As Classic dreams come true, Alcantara looks to Dominican heroes

March 10th, 2023

Sandy Alcantara sat in his home in the Dominican Republic and cheered just like everyone around him as Fernando Rodney recorded the last out against Puerto Rico, giving the baseball-loving country its first World Baseball Classic title in 2013.

At the time, Alcantara was a 17-year-old kid still looking for the opportunity to sign with an organization. The clock was starting to tick on his dreams as most international-born players sign their deals when they turn 16.

Still, that didn¡¯t stop Alcantara from dreaming. In his mind, he was going to make the Majors at some point, and he was going to get the opportunity to represent his country. Even as a 17-year-old who hadn¡¯t yet signed with a Major League organization, he could picture himself celebrating on that mound with his countrymates. He envisioned himself running around, waving a plantain with ¡°Dominicana¡± written on his chest.

What once seemed like a wild dream is now about to become a reality for Alcantara. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner will finally get a chance to represent the Dominican Republic on the world stage, and he¡¯ll get to do it in the opener on Saturday against Venezuela as the country¡¯s undisputed ace.

¡°I could just see the emotions and the stadium filled with Dominicans,¡± Alcantara told MLB.com in Spanish. ¡°But just to represent my country and my family, putting on that jersey and sharing that moment with every Dominican, that¡¯s something that is going to be really special for me.¡±

After throwing a career-high 228 2/3 innings in a historic 2022 season, there was concern that Alcantara might not suit up in the World Baseball Classic. Over the last few months, the Dominican team lost out on star pitchers Framber Valdez and Luis Castillo due to the player and their teams deciding to be cautious with workloads after a long ¡®22 season.

Alcantara, on the other hand, never had a doubt in his mind he would pitch for the Dominican Republic. Once general manager Nelson Cruz and manager Rodney Linares called, Alcantara quickly accepted the invitation.

¡°I made the decision on my own that I was going to be there representing my country,¡± Alcantara said. ¡°[loanDepot park] is my home, and I¡¯m going to pitch for my country.¡±

Having Alcantara on the roster is very significant for the Dominican Republic and its chances of winning a second World Baseball Classic title. When you look at the country¡¯s roster, it¡¯s easy to fall in love with the star-studded lineup they¡¯ll be trotting out every night. The bench is full of players who could easily churn out All-Star-caliber seasons in 2023. The roster has a combined 19 Silver Slugger Awards.

Historically, being position-player dominant has been the norm for the Dominican Republic. But Alcantara enters the tournament having become the third Dominican-born pitcher to win a Cy Young Award, joining Bartolo Colon and Pedro Martinez.

Of the four Dominican-born players that have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., two of them have been pitchers (Juan Marichal and Martinez). David Ortiz and Vladimir Guerrero are the other two, and Adri¨¢n Beltr¨¦ and Albert Pujols will very likely become the fifth and sixth members. On the pitching side, however, it could be a while before the country sees another get into the Hall.

Alcantara still has a lot to accomplish before he even gets included in those conversations. But he¡¯ll become the first Dominican-born hurler to pitch for the country in the WBC the year after winning a Cy Young Award.

¡°Sandy isn¡¯t just a great pitcher, but he¡¯s a great patriot, and he understands that he doesn¡¯t only represent Major League Baseball and that he¡¯s not only the [reigning] Cy Young [winner]. He understands he has a commitment to his country,¡± Martinez said in Spanish. ¡°How do you think Sandy would feel watching our country lose in that tournament because of a lack of pitching? I know that would¡¯ve affected him a lot, because Sandy is a guy that understands what¡¯s important.¡±

Alcantara¡¯s commitment will also come with pressure, however. Instead of continuing his build-up in a Spring Training setting, he¡¯ll be tasked with leading an entire country that will be locked into every pitch. Flights from Santo Domingo to Miami have been booked for a long time. The games at loanDepot park against Venezuela and Puerto Rico have been sold out for months. In a country of 12 million people, the World Baseball Classic is the hottest topic.

Perhaps nobody understands that level of pressure more than Martinez, who established himself as the most accomplished Dominican-born pitcher during his Hall of Fame career. He couldn¡¯t participate in the 2006 WBC due to injury but suited up for the Dominican Republic in ¡®09.

When Martinez looks at Alcantara, he sees a reflection of himself. He sees a pitcher that wants to go the distance. Martinez said if he had to sit down to watch one pitcher, it would be Alcantara. That¡¯s why it was a proud moment for him to announce Alcantara¡¯s Cy Young Award back in November. Martinez also believes nobody is better equipped for this new challenge than that kid from Azua who once dreamt of this exact moment.

¡°For me, it¡¯s going to be an honor watching Sandy representing my country,¡± Martinez said. ¡°I understand what he¡¯s going through. I know he¡¯s giving a lot more than he should just to represent our country. I hope the Dominican Republic can appreciate the sacrifice Sandy is making just to represent our country.¡±

As Alcantara continues to dream, his next goal is simple. A couple of generations ago, Dominican-born pitchers strived to be like Marichal, the only Dominican-born player to have a statue outside a Major League ballpark. The last generation, like Alcantara, looked up to Martinez.

Alcantara knows he has a long way to go before he¡¯s even mentioned with those two legends. But nothing has ever stopped him from dreaming big. And in a week, there will be a 17-year-old kid somewhere in the Dominican Republic watching Alcantara sport ¡°Dominicana¡± across his chest.

¡°I just want kids to look at me as a legend and leader and try to follow my lead,¡± Alcantara said. ¡°I pray to God that he continues to give me the strength to ultimately be in the same sentence as Pedro Martinez and Juan Marichal.¡±

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com