USA! USA!! USA???

So today marks the beginning of perhaps the most ambitious international project in the history of organized baseball. No I'm not talking about the start of Los Mets' Spring Training exhibition schedule, I'm talking about something of much greater significance. Today marks the start of the World Baseball Classic, The WBC.

I would give you a moment here to collect your thoughts and let the sheer excitement of the moment subside, but chances are that's not necessary.

Indeed, the WBC sounds great on paper but is nontheless being approaced with a healthy dose of skepticism, much of it earned. International competition featuring the best players from all around the globe playing for their homeland -- what's not to like?

How about pitch counts on pitchers? Or inning limits that threaten the possibility of ties? Or how about the fact that many of the best players in the game are ducking out, some at the last minute, for fear of injury or just a lack of caring.

The event has zero credibility... so far. As WBC-backers acknowledge, the competition will have to make its own luck. If the players play with fire and the games are exciting, we may look back on the coming few weeks and ask ourselves what on earth took baseball so long in the first place. It could go either way.

That all said, let's us fans go into it with an open mind. About everything. Even the team you root for.

See, in every Olympics I would always root for the USA. When the US hockey made their runs (minus this year's Olympics, of which I watched under 20 minutes), I always got really into it.

I became a patriot.

I loved my country and was proud to be American.

But here comes the World Baseball Classic. America is clearly one of the favorites and baseball is my favorite sport. I guess I have to root for the boys in red, white, and blue now, right?

Truth is I just can't.

America's team has become Derek Jeter's team. Or if not Deej's team, Roger Clemens' team.

Is this what our country has become? Is America Derek Jeter or that bat-throwing hick?

If you're one of those any port in the storm types, the silver lining to it all is that at least we're not A-Rod's team. As I've expressed in the past, while I still hate him, I've got at least a little respect DJ, in marked contrast to A-Rod.

So what am I to do? Looking around the rest of the brackets, I come across the tragic fact that there is no Israeli or Irish team in this supposed "world" baseball classic.

I loved my 4 months in Ireland and live somewhat vicariously through Irish people and their awesome culture.

As for the Israelis, I'm always about my Jews, even though 9 times out of 10 I find them very irritating.

So do I root for the murderer's row driving in Jose Reyes on the Dominican lineup? Too easy.

How bout the Santana to K-Rod for the Venezuelans? Still, too easy.

So I am going for the star. There is only one player in this classic playing for a team with no one to hate and who is also a player that I love. I love their people, their food, and it was even my favorite country that I ever visited.

So today, Y2k and Sippy Momo himself is pledging its allegiance in the WBC. They may not be the favorite, but I'm rooting for him and for them.

So Monster, lead those Italians to victory.

You have me behind you, hopefully AFOMG, and all of our loyal readers at Y2k. And if The Rocket buzzes you with a little high heat, be a man about it this time. Nothing would be better for ratings than a little personal grudge match taking on international incident proportions.

Viva la Italia!

SM