"New" Manny lands in camp, WBC kicks off

Don't look now folks, but Manny made it. And he appears to have grown up some. It's on a rare occasion that he handles himself in a professional manner in front of the camera off the field. But he actually made lucid and surprisingly candid statements to the press yesterday. The soon to be 34 year old reflected on his career and noted he didn't want to screw it up. He handled the press like a seasoned vet. Maybe it wasn't Schillingesque, but more so than we've seen out of him in the past.
-
Does he truly get it now? Doubtful, but at least he's taking steps in the right direction. And if actions do in fact speak louder than words, his offseason conditioning should speak volumes. A much trimmer Manny showed up in camp. He hired a new personal trainer in the offseason to help address the hamstring problems he has year after year.
-
Manny also stated he would not participate in the WBC. He didn't want to make a fool out of himself by not being able to play at a high level. He stated he wanted to get ready for the season and that the WBC would hinder his progress. Thats not the statement of a carefree or freespirited flake.
-
We're not naive enough to think that he mysteriously transformed into a Cal Ripken or John Olerud in the offseason. It's only a matter of time before he slips into a "Manny moment". However, we've finally seen flashes of what we hoped was behind the hitting machine. Maybe he's finally seen the light. Well, judging by the new hairdo, he still may have a ways to go. Let's just hope that translates into less Manny being Manny...
-
The WBC is getting under way shortly. We think the overall concept is great, especially since baseball was removed from the Olympics. The timing is what we don't like. This entire tournament will be re-assessed once injuries occur - which they will. If a major star, or stars, go down before the start of the regular season, you can bet money on the fact that this will get scrapped next year.
-
There are too many downsides to this happening in March. Every GM is holding their breath right now. Is there a better timeframe to hold it? Midseason around the all-star break? You would have to decrease the 162 game season, or start it earlier. Great, March in Boston is not too cold. Late October after the World Series? Not much interest from players exhaused from the season. The only viable timeline is to replace winter ball. But, the same issues of injuries exist. It's a fantastic idea conceptually, but its not practical.
-
Players will break down this season. You may hear rumblings in Sept that they peaked too early in March. This will affect pitchers more than position players. You know once they get on the mound to represent their country, adrenaline will kick in. Even if they are on a pitch count, they will probably fire the ball harder because they are only throwing a limited number. As exciting as it may be, lets hope it's not a nightmare.
-
A recent ESPN poll asked users who would win the WBC. Of 50K+ pollers, 49% said the US would win, followed by the Dominican at 38%. The interesting thing is that only the New England states & Maryland had more Dominican votes than US votes. Look out for Venezuela and the winner of the Asia pool. Remember that this is a one game elimination tournament, and anything can happen. Lets just hope it's all good...