Team USA Feels Ready to Dominate World Baseball Classic
Team USA is out for revenge at the World Baseball Classic, and they brought in some of the best talent to avenge their 2023 loss. But talent alone won't do everything. If the team has no chemistry, they'll make errors, run the bases wrong, and struggle in ways that don't add up to the talent level.
It can be hard for players from all across the MLB who have never played together to mesh for a couple of weeks after very little practice together. Most of these stars have never played with one another and probably won't after this.
The good news is that baseball is a team sport made of individual performances, so hitting in a lineup will be the same for each player as it always is. Additionally, according to some players, they already have good chemistry.
Team USA has good chemistry as they seek gold
Paul Skenes said recently that Team USA is going for gold after being inspired by the Olympics. If they're going to get that, they need to work together, have good chemistry, and play as well as they ever have. So far, so good.
After the tune-up exhibition against the San Francisco Giants, no one removed their uniforms. They hung around afterward, sparking this comment from manager Mark DeRosa, "I turned to [Aaron] Judge and all the coaches and go, 'This has a different feel than 2023.' It just did. Not a single guy left."
Chicago Cubs star Alex Bregman, who was not on the 2023 roster, added, "I feel like there's a certain excitement that you could feel the minute that you walk into the clubhouse. The focus level is at an all-time high."
The Americans put up 15 runs to back an efficient Paul Skenes, who tossed three innings in his final tune-up before the WBC. It is uncommon for Skenes, a Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, to receive much run support, so he was pleased with the effort.
"How many was it?" he asked. "Fifteen? Yeah, it's good. Let's keep it rolling. ... It's a spring training game, but it's still surreal. So it's going to be exciting when we get to Houston and it's the real deal."
Skenes was also asked about the fact that the uniforms stayed on after the game. "Everybody was wearing it," Skenes said. "That was cool to see. Guys that aren't pitching normally throw on their pullovers but everyone was wearing their jersey."
This chemistry was intentional
This is what Mark DeRosa wanted. He wanted a team that cared, played for pride, and wanted to be around each other. "We wanted to create an environment where these guys didn't want to leave," he said. "You're looking down the line and seeing Bregman talking to Anthony, you're seeing [Tarik] Skubal and Skenes at the top step. And Judge and [Cal] Raleigh. It's great."
Though they only first got together on Monday, Team USA has been building a bond for months. The rosters have been set for a while, and the players have been in communication, talking about the Winter Olympics and what it would mean to win for America.
Additionally, one of the best American athletes ever, Michael Phelps, was brought in to motivate them. He told the team that second place, which is what they finished in 2023, will not get it done. Phelps has the all-time Olympic medal record, including 23 golds, so he knows what it takes.
Alex Bregman concluded, "Everybody's motivated. Showing up, ready to compete." Pretty soon, they'll get to show the world. They remain the favorites to win. However, anything can happen in baseball, and upsets happen plenty in the World Baseball Classic.
