Classic underscores global roots of MLB
When it comes to the World Baseball Classic, it is vogue to root for the underdogs, who are, after all, the hope of the Classic. It's about building interest on an international level. And that means making inroads into areas where baseball has been an afterthought.That's why it was so
When it comes to the World Baseball Classic, it is vogue to root for the underdogs, who are, after all, the hope of the Classic. It's about building interest on an international level. And that means making inroads into areas where baseball has been an afterthought.
That's why it was so encouraging to see Israel go undefeated in the opening round, although its Cinderella dreams turned into a pumpkin in the second round. It's why the Netherlands advancing to the final four a year ago and repeating the feat -- with loftier goals -- in this installment is cause for inspiration.
:: 2017 World Baseball Classic ::
Consider, there has never even been a Major League Player who was born in Israel. At the other extreme is the United States, where baseball is the national pastime.
And then there are the 14 other countries who have been a part of this year's Classic, each with their own unique history of big leaguers:
• The Dominican Republic has produced more big league players (669) than any place other than the United States, and had 130 appear in big league games last year. The Dominican also has produced two of the 11 non-U.S.-born Hall of Famers -- pitchers Juan Marichal (inducted 1983) and Pedro Martinez (2015). At least four more are on the horizon: Vladimir Guerrero,
• Venezuela has produced 358 big league players, including 102 who were active last year. Known for shortstops -- including the likes of Luis Aparicio, Ozzie Guillen and Omar Vizquel -- the country has shown some thunder, too.
• Puerto Rico has produced 257 big league players, 26 of whom appeared in the big leagues last year. Roberto Clemente became the first player born outside of the continental United States to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973. He has since been joined by Orlando Cepeda (1999), Roberto Alomar (2011) and Ivan Rodriguez, who will be inducted this year.
• Canada has produced 246 big league players, 13 of whom played in the big leagues last year. Ferguson Jenkins became the first Canadian inducted to the Hall of Fame. His 284 wins are 152 more than
• Cuba has produced 199 big league players, including 29 who appeared last season. The production of players, however, has been limited because of the relations between Cuba and the United States. Tony Perez, however, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2000.
• Mexico has produced 121 big league players, including 14 who appeared in the big leagues last year, but there is a catch. Mexico has its own professional leagues in the summer and winter, and until the arrival of Fernando Valenzuela, the players from Mexico were leery about coming to the United States and playing at the Minor League level. The greatest Mexican player in history, Hector Espino, played only 32 Minor League games in the United States. Espino hit a Mexican-record 484 home runs in his career, all but three in Mexico. Those came when he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals late in the 1964 season and played 32 games for Triple-A Jacksonville, where he hit .300 but afterward announced he would never leave his native Mexico again.
• Japan has such a strong professional system itself, and while 63 Japanese-born players have appeared in the big leagues -- including nine last year -- 59 of those players have arrived in the big leagues since 1995, when Hideo Nomo became a sensation with the Dodgers. The first Japanese big leaguer was pitcher Masanori Murakami with the Giants in 1964.
• Australia has produced 30 big league players, including four who appeared last year -- first baseman
• Korea has had 22 big leaguers, including nine who played last year. Among them is
• Colombia has produced 20 big league players, six of whom were in the big leagues last year, including top-line starting pitchers
• The Netherlands has had 12 big league players, including Didi Gregorius, a career .260 hitter currently with the Yankees, and Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven.
• Chinese Taipei has had 11 players appear in the big leagues, including three last season. Chin-Feng Chen was the first to make it to the Major Leagues with the Dodgers in 2002. He had 25 plate appearances spread over four seasons.
• Italy has had seven players appear in the big leagues, but none since Reno Bertoia, who hit .244 from 1953-62 when he spent time with the Tigers, Senators, Twins and Athletics.
Tracy Ringolsby is a columnist for MLB.com.