In 2006, the event was an oddity, a grand experiment in the wake of Baseball's banishment from the Olympics. This time around, a successful Classic could help establish its permanent place on the Baseball calendar, despite ongoing opposition in some quarters, frequent high-profile withdrawals and continued debate over whether the spring is the right time to play it.

"Everyone was skeptical last time, but it worked out better than anyone expected," said one international executive.

Among Canadians in the game, there is tremendous support for the World Baseball Classic, even though they won't field their best team when Pool C play begins tomorrow in Toronto against the United States.

Injuries or health concerns kept star pitchers Rich Harden, Jeff Francis, ?rik B?dard and Shawn Hill from taking part, while reliever Eric Gagn? stayed back with the Milwaukee Brewers because he needs to win a big-league job. But it was Ryan Dempster's decision against playing after re-signing with the Chicago Cubs for $52 million US over four years that is more symbolic of the obstacles the tourney faces.

The Cubs are said to have exerted pressure on Dempster to not play because of the financial commitment made to him, and coincidentally teammate Carlos Zambrano, who in 2007 signed a $91.5-million US deal, isn't pitching for Venezuela in the first round, either.

If more teams start thinking like the Cubs, or if big stars continue to take a pass -- some such as Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay well before the tournament, others such as teammate B.J. Ryan, who withdrew from the U.S. team late Sunday -- the tournament's drawing power will be drained, eroding its quality and eventually its fan base.

"I would guess the Cubs said something to Ryan being obligated to the big contract he just signed and everything they said to him behind closed doors, I'm sure had a lot to do with his decision," said Canadian coach Larry Walker. "I think if you ask Ryan straight up that, if he didn't have that contract or wasn't pitching for the Cubs, he'd be here in a heartbeat. It's a big decision for all the guys."

The thing is, it shouldn't be.

The World Baseball Classic is a joint venture between Major League Baseball and the players' association and given that, the international executive says, "you're either all in, or you're out."

"There's great support for it at the ownership level and even at the executive level and the players want to play," he continued. "But there isn't the buy-in at the player-development director and coaching level. It hasn't been sold to them and those are the people closest to the players. If the guy making a direct decision on your future is telling you, 'We like your arm a lot and you might make this team, but we also like so-so and he's going to be here in front of us,' what choice does the player have?"