What Team USA Should Look Like In The World Baseball Classic

I was going to do a preview to the WBC here, but this tournament really doesn't warrant me wasting my time to decipher it.

It's a complete joke, no one is playing in this tournament. I guess I can understand it, teams are flat out just not allowing their high priced investments to play in it. So here is what Team USA mustered up for the 16 team tournament that starts this weekend.

Pitchers                      Catchers                       Infielders                         Outfielders

Jeremy Affeldt - SF     Joe Mauer - MIN          Willie Bloomquist - AZ       Ryan Braun - MIL
Heath Bell - AZ           JP Arencibia - TOR       Brandon Phillips - CIN       Giancarlo Stanton - MIA
Mitchell Boggs - STL  Jonathan Lucroy - MIL   Jimmy Rollins - PHI           Adam Jones - BAL
Steve Cishek - MIA                                          Mark Teixeira - NYY        Shane Victorino - BOS
Tim Collins - KC                                               David Wright - NYM
Ross Detwiler - WSH                                        Ben Zobrist - TB
R.A Dickey - TOR
Gio Gonzalez - WSH
Luke Gregorson - SD
Derek Holland - TEX
Craig Kimbrel - ATL
Chris Perez - CLE
Glen Perkins - MIN
Vinnie Pestano - CLE
Ryan Vogelsong - SF

The sad thing is that somehow this is still the best team on paper in the tournament and they should finally win this. I do love the bullpen, that I will leave alone, but here is what the rest of the team should've looked like.

Current Starters                                              Should Be Starting Pitchers

1. RA Dickey                                                     1. Justin Verlander - DET
2. Gio Gonzalez                                                  2. David Price - TB
3. Derek Holland                                                3. Clayton Kershaw - LAD
4. Ross Detwiler                                                 4. Stephen Strasburg - WSH

Probable Starting Lineup                                 Should Be Starting Lineup

C - Joe Mauer                                                   C - Buster Posey - SF
1B - Mark Teixiera                                            1B - Prince Fielder - DET
2B - Brandon Phillips                                         2B - Dustin Pedroia - BOS
3B - David Wright                                             3B - Evan Longoria - TB
SS - Jimmy Rollins                                             SS - Troy Tulowitzki - COL
LF - Ryan Braun                                                LF - Mike Trout - LAA
CF - Adam Jones                                              CF - Andrew McCutchen - PIT
RF - Giancarlo Stanton                                      RF - Giancarlo Stanton - MIA

And it's as simple as that. Notice how there is one player on my lineup that is on the current Team USA roster? It's not just Team USA, every team is like this. It's a shame because if all these big time players aren't going to play in this, than why is baseball out of the Olympics. The WBC was the reason why the Olympics were pulled, because everyone thought this was the tournament that truly proved the best in the world.

But nonetheless lets enjoy the fact that we have some meaningful baseball in early March.