We are less than a month from the start of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, and this week I’ll be doing pool previews.

But first, an explanation of what will be included in each pool’s preview.

First off, each pool will have the following:

About the Venue: Info on the stadium where it will take place. Pretty self-explanatory.

About The Pool: A general overview of the pool. Summing up the basic storylines to keep an eye on.

Pool Outlook: My outright predictions for the pool.

For every country, there will be these bits:

About The Country: Again, largely self-explanatory. Just a bit about the country, its history, etc. Probably will include a fun fact, as well!

Baseball History: The history of baseball in that country. Needless to say, this can vary greatly.

International Baseball History: The history of the country in the WBC, Olympics, and other international play.

Road to the WBC: How the team qualified for this WBC. For most countries, this will basically be “did well enough in the last WBC.”

(Insert Country Name Here)’s Baseball League: Info on the current structure of baseball in that country- what their top league is, etc.

(Insert Country Name Here) MLB Players: A look at MLB players from that country through history as well as how many (if any) are on the team.

Notable names: The most notable players on the team.

Highest Achievers: Other notable players who have reached highest in the continuum of baseball leagues.

Ones to Watch: Generally will be for younger players who aren’t really well-known or MLB now, but could be in the future.

Manager/Coaching Staff: A bit about the manager and coaching staff of the team.

Outlook: General overview of the country/team and how they might do in the pool.

We start tomorrow with Pool A!