As quickly as spring training begins, so, too does it end.

Well, not really of course. But as the WBC kicks off and many of the most talented players in the sport begin to disseminate, spring training definitely starts to feel like the secondary story.

However, before the real games begin and WBC teams can start playing for the sake of national pride, they will be focused on more local bragging rights.  For the next couple of days, the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues will host WBC teams in a number of exhibitions games.

Talk about fierce competition-competition fraught with inner conflict and tough decisions about personal loyalty.

Look at Albert Pujols and his choice to sit out the game that the Cardinals will play against the DR out of respect for his country.  Not an easy decision.  In fact, so not an easy decision that it didn’t even occur to anyone else to make such a decision.

More people should love their countries like Albert Pujols loves his country.

Today promises to be a particularly heated day as the Yanks take on Team USA at Legends Field.  Talk about conflict-Jeter, who will be sharing time as shortstop for Team USA, is practically the poster child for the Bombers.  I mean, the tension must just be eating him up inside, right?

Actually, no.

“If it was a real game, maybe,” he said. “I think it’ll seem like an intrasquad game…. The story’s as big as you write it, I guess.”

What is he, drugged?  Sure, that’s true-technically.  But why doesn’t anyone feel things with the same kind of intensity as Albert Pujols?

Despite the fact that Derek Jeter might be under some crazy illusion that today is just for fun, one thing’s for sure: he won’t be messing around when it comes time for the real competition to begin.  When Derek Jeter plays, he plays to win.  And according to Team USA manager Davey Johnson, their team is the “team to beat” this year.

Poor old Davey. I think he might want to look closely at all the rosters before he goes mortgaging the farm on that creative assertion.