...
By Tyler Erzberger
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Team USA came into the World Baseball Classic seen as the best collection of baseball players the country had ever sent to the international tournament.
However, on Tuesday late at night, those same players were mercilessly booed by the hometown Houston fans for the effort they showed in a loss to Italy. The 8-6 loss now puts them in danger of being eliminated in the group stage for the first time in WBC history.
Italy, mostly made up of Italian-American players, almost looked like a USA B Team in some regards, with players like Vinnie Pasquantino, who are great in their own right but wouldn't be looked at twice when compiling the star-studded USA lineup.
Read More on MLB
But none of those accolades or fame mattered in a game where the Italians came out hot early and never stopped expressing joy from the dugout to the mount, whereas the Americans sat stoically and sometimes appeared half asleep.
While it would be easy to put the blame on a single hitter or pitcher, that would take away from the overwhelming personification of this team: boredom.
More news: Tarik Skubal Branded ‘Traitor’ by Furious Fans for Leaving Team USA in WBC
...
More news: Randy Arozarena Slams Mariners Teammate Cal Raleigh After Handshake Denial
If you tune in to any other WBC game, be it a powerhouse or a minnow, the players are alive. They're hanging from the dugout like it's a jungle gym. They're putting on elaborate costumes and celebrations for every small hit and every gigantic home run.
For the Americans, everything was supposed to come off as cool. Instead, it all came off as bland, like a vanilla ice cream cone topped with red, white, and blue sprinkles to make it feel special.
While some players showed fight and emotion once the team fell embarrassingly 8-0, it wasn't enough. The fire you'd hope to see from the leaders of Team USA, including manager Mark DeRosa, had glazed over looks. At times, it's hard to tell whether they were playing in the WBC or a spring training game without context.
Bryce Harper, who said the Olympics were more important than the tournament he was currently competing in, was brought in the eighth inning after an awful tournament to have a chance to be a hero.
Down three and two men on with two outs, Harper hit a lazy fly ball to the outfield as the crowd deflated following a series of hits. The American players were awkwardly shuffling in the dugout, as if they had been through their entire tournament in Houston.
While Team USA waits until tomorrow to see if they'll play in the quarterfinals, depending on the result of Mexico vs. Italy, one of their best players, Tarik Skubal, will depart for spring training. Two nights prior, the entire South Korean baseball team, including its commentators, broke down in tears after advancing to the Top 8 of the WBC for the first time in over a decade.
Harper was right when he said that the Olympics mattered more to him than the WBC, an answer probably many members of Team USA would have echoed.
And it showed.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines