Cuba postpones roster announcement for the 5th World Baseball Classic
Havana, January 23 (RHC)-- Contrary to what has been publicized in recent days, the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) decided today to postpone the announcement of its 30 selected athletes to face the upcoming V World Baseball Classic.
In a message on its official Twitter account, the FCB wrote: "Pending a consultation related to an MLB player of interest to the technical staff, we have decided to postpone for Wednesday 25 the announcement of Cuba to the Classic".
It is worth specifying that the organization had planned to reveal the list tomorrow in a television program that will be broadcast live from 19:00, local time, a detail that reveals the collective interest on the road to the scheduled March 8 to 21.
Likewise, the entity informed that on Thursday it will announce the reinforcements of the Agricultores team to compete in the 65th edition of the Caribbean Series, from February 2 to 10 in Venezuela.
Under the guidance of manager Armando Johnson and an expanded technical staff, which includes illustrious figures of yesterday, part of the country's pre-selection has been training at the Latinoamericano stadium, in this capital, since January 16, although with notable absences.
It so happens that no MLB player will be able to join the qualified teams before March 3 -by disposition of the program organizers-, and the largest of the Antilles will have to wait to gather men like Andy Ibáñez (Detroit Tigers), Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert Moirán, both from the Chicago White Sox.
Due to the tensions generated by the visa procedures, the Caribbean territory will release its roster in advance, because the deadline for submitting the list is February 7.
It is worth noting that Cuba is part of the A key and will play against the Netherlands, Italy, Panama and the local Chinese Taipei, in that order, at the Taichung Intercontinental Stadium, one of the four venues of the first round of the competition.
Presumably, the team will fly to Japan on February 10 to train and challenge the top teams of the Chunichi Dragons (February 19), Yomiuri Giants (February 22) and SoftBank Falcons (February 23), while in Taipei they will have other friendly matches.
For the first time in the history of the tournament, which began in 2006, a total of 20 teams will compete in a three-stage format in four different cities: Miami (United States), Phoenix (United States), Tokyo (Japan) and Taichung.
Segment B will include the Czech Republic, two-time champion Japan, South Korea, Australia and China, while Segment C is made up of the reigning champion United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, Colombia and Canada.
Classified by specialists as the "group of death", D features the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Israel and Nicaragua, with the first three mentioned full of players inserted in the MLB. (Source: Prensa Latina)
