The World Baseball Classic during first-round play was "embraced by enthusiastic crowds throughout four days of mostly riveting games while rocking Marlins Park to a level never seen in its five years," according to Craig Davis of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. The six games involving four nations "drew crowds totaling 163,878 and were characterized by passion, personality and percussion, much of it provided by the Dominican team and its animated supporters." Team USA 1B Eric Hosmer said, "Especially after (Saturday) night, just the energy alone, I think it showed how much pride is in this tournament, how much excitement it brings. I think the way everyone bought in, especially on our club, it’s something special to see" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 3/13). ESPN.com's Thomas Neumann noted the Dominican Republic's game against Colombia yesterday drew a "crowd of 36,952" to Marlins Park. Dominican fans have "treated the WBC as a festival rather than a mere series of games." The stands are "filled with singing and dancing to a soundtrack of horns, drums and tropical percussion" (ESPN.com, 3/12). In N.Y., Tyler Kepner wrote, "When you watch the Dominicans play, you have to remind yourself that it is only March." The “ebullience in the stands -- and the intensity and joy of the play on the field -- does not match the calendar.” Baseball fans "don’t often witness that kind of baseball here, and it is a treat.” Meanwhile, the empty upper decks at Marlins Park yesterday during U.S.-Canada "said much about the stateside appeal" of the WBC. Attendance for the game was 22,303 even though Dominican Republic-Colombia earlier in the day "was a sellout." (N.Y. TIMES, 3/13).
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE? YAHOO SPORTS' Mark Townsend noted the Dominican Republic on Saturday night beat the U.S. in front of a crowd of 37,446 -- the "largest ever for a baseball game at Marlins Park." The crowd "provided a postseason type atmosphere" and was "largely in favor of the Dominican Republic" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/11). In Miami, Greg Cote wrote it was "hard to know by sight or sound which was the home team" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/12). Team USA P Marcus Stroman said, "I love this atmosphere. The fact that we can have a playoff atmosphere like this in March is pretty special. It’s not like your normal crowd. You’ve got a bunch of horns and sirens and all that going on. It’s a fun environment. I loved it. It was exactly like a playoff game" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 3/12). In DC, Dave Sheinin noted the game had been "sold out for weeks" and had a crowd that was "perhaps" 80% pro-Dominican. A "good number" of the fans "brought drums, horns and anything else that made noise" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/12). In Baltimore, Eduardo Encina noted the crowd was "loud throughout, no swatch of the ballpark absent of fans waving the Dominican flag, blowing horns and beating drums" (Baltimore SUN, 3/12).
GIVE 'EM WHAT THEY NEED: ESPN.com's David Schoenfield wrote Dominican Republic-U.S. was "exactly the kind of dramatic affair the WBC needed to bring more attention to the rest of the tournament" (ESPN.com, 3/12). YAHOO SPORTS' Jeff Passan wrote the game "deserved to be played in October rather than March" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/12). In Detroit, Anthony Fenech wrote Cubs-Indians World Series Game 7 was the "loudest" he had "ever heard a stadium." Fenech: "The loudest until Saturday night" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 3/12). Fenech added this weekend showed the "potential that this tournament carries if the kinks are worked out" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 3/13). FOXSPORTS.com's Ken Rosenthal wrote he "reveled in the electric vibe of the first round." Rosenthal: "I wish such passion was more frequently on display at major-league parks, though I doubt many of us would survive 162 games at that volume and at that pace" (FOXSPORTS.com, 3/11). In West Palm Beach, Dave George wrote, "We’re only in the first round, folks, and already the WBC is making March tingle like October. Good thing this tournament only comes around every four years. It takes at least that long to recover" (PALM BEACH POST, 3/12).
SHOW YOU HOW IT'S DONE: USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale writes as much as MLB teams "want to weaken the spirit and fabric of the WBC, with several players and executives privately belittling it, once you’re involved in the event, you’re captivated." Dominican Republic 3B Manny Machado said, “It’s awesome, just unbelievable, to be honest with you." Baseball HOFer Pedro Martinez said, "Not even in a World Series do you feel a crowd like this." Nightengale writes the WBC is "captivating, and no player involved has publicly expressed any regrets" (USA TODAY, 3/13). In Ft. Lauderdale, Tim Healey noted among those in attendance Saturday for Dominican Republic-U.S. was a "group nearing double-digits" of Marlins players who "made the 80-mile trip from Roger Dean Stadium, ditching their uniforms for civilian clothes and the dugout for a luxury suite to cheer." Several front-office execs "were also there." They all "experienced a version of Marlins Park -- full and loud, to say the least -- rarely seen in the stadium’s half-decade history." Marlins C A.J. Ellis said, "Even in commercial breaks, even when it’s supposed to be downtime, there was a buzz in the stadium. You feel that anxiety and that tension the entire game" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 3/12).
SAFETY FIRST: In St. Louis, Derrick Goold notes a fight "appeared to break out in the stands" during the Puerto Rico-Mexico Saturday night game in Mexico "near the family section." Puerto Rico C Yadier Molina on Instagram wrote, "MLB ,,, it's a shame that you are more interested in making money and not in the security of our family. its a shame that the players have to be worried about the safety of our family when you were supposed to have security for them,,, Horrible organization for this event , no security for the players family." Officials spoke with Molina "privately after the game about his concerns." The WBC said that it was "looking into the events" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/13).
SHOOT FOR THE STARS: SI.com's Tom Verducci wrote the WBC "needs more than the USA in a final to get Americans interested in the tournament." It needs to be "played in July, displacing the All-Star Game every four years." Verducci: "Sound crazy? It’s an idea that’s been kicked around by MLB and the players association in very preliminary, informal brainstorming sessions." To be at Marlins Park on Saturday night was to "understand this tournament is seriously fun and deserves more attention" (SI.com, 3/12). YAHOO SPORTS’ Passan writes calling the WBC “anything less than a rousing success would short-shrift its worldwide bona fides.” Scheduling the event in July in the middle of playoff races “almost certainly would lessen the participation.” Doing it after the World Series, “even in a dome, is a non-starter.” Passan: “That’s the thing about the WBC: The more one nitpicks at what it isn’t, the likelier one is to realize it’s pretty great just the way it is” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/13).
