MLB Stars Ready For The 2017 World Baseball Classic
Three MVP winners and 24 All-Stars are among the MLB players joining the 2017 World Baseball Classic, which will be played in five cities around the world before the Championship rounds take place in Los Angeles, California.
Among those taking place in the event are Venezuelan Miguel Cabrera, Americans Buster Posey, Andrew McCutchen and two-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer.
Mexican Adrián González (Los Angeles Dodgers), Dominicans Adrián Beltré (Texas Rangers) and Robinson Canó (Seattle Mariners) as well as Puerto Ricans Carlos Beltrán (Texas Rangers) and Yadier Molina (Saint Louis Cardinals) are among those that have also been confirmed for the international baseball competition.
The fourth World Baseball Classic will be held in four countries (Japan, Korea, Mexico and USA) between March 6 and March 22, with the participation of 16 countries distributed in four groups of four teams.
The teams involved in the tournament are: Australia, Cuba, China, Japan, Netherlands, Israel, Taiwan, South Korea, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and USA.
Dominican Republic won the 2013 Classic with a unbeated 8-0 run against Puerto Rico and for this year both teams again look as strong teams more than capable of competing once again for the championship.
Puerto Rico will also have Javier Baez (Chicago Cubs), Carlos Correa (Houston Astros) and Francisco Lindor (Cleveland Indian) in their roster. Meanwhile, Dellin Betances (New York Yankees), Manny Machado (Baltimore Orioles) and Nelson Cruz (Mariners) will also join the Dominican team.
Venezuelans José Altuve (Astros), Salvador Pérez (Kansas City Royals), Carlos González (Colorado Rockies) and Cy Young winner Félix Hernández (Mariners) will join Cabrera in the South American team.
Other major leaguers joining the Wolrd Baseball Classic are Canada’s Russell Martin (Toronto Blue Jays); Colombians José Quintana (Chicago White Sox) and Julio Teherán (Atlanta Braves).
Also Mexico’s Oliver Pérez (Washington Nationals) and Roberto Osuna (Blue Jays); Netherlands’ Xander Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox), Jonathan Schoop (Baltimore Orioles) and Andrelton Simmons (Los Angeles Angels) and Americans Chris Archer(Tampa Bay Rays), Nolan Arenado (Rockies) and Adam Jones (Orioles).