The Red Sox placed starter Daisuke Matsuzaka on the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday due to arm fatigue. Dice-K was brutal in his first two starts, yielding 14 total hits and nine runs in just 6.1 innings of work. He still struck out five, but he gave up three dingers and posted an ERA of 12.79.

Dice-K competed for Japan in the World Baseball Classic and while he only through 14.2 innings, it was obviously enough for him to suffer some arm fatigue. I know the WBC has rules so that pitchers don’t get overworked playing in the tournament, but clearly that isn’t enough because now the Red Sox will be without one of their best pitchers for two weeks.

The WBC is a fun tournament and it’s interesting to watch MLB players compete against each other for their countries. But it isn’t supposed to get in the way of the MLB regular season and clearly it has considering it had some affect on Matsuzaka’s arm.

Bud Selig has to figure out a better format if he wants to continue this tournament going forward. One idea is to put it at the end of the MLB season, since all of the games are being played indoors anyway. It makes no sense for some of these pro ballplayers to be playing in a competitive tournament when they should be getting ready for spring training.

Entrepreneurs have said that timing is a key ingredient for making a good idea into a successful business venture. Major League Baseball has failed to read its own marketplace in regards to the World Baseball Classic. It is just bad timing to play this tournament at the beginning of spring training.

Commissioner Bud Selig has said that March is the only realistic time of the year to play the WBC. I disagree with him. This tournament needs to be moved to the middle of the summer if the WBC is going to become baseball’s premier global event. If not, then do not expect crisp, memorable games from athletes not yet in game shape.

The United States’ three-run come-from-behind victory over Puerto Rico last Tuesday night should have been the top story the next morning. Instead, the outcome was scrolled underneath a highlight package of a NIT opening round game or copy filler in your local newspaper.

Why?

Well, sport fans are not watching or paying attention to the WBC. No, they’re preoccupied with the NCAA tournament that has firmly established itself as a the major sporting event for this time of the year.

Fans cannot get excited about the WBC if the best players in baseball are not playing in the event. And the ones that are playing, many of them are not ready to compete at a world-class level. Where’s Tim Lincecum or Roy Halladay? They should be anchoring the United States pitching staff in this competition. Team USA should not be relying on the arms of Jeremy Guthrie or Ted Lilly in an elimination game.

Do you think the Netherlands would have defeated the Dominican Republic twice in a competition if they were playing at mid-season? And wouldn’t it be great to see Johan Santana of Venezuela trading strikes with Japan’s Dice-K for all the world to watch. This could happen if the WBC is played every two years in place of the All-Star Game in July. How about a single elimination format, with the finals to be played on Sunday evening in front of a prime time audience? No other sporting event would be competing with baseball for the almighty TV ratings.

Baseball owners might not have any interest in giving up a week’s worth of revenue during the high point of their year, and the idea of scrapping the All-Star game every two years might be enough to give the baseball purist a heart attack, but some playoff contenders might welcome a week off to catch their breath for the second half of the baseball season.

Changes need to take place to make the WBC a world event. Right now, this tournament is nothing more than glorified spring training contest.

Team USA’s run in 2009 World Baseball Classic is over following their 9-4 loss to Japan.

Japan used a five-run fourth inning keyed by a critical error by USA second baseman Brian Roberts, and Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched 4 2/3 effective innings to guide Japan to a 9-4 win over the United States in front of 43,630 at Dodger Stadium on Sunday. It was the second-largest crowd in Classic history and the biggest on U.S. soil.

Now, Japan is set to face Korea for the fifth time in the tournament, but this time it’s for the championship on Monday night at 9 ET.

Japan actually found itself down, 2-1, entering the bottom of the fourth inning after Roberts led off the game with a home run and David Wright hit an RBI double in the third.

But Japan’s Atsunori Inaba led off the fourth with a single just past the glove of Roberts, and Michihiro Ogasawara followed with a single to center field.

And then Kosuke Fukudome hit what appeared to be a double-play ground ball to second base, but Roberts muffed the play and everyone was safe.

Kenji Johjima then hit a sacrifice fly before Akinori Iwamura tripled home a run. Japan’s Munenori Kawasaki followed with an RBI single and scored on a double by Hiroyuki Nakajima.

United States starter Roy Oswalt was removed after Nakajima’s double, but the damage was already done. Oswalt lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits.

Even though it would have been nice to see them go all the way, it was a nice run for the red, white and blue. Now bring on Opening Day, damn it.

Welcome to the longest-running game show on television today, How’s Your Bracket. I heard that there’s going to be college basketball and more college basketball on television this weekend. March Madness is upon us, and the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament really brings out school pride in alumnus all across the country. Today, you can wear your Stephen F. Austin or North Dakota State t-shirt proudly.

All times ET…

NBA
Friday, 8:30 PM: Boston Celtics @ San Antonio Spurs (NBA TV)
Saturday, 8 PM: Boston Celtics @ Memphis Grizzlies (NBA TV)
Sunday, 1 PM: Miami Heat @ Detroit Pistons (ABC)
Sunday, 6 PM: Cleveland Cavaliers @ New Jersey Nets (NBA TV)

NHL
Saturday, 9 PM: Vancouver Canucks @ Phoenix Coyotes (CBC)
Sunday, 12:30 PM: Philadelphia Flyers@ Pittsburgh Penguins (NBC)

NCAA Tournament
Friday, 12 PM-12:30 AM: First round action from various sites (CBS)
Saturday, 1 PM-10:30 PM: Second round action from various sites (CBS)
Sunday, 12 PM-7 PM: Second round action from various sites (CBS)

World Baseball Classic
Saturday, 9 PM: Semifinal: Korea vs. Venezuela from Dodger Stadium (ESPN)
Sunday, 8 PM: Semifinal: Japan vs. United States from Dodger Stadium (ESPN)

After aggravating his strained oblique muscle during batting practice for Team USA in preparation for a game against the Netherlands, Chipper Jones says that the format for the World Baseball Classic needs to change.

“There’s some serious problems with the WBC setup,� said Jones, who will skip the rest of the tournament. “I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. But I wouldn’t do it again under the current format. There’s way too many days off. This tournament could be over by now.�

Jones, who also played in the inaugural WBC in 2006, said he won’t play again if the format isn’t changed.

“Just way too many days off,� he said. “We stayed in Toronto for a week and played three games. I don’t know if you ever stayed in Toronto, but it’s not exactly Las Vegas. To say that we were plucking our eyebrows out one at a time would be an understatement.

“You’re not getting the work in that you should. You’re getting reps, but you’re not getting the at-bats that you need.

“Getting to share a clubhouse with the guys and getting to know people on a different level is the cool part about it. But when you’re talking about a three-week tournament, and you could literally play eight games in three weeks, it’s just too much down time for spring training.�

I’m sure Chipper speaks for a lot of players regarding the WBC. The timing of it is strange and it has to be a small mental and physical grind for the major league players involved. It’s nice that some of these players want to represent America, but having the tournament butt right up against the regular season makes no sense.

If they’re going to have the games be played in doors, why not have the tournament run right after the regular season? They would still have players bow out because of injuries and other concerns, but at least the athletes who do participate would have an entire offseason to rest up before spring training starts again.

Last night, you got a taste of madness…March Madness, as Connecticut/Syracuse played a 6-OT historic Big East quarterfinal game that seemed like it would never end. The player’s performances in this contest sum up why we love this time of the year in college basketball. You watch teams that will fight tooth and nail just to compete for another day. Neither team will receive a special trophy for last night’s game. No, Syracuse gets the opportunity to play West Virginia in a semifinal matchup this evening. Enjoy your hoop du jour.

All times ET…

NBA
Friday, 7:30 PM: Indiana Pacers @Atlanta Hawks (NBA TV)
Saturday, 9 PM: Los Angeles Clippers @ Denver Nuggets (NBA TV)
Sunday, 3:30 PM: Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Lakers (ABC)
Sunday, 9 PM: Phoenix Suns @ Golden State Warriors (NBA TV)

NHL
Saturday, 3 PM: Ottawa Senators @ Pittsburgh Penguins (CBC)
Sunday, 12:30 PM: Philadelphia Flyers@ New York Rangers (NBC)

College Basketball
Friday, 7 PM: #13 Villanova vs. #5 Louisville (ESPN)
Friday, 7 PM: Maryland vs. #9 Wake Forest (ESPN2)
Friday, 9 PM: #23 Arizona State vs. #20 Washington (Fox Sports Net)
Friday, 9:30 PM: Boston College vs. #8 Duke (ESPN2)
Friday, 9:30 PM: #7 West Virginia vs. #20 Syracuse (ESPN)
Friday, 11:30 PM: USC vs. #14 UCLA (Fox Sports Net)
Saturday, 1:30 PM & 4 PM: ACC Semifinals (ESPN)
Saturday, 1 PM & 3:15 PM: SEC Semifinals (ESPN2)
Saturday, 1:40 PM & 4 PM: Big-10 Semifinals (CBS)
Saturday, 6 PM: Pac-10 Final (CBS)
Saturday, 6 PM: Big 12 Final (ESPN)
Saturday, 9 PM: Big East Final (ESPN)
Sunday, 1 PM: ACC Final (ESPN)
Sunday, 1 PM: SEC Final (CBS)
Sunday, 3:30 PM: Big-10 Final (CBS)
Sunday, 6 PM: NCAA Tournament Selection Show (CBS)

World Baseball Classic
Saturday, 8 PM: Puerto Rico vs. United States from Miami, FL. (MLB Network)

If you could pry yourself away from the televised coverage of the T.O. ordeal for just one minute, you could tune in to a couple of key marquee matchups on the hardwood this weekend. It begins with Cleveland visiting Boston tonight, and with a victory the Cavs can confirm their status as a legitimate title contender. They’re no longer LeBron James and the Cavalettes coming to your favorite NBA arena. On Saturday, it’s #1 UConn versus #4 Pittsburgh in a crucial Big East matchup. Then, travel down Tobacco Road for Duke-North Carolina in an ACC heavyweight matchup this Sunday. This could be a dress rehearsal for next week’s conference tournament final, with the winner getting a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

All times ET…

College Basketball
Saturday, 12 PM: #1 Connecticut @ #4 Pittsburgh (CBS)
Saturday, 2 PM: #25 Syracuse @ #14 Marquette (ESPN Full Court)
Sunday, 12 PM: #20 Purdue @ #8 Michigan State (CBS)
Sunday, 4 PM: #7 Duke @ #2 North Carolina (CBS)
Sunday, 6 PM: #19 Clemson @ #10 Wake Forest (Fox Sports Net)

NBA
Friday, 8 PM: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics (ESPN)
Friday, 10:30 PM: Denver Nuggets @ Utah Jazz (ESPN)
Saturday, 8:30 PM: Washington Wizards @ Dallas Mavericks (NBA TV)
Sunday, 3:30 PM: Phoenix Suns @ San Antonio Spurs (ABC)
Sunday, 7 PM: Philadelphia 76ers @ Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA TV)

NHL
Saturday, 1 PM: Chicago Black Hawks @ Boston Bruins
Saturday, 10 PM: San Jose Sharks @ Vancouver Canucks (CBC)
Sunday, 12:30 PM: Boston Bruins @ New York Rangers (NBC)

World Baseball Classic
Saturday, 2 PM: Canada vs. United States from the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada (ESPN)

Gil LeBreton of the Star-Telegram.com is down on the World Baseball Classic:

The Classic’s inception three years ago was supposed to put baseball on the world map. Tired of sending the planet acid rain and Barney Miller reruns, America will again don its “USA” suits and dare the world to take down our pants.

How do we know this? Because the line of U.S. major league stars who have already begged out of the tournament now stretches around the ballpark block.

Grady Sizemore, Nick Markakis, Chase Utley, Joe Mauer, Jonathan Papelbon, Joe Nathan — all have declined invitations, citing everything from groin surgery to wanting to be at the birth of their first child.

Clearly, the patriotism factor is tepid at best. But that’s just one of the things working against the World Baseball Classic, which begins Thursday.

Some nations are sending a veritable Who’s Who to represent their countries. Team USA, meanwhile, appears overstocked in relative Who’s Thats.

Take Tuesday’s exhibition against the Yankees, for example. Roy Oswalt was scheduled to start for the U.S. team, followed by Jonathan Broxton, Matt Lindstrom, Brad Ziegler, Matt Thornton and LaTroy Hawkins.

Three years ago at the inaugural Classic, the Americans were snuffed out and embarrassed in the second round. This time, then, it won’t be a surprise when the bullpen coughs up a bronze medal against the Koreans or Cubans.

Spring is the time for baseball players to get ready for the long season.

Spring isn’t the time for players to try to muster a patriotic fever.

It’s a case — a classic case — of a wrong idea at the wrong time.

The WBC is a nice idea in theory, but I completely agree – the timing of it is awful. You’re asking major league players to essentially play in an extended tournament before the start of the regular season. Pitchers break down enough throughout the course of a 162 game season – now you want them to pitch even more? It doesn’t make sense.

The A-Rod steroid mess is finally boiling over, the World Baseball Classic is fast-approaching and making GMs and managers nervous, and the 2009 regular season is a little over a month away. It’s hard to believe we crowned the Phillies world champs a third of a year ago, but time does fly like Jose Reyes around the bases. With that, let’s look at some interesting questions that beg to be answered in 2009:

1. Who will be the surprise team this year? Last year it was the Tampa Bay Rays, who not only won the ridiculously competitive AL East, but also beat the Red Sox in the ALCS to reach the World Series, which they eventually lost to the Phillies. In 2007, the Colorado Rockies won 21 of 22 games after September 17, including sweeping the Cubs and D-Backs in the playoffs before losing to Boston in the Fall Classic. In 2006 it was the Cardinals who squeaked into the postseason with an 83-78 record, ultimately winning it all. Who is going to do it this season? Or will it be a big-market, big-money World Series match up such as Yankees/Mets or Red Sox/Cubs? It’s almost impossible to say I told you so at this point to this type of question, but here are the teams I’m telling you to keep an eye on: Indians, A’s, Giants, Marlins.

2. How will the choking of recent seasons affect the Mets, Cubs and Angels? The Mets’ bullpen imploded two years in a row, and GM Omar Minaya went and picked up not one, but two lights-out closers in K-Rod and JJ Putz. Still, the Mets are not going to have an easy go of things in the NL East, and their lineup and starting rotation are bordering on suspect. The Cubs and Angels keep beating everyone up in the regular season only to flame out early in the playoffs. Do these two teams lack what it takes to win, or has the luck and clutch hitting of other teams been their demise? Honestly, you can’t keep talented teams like these three down for very long, and I expect all of them to be playing deep into October this time around.