Could this be the year that Canada finally breaks out at the World Baseball Classic? The team has a combined 3-5 record across its last three trips to the WBC, failing to advance from the first round of the tournament on all three occasions.
Former MLB catcher Ernie Whitt will manage the team for the fourth-consecutive time, but escaping the top-heavy Group C will be a tall order for his fellow Canucks alright, as the group has teams USA, Colombia and defending WBC champs Dominican Republic in their path.
This year, the strength of the Canadians lies in their offense. However, even their power at the plate barely amounts to those lineups from the other teams in Group C, as the likes of Russell Martin and Justin Morneau are well past their prime. It also didn’t help that Joey Votto opted to sit out this recent installment of the WBC to focus on the upcoming MLB season.
Freddie Freeman’s a superb replacement at first base, but Canada needs Votto’s massive bat badly, considering that the team’s most notable names in the starting rotation is filled with pitchers that have not pitched in the big leagues for quite some time. 39-year-old Ryan Dempster’s last MLB stint was back in 2013, and 41-year-old Eric Gagne – making his first appearance at the WBC – hasn’t played in the majors in nearly a decade (2008).
The Canadians could not have asked for a worse opponent in their opening game of the tournament. They’ll be taking on the mighty Dominicans this Thursday, and they might be in for a huge letdown indeed. Which leads us to…
Expectations will be sky-high for reigning champs the Dominican Republic, which became the first team in the three editions of the WBC to run the table with a perfect 8-0 record en route to winning the title.
During that 2013 installment of the tournament, the Dominicans outscored their opponents by a combined 22 runs, and we should see more of their explosive firepower on display this 2017. Five players on the roster hit 30 or more home runs during the 2016 MLB season, featuring the likes of Jose Bautista, Nelson Cruz and 2013’s WBC MVP Robinson Cano.
Third baseman Adrian Beltre is bound to make his return to the tournament as well, and his inclusion to the lineup further boosts the team’s fielding prowess. Beltre owns five of the team’s whopping 11 Gold Glove awards on the roster. Although, he may not be able to suit up as early as this Thursday’s game as he’s dealing with a calf sprain.
Still, even Canada’s pitching corps is stacked. The team has it all; from starters (Johnny Cueto, Bartolo Colon) to relievers (Jeurys Familia, Fernando Rodney, Dellin Betances). Having said that, the Canadians can’t even pick their poison, as each aspect of team DR is every bit as lethal as the other.
Writer’s Prediction
The Dominican Republic (-400) cruises to a 6-2 victory.
