David Wright Injury Proof WBC is Bad
David Wright was sent to New York on Friday so doctors can examine the sore ribs that forced him to be scratched from Thursday night’s USA-Dominican Republic game. Results are expected on Saturday. And it is yet another example why the World Baseball Classic, or at least the timing of it, is a bad thing.
Right now his immediate future is up in the air.
“In terms of the injury and it’s severity, we just don’t know any more than David has related already publicly,” Sandy Alderson told reporters on Friday. “So until he’s actually examined, we won’t know the exact nature of the injury. We won’t know the extent of the injury. And we won’t have any sort of timetable for his return.”
Wright said he began feeling some discomfort a week ago, but being the professional that he is, he didn’t say anything and played through the pain. Now, if this had happened in Mets camp, he would have immediately told the trainers and he would have sat out a few meaningless exhibition games. But since the WBC games count for something, David Wright pushed on.
And this is the problem with the WBC. Players almost have to play at top speed when perhaps they are not ready to do so. Spring Training is the time to gradually get ready for the season, not to go from zero to 60 just a couple of weeks after starting.
Would David Wright have suffered this injury if there was no WBC? No one can say. But Alderson suggested Wright kept quiet because of it.
“David is a guy that doesn’t overreact to things. He’s committed. When he makes commitments, he wants to execute on them, carry them out. I’m sure he felt a responsibility to Team USA.”
In theory, the WBC is a good thing. It helps spread baseball throughout the world. It’s just that the timing of the tournament could be better. Hopefully it will not cost the Mets the services of David Wright when the regular season begins.
UPDATE:
Sandy Alderson said Friday afternoon that Wright has a moderate strain of his left intercostal and will need three to five days rest. In the land of the Mets, nothing is ever that simple, so we’ll see…
I disagree, I am enjoying the WBC and unfortunately will enjoy it less without David there but I love the competition and the nationalism. David’s injury is not serious, and because players get hurt doesn’t mean the competition is bad.
I didn’t mean to say that the competition is bad. The timing of it just doesn’t work.
When writing persuasively try to state the point you want to make either a.) more effectively in the title or b.) Very clear in the first sentence.
“The timing of the WBC increases the risk of injury to players because they are not ready to go 100% at the time of the competition.” Then go into discussing David Wright and how his injury is evident of this. Be prepared to counter accusations that he could’ve easily have gotten just as hurt in ST.
Everyone is a critic and whenever you assert something someone’s going to disagree.
Good luck with the blog.
Well professor, if you read closely you will see that the only thing I criticized about the WBC is the timing. When reading, try to pay attention to what is written so you can either a) understand what the author is saying or b) or don’t. I don’t care.