World Baseball Classic: Should Braves Fans Care?

Why should Braves fans care about the World Baseball Classic?

Is there any reason why Braves fans should like the World Baseball Classic?  Personally, I don’t care if I hear one score from the World Baseball Classic, and I certainly don’t care who wins the thing.

I care about the Atlanta Braves and major league baseball, and have no interest in this glorified exhibition tournament called The World Baseball Classic.

February and March are the months that major league players get ready for the regular season.  I don’t like it that Andrelton Simmons has left Braves spring camp to play for the Netherlands and Craig Kimbrel has left to play for the United States.

What if one or both get hurt playing in the darn thing?  The concern is that Simmons and Kimbrel are not physically ready to go all out, 100% in game situations, and they suffer serious injury.

Kris Medlen‘s wife recently gave birth so he decided to not participate in the World Baseball Classic.  I feel a lot better with Kris in the Braves camp, getting ready in the manner that he and the coaching staff feel gives him the best chance to be successful in the regular season.  Coming off that Tommy John surgery, I think it is important that he goes at his own speed.

The World Baseball Classic makes a major league baseball season that is too long already, seem like a death march.  Will Simmons and Kimbrel be fatigued in September and October?  I like having all the Braves players in the Braves spring camp under the watchful eye of the coaches that know them, and have their best interests at heart.

Lets hope that a very promising Braves 2013 season isn’t partially derailed before the season even begins by circumstances out of the Braves control.