WBC matters to players, but scheduling issues won't go away (Yahoo Sports)

Victor Martinez was just starting spring training in Florida last month, and already he was feeling the pressure over the World Baseball Classic. The Detroit slugger is on the roster for Venezuela, which begins round-robin play in the WBC on Friday night against Puerto Rico. Now over a decade old, this international tournament featuring some of the game's biggest stars is taking place for the fourth time, but as much as players look forward to the opportunity, it's become increasingly clear that there's no perfect time and format for this type of competition.