Padres Fans Divided: Surprising Reactions Emerge Over Players’ World Baseball Classic Showdown

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The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is that rare chance for MLB stars to wear their country’s colors on the diamond, a spectacle that rolls around every three to four years during Spring Training — right when teams are grinding to gear up for the grueling 162-game slog ahead. There’s been some chatter about swapping out the usual All-Star festivities for WBC games, giving these ballers more breathing room to get ready for the intense international face-off.

Sure, players often say it’s a thrill and an honor to step up for their homeland, and fans love seeing their favorite stars mix it up with a global flair. But once the flags are folded and the trophy packed away, these guys head back to their MLB squads — sometimes missing out on precious time bonding with teammates and fine-tuning under their coaches, which hasn’t exactly played out peachily for the San Diego Padres in recent years.

The 2023 WBC was meant to be the Padres’ springboard — the year they’d cruise into the playoffs, steamroll the postseason, and finally snag their inaugural World Series crown. Spoiler alert: it didn’t happen. With all-star powerhouses like Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, and Juan Soto loaded in the lineup, expectations were sky-high. Still, the Padres stumbled to just 83 wins, missing the playoffs entirely, and never really gelled under then-manager Bob Melvin’s watch.

Beyond just team chemistry, there’s that nagging worry about injuries. Baseball’s inherently risky, no doubt — but pushing hard in a high-stakes tourney before the season really kicks off ups the chance of serious knocks. Like when the New York Mets lost their closer, Edwin Diaz, early in 2023 after an unfortunate injury celebrating a WBC win. Not exactly a hard-luck story that’s easy to dismiss.

Now, don’t get me wrong — I’m a big fan of the WBC myself. It’s bona fide baseball, showcasing some of the sport’s top athletes giving their all on an international stage. Still, I watch with a knot in my stomach when guys like Machado, Tatis Jr., Bogaerts, or Mason Miller suit up — any twitch, weird arm motion, or slight grimace during a swing makes my heart skip.

So here’s where you come in: Gaslamp Ball is firing up this week’s Padres Reacts Survey to find out — how do you really feel about your Padres taking the field in the WBC? We’ll be sharing your thoughts soon, so stay tuned.

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The World Baseball Classic is an opportunity for MLB players to represent their country on the baseball field. The tournament takes place every three to four years and games are played during Spring Training when MLB teams are typically trying to get their players prepared for the 162-game season. There has been some debate about whether the WBC games should be played in lieu of that season’s All-Star game to provide the athletes who are taking part more time to ramp up and prepare for the rigors of a global competition.

The WBC players often talk about how being selected to play for their country is an honor and for the fans of the players it is fun to see them competing on their respective teams. However, at the end of the tournament, the players all return to their MLB clubs and the missed opportunities to work with teammates and coaches can prove to be problematic. At least that seemed to be the case for the San Diego Padres in years past.

The last WBC was held in 2023 and that was supposed to be the year the Padres were going to coast into the playoffs, blow through the postseason and claim the first World Series Championship in franchise history for San Diego. That proved not to be the case, in fact the Padres struggled to win just 83 games and missed the playoffs completely. The team never seemed to come together under then manager Bob Melvin despite having Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts and Juan Soto on the roster and in the same lineup.

The concern about Padres players competing in the WBC is not just about how they will mesh with their teammates and makeup for lost time building camaraderie, there are also the overwhelming health concerns. Playing baseball is going to come with a risk of injury but when you have this kind of competition and players pushing themselves to perform at a high level earlier than they normally do, it increases the injury potential. The New York Mets lost their closer, Edwin Diaz, for the 2023 season when he was injured celebrating a win during a WBC contest. He was not doing anything that was inherently hazardous to his health, but he was injured all the same.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the WBC and I will watch the games because its real baseball being played by some of the best athletes in the sport. I will do so nervously if Machado, Tatis Jr., Bogaerts, Mason Miller or any of the other Padres competing for their respective countries has a misstep, an extra circular motion of their arm or a slight wince following a swing.

It is with this information and these concerns in mind that Gaslamp Ball poses this question for this week’s Padres Reacts Survey. How do you feel about Padres players competing in the WBC? Results of the poll will be posted later in the week.