With Pools C and D of the WBC’s first round starting, and Pool 1 of the second round (it is happening earlier so that there is less jet-lag later on) also beginning, here are the previews of those pools. Note that in some cases they (whether they are rosters that have had last-minute changes or information about a country) are out of date- for example, the preview of Venezuela mentions that Hugo Chavez is the country’s president, since I wrote it before he passed away.

Pool C Preview (Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Spain, Dominican Republic)

Pool D Preview (USA, Canada, Mexico, Italy)

Pool 1 Preview (Cuba, Japan, Taipei, Netherlands)

So, there you go.