While Pitchers and Catchers are trickling in to their own MLB Camps, this year another camp is opening in Phoenix. Yes folks for the first time in six years Baseball will take the world stage. Since 2006 we have all been lucky enough to see the worlds best players ( well most of them ) represent their countries and hope to hoist the WBC Trophy.
The roster USA Baseball has put together boasts 19 Major League Baseball All-Stars, 11 Silver Slugger Award recipients, 7 World Series Champions, 4 Rawlings Gold Glove winners, 4 MLB Most Valuable Players, 4 Batting Title champions, 3 Rookies of the Year, and 1 Cy Young Award winner. Its our world all star team. Its baseballs world cup and I for one can't wat to see it unfold. By the way None of these players wears a Red Sox uniform. Not One. Trevor Story would have rep the Red Sox and USA but we all know why this isn't going to happen.
But like every team in MLB The Red Sox doing their part. their international flavor will season this sixth WBC and keep you all engaged from the first pitch to the aforementioned unnamed WBC Trophy is hoisted. personally i think the Babe Ruth Trophy sounds nice. the Babe was truly the man who spread the love of this great game across the globe with his barnstorming teams in the 20's,30's and 40's . If you can remember what Michael Jordan did for the NBA taking the game global in the 1980's Ruth did it first with baseball. But lets get back too why you are here. the flavor
3B Rafael Devers, Dominican Republic
LF Masataka Yoshida, Japan
CF / INF Kiké Hernández, Puerto Rico
RHP Nick Pivetta, Canada
RF Alex Verdugo, Mexico
P Rio Gomez , Columbia
CF Jarren Duran, Mexico
C Jorge Alfaro, Colombia
LHP Richard Bleier, Israel
LHP Ryan Sherriff, Israel
2B Christian Arroyo, Puerto Rico, is a confirmed maybe
RHP Kenley Jansen, Netherlands. Jansen will only play if the Netherlands make the Semi finals as they are opening pool play in Japan.
So as you can see the Red Sox will be well represented. I'm not sure how you all feel but for me personally, unlike so many other international tournaments and sporting events. I find myself of course first rooting for the States but also rooting for the players who wear Boston across their chest the rest of the baseball year. its almost like local little league. you want your kids team to win. but you have to hope little Alex, Rafael or Masataka gets a hit in his AB, unless of course your kid is pitching .
as always you can follow / give me grief on Twitter @Tmurph207