Baltimore Orioles: 2021 WBC Cancellation Announced

If there’s one thing Baltimore Orioles fans can be proud of, it is the performance of their top players in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

In fact, one of the most iconic baseball photos ever taken involved the Baltimore Orioles Adam Jones making a catch in the outfield at PetCo Park in San Diego. Not only was the catch unbelievable, but it robbed his O’s teammate, Manny Machado from hitting a home run.

Some have likened the photo to a piece of Renaissance art.

Just to make your life a little better, you can watch the video:

Baseball fans normally have to wait four years for the WBC, but it looks like they will have to wait a little longer. According to several sources, the 2021 WBC is postponed until 2023. This is another blow to the game that so many of us love.

I attended the USA vs Dominican Republic game in Miami during the 2017 WBC tournament. There aren’t words to describe what Marlins Park was like that night, as people were dancing, singing, and cheering like they were at the last baseball game of their lives. It’s sad to consider that people from all over the world will not be joining together to watch their favorite players show their skills in 2021.

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Of course, the WBC isn’t a priority during a pandemic, but the postponement is just another bit of bad news for fans who have so little to look forward to in the world of 2020 baseball. Sixteen teams were scheduled to play with several scheduled for vying for other spots.

There was no guarantee that any Orioles players would be in the 2021 WBC, but former O’s might be. And, the WBC goes beyond MLB as players represent their home countries, and often, their stories become a major part of the event. For example, in 2017, Florida-native Machado joined the Dominican Republic team because he wanted to stand behind his ancestral home. He told his story in The Players’ Tribune.

Hopefully, things will change soon. But for now, we are in this together, and we have to keep plugging along with any positive baseball nuggets we get. Fortunately, there are still good things happening in the MLB world.