(Getty)
Canada is back in the World Baseball Classic.
It’s Team Canada’s fourth time playing in the event, which now takes place every four years. Canada’s baseball history has deep roots, with the first game taking place in Ontario in 1838. The national team has competed in many international tournaments and won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in 2015 when they beat the United States.
But Canada’s showing at the World Baseball Classic hasn’t been too good. The best the team has finished at the event was ninth place in 2006 — the event’s inaugural year. That year, Canada upset the U.S. and won two of three opening round games, but didn’t advance to the second round because of a tiebreaker. That was about the closest Canada has gotten to advancing in the second round.
The nation’s 2017 World Baseball Classic roster boasts a number of veterans mixed-in with a few young prospects. Here’s Canada’s full roster for the event, which began March 6 (Canada’s first game is March 9):
Canada Roster
Pitchers
Andrew Albers
John Axford
Kevin Chapman
Shane Dawson
Ryan Dempster
Eric Gagne
Jim Henderson
Chris Leroux
Adam Loewen
Scott Mathieson
Dustin Molleken
Nick Pivetta
Scott Richmond
Rowan Wick
Catchers
Kellin Deglan
George Kottaras
Infielders
Freddie Freeman
Jonathan Malo
Justin Morneau
Josh Naylor
Pete Orr
Daniel Pinero
Jamie Romak
Eric Wood
Outfielders
Michael Crouse
Tyler O’Neill
Dalton Pompey
Rene Tosoni
Manager
Ernie Whitt
World Baseball Classic 2017: United States Roster
The United States is seeking its first-ever World Baseball Classic championship when the event starts March 6. See what players are on the 2017 USA team.
Chris Bucher is a sports, politics and general news contributor to Heavy. A University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh graduate, Bucher is the business editor at The Waukesha Freeman and the former sports assistant editor. You can follow him on Twitter @Buchage and reach him at chris.bucher@heavy.com.March 6, 2017 7:15 pm
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