The WBC All-Classic team has been announced — the twelve players who stood out in the tournament — and I am sorry to have to tell you this, but the 2017 season has already been decided.
One EFL team has twice as many WBCACs as anyone else.
Here is the WBC AC Roster, per the MLB.com site (slightly edited to correct the usual MLB front-office errors as to which team these guys play for in the regular season):
Javier Baez of the Pears (24 AB, .333, .385, .500, 1 hr)
Wladimir Balentien of the Japanese (who last appeared in MLB in 2009) (26 AB; .615, .677, 1.115, 4 hr)
Carlos Beltran of the Astros (21 AB: .476, .542, .524)
Carlos Correa of the Rosebuds (20 AB: .400, .563, .900)
Eric Hosmer of the Royals (unanimous choice) (24 AB: .375, .444, .625, 1 HR)
Francisco Lindor of the Indians (23 AB: .435, .481, .739, 2 HR)
Yadier Molina of the Cardinals (unanimous choice), (21 AB, .333, .333, .619, 2 HR)
Gregory Polanco of the Wolverines (19 AB: .579, .619, .842; 1 HR)
Kodai Senga of some other Japanese who has never been in MLB: 0.62 ERA, 16 K, 1 BB, 11 ip.
Marcus Stroman of the Drive (9.3 ip, 2.35 ERA, 6 k, 1 BB; six-plus scoreless innings in final),
Christian Yelich of the Wolverines (24 AB, .292, .370, .417 — a little bit embarrassing how pedestrian this is, but Yelich apparently led the tournament in intangibles).
Josh Zeid of the Mets farm system, who last appeared in MLB in 2014 — Josh, I mean, not the Mets — pitcher 10 scoreless innings with 10 K’s (and 6 BB).
Assuming each country’s best players played in the WBC — and how could it be otherwise? — these are officially the 12 best players in the world right now. And only one team — just ONE team in all the world — has two of them. All ye look upon them, and despair!
Well, maybe except for the Drive. Stroman was the MVP, after all. So maaaybee some hope could linger in Kaline.