Karl Ravech's two-stage WBC proposal

Just heard an interesting proposal from Karl Ravech on Baseball Tonight (it's back!) about the WBC. It all started when he predicted that a World Series game will get snowed out this year. He proposed starting the WBC earlier and only determining the final four teams. Those teams will then square off during the All Star Break.

There are several advantages to this proposal. First, it would shorten the first stage of the WBC. In turn, that would reduce the amount of spring training that the best players (those who play in the WBC) would be forced to miss. Second, it would increase fans' interest in the WBC. Under the current system, the entire competition starts and ends before fans really get into the baseball season. By whittling it down to the best four teams, fans are already plugged into the WBC as the season gets underway. By the All Star Break, people are in full baseball mode, which is perfect timing for a final four showdown. That would increase ratings, especially when the MLB Network is in its infancy and needs a big turnout. Finally, it would make the final four more competitive. The players will be in midseason form and would play better than they would in March. This can only have a positive effect on the WBC.

Of course, there are downsides as well. Players already play "soft" during the All Star Game, and that may continue in the WBC. Who wants to get injured just as the pennant races are heating up? It may also convince those players who were voted into the All Star Game not to play in the All Star Game, preferring to focus on the WBC instead. The opposite could happen, in that players may choose to play in the All Star Game rather than the WBC, perhaps reasoning that they are less likely to get hurt in the ASG than the potentially multigame WBC. Finally, owners may pressure their players even more not to play in the WBC. The stakes are just higher in July than in March.

I don't think the WBC will change format, at least in the foreseeable future. The tournament is in its infancy, and until real problems crop up (a snowed out WS game could do it) I don't think Bud Selig would allow anything to interfere with his annual All Star Game. More minor changes, however, are already in the works. These include expanding the field to 24 teams (creating preliminary rounds to advance to the main competition) and hosting the 2013 WBC in the Dominican Republic. Imagine having the final four teams play in the sweltering Dominican Republic in July. Ummm, no thanks.