The World Baseball Classic begins this Thursday with opening tournaments in Houston, TX; Miami, FL; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Tokyo, Japan.
Since its debut in 2006, the World Baseball Classic has offered many memorable moments. Most recently, in 2023, brought possibly the biggest. In the final game, Angels’ teammates Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout faced off in the ninth inning. Ohtani was pitching for Japan; Trout was batting for USA. Two of the biggest stars in baseball on the world baseball stage.
What could be better? Ohtani struck Trout out to end the game and the WBC in favor of Japan. It was like a moment from a movie.
I have always loved the World Baseball Classic. And while Ohtani vs Trout might be the most iconic teammate moment of the WBC, it is not the only one. Orioles Adam Jones and Manny Machado had an exciting moment of their own in 2017. With Adam Jones manning center field for USA vs the Dominican Republic, his O’s teammate Manny Machado stepped to the plate. Manny hit a long fly ball to right-center that looked like a home run. But Jones wasn’t having that. He made an incredible catch at the wall to rob his teammate, an incredible moment for Orioles fans. Team USA won the game and went on to win the WBC.
My first lasting memory of the WBC came from the 2009 classic, when Brian Roberts was on base for David Wright’s walk-off single against Puerto Rico.
I look forward to the WBC every time it comes around. It’s such a fun showcase of players I might not normally see. And this year I am attending my first WBC games. Next Sunday, I’ll be in San Juan to watch a doubleheader of Cuba vs Colombia and Canada vs Panama.
So how about you? Are you looking forward to the WBC this year?
