Baseball people, pundits, and fans all have opinions on the merits versus the risk of players taking part in the World Baseball Classic. The biggest concern is always injury. Superstars and playing in meaningful games when normally they would be focusing on just getting ready for the regular season. Try telling Bryce Harper to not go all out on the basepaths in a WBC game. Try limiting Aaron Nola from throwing any harder than he would be in camp with the Phillies. Oh, and you can point to former Mets closer Edward Diaz about the risks of going too hard, too soon. Of course, his patellar injury came after he had pitched and he was celebrating the final out.
The risks are there but many people around baseball insist that the event is too important to pass up. The Phillies have nine players who have committed to playing and one more who is still deciding. Confirmed participants include Harper, Schwarber, and Brad Keller (USA), Nola (Italy), Taijuan Walker and Alan Rangel (Mexico), Johan Rojas (Dominican Republic), Edmundo Sosa (Panama), and Garrett Stubbs (Israel). It was reported recently that the Phillies were considering whether or not to allow Cy Young runner-up Cristopher Sanchez to join Rojas on the Dominican Republic team. It turns out that the Phillies aren’t the ones who are undecided. Both manager Rob Thomson and GM Preston Mattingly confirmed to Philly Baseball News that the team is not blocking Sanchez in any way, but the 29-year-old lefty is one who is undecided. Mattingly went so far as to say: “I think that’s still up in the air whether he [Sanchez] is going or not, but as an organization, we’d never stop players from going.”
Mattingly was also less concerned about the risk of injuries than Thomson seemed to be: “To me it’s a great event, it’s a great tournament and we have been very supportive of our players going. It’s a great event for fans and players.”
Thomson has concerns about players getting injured, but also believes that it’s a great opportunity for players to take part in an event that he considers to be special.
Players also need to consider how being away from their team’s training camp has the potential to affect their chances of making the team. Many times a player makes an impression on the manager, coaches or even front office members by what they do and how they conduct themselves in camp. Players like Harper, Schwarber, Nola, Keller, and Sosa know their role with the team. Walker would seem to have a rotation spot to open the season because of the injury to Zack Wheeler, but nothing is signed, sealed or delivered on that. Rojas and Stubbs are known to the organization, but both are going to be battling for roster spots. Rangel did spend some time in the majors last season, but certainly does not have a spot reserved for himself. Granted, a big showing in the WBC can also go a long way for a player to show what he can do for a team, especially if he were to show off his skills in a big game or important situation.
The World Baseball Classic begins March 5 and continues through March 17. The United States, Mexico, and Italy begin pool play in Houston. The Dominican Republic and Israel are in Pool D, with that pool being played in Miami, which is where the semifinals and finals will also be played. The top two teams from each pool advance to the semifinals.
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