On this date Cuba will know its final 30-man roster
According to a note released by the Cuban Baseball Federation (CBF) today, the 30 Cuban players who will represent the country in the upcoming V World Baseball Classic (WBC) will be announced on January 24.
According to the note, the advance in the announcement date is due to the difficulties generated by visa procedures and compliance with them. It was originally scheduled for February 7.
Today, the Cuban Team will begin training at the Latinoamericano Stadium in Havana. The team then must leave for Japan on February 10, and then arrive in Chinese Taipei around February 24, in time for its debut in Group A of the V World Baseball Classic on March 7 against the Netherlands.
Here is the CBF's note.
The Cuban Baseball Federation confirms that the final preparations for the V World Baseball Classic (WBC) will begin this Monday at the Latinoamericano Stadium in Havana. Due to the fact that some players are still participating in the finals of the Cuban Elite League or under contracts abroad, the CBF will begin training with the players available at the moment. Players who are enrolled in the Cuban Elite League's final will only be allowed to join later, following Major League Baseball regulations. Team members will prepare behind closed doors at the Latinoamericano Stadium until the beginning of February, when they will leave for Japan to continue training. By either observing the Elite League final or following up on the figures that necessarily prepare outside Cuba, the technical team led by Armando Johnson will evaluate the 50 athletes called up. As a result, Johnson and his managerial team will be able to announce on January 24 the list of 30 players that will participate for Cuba in the V WBC, almost at the same time that they must announce the Cuban roster for the 2023 Caribbean Series. Even though the final roster announcement for the WBC is due on February 7, the complex immigration process (Japan, Taiwan and the United States), the travel arrangements (training bases and warm-up matches), and also the adjustment to the drastic time change, have caused the announcement to be made earlier. A consideration of whether players eliminated from the WBC team could attend the Caribbean Series, either as part of the champion team or as reinforcements, was also weighed in the decision. Due to the previously exposed elements, it is necessary to clarify that the members of the WBC squad will not participate in the Caribbean Series. The most favorable conditions have been created for Cuba to prepare for the WBC. The goal remains to have a competitive team that can advance in the tournament and make the hopes and aspirations of our fans come true.
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