After thoroughly dismantling their opponents in the 2023 European Championship qualifying tournament and before facing Lithuania and Slovakia in the final round, France will suddenly change scenery from September 16 to 21. No more picturesque Blagoevgrad and low-level opponents. Welcome to the Armin-Wolf Arena in Regensburg and the WBC qualifying tournament, facing Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, and South Africa.
A first nomination, which is in fact a confirmation, has already been made for the manager position. It’s one of baseball’s legends, Bruce Bochy, with 25 years of career on the bench, over 4,000 games managed, 3 World Series, and a birth in 1955 in Landes-de-Boussac, while his father was in the military, who accepted the federation’s invitation.
During the selection for the 2020 edition, canceled due to Covid, we found the names of Yorfrank Lopez, Yoimer Camacho, Alexander Perdomo, Ivan Acuna, Ariel Soriano, Rayner Oliveros, James Murrey, but also those of Alen Hanson (ex-MLB), Jason Alexandra (AAA), Donato Auguste (Rookie League), or the boss’s son Brett Bochy (ex-MLB).
A very broad selection, due to the WBC rules (established by MLB), which allow selecting players born in the country concerned or whose parent was born in the country (which was the case for August, born in Saint-Martin, and Bochy, through his father), whose one of the parents holds the nationality of the country (which was the case for Hanson and Alexander), or are legal residents of the country and can obtain nationality, without having a passport (which concerns foreign players playing in France).
It’s too early to know who these new selections will be, but the federation has certainly been searching for players with these precious passes and may pull new rabbits out of their hat (perhaps the return of Sam Belisle-Springer?). It’s highly likely that dominant players from the championship like Canelon, Lopez, Nieves, Priest, Orozco, Ruiz, Acuna, or Perdomo will be part of the trip. And we can hope to see Ernesto Martinez Jr under the blue jersey, who keeps progressing in the minor leagues. Then possible naturalizations like Forrest Crawford of the Boucaniers, for example.
Who will be the French players called to complete the team? Probably Dagneau, Jiminian, Planes, Zan, Paula, Ozanich, Prioul, maybe young players like Brainville, Lacombe, Meurant, to give them a bit of experience? It will be quite interesting to see what the ingredients of the blue cocktail will be.
The French will face Great Britain in their first match, who had presented no less than 11 players from the minor leagues in the last WBC. The competition will be tough.
The Regensburg group schedule
September 16 (match 1) 13 h: South Africa – Spain
(match 2) 19 h: Great Britain – France
September 17
(match 3) 13 h: Winner match 1 – Czech Republic
(match 4) 19 h: Winner match 2 – Germany
September 18
(match 5) 13h: Loser match 2 – loser match 3
(match 6) 19h: Loser match 1 – loser match 4
September 20
(match 8) 13 h: Winner match 5 – Winner match 6
(match 7) 19 h: Winner match 3 – Winner match 4
The winner of this match is qualified for the WBC
September 21
(match 9) 19h: Winner match 8 – Loser match 7
The winner of this match is qualified for the WBC
The other qualifying group will be played, under the same format, in Panama from September 30 to October 5, featuring Panama, Nicaragua, Brazil, Argentina, Pakistan, New Zealand.
The WBC will take place in 2023
First round
Group A (March 8 to 13, Taiwan): Taiwan, Cuba,
Italy, Netherlands,
1st qualified from the Regensburg group.
Group B (March 9 to 13, Tokyo): Japan, South Korea,
China, Australia,
2nd qualified from the Regensburg group
Group C (March 11 to 15, Phoenix): USA, Canada,
Mexico, Colombia,
1st qualified from the Panama group.
Group D (March 11 to 15, Miami): Puerto Rico, Venezuela,
Dominican Republic, Israel,
2nd qualified from the Panama group.
Quarterfinals
March 15 (Tokyo)
1st Group A – 2nd Group B
March 16 (Tokyo)
1st Group B – 2nd Group A
March 17 (Miami)
1st Group C – 2nd Group D
March 18 (Miami)
1st Group D – 2nd Group C
Semifinals and final
March 19-21 in Miami.
WBC record
2006: Japan (Cuba)
2009: Japan (South Korea)
2013: Dominican Republic (Puerto Rico)
2017: USA (Puerto Rico)
François Colombier
Bruce Bochy drawing: Fabrice Tribes
