Hamilton declines "The Classic"

by meatbonelefty on Dec 15, 2008 7:44 AM CST Comment 29 comments

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/12/14/wbc.hamilton/index.html

Sounds like he'd be their cleanup hitter and as much as I want Hamilton tp show the world what he can do, I'd rather have him get into shape so he stays fresh through October (yes, OCTOBER.)

I'm not exactly sure, but i'm pretty sure some players said they wish they didn't do it so they would have been more ready for their season so Hamilton not doing this might be a good thing.

Too bad though, because I think the whole world should know his story and see how amazing he is living life now compared to just a couple of years ago.

Maybe more Rangers asked for other countries?

Poll

Would you have liked to see Hamilton accept WBC invitation?

YES

41 votes

NO

86 votes

127 votes | Poll has closed

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Quote from CNN

“I was excited about it,” Hamilton said about the possibility of playing for the U.S. in March. “I wanted to do it, especially with the chance to play with a guy like Derek Jeter. I think the next time it comes around I’d love to play.”

He’s apparently a big fan of the jump throw.

by Oddibee on Dec 15, 2008 8:11 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Personally, I hope all Rangers

decline the WBC. Its kind of a silly event.

Nolan Ryan is the Greatest Pitcher ever, because Google says so.

"BTW I’m officially welching ab03. Yeah I planned too all along, but I figured I’d try to get off the hook with double or nothing first."- Sharky

by DJCahill on Dec 15, 2008 8:18 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don’t even know what it is.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Dec 15, 2008 8:25 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

A pointless exhibition

where innings pitched and games played aren’t under Ranger control.

Nolan Ryan is the Greatest Pitcher ever, because Google says so.

"BTW I’m officially welching ab03. Yeah I planned too all along, but I figured I’d try to get off the hook with double or nothing first."- Sharky

by DJCahill on Dec 15, 2008 9:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

Although I seem to remember something about Kinsler planning to play in it this time around.

"I´d like to apologize in advance for anything that I may say or do that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go NUTS."

by lonestarJon on Dec 15, 2008 8:27 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Can't

I remember reading that you cant play in the WBC if you ended the season on the DL…or it was something about ABs….i know it was something

either way, i know Kinsler can’t play but he did say that he wanted to

As for Hamilton, Im glad he isnt playing. His first priority should be to the rangers and he needs to prove he can play a full season before he plays in the WBC

by Horns130 on Dec 15, 2008 3:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Its kind of silly?

Why?

I actually really like it. I’m somewhat biased by getting to go to the championship games last time around – but it was by far more exciting and interesting than regular season baseball. Those other countries care a lot – watching the Japanese and Korean teams – and fans – work themselves into frenzies facing each other was something I’ll never forget. Just because the US doesn’t tie its pride up in it doesn’t mean that its silly. The WBC is the type of even that makes baseball a respected international sport. Why should you care? Because it means more higher quality baseball players in the MLB.

Do I wish it occurred sometime other than 2 weeks before the regular season – sure? Do teams like South Korea and Cuba have advantages since they can actually meet and practice as a team before they get there – maybe, who knows.

I understand the Rangers (and Hamilton) not wanting Hamilton to be part of it, since he’s shown to be a guy who a 6 month season is already pushing it. Which attests to the timing of the thing.

by JBImaknee on Dec 15, 2008 9:47 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes.

I find professionals playing in exhibitions to be fairly silly. I pretty much feel the same about the NBA professionals playing in the Olympics. I also find Professionals gaming the system to play as nationals of countries they never lived in to be silly.

Nolan Ryan is the Greatest Pitcher ever, because Google says so.

"BTW I’m officially welching ab03. Yeah I planned too all along, but I figured I’d try to get off the hook with double or nothing first."- Sharky

by DJCahill on Dec 15, 2008 9:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

well

I agree that the whole “I’m going to play for XX because my grandmother was born there” is very silly, and it does marginalize the event. Especially considering that almost every American has ties to some country or another. It should be country of birth, or if you immigrated, citizenship.

But I think those are only a few of the players (ARod being the one who gets all attention, and he’s just an attention whore). The vast majority of guys on the finals teams last year (Korea, Japan, Cuba, Dominican) were actually born in and grew up in those countries.

As for professionals playing in exhibitions, I agree it makes it silly when that makes only one country have a shot. Basketball is far more silly, because it is obvious the US will always win. Baseball isn’t basketball though. MLB is a far more heterogenous group of players though, so it isn’t nearly as pointless.

I can understand an argument that these guys have signed guaranteed contracts with their organizations, so to ask them risk injury for an exhibition is weird. But that doesn’t discount from the event though, just kind of clouds how it should related to MLB, etc.

by JBImaknee on Dec 15, 2008 10:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i didn't get to see it the first time

i was out of country at that time, but, i’m interested to see it this year…

Stability is key, and JD is a Beast.
Jindal - 2012

by Longhorn on Dec 15, 2008 10:12 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

My thoughts exactly

I think the WBC is a waste of time, an injury risk and disrupts spring training and getting ready for the MLB season.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Dec 15, 2008 11:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I bet if you went to just one game you'd change your mind about the waste of time part

Truly unique experience.

The injury risk and spring training parts are a worry, obviously.

Nah, noob.

by Brian Thomas on Dec 17, 2008 3:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure

I’d enjoy it if I were there in person, but as a concept it kind of bores me.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Dec 18, 2008 11:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

selfishly i want him to go - i love watching the guy play ball

but as a rangers fan…not so much

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Dec 15, 2008 9:13 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

yep

by Brett Perryman on Dec 15, 2008 9:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hamilton

His quotes show he really has good perspective. He’s very much a guy who is likely still adjusting from not playing for so long. Spring Training is important for him.

Guys like Michael Young and Ian Kinsler, who are more stable veterans, shouldn’t be that affected by it. Some people say Young slumped pretty bad after the last one, but I think that’s a slump we’re still waiting for him to get out of. Add in that most (good) MLB clubs also have players that are missing the same time, and most of them have pitching that’ll be affected, and no one in their right mind wants our pitching, it doesn’t negatively affect the rangers.

by JBImaknee on Dec 15, 2008 9:54 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

This is a tiny bit troubling

I’m giving serious thought to going to San Juan to watch the first round game there and I’d be a little disappointed if players started dropping out.

Nothing pithy here. Please move long.

by WyoRanger on Dec 15, 2008 10:08 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

You should go

not just for the American team, but for the international players and fans. This is their world series – they view it as their one chance to make a statement to the world.

There are obviously some obstacles to overcome (scheduling, players basically choosing who to play for, etc); but I don’t see why this couldn’t approach the World Cup in some ways. Obviously the number of baseball fanatic countries is smaller, but the passion in some of these places for baseball cannot be understated.

by JBImaknee on Dec 15, 2008 11:48 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

yea

i remember watching the venezuela-dominican game last time, that was crazy. I love seeing the passion of those foriegn countries for baseball

by blalock84 on Dec 15, 2008 3:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm glad he's not going..

I am being selfish!

I don’t want Josh or Kinsler going, if for only one reason. I don’t want friggin’ Jeter or anyone else having alone time with these guys, to begin a subtle recruiting of them to begin thinking about playing for another team.

It WOULD happen.

I miss 1989. I miss 1996. Please make me miss another season in 2008.

by Chaim Witz on Dec 15, 2008 11:49 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

so you don't want them going to all star games either?

by JBImaknee on Dec 15, 2008 12:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

nah

who cares about exhibition games.

mormons stole me and held me against my will with Oklahoma beer and 12+ hour work days.

by Jayslick on Dec 15, 2008 3:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ummmm

Please don’t expect me to be reasonable and/or logical when I am being selfish. It doesn’t sink in.

;-)

I miss 1989. I miss 1996. Please make me miss another season in 2008.

by Chaim Witz on Dec 16, 2008 12:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Good

The last thing I want to see is Hamilton get tired in August again because he had to play in the stupid WBC.

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Dec 15, 2008 12:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

WBC as a concept really is good

Dominican Republic or Cuba vs. Japan is a pretty interesting test of two different baseball philosophies.

But, the timing is just terrible. If anything, play it in November

Mandatory reading before suggesting a trade

by ab03 on Dec 15, 2008 12:42 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

It should be done in December

Give the players at least one month off from the baseball season (possibly 2 if they didn’t make the playoffs) and then that gives them plenty of time to rest up for ST.

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Dec 15, 2008 3:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Concur...

And I’d love to see guys like Kinsler and Hamilton play in it, but it’s just not worth the injury risk to start the year.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Dec 15, 2008 7:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes yes

Nah, noob.

by Brian Thomas on Dec 17, 2008 3:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Timing

Well, I think this is a great event that there is no good time for. December would be bad, because you have pro football with their last weeks of the regular season and college football bowls. No one would watch if you did it then. November is a bad time because you are just coming off the world series so any player that participated in the series or the playoffs is probably out. So I think March is the best time to do it. The only thing that you have during that month is college basketball.
This time around they are starting spring training a little bit earlier so that players have more time with their teams before they have to leave. So I wouldn’t have any problem with any of our players participating in this event. Sure there is the possibility for injury but there is the that possibility as well in spring training games or practices. So I say go out and play ball for your country if they want to.

by soonermike19 on Dec 15, 2008 6:57 PM CST reply actions 0 recs