Wednesday, February 6, 2013

What Team USA Should Really Look Like For the World Baseball Classic

How can we as fans take the World Baseball Classic seriously when every team doesn't have their best guys playing? If you have seen the Team USA roster then you know that they could be so much better it's ridiculous. But that's why I'm here. To show you what the Team USA roster should really look like. So let me begin with the lineup, then the subs, then the pitching staff. If this team was ever assembled nobody would beat the US and that's a guarantee.

Starters:
Mike Trout LF
Troy Tulowitzki SS
Josh Hamilton RF
Prince Fielder 1B
Evan Longoria 3B
Matt Kemp CF
Ryan Braun DH
Buster Posey C
Ian Kinsler 2B

Subs:
Mark Teixeira
Brandon Phillips
Joe Mauer
David Wright

Pitching Staff:
Justin Verlander SP
David Price SP
Stephen Strasburg SP
Matt Cain SP
Clayton Kershaw SP
Zach Greinke
Chris Sale
Brandon Morrow
CC Sabathia
Jared Weaver
Jason Motte
Kris Medlen
Craig Kimbrel
Derek Holland

I would use Verlander, Price, Strasburg, Cain and Kershaw as my starters and then use everyone else out of the pen. Guys aren't throwing five and six innings at a time anyway in this thing so the more starters you have the better. I would use Holland and Sale as my lefty specialists and use Jason Motte to set up in the 8th while Craig Kimbrel closed the 9th. This pitching staff wouldn't be touched in this tournament if this was put together correctly.

As far as the lineup goes the DH spot could easily rotate, but I put Braun there because he hits for average and power and is an all around better hitter than Teixeira. The lineup you can mix and match the way you want it but Trout needs to lead off because he does everything on the bases. As far as Josh Hamilton goes if the games are played in Mexico he can't come and we would just replace him with Giancarlo Stanton.

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