By Zach Gewelb
The World Baseball Classic started Monday and 14 Mets will take part in the action, headlined by veterans Jose Reyes and Jeurys Familia.
The WBC first took place in 2006, followed by tournaments in March 2009 and 2013. The tournament features the best players from across the globe competing for their home countries and territories.
There are both ups and downs when it comes to players participating in the WBC and several teams have mixed feelings about what they should allow their players to do. The WBC opened in South Korea and runs from March 6-22, a time line that takes up a big chunk of Spring Training.
Some teams believe that having their players spend time away from the club during Spring Training is detrimental to their progress and development for the regular season, while others don’t see it as a big deal.
Considering the Mets are sending 14 players, count them as one team that doesn’t mind their players participating. While Reyes (Dominican Republic) and Familia (Dominican Republic) are the big names slated to play in the WBC, several other big leaguers and minor leaguers are taking part as well. The list includes Seth Lugo (Puerto Rico), Gavin Cecchini (Italy), Brandon Nimmo (Italy), Hansel Robles (Dominican Republic), Ty Kelly (Israel), Rene Rivera (Puerto Rico), T.J. Rivera (Puerto Rico) and Fernando Salas (Mexico), in addition to four minor leaguers.
This is where things start to get a little dicey. Some names mentioned are competing for spots on the big league roster and time away from the Mets and their coaching staff. Specifically Seth Lugo. How is the right-hander expected to make a strong enough impression to earn a rotation spot when he is away from the team?
Yes, he is still facing live hitters in what is arguably a more competitive atmosphere. But manager Terry Collins is not there. Pitching coach Dan Warthen is not there. While there is a certain pride to be had when it comes to playing for one’s native country, a player’s team should be his first priority and Lugo should be most concerned with earning a spot in the rotation.
That kind of dilemma does not exist for veterans and established players such as Reyes and Familia. They know what their respective roles are and have years of experience under their belts. They are not competing for a roster spot. Lugo is.
Salas and Robles are relievers with defined roles in the bullpen, making them expendable in Spring Training.
Meanwhile, Rivera is fighting for a spot on the big league roster. He proved to be an adequate backup last season for the Mets and even served as Noah Syndergaard’s personal catcher as the 2016 campaign progressed. He seems likely to earn the roster spot and with the odds of doing so are in his favor, one would think Rivera’s time would be better spent building camaraderie with the Mets’ pitchers rather than with team Puerto Rico.
The inclusion of young prospective big leaguers such as Kelly, Nimmo and T.J. Rivera in the WBC can also be considered questionable. Here you have three players with little-to-no shot at making the big league team out of camp, but chances are injuries will likely push each of them up to the majors at some point in 2017. They should be doing everything in their power to make that impression, which is not easy to do when you are away from the major league coaching staff.
The World Baseball Clinic is a good thing for baseball. It helps bring the sport of baseball to people across the globe and the name recognition of major leaguers certainly helps in that regard. But younger players with a chance to make the big league club should stay away.
Reach reporter Zach Gewelb by e-mail at zgewe
