Baseball and Softball are not in these Olympics

[Renew Deal]

It sucks. They left Handball and Trampoline (death machine), but they took out Baseball and Softball.

If return of Olympic baseball lies with MLB players then Olympic baseball is not returning

The Summer Olympics open in London on Friday, but don't expect to cheer for athletes from two of our country's best summer games. Baseball and softball had their last hurrahs in 2008 and they won't be played in 2012 or the 2016 Games in Brazil, either. It's a sad situation, but it's a fact of life after a primarily European committee ousted them in a 2005 vote.*

*It's here where I'll again point out how happily the hypocritical IOC gorges itself on NBC's contract money but then does something like cut softball because Americans won the first few go-rounds.

The current situation caused the International Baseball and Softball Federations to announce over the weekend that they were joining forces in a bid to get the sports back on the docket for 2020. The official idea is that their combined resources will help both sports get readopted in the future.

The real interesting headline, though, is that new organization appears intent on placing the hopes of both sports on Major League Baseball's willingness to allow its players to participate in the 2020 Olympics. Both the ISF's Don Porter and IBF's Riccardo Fraccari say they only really stand a chance if the world's best baseball stars commit to the cause.
<snip>

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/return-olympic-baseball-lies-mlb-participation-then-olympic-182854691--mlb.html

[bigwillq]

1. Pretty mad about softball

I enjoy watching the softball more than the baseball. Softball moves quicker, and is usually more exciting.

[Angry Dragon]

2. Letting professional athletes in the Olympics is a farce

[Renew Deal]

3. I disagree

When you watch the competition you want to see the best. Baseball with professional athletes would be far more interesting than the old baseball tournament.

[Angry Dragon]

4. Then watch MLB

[Renew Deal]

6. MLB is not an international competition.

Can't we watch both?

[PoliticAverse]

5. Synchronized Swimming is not a sport...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4122944961711350389

[joeybee12]

7. I can't see how MLB players would be able to play in the Olympics...

It would take about a month...two weeks to prepare, two weeks for the games, right in the middle of the MLB season...they'd have to stop baseball for that month...when will they make up those games?

[RockaFowler]

8. Why is Ping Pong a sport??

[chelsea0011]

9. It's why it is called the Olympic Games

[JonLP24]

11. I don't believe that is correct

An event or two teams playing against each can be called a game even though it is a sport. Are basketball or hockey not sports because they are included in the Olympic Games?

Table tennis has been recognized since 1988 as an Olympic Sport.

[chelsea0011]

15. It is called the games to be inclusive of all events

[JonLP24]

16. It is difficult to find

info on why they choose "Games" but don't think it is for reason that you and others give out. 2 basketball teams playing against each other is a game. I believe they use "games" and "sports" interchangeably and when it comes to ping-pong, it is recognized sport by the Olympics.

[Upton]

10. Good..I don't want MLB players in the Oympics..

they might get injured or something else. They could ruin their careers and disrupt a franchise's plan for years.

You want to watch top flight competition in the sport of baseball involving the world's best players? Watch MLB.

[bluedigger]

12. Tramopoline?

[SoapBox]

13. If baseball returns...

the players best hope that the IOC drops drug testing!

[hughee99]

14. I suspect because it's easier to find venues for handball and trampoline

than find baseball/softball stadiums in other countries, although I know that's not the official reason given. If you build stadiums for such things in other countries, it might be harder to convert them to other use later. It's all about the $$.

[KamaAina]

17. And yet the World Baseball Classic is still going strong

better than ever, in fact, since the finals of the next edition will be held at AT&T Park in SF.

The two-time champions that will be defending their title are....
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Japan. Not that much of a U.S. and Latin American-dominated sport, is it?