A classic case of bad timing.(BASEBALL)

To hear Bud Selig, the World Baseball Classic will be the greatest thing since the bowl haircut. To others--me, for one--it looks more like a toupee. At first glance, pretty good. Upon closer inspection? Hmmm, maybe not.

This is not intended to bash the WBC party. Who doesn't want to watch a lineup featuring Albert Pujols, Vlad Guerrero, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz and Miguel Tejada face Johan Santana or Roger Clemens with national pride on the line? A competition between the best baseball players on the planet to determine a true world champion is a wonderful idea.

Only one problem: When do you play the thing? No one has figured out a three-week stretch that really works. Team USA manager Buck Martinez says the best time would be around the All-Star break, but shutting down as the NHL does during the Winter Olympics would cost MLB a lot of revenue. Another option would be after the World Series, but the player burnout factor would be too high. December has the holidays. January and February come too long after one season, not near enough to the next.

That leaves March, a month when players are accustomed to working half-days, not battling for global supremacy. It will be difficult to stage a championship tournament when players are more focused on working off the winter rust than beating the Netherlands.

Even Selig knows this won't be a true world championship. He bills the Classic as "the most important international baseball event ever staged," but note he doesn't call it a competition. How could it be when there will be rules to protect players from being overused? Heck, for all we know, Barry Bonds will take his three at-bats and head for the showers as though it's Giants-Mariners in the middle of March. So no matter what the winning team claims, the Classic will not determine the greatest team in the world.

Still, it should spice up spring training. The 16 competing nations will use off-days to play spring training exhibitions against MLB teams. And even if Santana isn't in midseason form, it will be fun watching him battle a loaded Dominican lineup.

Of course, most important for MLB and the Players Association--who are on the same side for once--the WBC will generate new revenue in TV rights and merchandise sales. Even if the games are glorified ...