3,801,882.52 US Dollars

[Still a sizeable sum for rent with the economic conditions in Venezuela these days; Maybe Miguel can pay the debt off ]

Jose Ramirez was one of the first to reach Indian practices in Arizona

Ramirez woke up in training

Jose Ramirez woke up in spring training in Cleveland coming off his best campaign in three years in the majors. the Dominican knows that there is only one way to go now: work harder than ever. "I came here early because I want to be better than last year," the Bani native told El Caribe on the phone from Goodyear, Arizona, where the AL championship practice base is.

"I have to work on everything and show that I can surpass 2016, which was a good year for me, for the team, but that was in the past. This is now and we have to give it everything again," said Ramírez, who works at several positions(short stops, second and third).

Ramirez aspires to consistency and hopes not to repeat several moments in which his offensive had a low that he understood was considerable.

Difficult Months

His average in the 2016 campaign was .312 with 11 homers and 46 doubles. He batted in 76 runs, scored 84 runs and had 176 hits in 565 innings. His on base percentage was .363.

Ramirez would like to avoid months like June and July, when his batting averages were .273 and .287, respectively, and he was not in the bases enough, especially in June, when he was .308, a very low amount for a player who did not Is of power.

[ Well! I gotta believe that there are a bunch of players who wish they could have those kinds of numbers ]

"Those bad moments take anyone out of rhythm and I have a mind set to prepare myself harder in order to not to fall for that again," he said. The Creole, who is with his family in Arizona, gave much credit to the manager Terry Francona for what he has meant to his career.

"He has given me confidence, he has helped me a lot in my game and in those moments when things are not going well," said Ramirez, who made his major league debut in 2013 with the Indians.

World Baseball Classic

"I never said no to go to the World Cup"

Ramirez took advantage of the interview to clarify. "I read that I said that I could not attend the Classic, so let it be known that I never said no to go to the World Classic. That did not come out of my mouth. I was not invited either, "he said. The 24-year-old would have liked to represent his country in the fair. "But I wish the team the best and hope to repeat the crown," he said.
Jose Ramirez and Miguel Tejada

With the injury to Adrian Beltre, Jose Ramirez may still get that opportunity. Jose represented his country in 2013 when he played for Leones del Escogido as a reinforcement selection during that year's Caribbean World Series. At that time he played for the Toros del Este the team that drafted him and the team that he is still a member of.

In 2013, Ramirez finished third in the Dominican League in batting average and fourth in on-base percentage by hitting .312/.389/.362 in 141 at-bats for Los Toros del Este, a stern test for the 20-year-old against pitchers far more advanced than he’s usually faced. “For a long time, he was leading the Dominican winter league in hitting,” said Atkins. “He’s a great story.”

Jose played second base and shortstop for Leones. Leones lost the championship game to Mexico in 18 innings, longest game in the history of that event. During that series, Jose Ramirez was selected to the all star team as a second baseman. Ramirez was the team's lead off hitter during the series and was on base in 4 of his 9 appearances in that game. He had 4 stolen bases in the series.
Jose Ramirez (R) of Leones del Escogido of Dominican Republic celebrates his home run against Yaquis de Obregon of Mexico with teammates during the 2013 Caribbean baseball series in Hermosillo, Sonora State, northern Mexico on February.

Jose Ramirez
2B, Republica Dominicana (Leones del Escogido)
7 GP, 7-31, 5 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR, 2 2B, 8 BB, 8 K, 4 SB, 2 E

In the final two games of the round robin phase, Ramirez's performance at the plate was one of generally poor quality, albeit punctuated by a single flash of brilliance. In Wedneday's 11-6 win over Mexico, Ramirez went only 1-5 but that one hit was a three-run homer. However, his performance in the round robin finale, a 4-2 win over Venezuela (the supposed Navegantes del Magallanes), was unmitigatedly awful (0-5 with 2 Ks). He hardly redeemed himself in the field, either, picking up an error in each of the last two round robin contests.

His production picked up slightly in the final as he went 2-7 with 2 walks and an RBI, all while managing not to commit an error. However, picking up a couple hits is virtually automatic for a player who plays the entirety of an 18-inning game. Regardless of how one approaches this outing, it did serve to help bolster his flagging Caribbean Series slash line, bringing it up to .226 BA/.387 SLG/.417 OBP/.804 OPS.

How could somebody so dominant through the regular season and Dominican Winter League (LIDOM) round robin play so poorly in the Caribbean Series? Simply put, this is a matter of one of the pitfalls of the "reinforcements" system, namely, bringing on a player who has neither the momentum of having played in the LIDOM final nor the rest of having missed the playoffs entirely. Such a player has had just enough time to dust offthe rust, but not enough to truly recuperate, making him far less than fit for game action, much less so in the most important games of a team's season. Thankfully, Ramirez will have a few weeks to rest now before he reports to minor league spring training. Hopefully it's enough.

[ That was a rather harsh critique! Jose Ramirez, by far, was the youngest player (20 years old) of all the teams competing in the series. 2013 Was Ramirez's second season in the league. In 2012, Ramirez debuted in the league as a 19 year old. I thought we should cut Ramirez a little slack. After taking in the series on ESPN Deportes, Ramirez played much better than the critique emphasized particularly on defense when he was very solid. ] }

GIOVANNY URSHELA

Cleveland Indians
Is the World Baseball Classic an opportunity for Urshela to build momentum to a big 2017?

Some people like the WBC, others loathe it. But for Indians minor league third baseman Giovanny Urshela, it might serve as the launching point he needs to get his career back on track with the Indians before it's too late...

The World Baseball Classic begins in less than a month.

Rosters were unveiled last Wednesday and among the participants are 11 members of the Indians organization ranging from Low-A players to the big leagues. The WBC has gained some popularity with the sport’s removal from the Olympics over in the United States, and with that, some players have seen this as the prime opportunity to show patriotism towards their respective countries.

But the WBC is not just about patriotism. For some players, it’s about fine-tuning their talents before the start of the Major League season. For others, it’s about seizing the opportunity to mingle with and play on the same diamond as fellow countrymen who are stars in their own regard.

And, for some like Indians third baseman Giovanny Urshela, it’s an opportunity to shine on a world stage and showcase their talents and possible serve as a springboard to a big 2017 season.

Urshela was once considered one of the top-20 prospects in the Indians system, routinely ranking in the IBI’s top 25 prospect listing from 2011-2015 before his rookie eligibility ended after the 2015 season. In 2011, Urshela ranked in at 23rd overall (5th among infielders) and in 2013 he jumped up to 19th overall (6th among infielders) before topping out at 4th overall in 2015 (2nd among infielders (Lindor). But even though he’s always had the potential to become a mainstay at the hot corner in Cleveland, he simply has not put all of the pieces to the puzzle together.

Urshela has been known for his glove work at third base, but the question on his full potential to become an everyday starter in the Majors has relied on the development of his bat. In his eight seasons at the minor league level he has slashed at a career .269/.302/.402 clip, which is not bad, but is rather mediocre which has pushed him into the back seat of the car of hot corner prospects. The Indians have since handed the keys to Jose Ramirez, and fast rising hitting machine Yandy Diaz could take the keys at third base before season’s end.

Let’s not forget that Urshela did appear in 81 games for the Indians in 2015. He slashed .225/.279/.330 with 60 hits in 288 plate appearances. He also banged out six homers, drove in 21 runs, and scored 25 runs. However, his walk rate was not all too impressive in that brief stint (6.3 BB%) and he didn’t show much thump (.107 ISO). Due to that lack of offense and inconsistent bat, he was lost in the shuffle last year and spent the entire season at Triple-A Columbus and has been stuck there ever since.

So with all of that said, is the 2017 World Baseball Classic going to be a good opportunity for Urshela to showcase himself as a formidable Major League third baseman?

He’s running out of opportunities within the Indians organization and they are running out of time with him as this will be his last option year. With the emergence of Jose Ramirez as the Indians’ everyday third baseman and Yandy Diaz coming off his blazing hot 2016 season in which he not only hit the cover off the ball (.318/.408/.446 with 141 hits in 121 games), there appears to be no direct path for Urshela to get to Cleveland this season.

This is where Urshela’s chance to play on the big stage in the WBC could not only provide him some confidence, but it could provide the momentum he needs to get his bat going again like it did in 2014.

The Colombia native will occupy an infield that consists of Dilson Herrera (Reds), Mauricio Ramos (Royals), Adrian Sanchez (Nationals) and Donovan Solano (Yankees), so it’s not out of the question to think Urshela would start at third base for Colombia. We know of the defensive tools he brings, but the bottom line is that Urshela needs to start hitting if he wants to be a full-time third baseman in the big leagues.

If Urshela cannot get the bat back on track, where would his ceiling falter to? As a platoon player or defensive replacement? Perhaps a corner utility infielder like a Jack Hannahan?

The answers to those questions will come over the course of this season, and should begin to be answered or at least become clearer following the conclusion of Colombia’s run in the World Baseball Classic.

[ Unfortunatey, Urshela may not get too many opportunities to showcase his abilities in the classic. Columbia is in pool "C" consisting of the USA, DR, and Canada. They'll need a miracle to advance. ]

Tetstuto Yamada

UPDATE: The Japanese are looking to continue their dominance in the World Baseball Classic, chasing their third crown in their last four attempts.

However, Japan is going to without easily the best player in the world who is currently not in Major League Baseball, being 22-year-old ace Shohei Otani, who is nursing a right ankle injury sustained in game four of the Japan series. For those not familiar with Otani, he is the Nippon Professional Baseball league’s best pitcher with a 1.86 ERA and a fastball that has touched triple digits, who also hit .322 with 22 home runs in 2016. With no Otani, who was easily the most exciting player in the WBC, baseball fans might be slightly disappointed, but Japan’s roster is still plenty loaded with talented NPB players to make up for the loss of their countries best player.

Key Players
Tomoyaki Sugano

The role of staff ace will now belong to 27-year-old right-handed pitcher Tomoyaki Sugano from the Yomiuri Giants, who has an arsenal of seven-different pitches to choose from, including a forkball. Sugano should be able to fill-in for Otani more than admirably, with a career 2.34 ERA and a 7.6 K/9, the righty starter has what it takes to be considered an ace in this tournament.

Of course, at the plate, the Japanese have slugging second baseman Tetstuto Yamada from the Yakult Swallows, who is the only player in NPB history to achieve the incredibly elusive “Triple Three” – hit over .300 with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. Yamada, who has hit 38 or more home runs in the last two seasons, is the hitter that Otani fears most, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
Norichika Aoki,

The Japanese squad will also include Houston Astros outfielder Norichika Aoki, who is the lone major-league player on the roster. Aoki has bounced around the majors the past few seasons but has always maintained a high on-base percentage with a career .353 OBP. His excellent on-base skills should hopefully translate to runs for the Japanese, so long as Yamada is hitting behind him.

Underrated Players

The slick-fielding infielder from the Hiroshima Carp, Ryosuke Kikuchi, has the potential to make some serious noise in the WBC for Japan, who turned 102 double-plays in 2016. And while Kikuchi has made a name for himself with his glove he showed he has underrated pop in bat slashing .315/.358/.432 with a career-high 13 home runs and 92 runs scored last season.
Shintaro Fujinami,

One of the main concerns for Japan is their pitching, as even with Sugano as their ace, their pitching was crushed during the four exhibition games, surrendering 29 runs to Mexico and the Netherlands in November. One name who Japan really needs to help solidify their rotation is Shintaro Fujinami, who had a rough go at it for his standards with a 3.25 ERA and 176 strikeouts in 2016. If Fujinami can revert back to his 2015 version of himself, where he posted a 2.40 ERA with 221 strikeouts, Japan could be far more dangerous than originally anticipated.

Roster

Pitchers:

Ryo Akiyoshi, Shintaro Fujinami, Ayumu Ishikawa, Kazuhisa Makita, Hirotoshi Masui, Yuki Matsui, Naoki Myanishi, Takahiro Norimoto, Toshiya Okada, Kodai Senga, Tomoyuki Sugano, Shota Takeda

Catchers:

Seiji Kobayashi, Shota Ohno, Motohiro Shima

Infielders:

Ryosuke Kikuchi, Nobuhiro Matsuda, Sho Nakata, Hayato Sakamota, Kosuke Tanaka, Tetsuto Yamada

Outfielders:

Shogo Akiyama, Norichika Aoki, Ryosuke Hirata, Seiya Suzuki, Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh, Seiichi Uchikawa

Expectations

It’s championship or bust for Japan as the team looks to win its’ third title in its last four tries, but they’ll have to navigate their way through Pool B to get there. Pool B includes Australia, China, and Cuba with Japan, and while Cuba is considered one of the better teams in the world, the Japanese should find themselves at the top of their pool. It also doesn’t hurt that Tokyo will be hosting Pool B and E, which should give Japan a home field advantage through the first two rounds of the tournament, should the Japanese advance.

Japan’s calling-card the past three WBC’s has been their pitching, but with no Otani, the offense might have to carry the load for its country. Luckily, Japan has six players who smacked at least 23 home runs last season in NPB in Tsutsugo (44), Yamada (38), Suzuki (29), Matsuda (27), Nakata (25), and Sakamoto (23). If their offense can out-swing countries like Cuba, Dominican Republic, and the USA, and their pitching gets some solid outings from other pitchers besides Sugano, there’s no reason not to think Japan can take home another World Baseball Classic title.

UPDATE: World Baseball Classic Preview: China

If you think of favorites for the World Baseball Classic Championships, teams such as Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Japan, and the United States likely come to mind. One that many overlook is the China, and while they might not be a favorite, the underdog will enter the tournament looking to make a name on the world stage.

After winning one game in each of the past two tournaments, China, led by Phillies bullpen coach John McLaren as manager, will look to continue to build upon previous entries and look to surprise some teams. While China isn't necessarily a baseball hotbed, it has seen rapid growth in the past decade and the hope of many is that a strong performance on the biggest will continue to increase the interest of baseball in the country. In previous tournaments, China eliminated Chinese Taipei in 2009 and secured a victory over Brazil in the 2013 edition.

Key Players
Bruce Chen: The most notable name on a Chinese roster lacks a superstar or a highly-regarded player that many from other nations may recognize is veteran left-handed pitcher Bruce Chen. With no Major League Baseball players on the roster, the former big league pitcher Chen, who is now 39, retired after the 2015 season. He spent time with 11 different teams and will draw on his 17 years of major league experience and anchor the pitching staff, hoping to bring China another victory.
Wei Wang: China isn't what many consider a baseball hotbed, but they do have a couple talents that many will see for the first time this weekend. The 38-year-old backstop, a member of the Seattle Mariners organization, has played and starred in the Chinese League for many years. He provides a veteran presence behind the plate.
Guiyuan Xu: A prospect in the Baltimore Orioles' organization and a key piece for the future of the Chinese National Team, Xu is a first baseman and designated hitter by trade, as he represents the best chance for a Chinese-born player to make it to the big leagues. At just 21, he still has a ton of development left. The Orioles minor leagues have even tried to get him reps in the outfield, giving him added versatility. Last season, his first with the Orioles on their Gulf Coast League team, as he slashed .247/.271/.284 with nine runs batted in in 85 plate appearances.

Roster

Pitchers:

Bruce Chen, Kun Chen, Andrew Chin, Quan Gan, Haicheng Gong, Kwon Ju, Xin Li, Yu Liu, Chao Lu, Yusong Lu, Xia Luo, Jiping Qi, Menghao Wang, Yanyong Yang, Chaoqun Zheng

Catchers:

Ning Li, Weiqiang Meng, Wei Wang

Infielders:

Ray Chang, Fujia Chu, Xiaolei Du, Zeyuan Li, Joey Wong, Guiyuan Xu

Outfielders:

Yanpeng Chen, Zhenhong Lu, Chuang Na, Shunyi Yang

Pool

China will be playing in Pool B. Other teams in the pool include Championship contender Japan, Cuba, and Australia. Japan is looking to win the WBC for the third time in four tournaments. Cuba is a very talented team with a rich baseball history. They are looking to build on their silver medal in the inaugural World Classic back in 2006. Australia also has several talented players and will be looking to advance to the next round. Based on talent alone, China looks to be fourth in its pool. They will need a tremendous team effort in order to make it out of pool play and advance to the next round.
Expectations

After winning a game in each of the previous two tournaments, the expectations for this tournament again are to win a game. The road to winning a game will be much tougher this time around as the competition in Pool B is as good as it gets in the tournament, especially with medal contenders Japan and Cuba. While the Chinese will be seen as underdogs in every game they play, they have a chance to surprise a team if they play well. It is undeniable that this team is getting better, but it still lacks quality talent at several positions in order to compete with the best of the best in the world.

Sugano set to step into spotlight at World Baseball Classic

The wider baseball world is about to meet Tomoyuki Sugano.

Until a few days ago, the Yomiuri Giants star was set to be one of the pitchers throwing in Shohei Otani’s wake in terms of attention at the World Baseball Classic. Now that Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters ace Otani has been ruled out of the competition because of an ankle injury, it’s Sugano who steps into the role as Japan’s top pitcher.

“He is also an ace of the Japanese baseball world,” NPB commissioner Katsuhiko Kumazaki was quoted as saying of Sugano on Sunday from the Kyojin‘s spring camp in Miyazaki.

For Sugano, it’s a chance to announce his presence to international fans caught up in all things Otani. Just as Hisashi Iwakuma broke out of the shadows of Daisuke Matsuzaka and Yu Darvish during the 2009 WBC, and Kenta Maeda wrested some of the spotlight away from Masahiro Tanaka in 2013, Sugano has a chance to make a greater name for himself globally.

He may not be Otani, but he’s no slouch either.

The 27-year-old has shined on the big stage before. In his rookie year, he made two starts on the road during the 2013 Japan Series. He went almost pitch-for-pitch with Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles ace Tanaka in a narrow loss in Game 2, and outdueled Tanaka in Game 6 to force a decisive seventh game.

He pitched for Samurai Japan during the 2015 Premier 12 and also in an exhibition against Taiwan in 2016.

Sugano was a 13-game winner as a rookie, the Central League MVP in his sophomore year, and threw 179 innings with a 1.91 ERA in his third season. This past year was the first in which he missed out on 10 wins (finishing 9-6 after having amassed 13, 12 and 10 victories previously), but he also struck out a league-best 189.

In his four seasons, Sugano’s innings totals have been 176, 158⅔, 179 and 183⅓. Among all NPB pitchers during that span, he had the best ERA in 2016 at 2.01, and was second in 2014 and 2015 with ERAs of 2.33 and 1.91 respectively.

Sugano gets almost equal usage out of his fastball and slider and also leans on his shuuto. He mixes in a curveball, forkball and cutter, and has spent part of his offseason working on adding a change-up. His control of his pitches is one of his biggest weapons, and could serve him well during the WBC. He’s been working with the WBC ball for some time and is pleased with his progress.

“I’m able to throw with good balance,” he told Sankei News on Sunday.

Sugano doesn’t have the ability to overpower hitters the way Otani can, but his feel for his arsenal can keep them guessing.

Sugano and Otani might’ve been teammates had the cards fallen a little differently. The Fighters rolled the dice on Sugano in the 2011 draft, as the belief he would only sign with the Giants, managed at the time by his uncle, Tatsunori Hara, scared off other teams. The Fighters bit anyway, then won his draft rights in a lottery with Yomiuri. Sugano held firm and chose to sit out a year rather than sign, in order to go back into the draft the next year.

Non-Yomiuri teams stayed away again in 2012, and the Fighters gambled on a different pitcher who had no intention of signing. This time everyone got what they wanted, Sugano was drafted by the Giants, and Nippon Ham in the end successfully persuaded Otani to sign with them.

Neither has disappointed. Otani has set the baseball world ablaze, while Sugano has been one of Japan’s top pitchers. Both have made their league’s Best Nine team, and each has been a league MVP, with Otani winning in the Pacific League in 2016.

Sugano will get to strike out on his own as the presumptive star pitcher for Samurai Japan during the WBC.

He’ll have big shoes to fill, but he’ll also have a chance prove there is more to Japanese pitchers than simply Otani.

Millions exposed to Chinese Taipei’s pre-WBC tour

As part of their preparation for the World Baseball Classic, the world #4 ranked Chinese Taipei team made the sunny Gold Coast their home for a intensive two-week camp.

In conjunction with the Gold Coast City Council, the Chinese Taipei team stayed at the RACV Royal Pines Resort and spent most of their time at the Surfers Paradise Baseball Club, where they honed their skills and prepared for their opening round games against South Korea, Israel and The Netherlands.

The team also made their way to Brisbane where they claimed three wins from three games against the Windsor Royals, and the back-to-back ABL Champions, the Brisbane Bandits.

All three games were met with a groundswell of support from the Taiwanese local contingent, who supported the team in droves and made the atmosphere at Holloway Field electric.

The final game of the pre-tournament tour came to an end last night as Chinese Taipei defeated the Bandits 5-4 in an entertaining encounter. Well over 350,000 people tuned into the livestream that was hosted on http://www.abltv.com and the Brisbane Bandits facebook page, as well as over a million people reached during the game itself.

Baseball Australia Chief Operating Officer Justin Drew was excited to host the Taiwanese team.

“It was an honour to host one of the best teams in world baseball,” Drew said.

“The tour was met with a fantastic response from the local community, and it further enhanced the relationship between Australian and Taiwanese baseball. A special thank you must go to the Gold Coast City Council for their continued support. Thanks also must go to the Brisbane Bandits, Baseball Queensland and the Windsor Royals Baseball Club, for their cooperation and professionalism to ensure the smooth delivery of this event.”

Dominican in suspense; Beltré gets injured
The 37-year-old slugger will miss the first round of the World Baseball Classic

Texas third baseman Adrián Beltre has appeared in spring training with a sprained thigh in his left hamstring, which will keep him out of action for three weeks and will prevent him from playing in the first Round of the World Baseball Classic with the Dominican Republic.

Beltré is 37 years old and is preparing for his 20th season in the majors. He explained that he injured his muscle last Tuesday, when he was doing exercises at his residence in California.

He was expected to join the Dominican team, current champions of the Classic. He will be able to join the team if they surpass the first round in which they will compete against the United States, Canada and Colombia.

Beltre, winner of five Gold Gloves and four times selected to the All-Star Game, said his main objective is to be able to recover to play on the opening day of the regular season, but also wants to represent his country.

"If I feel one hundred percent, I'm going to play (in the Classic). But I do not want to force things. My priority is to be fit for the season. We have many goals in this team, "said Beltre.

"I have to see how I feel in two weeks," added Beltre. "I do not want to lose the Classic, but I have to be careful."

With Beltré ruled out for the first round, Dominican manager Tony Peña could assign to the starting lineup Manny Machado. That is the position that Machado defends with Baltimore, but would play as shortstop in the Classic. Other available infielders are Jose Reyes (Mets) and Jonathan Villar (Milwaukee), in addition that could be incorporated to the roster to Jean Segura (Seattle).

Big-hitting Cuba power past Taiwan

Yosbany Alarcon silenced the home crowd in Taichung in the sixth inning when he smashed the ball into the stands to give the visitors a three-run lead

Cuba players delivered long balls and crucial hits with men in scoring position to defeat Taiwan 6-2 in Taichung last night, the first warm-up ahead of next month’s World Baseball Classic.

Left-handed pitcher Chen Kuan-yu, of the Chiba Lotte Marines, started the game for Taiwan, while Cuba countered with right-handed Yosbany Torres.

In the second inning, Taiwan first baseman Hsu Chi-hung hit a double after two outs, before catcher Lin Kun-shen opened the hosts’ account as his RBI-single drove in Hsu.
However, Cuba, known as the Red Lightning, had too much quality to be denied and they mounted a rally in the fifth frame against Taiwan’s second pitcher Tsai Min-chin.

With two men on base, outfielder Roel Santos ripped a bouncer down the line for a triple, scoring both players for two runs. Shortstop Alexander Ayala then pushed Santos home with a double as the visitors took a 3-1 lead.

In the next inning, Cuba catcher Yosbany Alarcon silenced the home crowd when he tagged Taiwan’s middle reliever Chen Yun-wen by smashing the ball into the stands to take a 4-1 lead.
The sides traded runs in the late innings as Cuba ran out 6-2 victors.

Taiwan did have a good chance to level the score late in the contest when they had the bases loaded, but outfielder Chiang Chih-hsieng failed with his at-bat, hitting into a double play to end the inning.

“The pressure is enormous to take charge of the Cuba national squad because our people expect the team to do well, but now I have to work with the new generation of young players,” Cuba manager Carlos Marti said. “It’s good to get this win against Taiwan, as they also have a good team.”

Game 2 of the series is scheduled for this evening, also in Taichung.

During the contest, several spectators caused a commotion by unveiling a “Taiwan is Taiwan” banner and shouting slogans calling for the nation’s independence before they were removed by security staff.

The World Baseball Classic starts in the second week of next month.

Taiwan are in Pool A in Seoul together with South Korea, the Netherlands and Israel, with the top two teams advancing to the next round.

Cuba is in Pool B in Tokyo along with Japan, Australia and China.

The US, Canada, Colombia and the Dominican Republic are in Pool C, which is being hosted in Miami, while Pool D, being played in Jalisco, Mexico, features the hosts, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Italy.

Kuo gave the starting pitching assignment to 34-year-old Pan Wei-lun, who has been a mainstay on the Uni-President Lions rotation over the past 14 years.

Taiwan tops Cuba in WBC warm-up

Taiwan last night bolstered their confidence with a 4-2 victory over Cuba at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium to split their warm-up series at one win each, before heading to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in South Korea.

Manager Kuo Tai-yuan adjusted the batting order, inserting several veterans to replace younger players from Monday’s lineup.

He penciled in 31-year-old Chang Cheng-wei — a seven-year Brothers Baseball Club veteran — as starting rightfielder and called up 36-year-old All-Star catcher Cheng Ta-hung — who has 12 years of Taiwanese professional baseball experience with the then-Sinon Bulls and the Brothers — to sit behind the home plate instead of Lin Kun-sheng.

Kuo gave the starting pitching assignment to 34-year-old Pan Wei-lun, who has been a mainstay on the Uni-President Lions rotation over the past 14 years.

However, Cuba rattled Pan from the opening frame, when first baseman Guillermo Aviles and catcher Osvaldo Vazquez hit consecutive RBI singles.

In the third inning, Pan was replaced by lefty pitcher Ni Fu-te, who played for the then-Chinatrust Whales, as well as the Detroit Tigers in 2009 and 2010. Helped by a solid defense, Ni handcuffed the Cuban hitters with his unorthodox delivery and tossed three scoreless innings, yielding only one hit to go with three strikeouts.

Cuba starter Vladimir Banos shut down Taiwan’s offense early on, only getting into trouble in the sixth inning, when, with two men on bases, former Los Angeles Dodger Hu Chin-lung drove in two runs on a double to level the score.

Banos was pulled for Leandro Martinez to defuse the situation, but third baseman Chiang Chih-hsieng hit a sacrifice fly to push Hu home for the go-ahead run.

The Fubon Guardians’ Lin Yi-chuan added an insurance run for Taiwan in the eighth inning, hitting an RBI single against Cuba’s fourth pitcher, Miguel Lahera, to score a runner from third base.

Taiwan will get one day of rest before flying to South Korea tomorrow.

Cuba will play one more warm-up game, against the Brothers, today at 6:30pm, also in Taichung.

[ Without a box score, it's hard to tell whether or not the two Cleveland, members of the Taiwan team, pitchers Ping Hsueh Chen or Shao Ching Chiang picked up any innings.

Infield gives Netherlands strong chance to advance

By Jon Paul Morosi / MLB.com

The Netherlands will begin 2017 World Baseball Classic play against host Korea on March 7. First pitch time: 4:30 a.m. ET.

We promise: It's worth setting an early alarm -- or staying awake -- simply to watch the Dutch infield.

The Netherlands' infield was a major reason for their best World Baseball Classic finish in 2013, a semifinal loss to the eventual champion Dominican Republic. The group remains a marvel four years later and will be a major story line in an unpredictable Pool A at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.

Andrelton Simmons, the two-time Gold Glove Award winner, returns at shortstop after posting a 1.016 OPS and tying for team leads in home runs (two) and RBIs (six) during the 2013 Classic.

That means Xander Bogaerts will play the same position -- third base -- that he did four years ago, notwithstanding his two Silver Slugger Awards and one All-Star selection as the Red Sox's shortstop.

"I've already talked with John Farrell," Dutch manager Hensley Meulens said Sunday in a telephone interview with MLB.com. "The reason Xander played third base for the Red Sox in the 2013 postseason was that he had the experience there in the Classic. That goes a long way in helping us now.

"Xander called me in the offseason and said, 'I know I can't play shortstop for this team with Simmons on it, so you can put me at third.'"

Baltimore's Jonathan Schoop, who hit 25 home runs while playing in all 162 games for the Orioles in 2016, is the primary second baseman, allowing Didi Gregorius to back up at second, third and shortstop while getting at-bats as the designated hitter. Curt Smith, a Dutch international veteran playing in his third Classic, is expected to return as the everyday first baseman.

Jurickson Profar started at second base in the 2013 semifinal and -- as one of the sport's most celebrated prospects -- seemed destined to remain a standard-bearer there for years to come. But he has a .652 OPS in 175 Major League games over the last four seasons, due to injuries and underperformance. Once Rangers manager Jeff Banister told Meulens that Profar could make Texas' Opening Day roster in left field, Meulens decided he would play there in the Classic as well.

Wladimir Balentien, who hit 60 home runs for the Yakult Swallows in 2013 to break Sadaharu Oh's single-season record in Nippon Professional Baseball, will start for the Netherlands in the opposite outfield corner.

In all, eight of the 10 players who started in the 2013 semifinal -- including left-hander Diegomar Markwell -- also are on this year's roster, making the Dutch a favorite to finish among the top two in Pool A and advance to the second round.

But Chinese Taipei, Israel and Korea all have credible reasons to believe in their chances, too. Chinese Taipei reached the second round in 2013 after defeating the Netherlands in pool play. Israel, in its first Classic, is riding the momentum of a 3-0 performance in qualifying last year. And Korea will benefit from playing on home soil after uncharacteristically failing to advance out of pool play in 2013.

Israel's roster includes 11 players with MLB service time -- but no current 40-man roster players. In one sense, that is an asset for manager Jerry Weinstein, who won't need to worry about additional provisions placed on prized arms by MLB general managers.

In fact, Israel ace Jason Marquis -- a former 15-game winner for the Cardinals and Rockies -- is a free agent who hasn't pitched in the Majors or Minors since 2015. So no front office will object if Marquis starts Israel's first and third game with two days of rest in between, just as he did in the September qualifier; that is permissible under World Baseball Classic rules, as long as he does not exceed 50 pitches in the first game.

Corey Baker, a 27-year-old right-hander in the Cardinals system, is one candidate to start Israel's second game, as he did in the qualifier. And if Marquis and Baker are the team's only starters, Weinstein will have a 14-man bullpen -- including MLB veterans Craig Breslow and Josh Zeid -- to use aggressively in the 27-out relay race. For Weinstein, distinctions between starters and relievers disappear once the tournament begins.

"Because of our schedule, with a day off after two games, our tentative plan is to staff all three games so we can use our better guys as often as possible," Weinstein said this week. "I don't think we necessarily have a designated starter. The goal is to match up according to the situation. I think a short series allows you to do that."

Weinstein developed that philosophy by competing in state and national tournaments over his 23 seasons as the head coach at Sacramento City College.

"Leveraged situations could come early in games," he said. "You may not be able to win games early, but you surely can lose them. I wanted to have our best possible arms in those situations. I think that we saw that approach surface to a greater degree in [last] year's playoffs and World Series."

Weinstein's first opportunity to apply that approach in the Classic will be against host Korea, which reached the semifinal in 2006 and final in 2009 before losing to Chinese Taipei in a first-round tiebreaker four years ago.

Among the nine South Korean-born players in MLB last year, only Cardinals closer Seung Hwan Oh and former Mariners first baseman Dae-Ho Lee are on the host country's 28-man WBC roster. Left-handed ace Hyeon-Jong Yang and outfielders Ah-Seop Son and Byung-Hun Min are among Korea's top players, and the double play combination of Geon-Chang Seo and Ha-Seong Kim should be among this Classic's best.

Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei's roster has been diminished by political discord between Taiwan's national baseball federation and the Chinese Professional Baseball League. As a result, the CPBL's Lamigo Monkeys have barred their players from participating for the national team in the World Baseball Classic. That means the exclusion of stars Po-Jung Wang, Hung-Yu Lin and Chun-Hsiu Chen, according to Josh Inglis of CPBL English, an authoritative website on Taiwanese baseball.

Inglis said Chinese Taipei's lineup will be the team's greatest strength in the tournament, but the pitching staff has major questions. Kuan-Yu Chen, of NPB's Chiba Lotte Marines, faces substantial pressure as the staff ace; former Tigers reliever Fu-Te Ni will have a crucial role in the bullpen.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Jair Jurrjens made the National League All-Star team in 2011, while going 13-6 with a 2.96 ERA for the Braves. But he hasn't won a Major League game since '12 -- or pitched in one since a two-game cameo with the Rockies in '14. He threw for Royals officials at a tryout last week, but he remains unsigned.

So for the Curaçao native, the World Baseball Classic has multiple meanings: He is trying to revive his Major League career by pitching before scouts in high-intensity games; he will represent the Netherlands for the first time since the inaugural tournament of 2006; and he wants to honor the memories of his father, Carl, and former Braves teammate Tommy Hanson, who died within a week of one another in 2015.

THE KEY GAME

Israel vs. Korea, March 6, 4:30 a.m. ET

The first game in Pool A -- also the first game in the entire tournament -- is crucial. The winner will have an excellent chance to advance out of the group, while the loser will be 0-1 with a matchup against the Netherlands looming.

PREDICTION

The Netherlands and Israel advance.

Simmons gearing up for 2017 Classic

Four years ago, Angels infielder Andrelton Simmons played a pivotal role in helping the Netherlands reach the semifinals of the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Simmons, a native of Curacao, started at shortstop and hit .333 with two home runs, three doubles and six RBIs in eight games, an effort that helped the Netherlands secure its best finish in the tournament.

Next week, Simmons will depart for Seoul to represent the Netherlands in his second career World Baseball Classic. He'll join a loaded infield that will also feature the Yankees' Didi Gregorius, the Red Sox's Xander Bogaerts, the Orioles' Jonathan Schoop and the Rangers' Jurickson Profar, many of whom are childhood friends of Simmons.

"I enjoy doing it because I get to play with all the friends I grew up with and hung out with in Curacao," Simmons said Tuesday at Tempe Diablo Stadium. "It's pretty exciting. You get to represent your country."

Simmons, 27, said he will leave Angels camp Feb. 28. The Netherlands is set to compete in Pool A of the World Baseball Classic with Korea, Chinese Taipei and Israel at the Gocheok Sky Dome. The Netherlands opens play March 7 against Korea.

Simmons said he believes the Netherlands, which will also have Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen on its roster, has a good shot at making a deep run in the tournament.

"We have a pretty good defense," Simmons said. "We have pretty solid offense. The pitching, I don't know a lot of the guys. I haven't seen them pitch in a while, so that's the only area I don't know how it's going to play, I'm still excited for the team. We have a good chance of advancing. Once we do that -- if we do that -- we'll see what level the team is on. Anything can happen in the tournament."
Simmons' participation in the World Baseball Classic will prevent him from having a full spring to adjust to new double-play partner Danny Espinosa, but he said he doesn't believe they'll require too much time to learn to work together. Simmons and Espinosa faced each other frequently when they both played in the National League East with the Braves and Nationals, respectively.

"He's really good," Simmons said. "I played against him. He made some stupid plays against me and other teammates, which I hated, but now it's going to be fun seeing him do it against the opposition. It's pretty exciting. I took some ground balls with him. He's pretty quick, good arm. He's a shortstop, so he can definitely play second base really good. You get to know everything once you get a couple of games in. You've got to make some mistakes or get confused sometimes, but we have a pretty good feel for each other right now."

United States goes to the Classic with heavy artillery
The Americans are still looking for their first title in this tournament

The United States must be rather tired of seeing other countries celebrate their wins in the World Classics.

There have been three editions since the creation of this event, and the inventors of baseball have not been able to reach a final. Worse yet, only once did they enter a semifinal phase.

Its constant failures have begun to disturb some sectors of the Major Leagues. After all, it is inexplicable how the United States, which has the most and best quality of players in the world, can not even be close to achieving success in this event.

This year, they have armed themselves to the teeth in a new attempt to break that jinx. Well, that's what the paper says.

"I've always said that America is the most talented team in all the Classics. It has not worked out, "said Álex Cora, general manager of the Puerto Rico, runner-up of the 2013 edition.

Led by Jim Leyland, this American edition is packed with players barely 30 years old.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler leads the team at age 34. But the average age of the team is 28.5, a percentage below previous editions.
Nolan Arenado

Nolan Arenado, one of baseball's most accomplished players, is barely 25 years old. Outfielder Christian Yelich is also that age.

"This year they have more youth," added Cora.

However, the Americans are still as powerful as it is unpredictable and that has proven itself in the past.

Cora noted that the World Classic is a short tournament with little room for improvisation.

"The tournament is one of many strategies. With ten pitchers on the roster you have to have a good game plan. It's not a secret that the Americans have supposedly lined up their starters from Miami to Los Angeles. "

"They have always been talented. It's a matter of getting it done on the field. "

"Have the Americans made better preparations to field a better team this time? One with more commitment?" Asked the paper to Cora.

"You have to wait and see what happens. You are always going to be judged based on whether you win or lose. If they win they'll say they took it seriously, or if they lose they did not put in the enthusiasm. They will always be judged that way. People do not see them as they see the Latino teams. Does the Classic mean more to the Latinos than to the Americans? I do not think so. I've had fellow Americans who have played in the tournament, "remarked Cora, who currently serves as a Houston Astros' coach.

"The Americans played hard. But unfortunately for them it has not worked out. But I do not think that we, because we are Latin, care more than they do. I do not think that. At the end in a short tournament anything can happen. In the same way after we were knocked out of the tournament in 2009, in 2013 the roles were exchanged. We won the first game comfortably and then we won the next game. "

Complete team
Paul Goldschmidt

The United States looks solid in all positions and with a good depth. For example, they have Eric Hosmer at first base but in turn also have Paul Goldschmidt. Buster Posey and Jonathan Lucroy will share the catching duties. Arenado will take care of third base and in the middle infield will have David Murphy and Kinsler. The DH will be divided between Brandon Crawford and the quoted Alex Bregman.
Giancarlo Stanton

In the outfield will be Yelich, Andrew McCutchen, Adam Jones and Giancarlo Stanton.

Cora, however, does not look so impressed insisting that in the past he has seen such powerful figures as Chipper Jones, Ken Griffey Jr., Mark Teixeira and Dustin Pedroia, among others.

"The Americans, in terms of talent and depth, are one of the best or the best teams out there. But McCutchen last year did not play well. Stanton almost did not play. Murphy had the season he had, but defensively he was not great. They have played in the Classic with Chipper (Jones) and Alex Rodriguez who are 'Hall of Famers.' I think it's the era. You pay more attention to the stars who are playing. "
Clayton Kershaw

His pitching squad is impressive. Among the list of pitchers in reserve, they have stellar arms like Madison Bumgarner, Clayton Kershaw, among others.

The Americans, who will be playing in Group C alongside the Dominican Republic, Canada and Colombia, are considered among the favorites to win the event.

But, when have they not been since this event began in 2006?

"They have always been talented. It is a question of doing it on the field. In the end they have always been solid. Here, in the end, they are Major Leaguers against Major Leaguers. In baseball in such a short series anything can happen. "Cora emphasized.

"In the end the Americans are the deepest. Not the most talented because everyone has talent. They are major leaguers from one to 25 plus the 10 reserve. I think the other team with as much depth as the Americans are the Dominicans from one to 36. They are Major Leaguers. These are the only teams who have that luxury. "

A lot of youth

Josué Espada, coach of the Yankees and Puerto Rico, said that the greatest strength of the Americans is their youth.

"I think this year's group is formed to go a little further than in past tournaments. I think the United States focused on the young players this time. "

"The players want to participate more in this tournament. The United States sees other nations winning. They want to represent their nation. They want to win the tournament. I am seeing these star players who want to participate more than past years. "

Espada, a professional outfielder, said the advantage of being able to have younger talent is that it will allow the Americans to enter the tournament in better game condition.
Francisco Lindor,

"When 'spring training' starts they prepare much faster because they are younger players. The body is ready in three or four days. They feel they are already 'ready' to play. The veteran player needs more time, two weeks to be ready to play, "added Espada, putting as an example of youth of the Puerto Ricans Francisco Lindor, Javier Báez and Carlos Correa, among others.

"That also helps us. You give Correa, Lindor two or three days of practice and you are ready for everything. "

However, the United States will hardly be able to count on some elements of the game such as the cohesion and teamwork of their members.

"They have always had good depth. It is a question of having team unity. Playing together as a team, not just a few days of practicing together. They are not like our teams that play together as a group. We do activities together. We play winter ball. he United States players do not have the opportunity that we have. For being such a small island, I feel that we are more united, "said Espada.

"Talented teams like Venezuela, they are good teams. You have to be cautious with them, "he concluded.

Leonys Martín testifies how he came from Cuba to Mexico

MIAMI (AP) -

Leonys Martín testified Tuesday that he had crossed the border between Mexico and the United States without documents because he feared he would be abducted or worse, after being transferred from Cuba by a group of smugglers allegedly linked to a sports agent and scout.

The testimony of the current Seattle Mariners outfielder before a jury in Miami came up in the federal trial of agent Bartolo Hernandez and scout and trainer Julio Estrada, for plotting and human trafficking. Martin told the jury that he crossed the border in April 2011 at Laredo, Texas, after reaching a five-year, $ 15.5 million contract with the Texas Rangers.

"My life was in danger in Mexico," Martín said. "My safety was at risk."

Like other Cuban players who have appeared as witnesses in the case, Martín said that in 2010 he was taken on a speed boat from Cuba to the Mexican tourist city of Cancun. Cuban players must reside in a third country in order to sign lucrative contracts as free agents with the Major Leagues in the United States.

Martín added that in Cancún, "eight or nine" men, who said they were armed, burst into the apartment, forcing the door open and demanded that I leave with them. The player refused and the subjects left, but Martin said that the smugglers later decided to relocate a group of players in the northern city of Monterrey.

"People were looking for us, so we had to put distance between them," Martín testified. "It was a difficult time. We knew how bad things could get. "

While in Monterrey, there was an attempt to kidnap one of the traffickers, who managed to escape through the back of a house, Martín said.

Meanwhile, the Cuban had signed contracts by which he was obliged to pay Hernandez 5% of the amount he accrued to sign in the majors. Another 35% would go to the smugglers, he said.

Residency documents were issued to him in Mexico, where he stated that he had a job in "mechanics and automotive painting". Martin acknowledged that this documentation was false.

Once he reached an agreement with the Texas Rangers, and while he waited for a visa to arrive in the United States, the group decided that Martin simply had to cross the border, according to the testimony. At that time, Cubans who stepped on US territory were allowed to stay, a policy that was overturned by President Barack Obama.

Martín accepted that he gave false information in an interview with an agent of the Office of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). For example, he claimed that he was seeking political asylum.

The fact is that he arrived in the United States without other mishaps.

"I was afraid and I was prepared to say what I had to," Martin recalled about the interview. "We were afraid that they would kidnap us, and that's why we decided to cross the border."

Also, Martín decided not to pay all the agreed money to the traffickers nor to Hernandez. This resulted in a lawsuit and other legal measures. He gave them a combined $ 1.5 million, according to court filings.

"That first year, I paid them much more than they demanded from me," he testified.

The trial is expected to last a few more weeks. Attorneys for Hernandez and Estrada deny that their clients have operated an organization dedicated to bringing contraband players to the United States. Instead, they point out that the defendants had legitimate businesses related to baseball and with the aim of helping some Cuban players to reach the majors.

Eliezer Lazo and Joel Martínez, two of the traffickers closely involved in Martin's case, pleaded guilty after a previous trial, and are in jail. Both are on the list of witnesses charged in this new process.

Martín, 28, played with the Rangers from 2011 to 15, when he was traded to the Mariners. The center fielder batted .247 with 15 homers, 47 RBIs and 24 steals the season before.

Mariners leaders have said that Martin is allowed to delay his arrival to spring training camp due to the Miami trial.

Yang Eui-ji

S. Korea loses to Japanese baseball club in pre-WBC exhibition game

GINOWAN, Japan, Feb. 22 (Yonhap) --

The South Korean national baseball team lost to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars 3-2 on Wednesday in an exhibition game ahead of the World Baseball Classic (WBC).

Yang Eui-ji hit a two-run homer for a 2-1 lead, but pitcher Rhee Dae-eun blew that lead at Ginowan Baseball Stadium in Ginowa, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, as the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) club collected a come-from-behind win against the South Koreans.

This is South Korea's second straight loss in exhibition games in Japan. On Sunday, the national team lost to the Yomiuri Giants 4-0.

South Korea first gave up a run in the bottom of the first inning after Takayuki Kajitani hit a single off Yang Hyeong-jong and brought Masayuki Kuwahara home.

The national team, however, quickly got back into the game in the next inning, thanks to Yang who smashed a two-run shot against Yokohama's American right hander Phil Klein.

South Korean pitchers Woo Kyu-min, Lee Hyun-seung, Chang Si-hwan and Park Hee-soo then managed to keep the 2-1 lead.

In the bottom eight, however, South Korea's Rhee allowed two runs to the Japanese club. With runners on second and third and one out, the former Chiba Lotte Marines pitcher gave up a two-run single to Hiroki Minei.

In the top ninth, South Korean slugger Lee Dae-ho came in to pinch hit, but struck out in just three pitches.

South Korea managed to produce just two hits -- Yang's home run and Seo Geon-chang's single -- against Yokohama.

"We've trained here for 10 days and we did have some results," South Korean manager Kim In-sik said. "Compared to the previous game (against Yomiuri), we produced some good hits and our pitchers are also on their way to finding their game rhythm."

South Korea originally planned to use Cha Woo-chan as one of its relief pitchers against Yokohama. But since the left-handed pitcher got injured, the team decided to put Rhee on the mound.

"Rhee himself wanted to pitch, but it turned out he still needs to find his form on the mound," the manager said. "But he is building up his form well and I believe he will play better."

The national team will return home on Thursday and have five more exhibition games before the WBC. South Korea will play against teams like Cuba and Australia to gear up for the international baseball competition.

South Korea will host the first round of action in Pool A against Israel, the Netherlands and Chinese Taipei at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, starting on March 6.