UN VERDADERO CLÁSICO / A TRUE CLASSIC

The sport of the glove, the bat and the ball in this world classic continues to develop in this part of the world, in the West, and we have been able to realize that the level reached is extremely high and very different from previous editions, showing us a very intense way of playing, I think, with all due respect, that the way these teams play is far superior to those of groups A and B, and that they have given that special touch to a sport, which is played with more intensity, or with more fervor on this side, the public has been the protagonist and I would like to see a Japanese team, if they get past their quarterfinal match against Italy, play in front of such conditions, yes I know, they will tell me that they have already done it and have been champions of this event and in this zone, but I think things have changed and all the teams have evolved constantly over time, to the point of reaching their maximum level for what they have always been catalogued, the United States and Venezuela are no longer only favorites on paper and a confrontation between those from the West against those from Asia would be extremely attractive in all senses of the word.

PERFECTO / PERFECT

We can not begin to talk about the events of this tournament without mentioning what happened between the team of Puerto Rico and Israel, and beyond the far superior level of the Puerto Ricans, we witnessed what happens very little even in major league baseball, and that happened on Monday afternoon at LoanDepot Park in the city of Miami, a perfect game, yes, a game where the pitching of the Puerto Rican team was masterful for 8 innings and in a combined manner completed the feat to not allow any freedom to the Israelis, something that is very important for the team of Puerto Rico, a game where the pitching of the Puerto Rican team was masterful for 8 innings and in a combined manner completed the feat to not allow any kind of freedom to the Israelites, something that was somewhat strange but a perfect game at the end, was that it happened only for eight chapters, also achieving to complete such an event by way of knock out and leaving the opponent on the field.

Do you realize what I am telling you? when we see things that had not happened before in this tournament, giving rise to the evolution of the event and that the preparation of the players shows us the real level of the teams called to be the powers, something that in the past had been left to owe, is what was missing to this tournament to classify it as first level and something serious and not a test, comparing it with a World Cup, the great work of Puerto Rican monticular was carried out thanks to Jose De Leon, Yacksel Rios, Edwin Diaz and Duane Underwood Jr, where once again was led by catcher Martin ''Machete'' Maldonado, protagonist par excellence in this type of events, by adding one more monticular achievement, helping his pitchers to a good performance now at international level, simply a master behind the plate!

PASO DE CAMPEÓN / CHAMPION STEP

The two victories of the Venezuelan team showed us how the team coached by Ómar López is doing, and this Tuesday against Nicaragua they not only got their pass to the quarterfinals, but they are making it clear that they are here to achieve the main objective, the championship, It is too early to say that this Caribbean ninth team with a long tradition in this sport is here to be champion, but the numbers and performance on the field can only be compared in numbers against the big favorite like Japan, since both teams have not known defeat in this tournament and that gives us a lot space to speak very well of them.

Frente a los de Nicaragua salieron con una alineación con algunas ausencias con respecto a jugadores que habían iniciado como titulares en los dos primeros compromisos, pero con la misma esencia y deseo de salir a ganar, desde el montículo, Eduardo Rodriguez quien era el encargado de abrir el partido frente a los centroamericanos se vio un poco tambaleante, pero eso sirvió para que el manager del elenco Venezolano acudiera a sus otras piezas del bullpen, y les diera trabajo a los mismos, para así ponerlos a tono para las rondas siguientes, un 1 a 0 en las primeras tres entradas no fueron suficiente ventaja para los Nicaragüenses que vieron que en un abrir y cerrar de ojos y en el primer ataque del elenco de Venezuela pudieran voltear el compromiso a su favor 4 carreras a 1 y así tomar dominio del mismo y conseguir su tercera victoria de manera consecutiva, con un 3 y 0 en su registro, los de la tierra de Simón Bolívar lucen más como un equipo que desea ganar este torneo, eso creo va más allá de simplemente tener el talento.

Against Nicaragua they came out with a lineup with some absences with respect to players who had started as starters in the first two games, but with the same essence and desire to go out and win, from the mound, Eduardo Rodriguez who was in charge of opening the game against the Central Americans was a little shaky but that served for the manager of the Venezuelan team to turn to his other pieces of the bullpen, and gave them work to put them in tune for the following rounds, A 1 to 0 in the first three innings were not enough advantage for the Nicaraguans who saw that in the blink of an eye and in the first attack of the Venezuelan team could turn the commitment in their favor 4 runs to 1 and thus take control of it and get their third victory in a row, with a 3 and 0 in their record, those from the land of Simon Bolivar look more like a team that wants to win this tournament, that I think goes beyond simply having the talent.

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GRUPO COMPLICADO / TOUGH GROUP

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At the beginning of Group C, the United States, although they beat Great Britain, it cost them so to speak, the next day they fall against Mexico, who in turn had just lost to the Colombians, on the other hand Canada gives a knockout to Great Britain and the next day they receive one from the United States, the British, who were very affected with those 18 runs that Canada gave them, beat Colombia, and all this, besides being something that can not be understood, only by the protagonists, is something that totally complicates this group and gives a chance for anyone on this side of the tournament, further evidence that this event is already taking another air and is more than a simple pilot test and already takes some seriousness that attract many more fans even from other sports.

But after the results of the last matchday, the chances remain for four teams, it is a representative sample of how complex this Pool C has been, who in the first round would be only for Mexico and the United States, the final match of Mexico will be against the Canadians and the Stars and Stripes will be against the Colombians, a real battle where the destiny of the 4 teams with a real chance, is in their own hands, and if they are not able to make it in their first attempts, they will have to wait for the results of the other game, to be able to get the so desired pass and continue dreaming in the case of Canada, Colombia and Mexico and to keep the race to get the title again in the case of the team led by Mark DeRosa, more excitement impossible!

HASTA LA PRÓXIMA / SEE YOU NEXT TIME