Cal Raleigh got a lesson in sportsmanship from Team USA's WBC rivals

Cal Raleigh had the handshake snub heard around the World Baseball Classic. Raleigh refused to shake Mariners teammate Randy Arozarena's hand during WBC pool play, and the end result was a Seattle baseball beef few saw coming. Whether Arozarena is still upset or not, this is something neither Team USA nor the Mariners asked for. In fact, it's not in the spirit of the sport, as the Dominican Republic and Venezuela showcased in their pool play matchup on Wednesday.

Before the game between these two storied rivals even began, Fernando Tatis Jr. and William Contreras greeted each other with a hug. It should be noted that these two stars are, in fact, not teammates, and haven't played on the same MLB team before. Yet, they put differences aside in the spirit of sportsmanship.

Why Cal Raleigh's sportsmanship is in question at the World Baseball Classic

Raleigh's handshake snub was odd and frankly a little uncalled for. In the aftermath, Raleigh claimed the two were still friends and that he was merely sticking up for his fellow countrymen. He has a point, to some extent, as Raleigh is Team USA's catcher and leader of the pitching staff, while Arozarena was a prominent contributor in Mexico's lineup.

However, fist bumping his Mariners teammate wouldn't have put the Americans off, nor would it have called his leadership into question. Arozarena knew that, which is why he said this postgame:

“The only thing he should be thankful for is having such great parents,” Arozarena told Mexican journalist Luis Gilbert in Spanish. “He’s very well educated, thank God. I was lucky enough to see them a few days ago at the hotel. They came over to greet me, gave me a big hug, and were genuinely proud to see me again.”

Arozarena then went on to tell Raleigh personally to 'f*** off' and 'go to hell'. You get the picture.

While I fully assume these two will bury the hatchet before Opening Day – in part because they have to – it's a distraction that could've been avoided had Raleigh merely treated this tournament for what it is: a display of the best baseball talent the world has to offer. Yes, there are rivalries between countries, but they ought to be respectful ones.

Dominican Republic-Venezuela sportsmanship is what WBC is all about

The Dominican Republic and Venezuela are longtime rivals, both in the WBC and the Caribbean Series. They go way back, as do the star players on the respective teams. Yet, the MLB stars involved consistently give each other props, as they realize how hard the journey to a comfortable livelihood in professional baseball is. Just look at the photo above, which includes Tatis Jr. and Contreras in a regular season game. Even then, they're looking out for each other.

The same should be said about MLB teammates, but Raleigh couldn't get out of his own head in a big moment.

This doesn't make Raleigh a bad player or teammate. It's a learning experience for him as well. In these international tournaments, players from all over the world just want respect. Raleigh knows what Arozarena is capable of on an MLB diamond. There's no reason he can't acknowledge that, all the while serving as a leader in the USA clubhouse.

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