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, ideally with the Americans at least reaching the semifinals, 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 or not.

"Everyone was skeptical last time, but it worked out better than anyone expected," one international executive said. "Now, are you able to move forward with it? Or does it take a step backwards and let the skepticism back in?

"Can you bridge all the disconnects?"

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 afternoon in Toronto against the United States.

Injuries or health concerns kept star pitchers Rich Harden, Jeff Francis, Erik Bedard and Shawn Hill from taking part, while reliever Eric Gagne stayed back with the Milwaukee Brewers because he needs to win a big-league job. But it was the decision of Ryan Dempster, who decided against playing after re-signing with the Chicago Cubs for $52US million over four years, that is more symbolic of the key obstacles the tournament 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 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 like Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay well before the tournament, others like 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," Canadian coach Larry Walker said. "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?"

For countries who aren't as deep in talent as the United States, Dominican Republic, Japan and Cuba, that is particularly troubling since they tend to need younger players who aren't necessarily established in the big-leagues to suit up in the Classic.

Without access to those players, the rest of the field quickly becomes little more than fodder for the big fish.