In two days, the two qualifying rounds for the Baseball World Cup will begin. For France, in Group A, hostilities kick off at 7 PM on Friday against Great Britain. The competition takes place in Germany. This tournament is organized by the MLB corporation and allows for recruitment rules for players that are completely different from the other World Cup and European Cups. The other tournament takes place in Panama.
Last night, the final list of selected players was released (very late for all teams, by the way). 28 players, only 4 of whom do not play in France’s Division 1.
Some even did the training camp in Toulouse and are not legally retained. The condition to be on this team is that their residence situation in France is legal and allows, under many conditions, that their presence in France is more than just a work visa.
That’s why some names might shock you, as some selected players don’t even speak a word of French. Obviously, this team is much stronger in offense than defense. Pitchers will always be on standby and won’t offer other teams the depth needed to secure numerous victories.
We also note that French pitchers are few compared to foreign pitchers: five out of fourteen. The perennial problem of the quality of French pitchers comes back like a recurring theme. When will we, in France, be able to train this category of player to compete at the international level?
Of course, like any selection, a few names might be missing: Antoine, Lackmeche, Beslile…
When comparing the roster that came out before Covid in 2020, Bruce Bochy’s influence in recruitment is much less present. Out are the Alexander brothers, out is his son Brett Bochy… Other teams will also be without MLB players still tied up by their championships, both in the majors and minors.
What about the result?
Three possibilities:
1- The team wins against the British but loses to Germany and then loses their third match: honor is saved as the victory gives hope. We’ll see Bochy a second time
2- The first two matches are lost but with honorable or close scores. We might see Bochy again, but with less certainty
3- Both matches are lost with painful scores. France is out, and with it, the hopes of attracting a top manager in the next 5 years.
So, there’s a desire to come out of this competition with a passable ticket. Winning it, given the rosters of the other teams, seems like a dream.
From a media standpoint, this competition has more resonance. Indeed, Bochy’s arrival has woken up a few sports journalists who are eyeing the other side of the Atlantic. He has played along with interviews. Bein Sport, by broadcasting the matches (they have an MLB agreement), will allow France to watch the first two matches with French commentary (Benjamin Bernard and François Mays), but the service is paid. For others, you can watch for free live as well on Baseball TV France.
