Mister-Baseball.com is counting down with short team-by-team previews until the World Baseball Classic starts on March 5th.
Dominican Republic
A few teams are left in our preview series about the 2009 World Baseball Classic, four of the favored squads and the two lone European participants. Today we take on the Dominican Republic, which features probably the most exiting roster of all teams.
Opponents
The Dominican Republic is the first opponent of the Netherlands on Saturday, March 7th in Pool D of the 2009 WBC at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. If all expectations will be fulfilled the Dominicans will face the winner of Puerto Rico against Panama in game two on March 9th. They are favored to advance into round two, in which they would have to take on the best two teams from Pool C with Italy, Team USA, Venezuela and Canada. These games are scheduled to begin on March 14 at the Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida.
Recent Tournament History
Despite having produced so many superstars in the last decade, the Dominican team didn’t have any significant success on the International Baseball Level in the past few years, besides the fourth-place finish in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. In the inaugural event three years ago, the Dominican Republic won five of the six games in the first two rounds, reaching the semi-finals against Cuba. They lost 1-3 and were eliminated by the runner-up of the first Classic.
In 2006 they also played in the Copa America, taking home eighth place. They didn’t play the last two Baseball World Cups 2005 and 2007, didn’t qualify for the Olympics last August and are also going to miss the 38th IBAF Baseball World Cup in Europe in September. So it isn’t surprising that the Dominicans are only in 17th place in the IBAF World Rankings.
Exhibition Schedule
Tuesday, March 3:
Dominican Republic – Florida Marlins
Wednesday, March 4:
Dominican Republic – Baltimore Orioles
Thursday, March 5:
Dominican Republic – St. Louis Cardinals
The Dominicans use the Florida Marlins spring training facilities in Jupiter, Florida for their latest preparation phase.
Roster
A few months ago the Dominican roster looked like a selection of the biggest superstars in the game. But in the last couple of weeks, several of the top players opted out of the tournament due to different reasons. Don’t get me wrong, it is still an all-star squad, but not that impressive as it was in the beginning.
2008 National League MVP Albert Pujols had to withdraw from the roster, as he didn’t get insurance for the WBC, after elbow surgery during the offseason. Also not aboard are pitchers Francisco Liriano, Carlos Marmol, Fernando Rodney, Daniel Cabrera, Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez, infielders Miguel Tejada, Placido Polanco and Alfonso Soriano, and outfielders Melky Cabrera and Vladimir Guerrero.
Veras, Ramirez and Tejada are still on the final roster, which was released on Tuesday. However Tejada doesn’t want to play first base for the Dominicans, Veras competes for a bullpen job with the Yankees and Ramirez is injured. Each team is allowed to replace up to five players on the final roster until the tournament starts.
The pitching staff now will be led by veteran free agent Pedro Martinez and young guns Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto of the Cincinnati Reds. Ubaldo Jimenez and Odalis Perez are also able to start. The bullpen lacks some depth with Damaso Marte, Jose Arredondo and Tony Pena likely taking over the backend, as closer options Marmol, Rodney and Veras will not play.
Even without Pujols and Tejada, the infield is the strength of the Dominican team. It will be hard for manager Felipe Alou to decide, which of his superstars he will bench, as Alex Rodriguez, Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes, Robinson Cano, Adrian Beltre and David Ortiz would be starters on any other team. The outfield likely will be manned by Nelson Cruz, Jose Guillen and Willy Taveras. Miguel Olivo is their only solid option for the catching position.
Coaches
The 73-year-old Felipe Alou is going to manage the Dominican team in the World Baseball Classic. The former outfielder and first baseman was the first player from his home country to play regularly in the Major Leagues. He batted .286 with 206 homeruns in his 17-year career for seven different clubs. He later managed the Montreal Expos (1992-2001) and the San Francisco Giants (2003-2006), receiving manager of the year galore in 1994.
His son Moises Alou is an outfielder on the Dominican roster. Alou will be assisted by coaches Luis Pujols, Mario Soto, Junior Noboa, Alfredo Griffin, Luis Silverio and Ramon Hernandez. Manny Acta, who now is the manager of the Washington Nationals, was at the helm in 2006.
Chances
If the Dominicans are able to out-slug every team with their offensive abilities they are probably unbeatable in the 2009 WBC. However usually pitching beats offense and they have clearly some deficits in this department, especially in the bullpen. They will heavily need Volquez, Cueto and Jimenez to excel and be effective, though all three have sometimes control problems, which wouldn’t be unusual this early in the year. The names indicate a successful tournament on first sight, but if you look deeper, it isn’t so clear anymore.
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