WBSC announce 28 players for Europe’s Asian Winter Baseball squad
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has announced the 28 players who will compete on behalf of Europe during the Asia Winter Baseball (AWB) season.
The WBSC-sanctioned tournament, which will begin this year on November 25 in Taiwan, features six teams in all with the combined European side competing as part of an effort to boost the sport on the continent.
Europe made a historic debut in 2015 after being established by the WBSC under its President Riccardo Fraccari.
Eight countries are represented among the 28 players, including world number ten side The Netherlands, the European champions, who contribute nine to the continental team.
Seven Italian players have been selected along with four from Spain, the European runners-up.
Three come from Germany with two from France and one each from Czech Republic, Poland and Romania.
Europe will be coached by former Major League Baseball (MLB) infielder Desi Relaford, the 43-year-old who played for the Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies in the sport’s top club league.
Former Spain pitcher Manuel Olivera will serve as pitching coach, while former Italian player Danny Gorrin will take charge of the catchers.
Seth Lafera, a two-time Olympian with Italy, will be the infield coach.
The AWB, organised by the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), features five-other teams which are made up of young talent from Asia, a powerhouse region for baseball.
These represent the CPBL, the Chinese Taipei national team, the Korean Baseball Organisation and two clubs from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.
The season will run until December 15, with each team playing 17 matches.
Semi-finals and the final will then be played on December 17 and 18.
