Can’t Wait! Top Teams Set for Fall Classic Titles!

MIAMI — One by one, superstar after superstar was bestowed a token to commemorate something they’d rather forget. Two weeks after convening in Arizona to prepare for a seven-game sprint to international baseball glory, Team USA stood on the field in Miami defeated, just short of the finish line. This time, it was Venezuela that took down the Americans 3-2 in the World Baseball Classic final , following Japan’s triumph by the same score three years ago.

With a roster built to be unbeatable, Team USA’s goal of securing seven wins and restoring its status as baseball’s unquestioned best was left unfulfilled. The Americans recorded just five victories along the way and lived up to the humongous pre-tournament hype only on occasion. Their reward: a postgame ceremony intended to honor their efforts but instead tinged with bitter disappointment.

This is not the MLB postseason, which affords eliminated clubs the reprieve of grieving their seasons in private before eventually speaking to the media. No, the Classic guidelines dictate a far less forgiving sequence for the runner-up: Minutes after defeat, every player and coach stands on the baseline together, taking turns receiving a silver medal from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred for their performance . This process is commonplace in international competition, most notably the Olympics.

But depending on the nature of the event and the expectations of participants, those receiving second-place medals are sometimes satisfied or even elated with their prize. Not so on Tuesday, when the silver medals served as little consolation for Team USA. With very few exceptions, each player followed the same progression: a brief handshake with Manfred, a hug with manager Mark DeRosa and a dejected trudge off the field, often removing the medal before they reached the dugout steps.