2017 World Baseball Classic

[Todd4State]

The US roster will be announced Weds. If I were the GM of Team USA I would load up on power bullpen arms and tell them to drop their payload of filth on the Dominican Republic and Cuba.

I'd still have a "conventional" group of starting pitchers though- Kershaw, Madison Bumgartner, and Scherzer. Then add in Zach Britton, Mark Melancon, David Robertson, Andrew Miller, Wade Davis, AJ Ramos, Sam Dyson, Craig Kimbrel, Cody Allen, Dellin Betances, etc.

I'd have

C- Buster Posey
Back-up C- Jonathan Lucroy
1B- Anthony Rizzo
2B- Brian Dozier
3B- Nolan Arenado
SS- Brandon Crawford
LF- Mookie Betts
CF- Mike Trout
RF- Bryce Harper
DH- Paul Goldschmidt
Pinch hitter- Daniel Murphy
Pinch runner- Billy Hamilton
UT- Matt Carpenter

Make American Baseball Great Again! Your welcome.

[msstate7]

Granted I'm biased, but give me freeman over rizzo. I think stats back me up too... FF has higher career slugging, OBP, and average. Man, I'm pumped baseball is about to start

[Quaoarsking]

They should get rid of overall roster limits (but keep the 25 per game limit). That way anybody who wants to represent their country and is good can have the opportunity. And MLB teams would be a lot more relaxed about letting a starting pitcher play in it if it was a one-day commitment.

[Todd4State]

Granted I'm biased, but give me freeman over rizzo. I think stats back me up too... FF has higher career slugging, OBP, and average. Man, I'm pumped baseball is about to start

Freeman had a WAR of 6.5 compared to Rizzo's 5.7 so you have an argument. However, Rizzo just won the Platinum Glove for best defensive player in baseball, performed well in the postseason, and has WBC experience (as does Freeman). His defense and postseason performance put him over the top for me despite the lower WAR.

I could live with Freeman being on the team and possibly starting over Goldschmidt at DH.

[Todd4State]

They should get rid of overall roster limits (but keep the 25 per game limit). That way anybody who wants to represent their country and is good can have the opportunity. And MLB teams would be a lot more relaxed about letting a starting pitcher play in it if it was a one-day commitment.

I like those ideas. Not having our best pitching in the WBC has killed USA. We've been making it to at least the second round despite starting novelty acts like R A Dickey and Dontrelle Willis which says a lot to me about how much talent America has. And don't get me started on Barry Larkin having the worst managerial performance I have ever witnessed at any level of baseball when we got run ruled by Puerto Rico.

[chisaintdog3]

Being a Cubs fan I would love to see Rizzo and Bryant play for team USA. The last WBC Rizzo played for team Italy. Also Puerto Rico's middle infield will be unbelievable with Javy Baez and Francisco Lindor

[Forrest4Moore]

I believe Freeman is playing for Canada. He holds dual citizenship due to both parents being Canadian.

[msstate7]

I believe Freeman is playing for Canada. He holds dual citizenship due to both parents being Canadian.

Didn't know that... thought he was just a California guy

[Todd4State]

I believe Freeman is playing for Canada. He holds dual citizenship due to both parents being Canadian.

This just seems wrong. Like Benedict Arnold wrong.

[msstate7]

This just seems wrong. Like Benedict Arnold wrong.
Don't you bad mouth FF!!! Haha

[shoeless joe]

As big of a baseball fan as I am the WBC makes me cringe...

[Tbonewannabe]

I believe Freeman is playing for Canada. He holds dual citizenship due to both parents being Canadian.

Canada is so nice they will probably just let us have him. #FreeFreeman