The
World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the
International Baseball FederationThe International Baseball Federation is the worldwide governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee as overseeing, deciding and executing the policy of the bat-and-ball sport of baseball at the international level...
(IBAF) and created by
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB), the
Major League Baseball Players AssociationThe Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
(MLBPA), and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world. Along with the Baseball World Cup, it is one of two active tournaments considered by the IBAF to be a major world championship. The
2009 ClassicThe 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
, the second edition of the event, was won by Japan for the second tournament in a row.
The tournament is the first of its kind to have national baseball teams feature professional players from the major leagues around the world including Major League Baseball; the Summer Olympics have regularly featured college and minor-league players because the Games conflict with the major league seasons in both North America and Asia, and the Baseball World Cup historically has not had major leaguers participate. In addition to providing a format for the best baseball players in the world to compete against one another while representing their home countries, the World Baseball Classic was created in order to further promote the game around the globe.
After a 3-year gap between the first two installments of the tournament, plans call for the World Baseball Classic to be repeated every four years following the 2009 event, with the third installment of the Classic to occur in 2013.
Results
| Year |
Final Host |
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Final |
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Semifinalists |
| Champions |
Score |
Runners-up |
3rd place |
4th place |
Details---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
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San Diego |
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10–6 |
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DetailsThe 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
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Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
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5–3
(F/10Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine innings , each of which is divided into halves: the visiting team bats first, after which the home team takes its turn at bat...
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DetailsThe 2013 World Baseball Classic will be an international baseball competition. The Classic was expanded to 28 teams, from 16.Japan won the first two World Baseball Classics, in 2006 and 2009.- Qualification:...
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Medal table
| Rank |
Country |
Gold  |
Silver  |
Bronze  |
Total  |
| 1 |
|
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| 2 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| 3 |
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0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| 4 |
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0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
Players in WBC editions
In 2006, many high caliber players participated in the World Baseball Classic. Amongst the players that made the All-WBC team were Americans
Derek JeterDerek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
and
Ken Griffey Jr.George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. , nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and during his final years, designated hitter...
From Japan,
Daisuke Matsuzakais a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball in the United States. He previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of the inaugural and the second World Baseball Classic, and is an Olympic bronze...
,
Ichiro Suzuki, usually known simply as is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262...
and Tomoya Satozaki were on the team. Other internationals included players from Cuba—
Yulieski GourrielYulieski Gourriel is a Cuban baseball player. A member of Cuba's national team and Sancti Spíritus in the Cuban National Series, Gourriel is primarily a third baseman, though he has also played other positions, such as shortstop and 2nd base...
,
Yoandy GarloboYoandy Garlobo Romay is a baseball player who starred for Cuba at the 2006 World Baseball Classic. Garlobo was the designated hitter for Cuba at the tournament, where he had a .480 batting average—second only to Ken Griffey, Jr...
and
Yadel MartíYadel Martí Carrillo is a right-handed pitcher in the Oakland Athletics organization.-Cuba:Martí formerly played for the Cuba national baseball team and Industriales of the Cuban National Series....
; and from Dominican Republic—
Albert PujolsJosé Alberto Pujols Alcántara , better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player, who is currently a free agent...
,
Pedro MartinezPedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
and
Jose BautistaJosé Antonio Bautista is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder with the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. Though now primarily a right fielder, having been a utility player in the past, he has major league experience at six different positions...
. However, it was Matsuzaka who was crowned the
MVPIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the first ever World Baseball Classic after Japan defeated Cuba 10–6. Matsuzaka pitched 13
inningInning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
s and finished with a 3–0 record. Soon after this performance, Matsuzaka received a multi-million dollar contract to join the
Boston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
of America's
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Again in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Matsuzaka was a member of the Japanese team which successfully defended their title. Matsuzaka again received the world classic MVP, finishing with a record of 3–0 and an
ERAIn baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 2.54.
Most Valuable Player awards
-
Daisuke Matsuzakais a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball in the United States. He previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of the inaugural and the second World Baseball Classic, and is an Olympic bronze...
: Daisuke Matsuzaka
All-WBC teams
In 2009, the
all-starAll-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
World Baseball Classic team included only one player from the USA. The rest of the all star team was made up of three Cubans, three Japanese, four South Koreans and one player from Venezuela, José López.
- 2006 All-WBC Team
- 2009 All-WBC Team
Eligibility rules
A player is eligible to participate on a World Baseball Classic team if:
- The player is a citizen of the nation the team represents.
- The player is qualified for citizenship or to hold a passport under the laws of a nation represented by a team, but has not been granted citizenship or been issued a passport, then the player may be made eligible by WBCI upon petition by the player or team.
- The player is a permanent legal resident of the nation or territory the team represents.
- The player was born in the nation or territory the team represents.
- The player has one parent who is, or if deceased was, a citizen of the nation the team represents.
- The player has one parent who was born in the nation or territory the team represents.
Rules of play
In addition to the standard rules of baseball, the World Baseball Classic employs the following additional rules:
Pitch counts
A
pitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
cannot pitch until:
- a minimum of three days have passed since he last pitched, if he threw 50 or more pitches when he last pitched
- a minimum of one day has passed since he last pitched, if he threw 30 or more pitches when he last pitched
- a minimum of one day has passed since any second consecutive day on which the pitcher pitched
A pitcher cannot pitch more than
- 70 pitches per game in Round One of the tournament
- 85 pitches per game in Round Two of the tournament
- 100 pitches per game in the Semifinals and Final of the tournament
A pitcher can still finish a batter's plate appearance even if the limit is reached, but must come out after completing the plate appearance
Mercy rule
A game will be a called game if the leading team is ahead by
- 10 or more runs when the opposing team has batted in at least seven innings
- 15 or more runs when the opposing team has batted in at least five innings
Mercy ruleA mercy rule, also well known by the slightly less polite term slaughter rule , brings a sports event to an early end when one team has a very large and presumably insurmountable lead over the other team...
s do not apply during the semi-finals and finals.
Established process
The tournament was announced in May . Major League Baseball had been attempting to create such a tournament for at least two years; negotiations with the players' union (MLBPA) and with the team owners had held the plan back. Owners, notably
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
owner
George SteinbrennerGeorge Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
, had been concerned about their star players being injured in international play before the beginning of
spring trainingIn Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, and the professional season. This was a concern for the MLBPA as well, but their primary objection was with
drug testingThe use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
. MLB wanted the stricter
OlympicThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
standards in place for the tournament, while the union wanted current MLB standards in place. Eventually, a deal was reached on insurance for player contracts and a fairly tough drug testing standard. MLB teams would not be able to directly block their players from participating.
Similarly, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and its players' association had a disagreement over participation in the tournament. While the owners initially agreed to the invitation, the players' union was concerned about the time of year the tournament was scheduled to take place, as well as their right to be better represented for the tournament. On September 16, 2005, after four months of negotiations, NPB officially notified the IBAF and MLB they had accepted the invitation.
Field
The 2006 and 2009 tournaments each had the same 16-team field, chosen by invitation: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and .
Plans for the
2013 World Baseball ClassicThe 2013 World Baseball Classic will be an international baseball competition. The Classic was expanded to 28 teams, from 16.Japan won the first two World Baseball Classics, in 2006 and 2009.- Qualification:...
include expanding the number of competing teams through the use of a
qualifying tournamentThe qualification round for the 2013 World Baseball Classic will be held in 2012. For the first time ever a qualifying round will be held to determine the final set of teams that will compete in the main tournament...
to maintain the same numbers in the main tournament. The twelve teams that won at least one game in the
2009 WBCThe 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
will receive a bye and automatically qualify for the main tournament in 2013, while the four teams first eliminated in 2009 – , , , and – will take part in the qualifying tournament, to be held in November 2012 in
TaiwanThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
. In addition to these will be an additional 12 teams participating in the World Baseball Classic for the first time: , , , , , , , , , , , and . The four top teams from the qualifying tournament will join the twelve automatic qualifiers to compose a 16-team field for the main tournament in spring 2013.
See also
- Baseball World Cup
- Women's Baseball World Cup
The Women's Baseball World Cup is an international tournament in which national women's baseball teams from around the world compete. It is sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation...
- Intercontinental Cup
The Intercontinental Cup is a baseball tournament between the members of the International Baseball Federation . It was first held in 1973 in Italy, and was held every other year following until 1999....
(International Baseball Federation (IBAF))
- World Port Tournament
The World Port Tournament is an international baseball tournament held at the Neptunus Familiestadion in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The tournament has been held every other year in uneven-numbered years since , alternating with the Haarlem Baseball Week....
- Baseball at the Summer Olympics
Baseball at the Summer Olympics had its unofficial debut at the 1904 Summer Games and its official sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Baseball has a long history as an exhibition/demonstration sport in the Olympics. However, for 1992 Barcelona the International Olympic Committee granted the sport...
- World University Baseball Championship
The World University Baseball Championship is an under-23 international college baseball competition sponsored by the International University Sports Federation and sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 2002 in Italy...
- World Junior Baseball Championship
The IBAF AAA World Junior Championships is an under-18 international baseball competition sponsored by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 1981 in United States...
(IBAF) (national teams; under 18)
- World Youth Baseball Championship
The IBAF AA World Youth Championships is an under-16 international baseball competition sponsored by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 1989 in Japan...
(IBAF) (national teams; under 16)
- Junior League World Series champions (community teams; ages 13–15)
- Little League World Series champions (community teams; ages 11–13)
- World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
- Baseball awards
Professional baseball leagues and amateur-baseball organizations around the world, various sportswriting associations, and other interested groups confer awards on various baseball teams, players, managers, coaches, executives, broadcasters, and writers for excellence in achievement, sportsmanship,...
- World Cup (all sports)
External links