Verified answer

The Olympics are supposed to be for amateur athletes and it disgusts me that the US sends pro NBA players just like it's horrible that Canada sends NHL Players.

Talk about insecurity.

Pro players make MILLIONS of dollars each and in the billions collectively. How could you possibly send players that could buy a small island to the same games where others have to work 2 jobs and pay for their own trainer.

And why is 3rd place unacceptable? If you child got to go to the Olympics and got a bronze medal, would you actually be disappointed in him/her? Would you say "wow, that's unacceptable that you didn't win the gold?

If you get paid for performing at a sport, the Olympics aren't for you. Pick one, Olympic glory or professional income.

The main reason is the Olympics is clashing with regular season and managers will be really concerned their players to be in another country playing in a unfamiliar field. Baseball field is just different than other sports e.g Basketball court is much easier to get used to.

I totally support Olympics though, it is a honour to win the Olympics Championship and it is a great honour to the US as well. ESPN commentator said that even they win the gold; it is still not a bigger story than Michael Phelps. I want to ask, why is it always have to be a big story? Why is it always had to be about commercial profit? Where is the honour? Where is the support from the loyal baseball fans?

Days ago I see people compare Little League with Olympics games, I thought it was ridiculous but it is one good argument about the team is not even the best players from their countries. It is just stupid and kind of sad excuses for not winning the gold and still believes Americans are the best in the baseball world.

I say give up a few weeks of regular season in every four years and send about the best players to the Olympics and try to win those gold for their country and prove the US has the best baseball players in the world.

The owners don't want to shut down the season for three weeks. If they did that they would be playing the 7th game of the World Series on Thanksgiving Day. The season is already too long. Player could get injured. I think they should have baseball in the Olympics and baseball can shut down and use a shorter schedule that year. But oh no the multimillionaire owners might lose a little money. Baseball is played in enough countries now that almost every country would have some major league players on their rosters. I know my answer is jumbled up. I just typed things as I thought of them,

Other than Olympics happen in the middle of the season, but the real concern i have is really how many of the mlb players if sent to the olympics to represent our country will pass the drug test ? Do we want our national team to get disqualified to due failed drug test ? I think before we can send our best to play in the olympics we would need MLB's testing system to really take effect. I still believe sending our younger players there to learn international play before they get into pro ball is the most reasonable way. after all, MLB is just entertainment, mlb players who are used to play 3-4 game series just might not do too well in international play.

If the olympics were held during basketball season do you really think NBA teams would cut their stars loose for two weeks?

How could you alter play? The season is six months long as it is, delay it for two weeks and the World Series is being played in November. Take the stars off any given team and their season could collapse.

The NBA caught hell because the best players in the world came in and played far below their potential and lost to an inferior team. Big difference, dude

If the NHL can stop the season for two weeks for the players to have a chance to rep their country, the MLB should too. Since the WBC was such a flop, the Olympics would have been a good way for all the countries to bring high quality players and storylines to the Olympics.

OK you have read all the in-season arguments. and they are all valid. But now that is not an issue as baseball is not to be included in the 2012 Games in London and may not return to the Olympics until 2020 at the earliest.

Plus the NHL has the Olympics in their CBA as to why they participate and the NBA is off season so availibility is greater.

In short -- USA baseball is not the best in the world anymore but it is still among the top levels of the international game.

Yeah I agree too, MLB should've sent top prospects and role players or backups to the Olympic team. The Yankees could've spared Shelley Duncan, Justin Christian,and even Cody Ransom. Kennedy should've traveled to Beijing and pitched instead of being crushed by big league bats. The Red Sox are greedy too, they have plenty of arms and could've spared the likes of Michael Bowden, Charlie Zink among others. How about the Indians? They are out of contention and shouldve sent rehabbing players like Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner etc along with LaPorta.

LINEUP:

C-DUNNO

1B- C. Ransom

2B- W. Betemit

3B- M. Lamb

SS- J. Lowrie

OF- J. Christian

OF- S. Duncan

OF- J. Bruce

DH- J. Werth (lol)

SP- Kennedy, Brandon Knight, Matt LaPorta, Bowden, DAVID PRICE

I know this lineup isn't possible...but.... anyways.

I don't think it'll ever happen, and there's no way you could interrupt the season for 3 weeks as the NHL does. You would have to start the season on March 1. Could you imagine playing baseball outdoors in Minneapolis, Boston and Detroit on March 1st?

It's possible, however, that they could send a team made up of AAA players, which should get a gold medal.

One question....Did the Japanese use major league players on their national team?

The main reason is letting mlb stars leave their respective teams during the season for 2 weeks+. I don't foresee mlbers playing in the olympics unless they decide to possibly move the allstar break a month later and expand it by 10 days or so.