USA

Three years ago marked the inception of the World Baseball Classic.

The concept was for teams around the world competing against each other for a few weeks in March, before the start of the regular season, to show who's really the best.

At first, the WBC was met with a lot of hostility.

In order for their to be enough teams playing, players with for example, Dominican heritage could play for the Dominican team even if they weren't born there.

Venezuelan manager Luis Sojo must have known it would end like this. He must have realized that he has only three All-Star-quality pitchers on his staff. He must have known that American bats would not be quiet for long.

Yesterday in Toronto, Team USA guaranteed that they will play in the next round of the WBC with an awesome display of offense. A huge sixth inning broke the game open for the US, proving that once they got past starter Armando Galarraga, no one in the Venezuelan bullpen could shut them down.

If you're a baseball fan your probably at least checking out the World Baseball Classic. Chances are a handful of players on the MLB team you cheer for are playing in the WBC.

However, do you care more if they do well? Your country wins? Your home teams players coming out of this "exhibition," healthy is what you should really care about. This Bud Selig created monster is a disaster waiting to happen.

All it does his hurt some players development during what should be spring training, putting them in a false "big game," mentality.

Despite an uncharacteristically rocky start from Roy Oswalt, the United States gained passage to the next round of the World Baseball Classic with a 15-6 victory over Venezuela.

Oswalt went just 3.2 innings before running into the 70-pitch limit, giving up six hits, two walks, and three earned runs in the process. His counterpart, Armando Galarraga, fared a little better with a line of 5H, BB, 2ER in his four innings of work.

This game, however, was a testament to the importance of a solid bullpen.