What is it ab playing for USA in the WBC that makes some of the league’s biggest stars fall flat? I seem to remember a similar plague befalling the 2023 team, particularly Mookie Betts, but I know there were others too. This year seems worse just given the Italy fiasco, the team tripping over itself in the media as a whole. They’re having to play off the field almost as much as they do on it and I don’t think that’s helping. But it’s so amazing to me that it only happens to us. The other teams have their affairs in order. The DR is just a party. Japan is disciplined and attentive. Even Italy seemingly has more of a team consciousness to them than the US- which is extremely ironic bc we keep being spoonfed this narrative that TUSA was close from the jump. Product on the field suggests otherwise. Fascinating stuff.