Don't they only need 3 starters anyway? Dickey against Mexico, Holland against Canada and absolutely anyone against Italy.

I was all set to come into this thread annoyed about withdrawals from the American team, but congratulations to them! This is an excellent reason to withdraw from the WBC team!

I was all set to come into this thread annoyed about withdrawals from the American team, but congratulations to them! This is an excellent reason to withdraw from the WBC team!

I agree, although you'd hope he's known about the baby for a while...but maybe there are new concerns/reasons to stay back. Certainly not questioning the decision.

I agree, although you'd hope he's known about the baby for a while...but maybe there are new concerns/reasons to stay back. Certainly not questioning the decision.

He was on MLB Network a a week or so ago talking about the WBC and he mentioned how his wife was pregnant and I thought it was kind of weird back then that somebody with a kid on the way would be doing it. Maybe it dawned on him as they were setting up the nursery or something.

Don't they only need 3 starters anyway? Dickey against Mexico, Holland against Canada and absolutely anyone against Italy.

Due to pitch-count rules, they need a fourth starter for Game 1 of the second round, since it's likely that Dickey (or whoever else does game 1) would still need to be sitting down, due to the way the schedule was written up. In addition, it's just a good idea to have a fourth starter in case somebody gets the flu or just stinks up the joint in their first start.

From what I've seen of Medlen's personality, I fully assume he was sitting around maybe three days ago, a week before his child was due, and it occurred to him all of a sudden "HOLY #### I SHOULD BE HERE WHEN THAT HAPPENS, BECAUSE, DUUUUUUUUDE!!!"

This is an important lesson for young players ... proper prior planning means you won't have to pull out the "slipped on the bathroom floor" excuse at the last second.

Doing the math, I suggest this is the product of a little "celebration" following his first career save on Apr 27 at home against the Pirates. Three innings of relief and still able to perform, just like the firemen of old.

He was on MLB Network a a week or so ago talking about the WBC and he mentioned how his wife was pregnant and I thought it was kind of weird back then that somebody with a kid on the way would be doing it. Maybe it dawned on him as they were setting up the nursery or something.

In the AJC article, they go into a little more detail about the timing. His wife, the baby and grandpa were planning on going down to stay in FLA after the 2 week checkup, and that's the exact time he'd be leaving to go to the WBC. So it's not just the baby, it's some very specific week-by-week timing associated with the baby.

This is an important lesson for young players ... proper prior family planning means you won't have to pull out the "slipped on the bathroom floor" excuse at the last second.

FTFY

EDIT: of the WBC that is. What did you think I meant?

We would have won if it werent for that Medlen kid.

For some bizarre reason I can't even imagine, THIS was the article that made my skin tingle with excitement that sometime soon, MLB baseball will be back. Yay baseball!

For some bizarre reason I can't even imagine, THIS was the article that made my skin tingle with excitement that sometime soon, MLB baseball will be back. Yay baseball!

Perhaps a subconscious connection between new life and a new season?

/armchairpsychologist