Cuba announces manager for the 5th World Classic and could count on several Major League Baseball players to bolster the squad

Six months before the start of the Fifth World Baseball Classic, the names of the managers continue to be confirmed, although the team rosters have not yet been made official.

Cuba announced this Wednesday Armando Johnson will manage the national team at the that World Baseball Classic tournament organized by Major League Baseball (MLB) and endorsed by the World Baseball/Softball Confederation (WBSC).

Johnson has almost 20 years experience with Cuba. At an international level, his most recent achievement was the silver medal in the under-23 Pan-American championship held in Aguscalientes, Mexico.

But the current concern of Cubans is not focused on the appointment of the manager, but on which players the Cuban Federation fill out the roster with.

According to recent reports, the Cuban Federation has come into contact with several MLB players who have shown a willingness to return to compete with the national team. The call would also be open to baseball players who distanced themselves from 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 contracted 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 described 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 first base coach of the Houston Astros, Omar López, was appointed manager of Venezuela, a country that could be considered among 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 recruiting players for the team, and apparently he can count on the spectacular Shohei Ohtani. Knowing Ohtani is on the team could entice other stars like Yu Darvish, Seiya Suzuki, Kenta Maeda and Yusei Kikuchi to join. Japan won the Clásicos in 2006 and 2009. The Dominican Republic did it in 2013.

The United States will seek to reclaim the title won in 2017 and for this Mark DeRosa, a former utility player with more than 16 years of experience in the Major Leagues, is trying to put together a “Dream Team” since he was appointed manager of Team USA. So far, All-Stars like Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, Nolan Arenado, Pete Alonso and Bryce Harper have announced their intention to play.

Rodney Linares, third base coach of the Tampa Bay Rays, will lead the Dominican Republic, a team that despite the 80-game suspension for the use of a prohibited substance of the star of the San Diego Padres, Fernando Tatis Jr., will be a threat to win gold.

Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza was the first manager named this season and will manage Italy. Houston Astros star Trey Mancini is already signed on for Piazza, who he hopes will be able to also get New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo and left-handed pitcher Joey Lucchesi.

In the coming days, new managers will continue to meet, such as those from Puerto Rico and Mexico.

Meanwhile, next week the qualifying tournaments will begin, the first in Regensburg, Germany, from September 16 to 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. That of Panama is completed with Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand, Nicaragua and Pakistan. The top two teams from each will advance to 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: USA, Mexico, Colombia, Canada and in D, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Israel. Miami will host the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final on March 21.