Baseball-loving Cubans were devastated recently when Cuba was uncompetitive in the Caribbean Series in Caracas. This week, however, they were buoyed by Cuba's chances to be very competitive in the 5th World Baseball Classic that runs until March 21st and includes teams from 20 nations. The WBC Classic this year includes team loaded with top-salaried Superstars such as Trout, Ortani, Soto, Betts, etc., etc. Even Cuba this time is allowed some of its Cuban-born Major League Superstars -- led by switch-hitting Third Baseman Yoan Moncada and Center Fielder Luis Robert. The 20 teams are divided into four pools of five teams each, with Cuba starting off as the favorite to win Pool A that is being televised from Taiwan. But after two games Cuba is winless and both Moncada and Robert have been weak links in a 4-2 loss to the Netherlands and today in a 6-3, 10-inning loss to Italy. In those two losses Moncada has been hitless while Robert has managed two useless hits; in the 4-2 loss to the Netherlands, for example, Robert struck-out his first three at bats and in the 8th he finally hit a double...and then got picked off second base by the catcher!!
And so today -- on March 9th -- above are the records of the five teams in Pool A of the 2023 World Baseball Classic. After losing to the Netherlands 4-2 and then 6-3 to Italy in 10 innings today, Cuba's 0-2 record in Taiwan makes this an unhappy day for 11.2 Cubans on the island who deserve some good news.
In its 3rd game in the World Baseball Classic tonight starting at 11:30 PM Eastern Time Cuba will play Panama. The Cuba vs. Panama game tonight will be televised live from Taiwan on Fox Sports 1 Network.
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