As Classic dreams come true, Alcantara looks to Dominican heroes

Sandy Alcantara sat in his house within the Dominican Republic and cheered similar to everybody round him as Fernando Rodney recorded the final out towards Puerto Rico, giving the baseball-loving nation its first World Baseball Classic title in 2013.

At the time, Alcantara was a 17-year-old child nonetheless on the lookout for the chance to signal with a corporation. The clock was beginning to tick on his goals as most international-born gamers signal their offers after they flip 16.

Still, that didn’t cease Alcantara from dreaming. In his thoughts, he was going to make the Majors in some unspecified time in the future, and he was going to get the chance to signify his nation. Even as a 17-year-old who hadn’t but signed with a Major League group, he may image himself celebrating on that mound together with his countrymates. He envisioned himself working round, waving a plantain with “Dominicana” written on his chest.

What as soon as appeared like a wild dream is now about to change into a actuality for Alcantara. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner will lastly get an opportunity to signify the Dominican Republic on the world stage, and he’ll get to do it within the opener on Saturday towards Venezuela because the nation’s undisputed ace.

“I could just see the emotions and the stadium filled with Dominicans,” Alcantara instructed 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 may not swimsuit up within the World Baseball Classic. Over the previous few months, the Dominican workforce misplaced out on star pitchers Framber Valdez and Luis Castillo as a result of participant and their groups deciding to be cautious with workloads after an extended ‘22 season.

Alcantara, alternatively, by no means had a doubt in his thoughts he would pitch for the Dominican Republic. Once basic supervisor Nelson Cruz and supervisor Rodney Linares referred to as, Alcantara rapidly accepted the invitation.

“I made the decision on my own that I was going to be there representing my country,” Alcantara mentioned. “[loanDepot park] is my home, and I’m going to pitch for my country.”

Having Alcantara on the roster may be very vital for the Dominican Republic and its probabilities of profitable a second World Baseball Classic title. When you have a look at the nation’s roster, it’s simple to fall in love with the star-studded lineup they’ll be trotting out each evening. The bench is stuffed with gamers who may simply churn out All-Star-caliber seasons in 2023. The roster has a mixed 19 Silver Slugger Awards.

Historically, being position-player dominant has been the norm for the Dominican Republic. But Alcantara enters the match having change into the third Dominican-born pitcher to win a Cy Young Award, becoming a member of Bartolo Colon and Pedro Martinez.

Of the 4 Dominican-born gamers which were 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 opposite two, and Adrián Beltré and Albert Pujols will very probably change into the fifth and sixth members. On the pitching aspect, nevertheless, it could possibly be some time earlier than the nation sees one other get into the Hall.

Alcantara nonetheless has so much to perform earlier than he even will get included in these conversations. But he’ll change into the primary Dominican-born hurler to pitch for the nation within the WBC the yr after profitable 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 mentioned 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 dedication may also include stress, nevertheless. Instead of continuous his build-up in a Spring Training setting, he’ll be tasked with main a complete nation that will likely be locked into each pitch. Flights from Santo Domingo to Miami have been booked for a very long time. The video games at loanDepot park towards Venezuela and Puerto Rico have been offered out for months. In a rustic of 12 million individuals, the World Baseball Classic is the most popular matter.

Perhaps no one understands that degree of stress greater than Martinez, who established himself as essentially the most completed Dominican-born pitcher throughout his Hall of Fame profession. He couldn’t take part within the 2006 WBC on account of harm however suited up for the Dominican Republic in ‘09.

When Martinez seems to be at Alcantara, he sees a mirrored image of himself. He sees a pitcher that desires to go the gap. Martinez mentioned if he needed to sit down to look at one pitcher, it might be Alcantara. That’s why it was a proud second for him to announce Alcantara’s Cy Young Award again in November. Martinez additionally believes no one is best geared up for this new problem than that child from Azua who as soon as dreamt of this precise second.

“For me, it’s going to be an honor watching Sandy representing my country,” Martinez mentioned. “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 subsequent purpose is straightforward. A few generations in the past, Dominican-born pitchers strived to be like Marichal, the one Dominican-born participant to have a statue exterior a Major League ballpark. The final era, like Alcantara, appeared as much as Martinez.

Alcantara is aware of he has an extended method to go earlier than he’s even talked about with these two legends. But nothing has ever stopped him from dreaming massive. And in per week, there will likely be a 17-year-old child someplace within the Dominican Republic watching Alcantara sport “Dominicana” throughout his chest.

“I just want kids to look at me as a legend and leader and try to follow my lead,” Alcantara mentioned. “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.”