As a baseball fan I am absolutely loving the WBC.  As a patriotic American I am absolutely loving the WBC.  As a Mets fan I am absolutely hating the WBC.  I can't help but think the worst each time a Met is playing.  Who's going to blow out their arm.  Who's going to tear a hammy.  I guess it is natural to think this way considering the Mets have (or, had) 16 guys playing in the WBC.  It is a bit strange to see guys going 100%, full-out in March, especially pitchers.  I can't help but think that either guys will get into a bad habit, push too much too early causing injury or be burnt out by August.  Either way, I have been enjoying the Classic and watching baseball in what may be its purest form.  It  has been entertaining and I find myself feeling like it is post-season baseball. 

For example, last nights Puerto Rico/USA game was fantastic.  What a great game and represented well by our Mets.  Carlos Delgado hit a bomb.  Carlos Beltran robbed a home run.  Putz threw a dominating and scoreless inning.  Figgy pitched well.  Finally, David Wright's huge game winning hit.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching this game unfold.  Congrats to team USA, and good luck the rest of the way.

Welcome back to Port St. Lucie losers in the WBC.  Once of the things that concerns me is that since so many everyday players have been gone for the Mets that they will have a tough time "gelling" as a team.  Everything that they worked on for the early weeks of spring training will have to be programed again in these players.  I don't care how many times players say they are happy to be back in camp, in my opinion they can't be.  It is just human nature.  They just got bounced from the WBC while playing for their country in a playoff atmosphere.  Now they are back in camp, dog days of spring training and it will probably take a good week to get back in the frame of mind that you are preparing for 162 games.  Let's call it a shortened off-season for the next few weeks for these guys. 

Other observations about the WBC:
- Luis Soho, are you kidding me, using K-Rod two games in a row for a 4 out save!  He did that once all of last year.  If I am Omar I am calling Luis and letting him know that is is not making me happy.  Are we going to have to worry about K-Rod in August knowing that innings were already a concern.  K-Rod is absolutely letting it rip in the WBC and that does not make me comfortable.
- Back in Port St. Lucie the Mets have an absolute mess for their fifth starter.  Well, I think there is a solution in  Nelson Figueroa.  I have been impressed with his movement, control and compared to what we have in camp, I'd be happy to put Figgy in the mix.
- Ollie is being Ollie.  This guy looked absolutely miserable in the WBC.  He only has a few weeks to get into MLB playing form and this may not be enough time.  This guy must work on his stuff because we can not afford for Ollie to shit the bed this year.  We know he is going to be erratic, but can this kid recover from a shortened spring training where he obviously picked up more bad habits.  Did you see him pitch?  He looked like a totally different Ollie on every pitch.  An absolute circus.
- JC Romero, how did you pull this magic trick.  Test positive for a banned substance, get suspend without pay for 50 games but yet still can pitch in the WBC and earn money for it, all while being a cheater.  I think the WBC needs to look at its rules.  What is stopping others players or teams from taking advantage of this loop hole? 
- Great for Adam Dunn, I am so happy for him. For the first time in his career he is playing meaningful baseball games and it looks like he is locked in.  If only the Mets needed a left handed hitting bat this off-season, he could have been a solid option for them. 

Anyway, bottom line is that I am torn on the WBC.  Great for baseball, bad for Mets fans because of our representation.  These guys can not come back to camp fast enough.  I know they are professionals, but they are going to have to start from scratch again when it comes to playing as a member of the Metropolitans.

Back to work guys.  Back to a goal of winning a championship for the New York fans!

I am sitting here watching the end of the Netherlands and Dominican Republic game and I am in awe.  This is like watching a DIII baseball squad beat the Yankess and their starting line-up......twice!  The Dutch are playing hard, team inspired baseball.  It is absolutely shocking, or is it?  Seeing the Dominican Republic fold like this shows what happens when a ballclub pays as individuals.  It certainly looks like this is what happened to Team USA in 2006, with the king offender being A-Rod. 

Here is my point, I watched a Mets team over the past few years that have not played inspired team baseball.  I have seen a team that is not a cohesive group.   I have written over and over again about these feelings during the past few years, and in my spring training review below I point out how the Mets need to play solid team baseball.  It is refreshing to see that Manuel understands this and is trying to instill unselfish team baseball this spring.  I believe Manuel's message will become even more clear after this historic loss by the Dominican Republic team.  Let's hope that after the WBC Mets players will come back with a stronger sense of team baseball.