Reitsma meets Manfred: “In 2021 another WBC!”

by Pim van Nes

Retired NOS Radio and TV commentator and former KNBSB president Theo Reitsma is attending World Baseball Classic in Korea, Japan and USA as a mission reporter for daily newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. To-day he has an article in this Rotterdam based newspaper with his first impressions after arrival in Tokyo. Former Dutch federation president Reitsma also met MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, who gave him some answers about WBC and Japanese Olympic Games 2020. Here is an English translation of the authentic Dutch languaged report from Tokyo, where Netherlands Kingdom Team will meet hometeam Japan Samurai on Sunday March 12, CET 11.00 hrs.

Algemeen Dagblad – Saturday March 11:

Major League’s interest contradicting Olympic baseball.

In the aeroplane with Netherlands baseball elite underway from Seoul to Tokyo, I was analysing what I experienced during one week of World Baseball Classic. I see several boys who in North-American Major League clubs are earning millions of US dollars, some boys who have a pro contract (pvn: in East Asia), those having to live on a discreet monthly subsidy by our national Olympic Committee and the players’ family members, including little children, who thanks to the organisation may join their mission.

As a reporter, I was able to combine my life time beloved sport with fresh impressions in the capital of the country (pvn: Seoul in South-Korea), where I discovered great progress. The digital world, the mobility by the subway trains network, the political chaos (pvn: uprising against president Park), the animosity towards Kim’s North-Korea, the ever increasing influence by the Americans, including their new weapon system: it is an open eyes and mind tour.

What is my opinion about World Baseball Classic, the main objective of this roundtrip? I had the opportunity to meet and speak briefly with Major League Baseball Commissioner, Rob Manfred. Several years ago I made his acquaintance and learned him to know as a man who really cares about the international development of baseball. However, now he turns out to be influenced by MLB club owners having their own priorities. Manfred: “Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020? Yes, we are talking with International Olympic Committee, but it is unthinkable that we interrupt our regular schedules in order to allow players to leave (pvn: from USA to Olympic Games)!”

Manfred again: “Such a stadium like in Seoul with only 16.000 capacity is too small and commercially not profitable!” And he added: “I heard rumors as to this Classic being the last. I do not see any reason for this conclusion. On the contrary, in 2021 there will be another World Baseball Classic!”

For the Netherlands (pvn: and for other baseball countries), already booked for the 21st Olympic Games since they qualified for WBC second round, these statements by Manfred mean heavy consequences. The road to possible participation in Olympic baseball tournament needs to be covered by quite another team than these boys in my aeroplane now!