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Atlanta Braves Freddie Freeman, Julio Teheran and Eight Others Will Compete In the World Baseball Classic

By Jeff Schafer

Apr 26, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) gets ready to flip the baseball to first base during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Freeman was charged with an error allowing Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis (13) (not pictured) to score. The Phillies defeated the Braves, 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 26, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) gets ready to flip the baseball to first base during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Freeman was charged with an error allowing Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis (13) (not pictured) to score. The Phillies defeated the Braves, 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /
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WBC Teams Announce Rosters

In 2017, we’ll get another round of the World Baseball Classic!  This year, the Atlanta Braves will send 10 of their players to the tournament.  Five of which are on the active 40-man roster and five that are minor league players.

This tournament isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  Yes, some may see it as time away from the rest of the team and an extra chance of injury, but I see it as being ready for the season sooner.

Games in the WBC begin on March 6, in Seoul, South Korea.  The WBC is similar to soccer tournaments where they have pools and the winner moves on.  We’ll see four pools — Pool A, Pool B, Pool C and Pool D.  Pool A will play their first round games in the Gochoek Sky Dome in Seoul.  Pool B will play at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.  Pool C will play at the Marlins Park in Miami and Pool D will play in Mexico.

The entire tournament goes from March 6 through March 22, but don’t expect our players to be playing that late into March.

Before we get any further, here’s the list of Braves players playing in the 2017 World Baseball Classic…

LHP Andrew Albers – Team Canada

RHP Andres Avila – Team Mexico

RHP Bartolo Colon – Team Dominican Republic

1B Freddie Freeman – Team Canada

LHP Jaime Garcia – Team Mexico

OF Ender Inciarte – Team Venezuela

LHP Jon Kennedy – Team Australia

LHP Steven Kent – Team Australia

OF Mel Rojas Jr. – Team Dominican

RHP Julio Teheran – Team Colombia

Bartolo Colon will only join Team Dominican Republic if they advance pas the 1st round.  Which DR will most likely will move on.

Here are the different pools for 2017….

Pool A

Korea

The Netherlands

Israel

Chinese Taipei

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Pool B

Australia

Japan

Cuba

China

Pool C

The United States

Canada

Colombia

The Dominican Republic

Pool D

Venezuela

Mexico

Puerto Rico

Italy

The way these Pools work is the top two teams after the first round move on.  Pool C is going to be tough if you’re Canada or Colombia.  I can see both Teheran and Freeman joining the Braves quickly after the tournament begins.

The Dominican Republic, the United States, Japan, Puerto Rico are all looking very strong on paper.  Team USA is stacked.  Might as well put in the prediction that USA will win!  Why not?!?

Freddie will play for Team Canada this year after years of hoping.  He’s expressed interest in joining the team for a couple WBC, but Canada had Joey Votto and Justin Morneau.  2017 he’ll be able to represent the country both his parents are from.  He posted this on twitter tonight…

Next: Crystal Ball Projections For Braves 2017 Season

Anyone else get a little choked up when reading Freddie’s words?

Baseball is right around the corner, folks!!

Games will be aired on MLB Network, but not all games.  If you’d like to watch all, purchase a subscription of MLB.TV Premium.

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