Where MLB stars are playing in WBC, and who fans of each MLB team should root for
The World Baseball Classic got underway Monday and has already produced a few surprises and thrilling moments. That could help give a boost to the Classic, which has had a hard time drawing the attention of general sports fans due mostly to the absence of many top U.S. stars, but the chance to see competitive baseball when Opening Day is still roughly four weeks away is enough for many fans to dig in.
A few weeks ago, I checked in on the big roster rollout for the 16 participating teams (you can find the four pools and a bracket here) as well as the rules quirks, which include the introduction of pool pitchers, who can be activated by round but once deactivated are done for the tournament. Below I present a thumbnail guide to following the players from your favorite team. While subject to late scratches by banged-up (or merely ambivalent) players and far from comprehensive regarding minor leaguers, this should offer fans pointers as to where to catch their team's delegates to the tournament. It also serves as a rooting guide of sorts, giving fans of each MLB club a chance to know which team it might make sense for them to support in addition to—or instead of—Team USA.
