Preliminary conclusions about the Classic...

...before I lose three out of my four readers to the NCAA's.

1. If you want to imagine a return to baseball without steroids, all you have to do is watch this tournament. Double steals, safety squeezes, all-purpose bunting, hit-and-runs, quick fielding...the rest of the world still plays the full game of baseball. We reward the homerun derby. (Incidentally, who's that skinny guy for Puerto Rico named I. Rodriguez?)

2. If Korea and Japan have proved their right to host Classic games, the next Classic needs to split games evenly between the US, DR, Venezuela, and dare I say Cuba? And what better way to boost Mexico's competitiveness than to put a major league team there?

3. If shortstops were the first Dominican wave in MLB, Daniel Cabrera and Francisco Liriano proved last night that pitchers are the future. Another amazing March game--and a pitching duel at that.

4. Tight games, clutch play, stunning upsets, frenzied crowds, great ratings proved the Classic a great success the first time out. I can't for the life of me understand how spring training exhibitions can get as much press...if not more.

More on that to come...