MLB Bullets Is What It Is

Fewer World Baseball Classic stories today, but baseball still has an international flavor.

And if you haven’t seen Javier Baez’s no-look tag on Nelson Cruz trying to steal in the WBC last night, you need to check it out now. That’s a picture of it above.

• This is the most important story as far as I’m concerned today. Bruce Schoenfeld looks at the discrimination that ethnic Haitian-Dominicans face when trying to sign with major league teams. I knew about the problems that MLB had with Miguel Sano and his questionable birth certificate, but I didn’t realize it was because Sano is ethnically Haitian and they face great hardships and discrimination in the Dominican Republic. But for every player like Sano who manages to get in anyway, there are dozens who can’t sign with MLB teams because they can’t get visas because they don’t have a birth certificate because the Dominican government won’t issue them one.
• Pedro Gomez has a more positive story about how baseball unites the Dominican Republic and how much baseball is a part of their culture.
• As far as the WBC goes, Jeff Passan writes that we should stop worrying about what the WBC isn’t and start appreciating it for what it is, and that’s a pretty great tournament.
• Richard Justice notes that when Team USA and Team Venezuela meet tonight, both teams will be trying to dispel the ghosts of past WBC disappointments.
• Mike Axisa has 8 things that we’ve learned about the WBC so far. That includes the surprising breakout of the Cubs’ John Andreoli.
• Team USA (and Astros) infielder Alex Bregman called out Team Venezuela (and Rangers) infielder Rougned Odor for flipping his bat on a ball that turned out to not be a home run.
• Two Astros on Team Puerto Rico, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Correa, represent the bond between young and old on Puerto Rico (and the Astros).
• Mike Trout says he will “probably” play for Team USA in 2021.
• However, Tommy Stokke doesn’t think it’s too bad that top stars are missing the WBC because it gives some other players a chance to shine.
• One last international, non-WBC related item. Manny Ramirez’s contract with the independent league team in Japan says he gets to eat unlimited amounts of sushi and that practice is “optional” for him.
• The Rays are close to agreeing with a six-year extension with outfielder Kevin Kiermaier.
• Red Sox pitcher David Price will likely start the year on the disabled list.
• Meanwhile, his rotation mate Chris Sale says he’s never been happier in his life than this spring with the Red Sox.
• Reds ace Anthony DeSclafani has a strained UCL. He’ll be shut down for a month and re-evaluated. Not good.
• And Indians starter Carlos Carrasco has swelling in his elbow and will miss some time.
• Rockies catcher Tom Murphy will miss the start of the season with a broken forearm. The butcher’s bill is high, today.
• Grant Brisbee ranks all 30 teams on the “win now, win later” axis.
• Jonah Keri notes that the Blue Jays are trying to win now without sacrificing their future. They apparently didn’t see where Brisbee has them on his graph.
• John Perrotto thinks that the Orioles Manny Machado could be baseball’s first $400 million player.
• Tom Verducci talks to Andrew McCutchen about his 2016 struggles and how he plans to improve in 2017.
• Michael Baumann says we don’t have any idea how good Andrew McCutchen is at the moment.
• Mike Lupica thinks that Yoenis Cespedes is the most exciting hitter in Mets history. That says more about the Mets than Cespedes, if you ask me.
• The Padres are spending about half of their payroll on players who no longer play for the Padres.
• Buster Olney has a look at some of the top Spring Training position battles.
• Eno Sarris talks to Yonder Alonso, who credits his strong showing in Spring Training to a change in his mindset.
• Chris Bahr ranks all six divisions.
• Kate Preusser has some philosophical musings on the meaning of Spring Training. You’ll either like this piece or think it’s pretentious drivel.
• Will Leitch plans the ultimate baseball road trip for you.
• Here’s a quiz: How many foreign languages can you say “baseball” in?
• Kenta Maeda’s translator put on quite a show in the Dodgers clubhouse.
• And finally, I want one of these. The Mets are teaming up with Marvel Comics to give away a “Noah Syndergaard as The Mighty Thor” bobblehead this summer.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.