Cuba, Mexico, and Japan in the WBC Semi-Finals

 With Either the U. S. or Venezuela!!

    The 20-Nation World Baseball Classic features the highest-paid players in the History of Baseball. The 20 teams were placed in four Pools of 5 teams each. As of today -- Saturday, March 18th-2023 -- the WBC Semi-Finals consist of Cuba, Mexico, Japan and the winner of tonight's game in Miami pitting the USA against Venezuela. Above you see the All-Star Team After Games in Pools A-B-C-and-D have been played. As you see above the All-Stars include Randy Arozarena of Mexico and Yoan Moncada of Cuba. Those two U. S. Major League Superstars are why Mexico and Cuba have shocked the WBC World by reaching the WBC Semi-Finals in Miami...with Cuba having had to win Pool A play in Taiwan and then winning its Quarter-final game in Tokyo. Cuba is in the semi-finals because of 27-year-old Yoan Moncada, the Superstar switch-hitting Third Baseman for the Chicago White Sox. And Mexico is in the semi-finals because of Randy Arozarena, the young Superstar outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays.

      Led by the great Randy Arozarena, Mexico last night upset Superstars such as Francisco Lindor and Puerto Rico 5-4 in Miami. That propelled Mexico in the WBC semi-finals at 7 PM on Monday, March 20th against Japan.

     The great Mexican hero Randy Arozarena was born in Cuba, is a young Major League Superstar with the Tampa Bay Rays, and somehow is playing for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. He is the reason Mexico is playing Japan in the WBC semi-fianls on Monday night in Miami. Of course, Arozarena was also eligible to play for either Cuba or the USA in the WBC.

     But let it be known that the Chicago White Sox switch-hitting Yoan Moncada is the reason little Cuba will play either the USA or Venezuela in the WBC Semi-Finals in Miami on Sunday night March 19th.

    This is the line-up that the U. S. can use against Venezuela tonight starting at 7 PM in Miami. Everyone of these U. S. players is a Major League Superstar and this line-up includes the highest-paid baseball players in history, such as Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, etc. If the U. S. beats Venezuela tonight in Miami, the U. S. will play Cuba in the WBC semi-finals at 7 PM tomorrow night -- Sunday, March 19th!! And in Little Havana-Miami tomorrow night, the Cuban players will be loudly booed by a sell-out crowd...just for showing up to play the Super-Star USA Team of Super-Star Venezuela in Miami.

     But, of course, Team Venezuela also has a Superstar Lineup to face Team USA tonight in Miami, led by lead-off batter Jose Altuve who has won multiple Batting Titles playing for the World Champion Houston Astros. And baseball fans can look at the Venequela line-up above and understand that this team can beat Team USA tonight in Miami.

     So now Japan plays Mexico in one WBC semi-final game in Miami at 7 PM Monday night, March 20th. And Cuba plays either the USA or Venezuela in the other WBC semi-final in Miami at 7 PM Sunday night, March 19th. I still think Shohei Ohtani and Japan will beat Mexico in the semi-finals Monday night and then Tuesday night in Miami win the Championship game against either the USA, Venezuela or Cuba. As an incomparable pitcher and hitter, Shohei Ohtani is the most famous and most incomparable baseball player in the world. After this season he will be a Free Agent and it is likely the LA Angels will lose him to a richer team that will offer Ohtani at least a half-billion-dollar contract. But Japan in the WBC has other Superstar players other than just Shohei Ohtani.

    But one of the BIG stories in the 2023 20-nation World Baseball Classic is the fact that Yoan Moncada and Team Cuba have made it to the Semi-Finals and will play either the USA or Venezuela tomorrow night...Sunday, March 19th...in Miami. Win or lose...that is BIG NEWS!!

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