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Mets young right-hander Noah Syndergaard is one of the best pitchers in baseball, and -- thanks to his flowing mane, blazing fastball, and media savvy -- he’s also one of the most compelling ballplayers in the game today. For those reasons, it was a bit of a disappointment that Syndergaard isn’t playing for the U.S. in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. 

To be sure, it’s hard to blame anyone for not playing in the WBC because the priority this time of year should be on preparing for the upcoming regular season, and picking up and taking part in an international tournament during the middle of all that, especially for a pitcher, is a lot to ask. As for Thor, he was asked about the looming issue of the WBC on Friday, and he had a very candid response ... 

Once again, the money quote from Syndergaard: “Because I’m a Met. Ain’t nobody made it to the Hall of Fame or win the World Series playing in the WBC.”

I love the idea of the WBC, but I realize that it’s logistically difficult to pull off. Other spots on the calendar may make more sense, but the same concerns are going to be there. Incentives matter, and as Syndergaard indicates the incentive to play in the WBC just isn’t strong enough to make it a priority commitment for so many players. If MLB sees genuine value in the tournament, then perhaps they should consider offering payment to players for participating. That would certainly move the needle for pre-arbitration talents like Syndergaard who haven’t yet secured that life-changing payday. Until something like that happens, the WBC will continue treading water when it comes to getting the world’s best players to participate.