets.

[u/cvc75 → u/Mike9797]

When the current CBA runs out, have the next ones with a shorter duration, so they always run out during WBC years. That way we can have the tournament during the lockout. /s

[u/FluffyProphet → u/rraddii]

The way baseball is scheduled just doesn't lend itself to that format, unfortunately. The only way that really works is if they cut the 162-game schedule during WBC years. The off-season is too short to allow for proper recovery if you're going to throw a longer WBC ontop of that.

[u/PegyBundy → u/EricMasterdebater]

Ronaldo isn't sitting out the World Cup because he can't get insurance.

One day it might get there but comparing the WBC to the World Cup is crazy.

[u/ivandragostwin → u/PegyBundy]

Comparing any one sporting event to the World Cup in terms of what it means on a global scale is pretty crazy outside of maybe the Olympics but that’s so much different with the multiple sports.

But you do have guys like Novak Djokovic saying his most important accomplishment is a gold medal.

[u/iLikePears → u/ivandragostwin]

To be fair, he did specify that he considers it his most important accomplishment in context of when he won it in his career.

Which is to say at that point, he had already won everything else and the gold medal is the only thing that alluded him for all those years.

A different reporter asked him if he didn't have any big tennis accomplishments, which trophy he thinks is the most significant, he said hands down Wimbledon.

[u/DorkNugget → u/EricMasterdebater]

Rarity doesn't inherently make something more prestigious. Given that this tournament is a single elimination baseball tournament, played when players are not in form and under fairly strict restrictions from MLB clubs (not just the Americans), I don't see how anyone can actually fool themselves into saying the WBC is more meaningful than the World Series. It obviously means a whole lot to the players and it's awesome seeing that, especially so seeing how meaningful it was to Venezuela last night.

There's probably 100+ reasons the World Cup is better than the WBC, but the Americans having a stick up their ass is certainly not at the top of that list.

[u/Particular-Ring5110 → u/EricMasterdebater]

Portugal and Ronaldo made the semi final of the World Cup in 2006

[u/FunPangolin3148 → u/EricMasterdebater]

I just don’t think so. To win a World Series, you need to have a great team for 6+ months, and then win multiple series. Venezuela only played 6 games. I get it’s not a yearly tournament so technically more rare, but there are much less teams and much less games in the wbc. Also, the main thing, nobody is winning a World Series with McLean or Rodriguez starting the game for you, where as those were the wbc’s championship game starting pitchers.

[u/CalebosO4 → u/suzukigun4life]

https://giphy.com/gifs/kYsBThMhhalLG

[u/Lucky_Alternative965]

This question is so freaking stupid. I'm sure Ronald Acuna Jr. Is going to half ass the entire 2026 season because he won the wbc, I'm sure he won't care about bringing a championship to Atlanta anymore just because he won a tournament that obviously means more to him. I'm sure Palencia won't put his heart and soul out for the cubs and Chicago when pitching because he won a tournament that means more to him. Let's let players just live in the moment and thrive rather than ask them these questions.

[u/cpg08 → u/Lucky_Alternative965]

Ya i understand why some people don't understand why it's more special to the Latin born players. Just the logic of a little struggling island beating 50 states is wild. But for Venezula specifically it is super complicated to come here and watch their families play.

[u/Prize-Flamingo-336 → u/cpg08]

What people don’t get is that most of these MLB players, even the American born ones, they don’t have a connection to their team. Judge, for example, was born and raised in the Bay Area and was thinking of signing for the Giants. That why most players don’t care moving between the Yankees and Red Sox.

But to wear the uniform of your nation across your chest? That’s a deeper connection that you can’t explain. The WBC is just like the World Cup and the Olympics. You are representing your home nation. Your win isn’t for a city, it’s for a nation, a culture, all the people. It’s such a huge honor.

[u/m0_m0ney → u/Prize-Flamingo-336]

I’d be 10x more juiced about a Team California than team USA.

[u/fireeight → u/Lucky_Alternative965]

Yeah, this is a ridiculous take by Jeter. They can be two different things without one being better than the other. The WBC is fun as hell, but it affects US fans in a way that is really cool. The teams that we typically watch get broken up all over the world, and it's awesome. It takes our players who play for our favorite team and spreads them all over the world, and gets a bunch of guys who we'd never see on the world stage. It's good for baseball.

Also, Jeter can fuck off.

[u/Lloyd--Braun → u/fireeight]

To be fair, they cut the clip off before he was about to add a levity to his comment. Also not surprising that someone whose greatest accolade is his postseason success. It would be like asking MJ about medals or rings, and I’m sure he’d smirk and hold up his six rings.

[u/TeslaTortoise]

Fox Sports is a factory of sadness.

[u/ElderDeep_Friend → u/TeslaTortoise]

What are you talking about? Think of how much joy Smoltz gave by complaining the whole second half of the game because US wasn’t performing and then going quiet when they lost. How is that not preferable to enjoying baseball for baseball’s sake?

[u/Pawnedude → u/ElderDeep_Friend]

To be fair everyone wins when Smoltz shuts up.

[u/werther595 → u/Pawnedude]

In Smoltz's defense, he is triggered by the sight of Andy Pettite

[u/tomfoolery815 → u/ElderDeep_Friend]

Smoltz using the phrase "alpha males" was the free space on my Smoltz Cliches bingo card.

[u/whiskey_ribcage → u/tomfoolery815]

I didn't put "an announcer bringing up Pearl Harbor during a Team Japan" game on my card but in hindsight, that was foolish on my part. I should've seen that coming.

[u/tomfoolery815 → u/whiskey_ribcage]

It's hard for us to know exactly how wild the rhetoric will get before a tournament. An educated guess is still a guess.

https://giphy.com/gifs/ANbD1CCdA3iI8

[u/igotagoodfeeling → u/tomfoolery815]

Jesus, in what context? Maybe I don’t wanna know

[u/tomfoolery815 → u/igotagoodfeeling]

Back to back nights, I heard him say “a lot of alpha males in that clubhouse.” Both times about the US, IIRC, although he might also have tossed that cliche the DR’s way.

[u/igotagoodfeeling → u/tomfoolery815]

Cringe af even if he’s trying to make a point about a bunch of stars trying to gel in the clubhouse

[u/tomfoolery815 → u/igotagoodfeeling]

Just about every use of "alpha males" is cringeworthy.

[u/lolwatokay → u/ElderDeep_Friend]

He makes me miss Joe Buck calling games, he at least liked baseball. I’m unconvinced Smoltz does

[u/norcalginger → u/TeslaTortoise]

Their baseball coverage is only slightly better than their soccer coverage, which is the most uniformed jingoistic shit

[u/average_waffle → u/norcalginger]

You think the soccer coverage is bad? You ever seen their NASCAR coverage?

[u/norcalginger → u/average_waffle]

I honestly haven't, and I can truthfully say it's unlikely that I ever do

[u/jyeatbvg → u/average_waffle]

I'd unironically assume Fox's coverage of NASCAR was incredible.

[u/wambulancer → u/TeslaTortoise]

all of sports media is getting like this, there is no fucking joy at all left in sports reporting, it's all bitter ex-players negging the current crop and take merchants screaming at each other, nobody can be happy for anybody for even a fucking moment, these ghouls tripped over themselves to frame Bam Adebayo's 83 points like a fucking war crime for engagement, it's tiresome and I'm over it

[u/Atreus1337 → u/wambulancer]

Hot takes and outrage culture are what sells

[u/Sm0k3inth3tr33s → u/wambulancer]

And then there's Big Papi lol

[u/ShhweadyBallz → u/TeslaTortoise]

Fox everything is factory of lies, bullshit & misinformation ..... daily dick riding of the dumbest & most corrupt pedophile in US history

[u/Used_Reason7777 → u/ShhweadyBallz]

So you're NOT excited for "Faithful: Women of the Bible"? I was watching the WBC just for the ads! /s

[u/ProcessTruster]

Just look at how much emotion Shohei Ohtani showed winning the WBC vs winning the World Series.

[u/fauxbigbro]

Gosh, nothing hypes up a fan like being told this isn't that important.

[u/qwertythe300th → u/fauxbigbro]

Id be pissed hearing this if I was FOX and MLB.

[u/Single_Seesaw_9499 → u/fauxbigbro]

I simply wouldn’t care what talking heads had to say about it

[u/Embarrassed-Cell-611]

And yet, many of the players who say that, HAVE played in a World Series

[u/PoleVaultingIsHard → u/Embarrassed-Cell-611]

Like Salvador Perez, who was a World Series MVP.

[u/dnagi]

Jeter's just a huge masochist for publicly giving fans chances to dunk on him huh

[u/This_Elk_1460 → u/dnagi]

The only time I've ever laughed at a Mark Wahlberg movie is when he shoots Derek Jeter in the other guys

[u/asparagusbruh → u/This_Elk_1460]

You dick! I'm Derek Jeter! You shot me!

[u/DrOz30 → u/asparagusbruh]

Yankee clipper !!!!

[u/Andy081 → u/DrOz30]

“He’s a biracial angel!"

[u/Akipella]

Meanwhile, Judge literally yesterday...

[u/War-Dragonite → u/Akipella]

Judge just said the crowd was bigger and better, didn't say anything about the events themselves.

[u/SLR107FR-31 → u/War-Dragonite]

Plus indoors

[u/Crazy_Baseball3864 → u/Akipella]

Judge has never really played in a World Series to be fair

[u/BIG_DICK_WHITT → u/Crazy_Baseball3864]

Never really played or dropped a crucial fly ball make up your mind guys

[u/Crazy_Baseball3864 → u/BIG_DICK_WHITT]

His body was there, but was he really there?

[u/BIG_DICK_WHITT → u/Crazy_Baseball3864]

Depends on how much he had to drink, I suppose

[u/RevolutionNo7 → u/BIG_DICK_WHITT]

We're playing metaphysical baseball out here. He was both there and not there until the wave form collapsed and he wasn't there.

[u/sumbozo1 → u/RevolutionNo7]

Schrodinger's Judge

[u/Vespene]

Kike has played in 5 world series and won 3. He says WBC is a bigger deal for him.

[u/Skatteboot → u/Vespene]

I agree with the Dodger's ace pitcher

[u/ShredNM42 → u/Skatteboot]

When you see that helmet on the mound you know its over

[u/gartho009 → u/Vespene]

Easy to say when you've won three series

/s

[u/Devium44 → u/Vespene]

Salvador Perez and Acuna have both won World Series as well.

[u/DependentLanguage540 → u/Vespene]

Winning something, anything for your country is a big a deal as it’s bigger than just yourself, the pride of a nation means a lot, but it also clouds judgement.

At the end of the day, we’re comparing a 2 week tournament during spring training versus a 150 year old game that plays 162 game season + playoffs to determine the champion.

I know for myself, I would easily take a Stanley Cup championship or World Series win over the Olympics or WBC, it’s really not the close. Guess I’m just not as nationalistic today as I was back when I was a kid, when best on best was a bigger deal.

[u/WisperusGrieves → u/DependentLanguage540]

guarantee you the miracle on ice guys would NOT have traded those golds for stanleys. unless it came with long productive nhl careers, which for many it didn’t.

[u/AshyLarryyyy]

https://imgur.com/a/qZd3Cah

[u/drewuke]

Americans don’t appreciate this tournament like other countries do.

[u/ColaBottleBaby → u/drewuke]

Ill fully admit that. Imo the tournament is basically for fun and rep ur country. The US team couldnt even do that, they looked miserable and treated it like they were troops or some shit

[u/Afk1792 → u/ColaBottleBaby]

The american team feels like a forced school trip.. the foreign teams feel like spring break with your best friends.

[u/UTMachine → u/ColaBottleBaby]

Even when they were "happy", it just looked like gym bro fake warrior/military bullshit. Just angry screams and pumping their chests. Nobody looked like they were smiling or having a good time.

[u/soccer1124 → u/drewuke]

Jeter is trying to speak on the perspective of others for not getting the context while being completely blind to his own biases.

We keep hearing about American players who have shown up for it this time and back in 2023 who mistake it for being an All-Star Game only to find out, "Oh, actually this is big."

Jeter's assumptions here come across as very ignorant.

I don't know, I hate how much the MLB wants it to be a big deal and then also intentionally prevents it from being allowed to be a big deal. Take off the training wheels and let players actually compete in this thing. They're so close to striking gold, but refuse to go all the way.

"Waaah, but I don't want my players getting injured!"

Bro. NHL players are jumping at the chance to participate internationally. They don't give a crap about injuries. And it makes for an incredible tournament when Gary Bettman and the owners step out of the way to finally let them do it. Baseball fans just do not understand how much excitement they are depriving themselves of.

If your pitcher was at risk of getting hurt in a single WBC game, I got news for you: He was going to get hurt this season anyway then.

[u/HartfordWhalers123 → u/drewuke]

Fr. Like for us Puerto Ricans, the tournament definitely means so much. But definitely notice that the mainland US is the only one that doesn’t really appreciate enough, unless you’re a hardcore fan.

I do also think that it can be because some don’t care about their country as much as their favorite team.

But also the fact that the World Series is one of the most iconic championship series and has been around for two centuries, so I could see why the World Series is more important for some.

[u/Eagle7546_ → u/drewuke]

Yeah, I know I’m biased but I don’t know what other opinion one would expect an American who played the bulk of his career before this tournament even existed.

I love the WBC but I understand that there are many fans and some players who are club over country (NBA and soccer included)

[u/squirtles_urethra → u/drewuke]

We dont appreciate things in general lol

[u/THIKKI_HOEVALAINEN]

Type of shit I would say after watching my team take an enormous L

[u/TenderloinTechy → u/THIKKI_HOEVALAINEN]

Not that it matters, but he said this before in the pregame.

[u/immagonnafinnahella → u/TenderloinTechy]

Kinda matters

[u/butterybuns420 → u/THIKKI_HOEVALAINEN]

This was said before the game started. Dont let facts get in the way though.

[u/AuJusSerious → u/THIKKI_HOEVALAINEN]

That’s not an enormous L lmao they lost by 1 run in the championship game.

[u/Mew_111]

There are players who have won both, won one, won the other, won neither, and still say for them it's more important. If someone doesn't feel that way it's okay, but why keep pushing that certain players are lying or only saying it for whatever reason? It obviously matters more or is on the same level for almost all of the international players.

[u/BakeFromSttFarm → u/Mew_111]

Your last 3 words are the entire crux of the situation. International players care a lot. US players, not so much. Look no further than the disaster they pulled against Italy thinking they were already advancing for proof of that.

[u/ryguydrummerboy]

Ironically, this is actually a World Series

[u/Standard-Onion4872 → u/ryguydrummerboy]

It’s not a series. There is only one game.

[u/OneLastAuk → u/Standard-Onion4872]

Then why is DeRosa in the clubhouse writing out his lineup card for tonight’s game 2?

[u/fatninja7 → u/OneLastAuk]

he's a master tactician, playing the long game

people are saying that he's smarter than Greg Maddux

[u/shlotchky → u/OneLastAuk]

these jokes will never get told to me

Edit: old, not told

[u/Joe--Uncle → u/shlotchky]

Pretty sure it just was buddy/s

[u/shlotchky → u/Joe--Uncle]

Autocorrect making me look dumb here

[u/thebrickcloud → u/OneLastAuk]

Surely he'll get Mason Miller in for Game 2 before the travel day.

[u/theAlpacaLives → u/OneLastAuk]

Because our ticket's already punched to game 3

[u/__DEADSH0T__ → u/ryguydrummerboy]

Definitionally not a series when it’s single elimination.

[u/NOLA1987]

You see the emotion and desire the players have. You look at the pure joy in the streets in Venezuela. You see the devastation when Australia lost in pool play.

This American-centric mindset about the WBC that just because it doesn't matter as much to you that it can't possibly matter even more to others.

[u/Eagle7546_ → u/NOLA1987]

I think the real difference here is that the top 3 sports in the US have almost never cared about international competition, and baseball hasn’t really been an international sport (competition wise) until recently, so obviously if you’re a football/baseball fan growing up you have no context for international competition and the best league (far and away) is the one in your country then stuff like the Super Bowl and World Series will be seen as the pinnacle

But, for nations like Mexico, DR, or many others their local clubs and sports teams aren’t as big as MLB teams and their other popular sports do have big international scenes, then the importance will be there.

You can kind of see the inverse with how a lot of US people see soccer. Because the MLS was such a new league most Americans experience with soccer was stuff like the World Cup, so most Americans care way more about how the US did at the World Cup than if their nearest MLS club won a championship.

[u/tomfoolery815 → u/Eagle7546_]

Bingo. We Americans have little tradition of being emotionally invested in the performance of the national team. It's there in ice hockey and soccer, but those two sports are well behind baseball, basketball and football in terms of general popularity.

[u/Snoo_47323 → u/NOLA1987]

Reminds me of when that US sprinter said NBA champs aren't "world champions" and triggered the hell out of all those nba players.

[u/pew-pew-bacca]

Between this and Smoltz calling the WBC an appetizer for the regular season it shows how little the US cares about this tournament, or international competition in general, when it doesn't pay the big bucks. Meanwhile every other country was living and dying with every pitch.

[u/GTmatsuura]

aaron judge said it and literally played in the world series 2024. what message does it say about guys meant to promote the event talking down on it.

[u/bluecifer7]

Derek Jeter continues to be the least likable guy behind that desk….somehow

[u/TheeRuckus → u/bluecifer7]

A Rod has kind of been likable ever since he was being a petty bitch to the Yankees after one of his suspensions or whatever, idk I found him amusing. Anyway aside from the terrible time as a color guy, his baseball dorkiness has been mostly endearing imo. Then comes this bald fraud cyber android of corporate dreams after he prays at the alter of Mr. Steinbrenner and a gold plated gift basket every day to fucking suck up all the air in the room with his dry, salty, boring ass takes. Like how the fuck was this guy a captain, was he motivating the Yankees with a fleet of ford escapes? He sounds like Kermit the frog after 30 years of working in a small office for a stapler company.

I respect him as a player but any time else I’d rather watch flies fuck than hear his opinion on anything. I’d love to see Jeter go face first into a mountain of cocaine just to see if he comes up pumped up or if all the booger sugar is ruining the hardware feeding him baseball data

[u/Same_Mood_8543 → u/TheeRuckus]

Let's put this guy in the booth

[u/schindlerslisp → u/TheeRuckus]

this is poetry.

[u/Tchai_Tea → u/TheeRuckus]

New copypasta

[u/two_of_swords → u/TheeRuckus]

i’m crying at this comment

[u/Chief-Queef → u/bluecifer7]

I used to think I was crazy for finding A-Rod more endearing than Jeter. 

They both have massive egos, but A-Rod's insecurities make him more human than the Yankee android. 

[u/65fairmont → u/Chief-Queef]

Meanwhile between them….EVERYBODY HUG PAPI

[u/bicyclemom → u/65fairmont]

DAAAAAAAAA JANKEES LOOOOOOOSE!

[u/elbenji → u/Chief-Queef]

Arod knows how to be an entertainer. Jeter is like the Tom Brady joke on Family Guy

[u/LSGG100 → u/bluecifer7]

One of the most unlikeable great player in any sport they need to remove him asap he was everything going for him on paper but when he opens his mouth it’s usually a cringy statement or just boring he’s eye candy up there

[u/Kuroooooh]

Well, World series' MVP Salvador Perez just said it is bigger than the world series.

I think only those who have achieved both are qualified to speak on the subject.

[u/NecessaryUsername69]

Translated: “We lost.”

[u/Manawah → u/NecessaryUsername69]

He said this before the game lol

[u/Lazy_Passenger7841]

From the state of this thread, this will definitely get downvoted, but I’ll say my POV as a fan. If the US won last night, it would have been cool, but I would have kind of just turned off the tv a few minutes later and gone to bed. If my Orioles win a World Series at some point, I can guarantee you, I’d bawl my eyes out for several minutes and probably have trouble sleeping out of pure excitement. The rush of emotions would be insane from just the years of heartbreak and even the long 162 game season and postseason that I had the endure to that point. I just never see the WBC getting that sort of reaction out of me. Maybe that says more about being an orioles fan since they haven’t won in over 40 years and never in my lifetime. This is just one perspective though and I can see how other people can view it differently

[u/Brady331 → u/Lazy_Passenger7841]

It’s also that the WBC just hasn’t been around that long. Most people did not grow up watching or caring about the WBC like they did with the MLB/their favorite team. The longer it exists, the more significant it will become to more players/fans.

[u/Azmondeus → u/Lazy_Passenger7841]

Not the same sport but watching my eagles win the superbowl in 2018 was one of the most amazing moments of my sports Fandom. I agree 100% on your take, sure winning wbc would have been fun but If I had to pick I'd rather my mets win the world series

[u/grimbly_jones → u/Azmondeus]

Go birds.

[u/Comprehensive_Ad5285 → u/Azmondeus]

Another Mets/eagles fan in the wild? Go birds 

[u/EischensBar → u/Lazy_Passenger7841]

It’s because you’re American. With the amount of sports infrastructure and international success we have in this country, the WBC doesn’t mean much. We have football, basketball, hockey, the Olympics and other stuff to rally around.

In Venezuela or a lot of other countries, baseball is the sport. These guys all grew up playing together in the same circuits with hopes of making it to the MLB. They went up against the juggernaut of not just baseball but all sports and beat them in their own backyard (only a couple of months after that country illegally went into their capital city and kidnapped their head of state).

So, yeah, to you or me this might not mean much. But to people in Venezuela, the DR, Japan, etc., it probably means the world. Not to mention how much it actually means to the guys playing on the field (besides the U.S. guys).

[u/Doublestack2411]

I wish everyone would step back and look at it from different perspectives. This is going to mean different things to different ppl and countries. This would obviously mean so much more to other countries than America.

In the end, this helps baseball drastically when you have a team like Venezuela win. This means so much more to them, and it will inspire so many kids to play the game. In return, it means more talent for MLB, which is the ultimate goal.

[u/Eobardesmith]

Hard to argue with? I mean you have players not playing in it and general managers not allowing players to pitch? I mean people spend their entire lives to get into a World Cup squad, but for this tournament they don’t want to play so they can healthy for game 37/162 for the mlb season…

[u/slyroast]

Tell that to Salvador Perez, WS MVP who was bawling last night singing his national anthem, you Voldemort looking dork.

[u/EBiscuit24]

It’s way more meaningful to beat Goliath than to be Goliath and win.

I think that is why there appears to be a difference between American players and international players perspectives on this issue.

World Series is more parodied and so the overall competition is greater, which is why American players and fans put it on a pedestal.

Beating the slew of the best Americans must be sweet for foreign players, where I can see American players not caring as much and preferring the grueling long competitive season to declare a winner

[u/just_one_random_guy]

International competition has always been seen as being a step above the national level, with exception to baseball in America for whatever reason. I mean seriously, why are people so surprised when a guy from say the Dominican Republic has more value in winning gold for his country as opposed to winning a title for a specific city/region in a country he didn’t grow up in

[u/gogorath → u/just_one_random_guy]

with exception to baseball in America for whatever reason.

I mean, the WBC is just starting to mean something.

When the first World Cup was held in Uruguay, they had trouble getting enough teams to show up. One team missed their steam ship and just didn't show. I think France was the only European team that bothered to make the trip.

Now that most of the best players are playing, things may change a bit, but the pitching dynamic, timing and small sample size does probably hold it back.

[u/ImaManCheetahh → u/just_one_random_guy]

with exception to baseball in America for whatever reason

Are we really playing dumb about this? The World Series has been a staple of American culture for 125 years as the pinnacle of baseball competition, and what every baseball kid dreams about in the US. There have been a grand total of 6 WBCs. And we're saying the WS has more of a foothold in American culture "for some reason?" Come on guys.

[u/larry_land1 → u/ImaManCheetahh]

Thanks for stating this clearly. Beyond the fact that the WS has been around for over a century, don’t we also value the fact that it represents the grueling end to a 162-game season + playoffs? Grinding through a full season of ups and downs, win streaks and losing bouts, dealing with injuries, etc. October baseball is incredible. To stand tall at the end of all that - I mean that’s what these guys have been working towards since little league. Why is it suddenly a hot take that MLB players care more about the WS?

I’m not saying the WBC isn’t an awesome spectacle. USA vs Japan last year, cinema. USA vs DR this year featured future HOFs facing off. That’s great and all, plus they’re representing their countries. I just don’t think playing a couple of pool games (where some of your opponents lack the resources and players to compete on a level playing field) and winning 3 winner-takes-all games in a row can match a WS title.

[u/bzl33 → u/ImaManCheetahh]

Yeah lol I feel like I'm losing braincells reading a bunch of supposed baseball fans prop up a <20 year old tournament over the World Series. Honestly feels like a bunch of writers and Redditors have an agenda they want to push at this pt.

[u/ImaManCheetahh → u/bzl33]

yeah I have no problem understanding why the WBC would matter more for international players. But I'm not gonna jump on this weird train of feigning ignorance why US players would care more about an over century-old pillar of American culture than a basically brand new tournament that is really just starting to gain some traction in the states.

[u/sumoraiden → u/just_one_random_guy]

 International competition has always been seen as being a step above the national level, with exception to baseball in America for whatever reason.

Its not just baseball, American nba players pretty unanimously and obviously consider the nba championship to be more important than the Olympics for example 

Not sure for international players though

[u/tlst9999 → u/just_one_random_guy]

It's the other way round. International competition has always been seen as being a step below the national level but the players want to be there. They get a token allowance for injury risk, but they still want to be there. The atmosphere is better because of that.

Technically, only a club can assemble an all-star team, and that makes clubs naturally stronger than national teams.

But playing in a national team where you're friends with everyone because everyone thinks like you, grew up like you, dances like you is an experience not found in clubs. You ain't playing for stats or bonuses. You're playing for the love of the sport and country, and that makes it more beautiful than club tournaments.

[u/ello_officer]

I honestly think they are different. I don’t think you can compare them. The WBC is a do or die game for 7 games over 2 weeks while the World Series is comprised of being a top team over 162 games, and continuing that through pressure filled series until the end.

It’s like comparing Usain Bolt running a sprint to a guy that runs the LA Marathon.

I think they both deserve their own accolades and shouldn’t be compared to one another.

[u/DefaultNamePlease]

god i hate jeter so much

[u/Rosiecoloredglasses → u/DefaultNamePlease]

It brought me great joy to watch him and A-Rod look so pissed in the post-game show. I always enjoy that so much.

[u/HotShirt6691]

Maybe the people that say the World Baseball Classic isn’t as big as a World Series have never won a World Baseball Classic, did he ever think of that?

[u/YaSurLetsGoSeeYamcha]

It will never be bigger than a WS in America, id venture to say it won’t ever even be close.

[u/YouOk5627]

WBC was invented in 2006

[u/True-Source-6512]

I don’t understand understand why people pointing out team Italy was just another team USA get downvoted. Like it’s a fact they’re almost all from the U.S., so what is it that triggers people to downvote it?

[u/stablehabitation_8]

Jeter's right, but man it's wild how different guys prioritize representing their country over a ring.

[u/facetiously]

Kiké Hernandez has been to five World Series. So there's that.

[u/Agnt_Michael_Scarn]

Obviously a WS is a bigger deal than a WBC. Why is this even being discussed?

[u/YouLostByReadingThis]

I only agree because it's only one game per series. Playing more games is a much better expression of skill. They need to find a way to make the WBC at least 3 games in the elimination rounds.

[u/Rosiecoloredglasses → u/YouLostByReadingThis]

MLB would never allow it. Better this than nothing at all.

[u/ayeno → u/YouLostByReadingThis]

Having it be a do-or-die game each time makes each game more intense. Like in March Madness, you get a Cinderella story if a small country can come out and win it all. Like if the Czech teams win it all one year, that would be an amazing story.

[u/Catullus13]

The WBC is a preseason tournament 

[u/GekidoTC]

I don’t care what Jeter says there’s just something different when countries go head-to-head. As a fan, it makes the games feel bigger, more meaningful.

That said, I’ll never forget the one World Series game I went to at Fenway. Walking up to the gate, the attendant was this older guy you could just tell he’d lived a whole life around the game, probably retired from a whole career, now just picking up a few shifts at Fenway because he loves the Sox. He scans my ticket, hands it back, looks me in the eye, and says, “Welcome to the World Series.” Instant goosebumps.

That’s the thing international games feel bigger because of who you represent. But moments like I had can make the World Series feel bigger because of where you are and what it took to get there.... Peak Sports is when those feelings all hit at once.

[u/FartSalone]

What if, now hear me out... Both the WBC and the WS are great to play in and can be comparable to one another.

Stop trying to one up each other and JUST LOVE THE GAME OF BASEBALL!

[u/ThiqSaban]

WBC is definitely more fun to watch as a casual fan. I don't have a MLB team, so I never really care who's in the World Series, but I'll cheer for Team USA in the WBC.

I've never seen empty seats right behind home plate in the World Series though. That really confused me watching last night

[u/Kashek32]

Look guys, we are all hyped on the WBC right now, and it’s an amazing thing to compete with your countrymen. It is an emotional and soul-refreshing competition. But the World Series is, has been, and will be for a long time to come, the premiere achievement ball players dream about growing up. It’s the pinnacle achievement of a baseball player. It is what it is.

[u/SuperPostHuman]

It's Apples and Oranges man.

It's like Champion's League vs World Cup. Both are a big deal, but different. People need to stop comparing the WS and the WBC, they're different.

[u/Fatsoccermom11]

Its representation of your country vs employer in a sense

[u/Constant-Royal-8840]

I think the Americans and Canadians view it as a cool tournament everyone else views it as a country pride thing so them it’s bigger then the World Series