By Ian Curtis.
On my first day covering the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Houston, I learned two very important lessons.
The first came courtesy of Brazil outfielder Lucas Ramírez, son of the legendary Manny Ramírez, who said something very interesting when I asked him about the vibe of playing on a Brazil team filled with young players and the sons of major leaguers — like himself.
“Everyone plays with so much passion,” Ramírez said. “…You just gotta come out here and have fun. Baseball is temporary, just come out here and have fun.”
The second lesson was much less philosophical, but equally as important: Do not wear light-colored shoes when you’ll be spending quite a bit of time on infield dirt.
But, footwear woes aside, Ramírez’ point is what immediately struck me about the World Baseball Classic, and why I’m loving covering it. Where else can a 17-year-old pitcher who did high school homework the night before the game force USA Captain — and all-round baseball superhero — Aaron Judge into a bases-loaded double play? Where else can Judge receive a standing ovation in Houston of all places, a city with a tenuous-at-best relationship with his New York Yankees, other than an event like the WBC that turns teammates into rivals and rivals into teammates? (To say nothing of multiple chants of his name even while Brazil was batting!)
And where else can you find British and American fans both dressed as opposing figures in the American Revolution, Mexican fans dressed in luchador costumes and Brazil fans supporting their team with pride despite being vastly outnumbered by the Americans’ home crowd?
Only an event where fun and pride for one’s country are the principal focus, like the WBC. It’s an event where Ramirez can hold his head high after hitting two home runs in a 15-5 loss to the USA, because the accomplishment was representing Brazilian baseball and his heritage all at once, on a global stage.
That’s what the WBC is all about, and it’s why I’m putting in more than 12 hours a day at Daikin Park in Houston — despite my inadequate footwear.