Six months before the Fifth World Baseball Classic, the names of the managers continue to be confirmed, although the team lists have not yet been made official.
Cuba announced this Wednesday to Armando Johnson the technical director of the national team that will participate in the world tournament organized by Major League Baseball and approved by the World Baseball/Softball Confederation.
Johnson has almost 20 years of experience in the Cuban national series, at the international level his most recent achievement was the silver medal at the U-23 Pan American Championship held in Aguscalientes, Mexico.
But the current concern of Cubans is not focused on the appointment of the coach but on the call of the players and many ask the Cuban Federation to include players from the island who shine in the major American leagues, regardless of how they have developed . abandoned.
According to recent information, the Cuban Federation has contacted several MLB players who have expressed their desire to return to compete with the national team. The call would also be open to players who have left the island’s sports system and compete in professional leagues in Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, among others.
Cuba has participated in the four previous editions of the World Baseball Classic and its best performance came in the first version in 2006 when it won the silver medal, without having signed any MLB players on its roster.
However, since then, the growing exodus of baseball players, especially to the United States, without receiving any compensation from the MLB or its clubs, has been pointed out as the main cause of the crisis in the international results of Cuban baseball.
Previously it was also known that Ian Kinsler, winner as a player with the United States team of the 2017 World Classic, will be the manager of Israel in the 2023 version.
The current Houston Astros first base coach, Omar López, has been named coach of Venezuela, a country that could be considered one of the favorites along with the United States, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Japan.
The manager of Japan, Hideki Kuriyama, was on tour in the United States to recruit numbers for the team and apparently he could count on the spectacular Shonei Ohtani and that is already an asset to which other possible MLB pieces such as Yu Darvish could be added. . , Seiya Suzuki, Kenta Maeda and Yusei Kikuchi. Japan won the Clásicos in 2006 and 2009. The Dominican Republic did it in 2013.
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The United States will seek to revalidate the title obtained in 2017 and for this Mark Derosa, a former ‘utility’ with more than 16 years of experience in the Major Leagues, has been trying to put together a ‘Dream Team’ since he was appointed. manager. from Team USA, a selection he defended as a player in the 2009 Classic. Superstars such as Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, Nolan Arenado, Pete Alonso and Bryce Harper have announced his presence.
Rodney Linares, third base coach of the Tampa Bay Rays, will lead the Dominican Republic, a team that, despite the 80-game suspension of San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr., for the use of prohibited substances , will be on the podium of the next Clásico.
Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Piazza was the first coach to meet this season and will manage Italy. Orioles star Trey Mancini is already engaged to Piazza, who hopes he’ll be with other acquaintances like Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo and left-handed pitcher Joey Lucchesi.
In the coming days, new directors will continue to meet, such as those from Puerto Rico and Mexico.
Meanwhile, next week the qualifying tournaments will begin, first in Regensburg, Germany from September 16-21 and then from September 30 in Panama City, Panama.
Germany’s group will also include the Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, South Africa and Spain. Panama’s is complemented by Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand, Nicaragua and Pakistan. The top two teams from each will qualify for the main tournament in March, where they will join the 16 already established teams.
Group A, which will perform in Taipei, includes the Netherlands, Taiwan, Cuba and Italy; in B, based in Tokyo, Japan, South Korea, Australia, China; in C, in Phoenix, Arizona: United States, Mexico, Colombia, Canada and in D, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Israel, key that will host the city of Miami that will be the scene of the quarterfinals, semifinals – finals and the final on March 21.
– Cuba announces World Classic manager could count on several Major League players
