Funny, but I'd love a DR hat too. I wonder where the official site is. I guess it's time for google. And I think this tournament will be a resounding success in terms of people watching it, on TV and in person, with or without any extraordinary promotion by MLB. See ya.
I really wish I could care about the WBC. Honestly, I do. But the fact that it's during spring training, and all the pitchers are on pitch counts, and the fact that most of the games will be your basic spring training game, makes it hard to care.
Count me in with Caple - I'll take this more seriously when the players do, and when two weeks in July become WBC weeks instead of MLB.
Just not this July, please, because of the World Cup. 
Peter - the official merchandise is available through MLB.com. If anyone feels like showing their appreciation for The Baseball Desert with a New Year gift I can let you know my home address 
Paul - how can you not care? The tournament hasn't even started yet and we've already have the "Will Cuba be playing?" and "Who will A-Rod play for?" sagas. This is much better than the World Cup :-P
Time is indeed the key. Rivalries need to be established. Champions need to be crowned. Once some history has been laid down, perhaps some players will feel the desire to participate. (Or fans will expect their nation's best to play.)
Not too many soccer crazed nations have their multi-million dollar stars begging off the World Cup. That's because fans and players like acknowledge it's importance. Time has given it prestige.
The club vs. country issue is new to baseball and right now, the club fans have all the history on their side. They can't see, nor do they want to see, another event equally as important as the World Series. Only time can alter that.
This concept is in its infancy and I can accept this year's WBC for what it is--a start.
Perfectly put, Brian. And so say all of us...
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