Why can professional basketball players play in the olympics, but not professional baseball players? ?

Question

Didn't there use to be a rule that professional/ paid athletes were not allowed to compete in the Olympics? I see professional basketball players, tennis, etc., but not baseball??

Answer 1

That's what I thought too.. Because I could have sworn it was the same way for figure skaters... so I just figure it's a rule that is within the international sports leagues of the individual sports... :/

Answer 2

All MLB players can leave their baseball team and void their contract to go pay in the Olympics, but the player's union is totally against this as too are management.  The IOC wants the MLB players to be in the Olympics and decided to remove softball and baseball from the games as blackmail. Up until the 80's when the relax the amateur status rules, no one cared that MLB players were not in the Olympics, because the Olympics were amateur athletes.  To put baseball on hold would take the season out to November and interfere with football season.  Looking at how the China/US game went and seeing Matt LaPorta get beamed, I don't blame GM's for not wanting their players in the games.  Considering that that we compete very well considering these are not our best players, I think things are just fine, except that this is the last year for baseball and softball.  On the flip-side the US softball team is being criticize for being too good and running the score up.

Answer 3

Considering that all but one of the players on Team USA are from the minor leagues, you don't think minor leaguers play for free, do you?

Answer 4

Professional players can play, but the problem is that the Olympics coincide with Baseball season. No team is going to lend out their players while they should be playing for them. Unless Baseball goes on Hiatus like hockey does in the winter (olympic break). Minor league players can play as well, but again, most teams wont lend out their players as they have too much invested, and god forbid they need a call up and their players are in Beijing.

Answer 5

Well i don't really know why, but my guess would be this: Baseball is played during the same months the Olympics are played. And I highly doubt a Manager would want one of his best players going to play in the Olympics while his team back home is in the middle of a playoff run.

Answer 6

technically professional baseball players are used.  just not the top level athletes.  the u.s. team is comprised of minor league players.  they are still paid athletes, making them professionals.  the reason top level mlb players don't play is because their team doesn't release them for the olympics

Answer 7

Team USA is made up of professional players.  Unfortunately, because MLB has no national pride and the only flag that they respect is the Dollar, so they refuse to take a couple weeks off, Team USA is made up of nobody at a higher level than AA ball, and none of them are top prospects.

Other countries, like Japan, send two players from each team, while Cuba shuts down their league during the Olympics to send their best players.

Answer 8

I think professional baseball players CAN play in the Olympics.  In fact, I think the Olympic committee would encourage this...and they might not cancel the sport if that were the case.  

Unfortunately, all the good professional baseball players are working right now.  Do you really think that Josh Beckett is going to leave the Red Sox during the heat of the pennant race?  (or, insert your favorite player's name in place of Beckett's, if you prefer)

Answer 9

Because it's the middle of baseball season... it's in the players contracts that during the regular season, they are not allowed to participate in any non-MLB games.

It's due to the possibility of injury... and the owners don't want to lose a player, especially with what they get paid.

Answer 10

Maybe it's because they are busy playing ball at home, Jethro. After all this is the middle of baseball season and the owners are not real keen on shutting down so that their players can risk getting hurt playing in the olympics.