World Baseball Classic

Team USA didn't get off to the best of starts at the World Baseball Classic. In a sizable upset, Mexico won 5-2 to earn their first victory of the tournament after losing their opener to Italy 6-5. 

In a tournament that doesn't afford much room for error and slip-ups, this was a huge blow for Team USA. Considered one of the favorites for the tournament, they'll certainly need to improve their performance going forward if they want to advance to the second round. 

After a disappointing 5-2 loss to Mexico (box score via MLB.com) in its World Baseball Classic opener on Friday night, Team USA needs Brandon Phillips and Giancarlo Stanton to step up in order for the team to advance.

The first week of the 2013 World Baseball Classic is in the books, and four countries have already advanced to the second round while four others have been eliminated from the 16-team field.

While Japan looks to be in cruise control yet again, other favorites like Venezuela and the United States have fallen behind quickly, each dropping their opening games. The good news for both nations is that there's a whole lot of baseball still left to be played.

It's bad for baseball! It interferes with spring training! There's no good time to do it! No one cares!

Valid or not, these are the arguments we've heard during the last two World Baseball Classics, both won by Japan. 

Some players opted out of the March tournament, while others felt the opportunity to represent their country was too great to pass up.

Many MLB fans, however, didn't want their club's players in it. Many worried about injuries or lack of preparation for the 2009 season.  

(I wrote this last Sunday, and sat on it because everyone was in Citi mode, and I like to hang onto "generic" pieces for when there is nothing going on. I'm releasing it now because Murray Chass just wrote a hatchet piece on Bobby Valentine, and I know how the blogosphere works...)

On Mar. 5, 2009, 16 teams started a tournament of unique proportions. It wasn't 16 teams from the U.S. or from Europe; it was 16 teams from around the world.

When people think of a world sport, they think of soccer, or futbol to my European friends. They think of the World Cup. However this was not soccer or the World Cup, it was the American past-time of baseball.

I remember watching a Robin Williams stand-up on HBO referring to the World Cup.

"Everyone plays it. Not like the World Series, 'cause the French don't have a baseball team."

As we look back at the second annual World Baseball Classic, their are many great memories.  This year's tournament was definitely one to remember.  With major upsets, ninth inning comebacks, and great international rivalries, this tournament was so jam packed with action and drama.

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Looking into the bleachers of games in Toronto, Tokyo, Mexico City and around the world during this year’s World Baseball Classic, you see more empty seats than people.

Just to let everyone know, we're going to be doing a live blog of tonight's World Baseball Classic match up between the United States and Japan. The game begins at 8:00 eastern and we'll begin our coverage at 7:30. We heavily encourage our Bleacher Report readers to head on over to our main site, www.sixtyftsixin.com and join us in discussion and the drama of this game. Hope to have you there with us.

On Friday, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark enlightened us with his method to "fix" the World Baseball Classic. Now it's my turn.

Before I start, I want to say that I like Stark's ideas (and those of Buck Martinez, the anonymous manager, and Jim Fregosi, as mentioned in his article). But given the numerous injuries so far in this year's tournament, I think my plan is pretty practical.