It is known that major league clubs have refused to call out 18 players from the Dominican Republic to the WBC.
According to local media in the Dominican Republic on the 30th (hereinafter Korean time), Nelson Cruz, general manager of the Dominican Republic baseball team, said, “Major league clubs refused to call out 18 players from the WBC preliminary 50-man list. The clubs We reserve the right to refuse the selection of players.” 스포츠토토
It has not yet been revealed who the players are. Wladibir Guerrero Jr. (Toronto), a major leaguer from the Dominican Republic and famous for his hot patriotism for his homeland, expressed his intention to “I hope it’s not me” through his social media when the news was announced.
The Dominican Republic was a strong candidate for the WBC title along with the United States and Japan. Not only Guerrero Jr., but also Manny Machado, Juan Soto (above San Diego), and ‘Rookie of the Year’ Julio Rodriguez (Seattle) are among the top stars in the major leagues. It is known that they actually showed a strong will to win the WBC.
However, it is difficult to go to the WBC if your club refuses to call you out. The Major League Secretariat and the Players Union staked their lives on the WBC to boost the popularity of baseball. You can read the will of the U.S. national team when you see that it has built an army of stars with Mike Trout (Angels) and Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers) at the forefront.
However, unlike players who are selected for the US national team, if they refuse to call out key players from the Dominican Republic and that actually affects the Dominican Republic’s power, it seems that the criticism that the clubs receive will also be unavoidable. Of course, clubs have a reason to hold back the selection due to realistic concerns about injuries or concerns about players who have signed large contracts in the position of having to prepare for the season.
Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic is in Group D of the WBC finals. They are in a group with Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Israel, and Nicaragua, and will play the first round of the full league in Miami, Florida, USA.