Cincinnati Reds have few participants in World Baseball Classic and they don’t deserve more

As one of the worst teams in MLB, the Cincinnati Reds are unworthy of sending many players to WBC.

The Cincinnati Reds are one of the worst teams in MLB.  As such, they don’t deserve to have many players in the WBC.  Beyond Joey Votto, the Reds don’t have any truly elite players on their main roster.

Votto is the best player from Canada, but he has decided to stay in Arizona during the WBC and work on his own game.  Originally, he appeared ready to go, but he declined the offer.  He and Justin Morneau were the only two initial players on the team according to manager Ernie Whitt.

MLB doesn’t have anyone to blame, but themselves, for Team Canada’s issues.  While the East Coast games are being held relatively close to the spring training sites in Miami, the West Coast locations are in Los Angeles and San Diego.  Those are disruptive trips for players working out in Phoenix.

More importantly, the games are at opposite ends of the country from each other.  Going to San Diego might not be too bad for Votto, but Team Canada’s first game is in Miami.

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The rest of the Reds don’t have to worry about such considerations.  The Americans and the Dominicans on the team aren’t worthy of playing in the WBC.  As a bad MLB team, they just don’t have elite talent.

The Cincinnati Reds may have the next generation of Team Venezuela on their current roster.

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The Reds’ roster has some of the best young Venezuelans in all of baseball.  The future double play combination of the Reds are both Venezuelan.  Dilson Herrera and Jose Peraza are both from Venezuela.  Herrera was scheduled to play, but had to back out due to a shoulder injury.

The other notable player from Venezuela on the Reds is third baseman Eugenio Suarez.  He is ready for a breakout year in 2017 and can play multiple positions.  He is probably closer in experience than Peraza to getting the WBC call.

The current double play combination for Team Venezuela is a pair of elite middle infielders.  Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros and Alcides Escobar of the Kansas City Royals are the starting middle infielders.  They are both pressure players.

At third base Team Venezuela has Martin Prado.  To back-up the trio they have Asdrubal Cabrera.  Right now Peraza is not in that league, but he will be once the rebuild has turned the corner.  That leaves just Jumbo Diaz, Scott Feldman, and Shawn Zarraga representing the Reds in the WBC.

Next: It's time for the Reds to end the rebuild

That is the situation for the Reds.  They have some talented players, but none that are good enough yet to lead a team in the WBC.  Hopefully, this is the last WBC for a long time that this will be the case.