Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — Dodgers’ catcher Will Smith will be joining Mookie Betts as a member of the star-studded roster that Team USA is putting together for the World Baseball Classic.
The honor come just a few weeks after Smith was egregiously snubbed from the All-Star game in favor of catchers who had arguably lesser stat lines. It will no doubt be a source of pride for Smith, who has never played in any sort of international competition before.
“You come up as a kid dreaming and seeing people put on the USA jerseys, and you hope to one day be in that position and have that opportunity,” Smith said on Monday. “I absolutely wanted to do it. They came asking, and I’m just humbled and grateful and excited for the opportunity.”
Smith’s stats certainly argue for his inclusion. His OPS of .826 leads all catchers in baseball this season, and his 19 homers are only one behind the Cubs’ Willson Contreras for the lead at the position. In addition, he’s the main game caller for the best staff in the sport.
In addition to Smith and Betts, Dodger third base coach Dino Ebel will be going USA manager Mark DeRosa’s coaching staff, making three Dodgers to commit to participating for Team USA in the WBC next Spring. Also, Freddie Freeman, whose parents are both Canadian, has opted to play for Team Canada in the WBC.
Team USA will begin its title defense as part of Pool C at Chase Field in Phoenix, from March 11-15, facing Canada, Colombia, Mexico and a to-be-determined qualifying team. The Pool C winner and runner-up will advance to the quarterfinals in Miami from March 17-18, where they will match up against the winner and runner-up of Pool D.
Smith joins the Phillies’ JT Realmuto at the catching position, which fills up that slot on the roster. Still no pitchers have been announced, and surely that will be the key to Team USA success in the tournament. Many pitchers may be hesitant to participate, as they may feel that the Classic will interfere with their Spring Training ramp-up.
Still with Smith now joining names like Harper, Trout, Anderson, and Goldschmidt in the lineup, it will be a roster that probably could bash its way to the title.
