Following a Runs Batted In (RBI) double in the ninth inning, Venezuela claimed their first World Baseball Classic title over the United States with a 3-2 victory in a game that was filled with drama and solidified this year’s tournament as one of better ones in recent memory. The first rendition of The World Baseball Classic took place in March 2006, when both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the MLB Players Association agreed to host an international baseball tournament that would be broadcast on a global stage.
Japan has established themselves as one of the premier baseball nations by winning the inaugural tournament and since tallying up to three titles, followed by the Dominican Republic, United States, and most recently Venezuela. Part of what makes this tournament so special is the fact that it only takes place every four years and unlike the World Series, the teams are comprised entirely of international players from their respective nations.
Reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge stated that “The World Series I was in, the crowd here, the crowd we had when we played against Mexico, it’s bigger and better than the World Series” going on to highlight that this tournament means a lot to both the players and fans involved.
Looking back now at the current champions Venezuela, let us go ahead and take a moment and follow their path to cementing themselves on top of the international baseball landscape. The WBC features 20 teams that are divided into four pools of five, playing a round robin style group stage comprised of four games each with the top two teams from each pool to advance to a single-elimination bracket including the quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship game all played in March prior to the MLB’s opening day. Venezuela topped their WBC group and went on to defeat a gauntlet of international teams in route to the championship including the likes of former world champions Japan that were led by Shohei Ohtani.
This championship run was nothing short of special, and especially for Venezuela, a country filled with political turmoil it truly meant more for both the players and fans. In which was encapsulated by team captain Salvador Perez stating that “when you fight for your country, that goes beyond… that feeling, the country where you were born and raised, the sacrifices made by our parents, those people that helped us, that’s why this means a lot to me and to Venezuela” in which was evident by the thousands of fans seen celebrating within the stadium and the millions around the world as well.
Unfortunately we will have to wait another four years until we get to see the premier talents in Major League Baseball face off again on the international stage, therefore, until that moment comes around again we will have to recognize and celebrate the nation of Venezuela as champions of the world.
Daniel Silva is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at daniel.a.[email protected].
