World Baseball Classic: Meet the Teams Vying for the Crown

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World Baseball Classic: Meet the Teams Vying for the Crown



All eyes can be on MortgageDepot Park in Miami as the ultimate levels of the World Baseball Classic start tonight with a quarterfinals matchup between Puerto Rico and Mexico. Well-known stars and up-and-coming prospects alike can be battling it out for the WBC crown on the diamond the Marlins name residence.

With gamers from all around the world — a lot of whom should not on Major League groups — descending on Little Havana to participate in what’s broadly thought-about the Olympics of baseball, now is an efficient time for stateside followers to study a factor or two concerning the groups which can be nonetheless alive within the event.

Let’s meet the World Baseball Classic rosters vying for the title and do a little bit of scouting on every group heading into this weekend’s pleasure.  

Team Japan

Player You’ll Love: Lars Nootbaar

If you have not been doing a deep dive into MLB rosters as of late, chances are you’ll be suspicious we’re making up the truth that Japan truly has a participant named Lars Nootbaar. We can guarantee you: not solely is Nootbaar an actual outfielder on Japan’s roster, however he is additionally an up-and-coming star for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Nootbar, whose center identify is Taylor-Tatsuji, wound up on Japan’s group by means of his mom’s Japanese ancestry. The California native reduce his enamel within the U.S. minor leagues earlier than becoming a member of the Cardinals’ MLB roster in 2021.  

With his trademark “pepper-grinding” celebration, Nootbaar is solely a pleasure on and off the sector and somebody that can doubtless develop into a fan favourite within the coming years. If you are searching for a foreign-team participant to fall in love with this weekend, Nootbaar is the transfer. 

Marlins on Roster: None.

Team Mexico

Player to Root For: Samuel Zazueta

Unless you are a giant fan of the Mexican League’s Tijuana Toros, you are doubtless unfamiliar with Samuel Zazueta, who most frequently seems as a reduction pitcher. Zazueta’s solely 26, however is already within the ninth 12 months of his baseball profession. For you math majors at residence, which means he was enjoying Mexican professional ball in 2014 on the age of 17.

If you are eager to discover a participant on the Mexico roster to root for, why not choose the man who began enjoying professional ball the identical time a few of us pushed carts at Publix?

“Hey, I Know That Guy!”: Randy Arozarena

Mexico’s roster is stacked with gamers from MLB groups, however the participant with whom informal followers (see: most Miamians) are doubtless most acquainted is Randy Arozarena, the Tampa Bay outfielder and 2021 American League Rookie of the Year. Arozarena has hit 20 residence runs in every of his two full MLB seasons, which principally makes him Mexican Babe Ruth.

Miami Marlins on Roster: None. Cero.

Team Venezuela

Best Story of WBC: Miguel Cabrera’s ‘One Last Dance’

We know what you are considering, and the reply is sure — this Miguel Cabrera is similar ‘Miggy’ the Florida Marlins traded to the Detroit Tigers for a bucket of baseballs again in 2007.

Cabrera is kicking off what he says is the ultimate season of his Hall of Fame profession by enjoying with Team Venezuela within the World Baseball Classic. He’s principally Venezuela’s Udonis Haslem at this stage in his profession, but when he had been to play a component in a giant win, it will make for one of many extra memorable WBC moments of all time.

WBC Villain? Jose Altuve

Who likes Jose Altuve? Maybe Houston Astros followers and Venezuelan group diehards do, however apart from that, he is a tricky promote, as he was embroiled within the Astros’ trashcan-banging pitch-tipping dishonest saga. His teammates caught up for him and claimed he spoke out towards pitch tipping, however his jersey has been branded with that Scarlett letter.

If you are searching for a love-hate polarizing group within the WBC tourney, Venezuela is the group to observe.

Miami Marlins on Roster: Jesus Lazardo, Emmanuel De Jesus, Luis Arráez

Puerto Rico

Most Likely to Be WBC MVP: Francisco Lindor

Francisco Lindor is a beast and has already confirmed to be a difference-maker within the WBC, most notably within the group’s elimination of the Dominican Republic earlier this previous week. If there’s a participant who’s almost certainly to be Puerto Rico’s MVP, it is the Mets’ star shortstop.

Miami Marlins on Roster: Anthony Maldonado (minors)

Team Cuba

Player Most Likely to Play for Miami Post-WBC: Yoenis Céspedes

Yoenis Céspedes and the Marlins have flirted with one another in free company so many instances, folks informed them to get a room. A hookup by no means occurred, although, and with Céspedes at the moment unemployed, it is potential he might some day wind up in Miami after the WBC ends. (Like, for work.)

The solely problem is that Céspedes simply left the event for unspecified private causes, departing from Tokyo, the place Cuba was enjoying, to fly again to his residence within the United States. The Cuban Baseball Federation gave few particulars and it stays unclear what prompted his departure.

On Sunday, March 19, the Cuban group is about to battle the winner of the Saturday quarterfinals match between the United States and Venezuela.

Miami Marlins on Roster: None.

Team USA

Team USA’s Captain America: Mike Trout
Team USA is loaded with MLB expertise. But the plain chief of the group is Mr. Face of Baseball, Mike Trout. With Team USA on the point of an embarrassing elimination within the opening spherical, Trout saved the day in a must-win sport towards Colombia.

Narrative to Know: Win or Bust

As common, the United States is anticipated to win one thing, and if they do not, the sky is falling. Team USA can be enjoying on residence turf in Miami and enters the WBC quarterfinals as a transparent favourite, albeit not on the stage the U.S. basketball group enjoys on the Olympics.

If you glean nothing else concerning the World Baseball Classic, know that Team USA is pressed to win all of it.

Marlins on the Roster: None. 



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