Joy
On the World Baseball Classic
It’s hard to be disappointed by the outcome of this year’s World Baseball Classic. I was, of course, rooting for the United States, but rooting against Venezuela wasn’t exactly easy. I think they captured a lot of fans from outside their country for a few reasons, but chief among them might have been the clear sense of shared purpose that team had.
As a country, Venezuela has been through a lot in its recent history, and though sports are ultimately trivial in the grand scheme of things, that doesn’t stop them from acting as a salve in a time of need. I was happy to see Venezuela win; in many ways because they had a “team of destiny” feel to them throughout the tournament, especially after beating Japan in the quarterfinals. Seeing the tears of joy the players and coaches shed after the final out on Tuesday night only cemented my feelings about the Venezuelan team. I’m disappointed for my country, but elated for theirs. Take a look at just one example of the celebrations that took place in Venezuela after the final out was recorded to get a sense for what this meant to them:
And this from the team:
Add on the fact that Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, declared Wednesday as a “national day of jubilation,” and I don’t know how you feel anything but joyous for these people.
On the whole, one of my biggest takeaways from the tournament was how joy-filled it felt. Maybe I was caught up in the excitement of having meaningful games to watch in March, but I think there’s more to it than that. It wasn’t just Venezuela; the teams from the Dominican Republic and Italy were among the most fun to watch all tournament. One of my favorite moments was watching 17-year-old Joseph Contreras pitch for Brazil and get Aaron Judge to ground into a double play. Imagine going back to your high school team with that on your resume.
Team USA was criticized for perhaps taking the whole thing too seriously, or at least approaching it the wrong way. They seemed hell-bent to win it all, but without the same expressive joy some of the other countries had. When Cal Raleigh wouldn’t shake hands with Randy Arozarena, for example, the general response — even among Americans — was that this team needed to chill a little bit. Having Robert O’Neill deliver a pregame speech only amplified that sentiment. It hits a little differently when one team — Venezuela — is having pregame prayer and seeking an opportunity to glorify God with their play.
I think we can miss a lot of good things about what Team USA did by only focusing on these negatives, though. There was a lot to love about Team USA. Paul Skenes might be superhuman, and watching him knowing that we might have 12-15 more years of Skenes on the mound just makes me happy. The guy is a generational talent. With him, Team USA featured rising stars like Roman Anthony and Pete Crow-Armstrong, two players who will be appointment viewing for years to come. There was also Clayton Kershaw’s last professional hurrah, and the absolutely dazzling defensive display put on by Bobby Witt, Jr.
Step back and think about all the talent in the game right now, and we might be in a golden era of baseball.
Joy looks different from person to person, so the exuberance of one player might not necessarily be more joyful than the simple grin on Skenes’ face when he watched Witt, Jr. execute a near-impossible play at shortstop. Twice. In one game.
Then there’s Eugenio Suarez, in the moments after his team won the championship on Tuesday night:
Suarez is a special player and special person, and I can’t not be happy for him and for his teammates. I’m closer to the Skenes end of the spectrum of emotional expression, but I recognize that the joy Suarez has comes from something deeper than baseball. And as I share his faith, I also recognize that I could stand to join him in his boldness.
On the whole, I think there was a lot to love about the World Baseball Classic, no matter who you were rooting for. It wasn’t perfect (fans of the Dominican Republic have legitimate beef about the game-ending called third strike), but it was an excellent showcase of the game of baseball that put the joy of its players at the forefront.
Things I’ve Done Lately:
I wrote about Cubs prospect Jefferson Rojas, who has had a nice spring. He’s not likely to reach the majors for a year or so, but his is a name worth remembering.
Keep an eye out for a story on Matt Shaw and his defensive adjustments in his new role as a utility player. I had a good conversation with him about it in Arizona.
Further down the line, grab a copy of Baseball Digest when the May issue comes out. You’ll see a familiar name in the bylines.
What I’m Digging Right Now:
I just finished a collection of Wendell Berry’s essays, and I would recommend him to anyone. He’s remarkably prescient and wise. Start with his essay “Family Work” if you want to get a good taste.
Martin Shaw on Matt Fradd’s podcast. I can’t get enough of Shaw.
The start of March Madness. I’m just hoping my bracket survives at least the first day, but at the same time, I love the wildness of it all. Give me as many crazy upsets as possible!