The first round of qualifiers for the World Baseball Classic set to take place in March 2023 is complete. The second round begins in Panama at the end of September. For Europe, it will ultimately be Great Britain and the Czech Republic who secure their spot in the World Cup.
Is this a surprise?
Yes, for Great Britain, which is starting to make waves in the world of baseball. Globally, they’ve climbed from 32nd to 23rd, just behind France, ranked 22nd. The English, closer to the Americans, have numerous players in the minor leagues. They’ve more than quadrupled their number of licensed players in less than 10 years. They host Major League games in London and will continue to do so for the next two years. Aided by 10 Minor League players, they battled Spain and pulled off a 10-9 victory in the 10th inning.
Yes, and even more so for the Czech Republic, which, driven by a true team spirit much more evident than in Spain or France, made Spain buckle in the final with a 3-1 score. The heart, solid defense, the crowd behind them, and the athletic and elegant attitude of the players won over the spectators and viewers. What’s also impressive is that they didn’t use the flexible player selection rule; their government asked them to stay true to their own. And today, we have proof that it was the right call.
They will now join Italy, the Netherlands, and Israel among the European nations qualified for the big tournament next March.
The Spanish, the French, the Germans, and the South Africans head home with questions. Each can wonder why they lost. The Spanish came close but lacked team spirit and perhaps fluidity in playing together. Their team was massive, with very strong individualities both in pitching and batting. The Germans lacked depth but were caught off guard by the Czechs. Maybe a sin of pride. They have four years to fix it. South Africa didn’t find their footing in this tournament; their heavy defeat against Spain early on shook them.
Then there are the French, whose disappointment we’ve already expressed. They lost their two matches against the two qualifiers and might have held out longer against the Africans or Germans. Small consolation…
For French players, the deep disappointment of not being selected or even playing is palpable. Like Great Britain, France must find its path to development; the road is still long to shine in such competitions.
Let’s hope for the new generations coming up who will reclaim their place at the expense of foreign mercenaries filling the benches of our top-tier clubs. If this tournament teaches us anything, it’s to work with what we have. The Czechs show us the way. Let’s hope that in four years, we’ll have a more French team on the field, with players earning their spot through talent and the confidence of the new generation of club leaders rising with them.
