For a team expected to make up for a disappointing 2008 season and contend for the American League Central again in 2009, the Indians aren't really off to a great start. Earlier this week, word about Kerry Wood's sore back that's held him out of spring exercises came out. Today, Grady Sizemore is telling reporters that his sore groin will keep him out of the World Baseball Classic. This isn't actually bad news for the Indians; like Wood's back problem this looks like a nagging thing that the Indians are being careful with because that's what you do in February. If Sizemore's groin is still bothering him in three weeks, maybe there are some valid questions about his health. Right now, the only questions are about the World Baseball Classic.
What is it, exactly? It's sold as the World Cup of baseball with meaningful games a month early for the fans to watch. It's honestly not a terrible concept, but for the games to have meaning to the fans, they have to be meaningful to the players. A lot of players do take it seriously, but they certainly all don't.
The Canadian team's drubbing of the US team in the first WBC was perfectly emblematic of this problem; it was clear that the Canadians were playing for something entirely different than what the USA was playing for. Until the players can figure out what this thing means to them, the fans aren't going to have any idea what to make of it.
