Viva la World Baseball Classic

Ok, so Carlos Guillen has stepped in and whipped the Venezuelan WBC team management into shape.  There was much discontent about the handling/organization of the 2006 WBC Venezuelan team, and many Venezuelan MLB players had virtually decided against playing in 2009.   Carlos has shown himself to be an outspoken force, first after Gary Sheffield's comments about MLB "controlling" latino players.  Turns out he was right (although he spoke in a way that was offensive to many).   Carlos said he felt intimidated into not making waves, and others feared deportation if they spoke up over issues.  Now, he has stood up and affected change on his own national team.  Do you realize that half our team will now be playing for Venezuela in the WBC?  Carlos Guillen, Magglio Ordóñez, Miguel Cabrera, and Armando Gallaraga will all most likely represent.  Carlos obviously has a great political future ahead of him.

I, for one, am desperate to score tickets to the first round of the WBC at the Rogers Centre in Toronto on March 7.  Venezuela will be playing Italy, and the tickets go on sale on Monday, November 17.  So, I go on-line to register for a ticket strip.  Alas, the deadline to register for tickets for the first round has passed.  (Aside while I sob inconsolably for a few moments.)  I need baseball in March, I need a respite from the relentless Michigan winter, I need to see my Tigres in action for Venezuela.

So, if anyone out there has the goods, let me know.  

I realize that MLB  has some legitimate concerns about injury during the WBC, but it's good for baseball, it's good for fans, so I support it, because I'm sorry, fans are often left out of the equation, when we're the reason for the sport's existence.  Excuse me, how do you expect to make money if you're playing to empty stadiums, not selling gazillions in fan gear, and losing fat tv contracts?  (Stepping off soapbox now.)

So let's soak up the World Baseball Classic in prelude to that summer classic we couldn't do without.