Previewing The 2023 World Baseball Classic: Pool B

The 2023 World Baseball Classic opened up play on Wednesday morning, and now would be a great time to take an in-depth look at Pool B as they are set to begin action later tonight.  The five teams in this pool will battle it out in Tokyo, Japan. A few of these teams are unproven at this level, which should make for some very intriguing matchups, while others have experienced groups with big-name MLB players.

Here is what the schedule looks like for Pool B:

March 8

Australia vs. Korea (10 p.m. ET, FS1)

March 9

China vs. Japan (5 a.m. ET, FS1)

Czech Republic vs. China (10 p.m. ET, tubi)

March 10

Korea vs. Japan (5 a.m. ET, FS1)

China vs. Australia (10 p.m. ET, FS2)

March 11

Czech Republic vs. Japan (5 a.m. ET, FS1)

Czech Republic vs. Korea (10 p.m. ET, FS1)

March 12

Japan vs. Australia (6 a.m. ET, FS1)

Australia vs. Czech Republic (11:00 p.m. ET, FS2)

March 13

Korea vs. China (6 a.m. ET, FS2)

5. China

Manager: Dean Treanor

Team China is a bit of an unknown as they enter the 2023 World Baseball Classic. As a country, they have struggled to have any sort of sustained success in the sport for quite some time. China will need a lot to go right in order to have any chance of coming out of pool B.

Luo Jinjun, a player who can be fill three different positions across the infield, is going to play a big role in this competition. His impact, both with the bat and the glove, will need to be prevalent in about every game. While Jinjun can help this team move in the right direction, the WBC may not provide much winning for China in 2023.

 4. Czech Republic

Manager: Pavel Chadim

The Czech Republic has quite a unique story that will resonate with baseball fans worldwide. The Czech team clinched their place in the World Baseball Classic with a 3-1 with over Spain in the qualifying round. Czech Republic may not have any big names, but what they do have is a team and a country that is together and supported in a way like no other.

Martin Schneider is a two-way player that has starred in the Czech Baseball Extraliga for a numbers of years. What makes his story so interesting is the fact that he his a firefighter during the day, and a baseball player at night. Schneider is one of those players that will shine during the WBC, more because of what he does off the field than what he does on it.

Getting to the WBC is an achievement in itself, but what the Czech Republic does in Pool B will be fascinating to watch. They won’t be favored to get through the group, but do not be surprised if they exceed expectations. It would not be the first time we see an underdog make a run in this competition.

 3. Australia

Manager: Dave Nilsson

Like the Czech Republic, Australia is a team that does not have a long history of success when it comes to the WBC. Australia finished ninth in the competition back in 2017, so they’ll be looking to improve upon that finish this time around. Australia has a veteran group that is hungry and prepared to make some noise in pool B.

Former Milwaukee Brewer and All-Star catcher Dave Nilsson is leading this Australian team in the right direction. Pitcher Tim Atherton, who is maybe their most important player, was a part of the Brisbane Bandits team that won back to back Australia Baseball League titles in 2018-19. Atherton having a big tournament could be key in them reaching the knockout stages.

 2. Korea

Manager: Kang Chul Lee 

Korea comes into this edition of the WBC as a potential dark horse out of pool B. They don’t have as many big names as some others teams, but what they do have is a well-coached team that is built on their team defense. What they do in the scoring department may determine their fate later on in the competition.

The combination of San Diego Padres infielder Ha-seong Kim and St. Louis Cardinals utility man Tommy Edman make up one of the best middle infields in the WBC. Their strength in the field will play a critical role for Korea. Catcher Yang Eui-ji has been an elite defensive backstop in the KBO for a number of years. 

Japan are the heavy favorites to finish at the top of Pool B, but if anyone is going to give them a run for their money, it has to be Korea. Their past success in the WBC cannot be underestimated, and they have a roster that is built to have success is this type of competition. Barring something out of the ordinary, expect to see Korea in the knockout stages of the tournament.

1. Japan

Manager: Hideki Kuriyama

The home team in this pool is certainly expected to top this group. Los Angeles Angles two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will draw a lot of attention, and rightfully so. After all, he is one of the most electrifying players in the sport and will give Japan every opportunity to make a deep run in this tournament. I expect to see him in the lineup, but how many innings will he throw, if any? That question will be answered in the coming days.

Ohtani is not the only big name on the Japanese roster, as San Diego Padres starter Yu Darvish and newly-signed Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida will also be participating. St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar will also be a part of their roster.

The Japanese roster is one filled with talent and experience. If any team from Pool B is going to in contention for a title, it has to be Japan. They should finish at the top of the group, but what they do beyond that will come down to the details. If they can get enough quality innings from their pitchers, Japan is going to be dangerous in the later rounds.