National teams are still gathering top players to join their rosters ahead of the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Team Israel doesn’t want to be left behind, and is announcing some really talented players to help them make a good impression.
“Orioles breakout starter Dean Kremer intends to play for Team Israel in the #WorldBaseballClassic!” the WBC official Twitter account wrote.
Orioles breakout starter Dean Kremer intends to play for Team Israel in the #WorldBaseballClassic! pic.twitter.com/4pTspHPEjN
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) October 3, 2022
Actually, team Israel is looking quite decent.
Israeli-American Ian Kinsler, a former Major League All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner, will be the manager.
Powerful outfielder Joc Pederson, Gold Glove outfielder Harrison Bader, Kevin Pillar, and hurlers Kremer, Richard Bleier, and Jake Bird have committed to the team, and several more could come in the future.
That’s a nice foundation to have.
Pederson will bring the power, Bader and Pillar the defense, and Bleier will fortify the bullpen.
A Really Good Starter For Team Israel
Kremer, on the other hand, could be deployed as a starter.
In 125.1 innings with the Baltimore Orioles, Kremer has a solid 3.23 ERA with a 3.80 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP).
He doesn’t usually rack up too many strikeouts, (he has just 87 for the season) but doesn’t hurt himself with walks and limits the number of homers he allows.
With 1.8 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), he has been one of the best Orioles pitchers in 2022, and one of the hopes for the future of the franchise.
At 26 years old, he also may be asked to be Israel’s team ace in the classic.
Israel is evidently not one of the favorites to win the WBC, but their roster is shaping up to be very entertaining, and will at least compete.
Kremer is actually one of their best players at this point.
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