The Cuban Baseball team left Havana on Thursday for an Asian tour of preparatory matches with their counterparts of the Chinese Taipei, Japan and the Netherlands, before attending the third edition of the World Baseball Classic ( WBC), to start on March 2.

The 28 player-team was announced Wednesday by the authorities of that discipline on the island, including the outfielder Frederick Cepeda and third baseman Yulieski Gourriel, participants in the previous two WBC editions (2006 and 2009).

The preparation games will be held against professional teams and are scheduled from February 18 to March 1.

Cuba will debut in the WBC III on March 3 against Brazil in the Japanese city of Fukuoka, along with China and the home team, all members of the group "A".

At the WBC I, Cuba lost to Japan in the final by 10 runs to 6, and at the second edition was tied up twice by the Japanese pitching (6-0, 5-0), finishing sixth, its worst result in five decades.

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)