PHOENIX -- Energy has never been a problem for Willy Adames, so he figures he’ll have no problem trading the relaxed routine of Spring Training for the high intensity of the World Baseball Classic.
“I feel like the crowd is going to help,” said Adames, who took two at-bats in the Brewers' 6-1 loss to the Mariners on Sunday before departing camp to join his Dominican Republic teammates in Miami. “It’s going to be loud. It’s going to be 40,000 people every game. You’re going from zero to 100 in a day in the middle of Spring Training.
“You have to be careful, but you have to play hard, too. It’s like the World Series in spring. That’s what it feels like."
After Milwaukee’s No. 2 prospect Sal Frelick (Italy) and reliever Javy Guerra (Panama) departed last week for games in Taiwan, Adames and another wave of Brewers players bid a temporary farewell from camp on Sunday. Devin Williams pitched against the Mariners in his final tuneup before joining Team USA across town in Scottsdale. Also Scottsdale-bound were Luis Urías and Rowdy Tellez, who are playing for Mexico. Abraham Toro will join Canada’s team in Mesa, Ariz. Adames and non-roster pitcher Robert Stock (Israel) were flying to Florida for their training camps.
For Adames and his countrymen, the stakes are high. The Dominican Republic won the WBC in 2013 but was stopped short of the final round the last time the tournament was held in ‘17.
Adames didn’t flinch when asked for his prediction this time.
“Come on, man.” he said with a grin. “No question, man, we’re going to win that.”
His teammates are hungry.
“Of course,” Adames said. “The team that won it all [in 2013] didn’t lose one game. We have that mentality this year to try to play today. Then we worry about tomorrow. Everybody is hungry, and we want to bring that trophy to the Dominican, for sure.”
Adames is coming off a career-high 31 home runs and is one of two excellent shortstop options for Dominican Republic manager Rodney Linares, who is currently the Rays’ bench coach. Linares has been on their staff since 2018, when Adames debuted with Tampa Bay, so he knows the shortstop well. But the Dominican Republic also has 25-year-old Gold Glove Award winner Jeremy Peña of the Astros, coming off a 22-homer season and lots of high-pressure at-bats in last year’s World Series.
“They haven’t said yet who is going to be the main guy,” Adames said. “Obviously, I’m going to be there to contribute to the team and try to get as much playing time as I can and give my best to the team.”
Asked about the discussions he had with Dominican officials about playing time before committing to the event, Adames said, “You let them know how you feel. Like, ‘What are your plans for this spring?’ Obviously, I’m in an important year in my career, and I let them know that before I made the decision. Like I said, I am there to contribute to the team and be the best teammate I can be.”
Not only is it an important year for Adames, who is entering his next-to-last season before free agency, it’s an important year for the Brewers as they bid to get back into the postseason field. Manager Craig Counsell has been a vocal proponent of what the charged atmosphere of the WBC could do for his players who are participating.
For the rest of the Brewers, it will mean a slightly quieter clubhouse. Adames and Tellez are two of Milwaukee’s most vocal players.
“We are like a family. We know the guys are leaving for a great reason, but it’s going to feel different,” said pitcher Freddy Peralta, who would have loved to pitch for the Dominican Republic but is coming off injuries. “It’s different already because we were talking about it. But it’s part of this.”
He’ll be rooting for Adames and the rest of the Dominican Republic team from afar.
“This is going to be my first time coming to Spring Training and then leaving in the middle, so it is going to be a little weird,” Adames said. “We’re going to have a new experience. I think this is going to be an amazing time for all of the guys who are going for the first time, including myself. So I’m beyond excited."