What is the World Baseball Classic? | Quick Question

What if we told you that this year you could travel the world in just nine innings? Yep, for the first time since the United States won its only title, thanks to a dramatic Adam Jones leaping catch in 2017, the world baseball classic has returned. From Japan to Puerto Rico, Nicaragua to Israel, and everywhere in between, get your geography textbooks out because we're going positively international. So, quick question, what's the deal with the world baseball classic? Now, the world baseball classic isn't the first international baseball competition in history. In fact, the sport has been worldwide for more than a hundred years. Yes, those are Major League players in front of the actual Sphinx during a world tour in 1889. Baseball has even been part of the Olympics off and on since 1904, and could be back again in the future. And when the sport was still a fledgling child in merry old England, they actually defeated the United States in a five-game test series in 1938. But this year, the world baseball classic is the biggest ever, with the overall field growing from 16 teams to 20. And they'll all be battling it out for the title of the world's best. Now, if you're looking for the most top-level info, like when and where, we've got you. Games will be played across Taiwan, Japan, Phoenix, and Miami from March 8th to March 21st. But we know you wouldn't come all the way to Quick Question just for something so easily Google-able. No, you want to know who you should be watching. Yes, we have traditional baseball powerhouses like Japan, whose roster features the man himself, Shohei Otani. The only player in baseball history to pitch and hit with such remarkable skill. Their roster also has young starter Roki Sasaki. Roki Sasaki, I think is probably the name that you're going to hear so much in this tournament, is the Japanese phenom who basically almost threw two perfect games last year in the NPB. He has a 100-mile-per-hour fastball, was born in 2001. He's going to be a big star in baseball. Japan won the first two tournaments in 2006 and 2009, and they'll be looking to take back the title in 2023, starting by playing on their home turf in Tokyo. But they'll have to get by South Korea, featuring Jung-ho Lee, the reigning MVP award winner in the KBO. He's become a huge star in the KBO, one of the best players in that league. Despite being one of the youngest, he's the son of a legendary KBO player. That's a guy that I think is going to have potential to be one of the best Korean hitters of all time coming over to Major League Baseball at some point. Team USA's roster is equally stacked, with superstars Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Nolan Arenado, and more all joining the squad in hopes of repeating their championship run after the 2017 World Baseball Classic. But Puerto Rico, who have finished second in each of the last two tournaments, will do its best to finally take home the prize. Whether it's with a massive homer from Francisco Lindor, a Javier Baez no-look tag, or perhaps by taking over the world, one bleached blonde head at a time. And we can't forget the Dominican Republic, winners of the 2013 tournament. You may as well just call this club a dream team, with players like Rafael Devers, Sandy Alcantara, Vlad Guerrero Jr., Juan Soto, and more suiting up for the DR squad. Oh, and their fans? They make every matchup feel like a home game. Dominicans, Latinos in general, we are loud. So when you have the country being represented on such a large stage, the fans are going to go nuts. The WBC, it's the best of the best. That's why I think there's so much heart in it. That's why there's so much love and passion. The point is, baseball is not just an international game, but one with some incredible talent spread all around the globe. So many of baseball's biggest stars today are not American. A lot of the big personalities in the sport are given an opportunity to shine as full people, not just as athletes. But if you've ever watched the World Cup, March Madness, or even a really compelling season of Top Chef, you know it's not just the obvious favorites that get you tuning in. We all want an underdog story to get behind. In 2017, that was Team Israel. And they're mench on a bench. He's a mascot, he's a friend, he's a teammate. Upsetting South Korea in a two-to-one, ten-inning shocker that year to advance to the second round. And this year, your choice might be between Great Britain, a team whose journey to the Classic was started by Mariner's top prospect, Harry Ford, and finished in the aftermath of the Queen's death, with the team planting the Union Jack on the field while singing God Save the King. Great Britain, without a doubt. We want Team USA, we're going for Team USA. Or Chinese Taipei, who will begin their tournament by playing on their home field with Pirates prospect, Sung Chae Chang. But the supreme underdog of all underdogs to watch out for is the Czech Republic. Despite the nation not having a major leaguer since at least 1952, and with nearly every player playing in the local league while holding a day job, they managed to upset the heavily favored Spain three-to-one to punch their ticket. The team's manager is the leading neurologist in Brno. Its best pitcher is a firefighter, missing a game every week because he has to be at the firehouse. And another pitcher is the team's media manager, having to get a replacement to fill in for him when he's on the mound. Trust us when we say these guys know no bounds when it comes to multitasking. The whole thing starts on March 8th, and just like the World Cup, it will begin with pool play. Four groups of five teams will play each other, with two clubs from each advancing. They'll take each other down, pitch by pitch, hit by hit, until the very end, when only one team raises the trophy. This is the World Baseball Classic. Baseball like you've never seen before, with more surprises, excitement, and unbelievable talent in a month you'd least expect it. Are you ready?