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2017 World Baseball Classic preview and prediction

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Apr 5, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; A general view of Marlins Park during the national anthem before a game between the Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; A general view of Marlins Park during the national anthem before a game between the Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2017 World Baseball Classic begins March 6. The 16-team tournament features the United States and defending champion Dominican Republic among the favorites.

Baseball’s most highly publicized international competition is back again.

Star players from all over the world will compete for their country in the16-team event. The United States and defending champion Dominican Republic – who coasted through the 2016 WBC with an 8-0 record – are the co-favorites according to online sports book Bovada. Two-time champion Japan hopes to make it back to the championship round a third time, while star-studded Venezuela and 2013 runner-up Puerto Rico will be tough outs at every stage.

Among the lesser known teams, Colombia and Israel will both compete in the WBC for the first time, having qualified through a pool of 16 nations. Among those that missed the cut in 2016 are past WBC qualifiers Brazil, Panama, South Africa and Spain.

For those unfamiliar with the tournament setup, the format consists of two rounds of round robin play, beginning with these initial pools:

Pool A

  • Chinese Taipei
  • Israel
  • Korea
  • Netherlands

Pool B

  • Australia
  • China
  • Cuba
  • Japan

Pool C

  • Canada
  • Colombia
  • Dominican Republic
  • United States

Pool D

  • Italy
  • Mexico
  • Puerto Rico
  • Venezuela

The top two finishers in both Pool A and Pool B will meet in Tokyo from March 12-16 with a shot at a spot in the semifinals on the line. The two qualifiers from Pool C and Pool D will play March 14-19 at Petco Park in San Diego.

Four teams will advance to the semifinals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The runner-up from Pool E will play the Pool F winner March 20 at 9:00 PM EDT, and the top team in Pool E will square off against the Pool F runner-up the following night. The championship game will be held Wednesday March 22 at 9:00 PM Eastern.

Because it is scheduled during spring training, many of baseball’s biggest stars skip the event to avoid injury and prepare for the major league season ahead. Nevertheless, the competition is always intriguing for the national pride on display, as well as the unique storylines it provides every four years.

Before the 2017 World Baseball Classic begins, we take a look at each of the teams that will be competing, their path to the second round and beyond.

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