Lax rules for the World Baseball Classic:

[NorthsideAvenger]

This is horse poop:

 

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/9029988

 

:roll: Piazza could play for Italy in the WBC, simply because he has an Italian heritage. This WBC is going to be messed up from the begining?

[Marco4]

I imagine this is being done in a positive way rather than a negative, they'll want the best quality players playing.

 

These rules probably will lower the quality of the U.S. team and boost the depth of other nations in the tournament.

 

I don't see that this is necessarily the case. It will simply allow a larger pool of players to be accessed for the games.

 

Its all just reminded me of the term Plastic Paddy, for which I am grateful.

[NorthsideAvenger]

I imagine this is being done in a positive way rather than a negative, they'll want the best quality players playing.

 

These rules probably will lower the quality of the U.S. team and boost the depth of other nations in the tournament.

 

I don't see that this is necessarily the case. It will simply allow a larger pool of players to be accessed for the games.

 

Its all just reminded me of the term Plastic Paddy, for which I am grateful.

 

The problem I have is....I seriously doubt Piazza has ever held a citizenship or even a place of residence in Italy. Thus that is NOT his home. He was born and raise in the US, thus, if he is selected to play for USA, there should be no agruments. Now if a player was born in a say.......Dominican Republic to American parent,s the player should have the right to chose who he wants to repesent. Piazza shouldn't be allow to play for Italy, just because he has Italian blood.

[wvcbxl]

It would seem they are making a set of prupose-built rules, and trying to pass on the criticism.

 

From the Sportsline article:

"Eligibility rules are still being discussed. It will be similar to the IBAF rules," said Paul Archey, senior vice president of Major League Baseball International, referring to the International Baseball Federation.

 

Yeah right. :roll:

 

From the IBAF rules:

Article 66.

Any player playing for his national team in a competition under the jurisdiction of the IBAF must have the nationality of the country, his Federation, Association or Organization which registered him for their national team.

All matters relating to nationality shall be in accordance with the IBAF By-Laws and with the Olympic Charter.

In the Olympic Games and the Olympic Qualification Tournaments where there could be an uncertainty between the IBAF By-Laws and the Olympic Charter, the provisions of the Olympic Charter shall prevail.

 

That is about as clear as it can get: if you don't hold citizenship, you can't play for a country.

From the content of the article, it would seem like they are finding inspiration in the eligibility rules used in rugby.

From the IRFB rules:

1.8.1:

A player may play for the Senior National Respresentative Team or the next Senior Team below the Senior National Representative level of the Union of the country in which

(a) he was born or

(b) one parent or grandparent was born or

© in which he has been granted permanent residency or citizenship (permanent residency is defined as a status granted by the government of that country permitting a person to live indefinitely in that country as his intended permanent home; citizenship must be evidenced by the possession of naturalization papers or a passport of the adopted country) or

(d) he has completed three consecutive years of residence immediately preceding the time of playing.

 

Which is about as broad as you can reasonably get, unless you are willing to consider "likes spaghetti" as sufficient condition to play for Italy.

[hardcorecubfan]

hey, as long as no cub plays in this fiasco I'll be happy. I picture A. Ram pulling a hamstring, while Walker gets taken out by some schmoe from China who doesn't have a clue about baseball.

[bc2k]

I'm not a fan of this World Tournament because of the threat of injury to Cubs players, but I also don't like the fact that players can choose where to play.

 

I didn't like seeing NBA players play for any country other than USA in the Olympics. I think NBA and MLB players should be limited to choosing between playing for their home country in the Olympics or playing in the NBA/MLB.

 

Think of it this way: Elite foreign athletes get their training in the USA's NBA/MLB while drawing millions more dollars than they would in their native country. They take American jobs away and use the training the USA provided them against the USA in the Olympics.

 

They're double dipping, and David Stern should stop it by making a rule that if you play for any country other than the US in the Olympics, you're NBA contract is voided and you are banned from the NBA. I wish the same rules would apply for MLB.

 

By making foreign players choose between multi-milions and country pride, I bet they'll choose the American dollar, and the USA wouldn't have schulbs like Ginobli winning the Gold medal.

[wekse]

this is incredibly stupid

[CuseCubFan69]

I'm pumped. I might get a shot at playing in this thing due to my heritage!!!!

[LoneStarCubFan]

Which is about as broad as you can reasonably get, unless you are willing to consider "likes spaghetti" as sufficient condition to play for Italy.

 

Sweet, I've got a shot!

[Omar]

Which is about as broad as you can reasonably get, unless you are willing to consider "likes spaghetti" as sufficient condition to play for Italy.

 

Sweet, I've got a shot!

 

I like Pizza.

[wvcbxl]

Which is about as broad as you can reasonably get, unless you are willing to consider "likes spaghetti" as sufficient condition to play for Italy.

 

Sweet, I've got a shot!

 

I like Pizza.

 

That should qualify you for a spot on the bench. :jocolor:

[wvcbxl]

By making foreign players choose between multi-milions and country pride, I bet they'll choose the American dollar, and the USA wouldn't have schulbs like Ginobli winning the Gold medal.

 

If such a policy is ever applied in soccer, the world cup can safely be limited to an eight team tournament. And no, the US would not be taking part.

[CuseCubFan69]

By making foreign players choose between multi-milions and country pride, I bet they'll choose the American dollar, and the USA wouldn't have schulbs like Ginobli winning the Gold medal.

 

If such a policy is ever applied in soccer, the world cup can safely be limited to an eight team tournament. And no, the US would not be taking part.

 

They take part now? :D

[hardcorecubfan]

I'm pumped. I might get a shot at playing in this thing due to my heritage!!!!

 

Hey maybe your right..Do they go back as far as 1683 and do the swiss have a team?

[wvcbxl]

do the swiss have a team?

 

Of course they do: Swiss baseball federation 8)

[c3ci1]

Doesn't sound like anything new. Shawn Bradley had loose justification to be on the German Nat'l Team. Same for Thomas Dooley & US Soccer. Talented countries have overflow.

[Marco4]

Doesn't sound like anything new. Shawn Bradley had loose justification to be on the German Nat'l Team. Same for Thomas Dooley & US Soccer. Talented countries have overflow.

 

For real amusement, look at the Republic of Ireland team (soccer) in 1994 - I'm sure at least half the team were only in there because they'd had Guinness once.

[hardcorecubfan]

do the swiss have a team?

 

Of course they do: Swiss baseball federation 8)

 

thanks, I am on my way right now.