The World Baseball Classic
The New york Mets are an American proffesional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league teams based in New York, the other being the American League’s (AL) New York Yankees. One of baseball’s first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York’s departed NL teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. The team’s colors evoke the blue of the Dodgers and the orange of the Giants.
The Mets have qualified for the postseason ten times, winning the World Series twice (1969 and 1986) and winning five National League pennants, and six National League East division titles. Since 2020 the Mets have been owned by billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen, who purchased the team for $2.4 billion. As of 2022, Forbes ranked the Mets as the sixth most valuable MLB team, valued at $2.650 billion.
As of 2022 it has been 36 years since the Mets’ fans have enjoyed a World Series Victory. In order to get the fans a World Series Victory as soon as possible, Mr. Cohen’s strategy has been; to be the best you must buy the best. Since 2020 he has gone on a $500 million spending spree to build a team that could compete for a World Series Victory. The result of the spending spree is a roster packed with seasoned, premium, players with world series experience. One of the key members of the Met’s star-studded roster is 28 year-old Met’s closer Edwin Diaz; who signed a five-year, $102 milllion contract in November 2022 making him the richest reliever in baseball histotry.
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
The tournament is the first of its kind to have the national teams feature professional players from the major leagues around the world, including Major League Baseball. In addition to providing a format for the best baseball players in the world to compete against one another while representing their home countries, the World Baseball Classic was created in order to further promote the game around the globe. Major League Baseball teams can not directly block their players from participating. The only limitation to player participation is that a MLB team can prohibit a player from participation if they had an injury in the past season.
Edwin Diaz pitched for team Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic tournament. He recorded the final out in an upset win against Dominica Republic, and during the traditional pile-on celebration at the pitcher’s mound, suffered a serious knee injury that will keep him from playing in the Mets’ 2023 season; putting a major speed-bump in the Mets’ road to a World Series Victory!
NO COMMON SENSE
ANALYZE THE EXAMPLE
* Which supports and barriers were in play?
* What were the dynamics?
* Who, or what, won the Tug-of-War?
* Discuss the outcome with your friends and family.
* Use Post #4 as a reference for the dynamics, and the relationships, between supports and barriers.