So I guess Canada has some baseball to root for, but there don’t look like many people at the game in Toronto. By Oaktree b at en.wikipedia, from Wikimedia Commons

Two weeks ago Erick Aybar was scratched from the Angels Spring Training roster. The reason: He’s needed as the starting 2nd baseman for the Dominican Republic, for the World Baseball Classic.

What is the World Baseball Classic?

According to the International Olympic Committee, baseball is only a sport followed in the Americas, Canada and Asia. Though that is much of the world, Europeans choose not to see it that way. They consider irrelevant socialite experiences like Badminton and Fencing, worth a whole lot more of our time.

Baseball is a game of patience, persistence, clarity, mental toughness and preparation. And while one could argue Erick Aybar is doing just that sort of thing playing in the WBC — a world affair smaller than College Basketball’s somewhat unwatched conference tournaments — I argue otherwise.

Last year, Aybar barely hit .200 through April, May and most of June. This year’s Angels are reliant on his speed and switch hitting versatility at the top of the order, to ignite things for Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and Mark Trumbo.

Had we the 2016 Olympics to look forward to, Major League ball players could focus their attentions solely on the grueling 162-game task that awaits them. Instead we’re left wondering whether or not our franchise faces might land themselves on the Disabled List in March. And all for what? A cheap Olympic-like knock off played on ESPN2?

Alex Avila culminated the event when in the 7th inning of an Angel/Tiger matchup a mid-90s Jered Weaver (14-5, 1.94 ERA) fastball whirled inches from his brow. What followed was the hot tempered Weaver being ejected and a Tigers bewildering 3-2 win.

How on earth did things get there?

A 3rd inning two run homerun by Magglio Ordonez began the affair.

After smashing a breaking ball 400 hundred feet to left field, the veteran 3rd baseman paused in the batter’s box in Barry Bonds fashion before charismatically tottering around the bases.

Weaver didn’t agree with the showboating.

“There’s a level of respect in this game,” Weaver said. “I’ve never shown anybody up or ever done anything like that. When you’re standing up at the plate and do what he did, I don’t agree with that.”

Lost in the fracas was a quiet no-hit effort mounting by Justin Verlander (14-5, 2.34 ERA). Just four outs shy of joining Nolan Ryan, Bob Fellar and Sandy Koufax as the only pitcher to throw 3 no-hitters since 1900, the power pitching ace lost his chance giving up a bunt hit to Erick Aybar.

Unfortunately, a walk and a base hit by Maicer Izturis scored 2 runs in the inning, but most unfortunate, was the forearm shiver Aybar landed Verlander at home. Both benches nearly cleared and the swelling personification of youth continued to evolve.

By that point Weaver had been tossed and rationality kicked to the curb—after sitting down 12 straight Tigers post-Ordonez with a dominating mix of fastballs, changeups and sliders, the 26-year-old charismatic competitor completely lost his way in a whim of angry indiscretion.

A full count solo shot to right by Tigers 2nd baseman Carlos Guillen is where things got silly. Standing in the batter’s box for the entire shot to right, Guillan tossed his bat and stared down Weaver. The two engaged with heated words and quickly the game took on a life of its own.

Home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt warned both benches and attempted to maturely dim the grade school bib wearing shin dig. Sadly to no avail, as the Aybar incident proved the American athletes spoiled and provocative need for Hollywood attention comes first and always foremost.

For Weaver, the answer of retribution was simple.

“After what Guillen did, I thought that just kind of crossed the line. I’m not just going to go out there and take that. There’s a line that needs to be drawn. If they want to play the game that way, that’s the way it’s going to be.”

But for Tigers 3-time all-star, Guillen saw things differently.

“That’s the first time I’ve done that,” Guillen said. “But the way he reacted to Magglio … we’re a team. I apologize to his teammates. That’s not the way I play. But it’s part of the game.”

The point made is that we all see things in a different light, but most necessary is our understanding of our polar opposites that we might grow and reverberate with wisdom.

For 15th year veteran Torii Hunter the situation was a poor display of professionalism.

“All that is stupid,” Angels outfielder Torii Hunter said. “Everybody was stupid. That was unprofessional on both sides.”

Suspensions will be sought out by league officials affecting two teams currently fighting for their playoff survival. And despite Weaver or Guillan feeling justified in their actions will be a perfect slap on the wrist to two young stars. 

For Alex Avila, the simplicity of life was a spared element in the lucky turn of a Bob Gibson curse.