The team pools and venues for the Classic have been released, and... what a surprise... ... Puerto Rico is in the "Pool of Death."

https://www.mlb.com/news/world-baseb...pools-revealed

TOURNAMENT POOLS

Pool A:
  • Chinese Taipei
  • Netherlands
  • Cuba
  • Italy
  • (Qualifier)


Netherlands and Cuba should breeze out of that group.

Pool B:
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Australia
  • China
  • (Qualifier)


Japan and Korea, no problem.

Pool C:
  • USA
  • Mexico
  • Colombia
  • Canada
  • (Qualifier)


Pleeese... easiest of the groups. USA obviously gets in, with maybe Mexico a distant second.

Pool D:
  • Puerto Rico
  • Venezuela
  • Dominican Republic
  • Israel
  • (Qualifier)


Any of the top three could win the Classic. But I'm gonna exclude Venezuela and say it'll be P.R. and D.R.

QUALIFIERS TOURNAMENT

Pool A:
  • Germany
  • Czech Republic
  • Spain
  • France
  • Great Britain
  • South Africa


Hmm... I know nothing about these teams. But two have to make it out into the actual tournament, so I'll guess Germany and Spain.

Pool B:
  • Panama
  • Nicaragua
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Pakistan
  • New Zealand


Damn... I don't know how Panama got dropped into qualifiers, but I'd have to pick them, along with Brazil, to get out of qualifiers.