The United States has reached the final of the World Baseball Classic, which is reason enough for American baseball fans to celebrate. But comments like what Ian Kinsler had to say is rubbing some the wrong way.
The New York Times published an article on Wednesday ahead of the WBC championship game between the US and Puerto Rico and talked about the differences between how each country regards the WBC. In the article, Billy Witz included the following quote from Kinsler, the United States’ second baseman, discussing differences in style between the US and Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic.
“I hope kids watching the W.B.C. can watch the way we play the game and appreciate the way we play the game as opposed to the way Puerto Rico plays or the Dominican plays,” Kinsler said via The Times. “That’s not taking anything away from them. That just wasn’t the way we were raised. They were raised differently and to show emotion and passion when you play. We do show emotion; we do show passion. But we just do it in a different way.”
Kinsler’s comment highlights an issue about baseball that’s been magnified over the past few years.
There is a major difference in terms of the culture of the game between the way players from different countries react to their successes and failures on the field. In the US, players are taught to have a respect for the game and opponents, which is generally demonstrated by not showing as much outward emotion. Contrarily, other countries are taught to be showmen because that’s what helps drive crowds and make the game fun.
Younger players like Bryce Harper have been trying to usher in a new era to MLB where fun and emotion is part of the game, but it’s clear that Kinsler belongs to the old guard.
