Dominican Republic eyes WBC crown for its country but must top Team USA first

MIAMI — Is anyone actually surprised that Julio Rodriguez would rather win a World Baseball Classic than a World Series?The surprise would be if Rodriguez didn’t feel that way.Last season, the Dominican outfielder reached the American League Championship Series with the Mariners.He knows how October magic can transform a city.

He’s seen how a postseason run can unite people who might have nothing in common other than an affinity for their hometown team.Still, this is different.Here, he is representing more than a uniform. “Winning a World Baseball Classic would be top of the list,” Rodriguez said on “Fair Territory” last week.

“This is for my country.This is for my town.

This is for my people, my neighborhood, my everybody in the Dominican Republic.”Baseball players are products of place.How they play reflects where they were raised.

So when foreign players step on the field, they often feel as if they’re representing the cultures that shaped them.The WBC offers them a chance to do so more explicitly: wearing uniforms with their countries’ names across their chests and sharing locker rooms with teammates who share their languages and learned the game in similar ways.The novelty isn’t as striking for American players.

Nothing makes a person as aware of their culture as being in an alien environment, and most of them have never experienced that to a significant degree.The culture of Major League Baseball is the culture of American baseball.

Everything from how to receive instruction to how to deal with failure is viewed through an American lens.  California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.Please provide a valid email.

By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story Foreign players must strike a balance between figuring out how to blend into this world while retaining the qualities that make them special.

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