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Photo: Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images San Diego Padres prospect Ethan Salas quietly made his spring training debut this month — at just 16 years of age. Why it matters: Salas is almost certainly one of the youngest, if not the youngest player, to ever appear in a Major League Baseball spring training game. We asked MLB historian John Thorn, MIAMI — Shohei Ohtani sparked a ninth-inning rally with a leadoff double, and Munetaka Murakami hit a walk-off, two-run double to lift Japan over Mexico 6-5 Monday night and into the World Baseball Classic final. Yu Darvish is set to start when Japan faces the defending champion United States in Tuesday night’s championship game — Japan has won the tournament MIAMI — The United States was in trouble. The defending World Baseball Classic champion trailed Venezuela by two runs in the eighth inning of a quarterfinal on Saturday night at loanDepot Park. Facing a tough team that had overcome an injury to a star player to take the lead, the right to advance the semifinals was on the line. Then Illustration: Sarah Grillo For the first time ever, Cuban Major League Baseball players are representing their country at the World Baseball Classic. But some of the nation's biggest stars are watching from home — and not by choice. The backdrop: Due to the United States' 60-plus-year trade embargo on Cuba, players in the baseball-crazed nation wishing to pursue an MLB The Israeli national baseball team was the darling of the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Israel won its first four games at that tournament, with three notable upsets, and advanced to the second round. A documentary detailed the players’ memorable journey and a stuffed mascot — the Mensch on a Bench — gained worldwide fame. That team, which featured a handful PEORIA, Ariz. — Bob Melvin could not have known that puzzle-building was going to be a vital skill when he signed on to manage the San Diego Padres. But with a rollicking roster stuffed with top-shelf talent, and an almost absurd abundance of shortstops, here he is, pieces tumbling from the box and strewn all over the table. Xander Bogaerts’s After hiring a new head coach, the University of Northern Colorado baseball’s staff development is underway and the first hire was made this week. Mike Anderson earned the top job earlier this summer and announced Wednesday that Shane Opitz will return to the program. Opitz, initially hired in 2019, was a volunteer assistant coach during the shortened 2020 season. “I After years of speculation and failed legal arguments, the “Yankees letter” became public before Tuesday’s games began. It confirms that the Bombers’ players used the video replay room to steal signs and decode pitch sequences in 2015 and 2016 and tried to use runners on second base to relay them to the hitters. While it will not matter to fansEthan Salas: 16-year-old phenom
World Baseball Classic: Shohei Ohtani, Japan rally late, edge Mexico
United States Blasts Its Way Into W.B.C. Semifinals
The state of Cuban baseball
Team Israel Leans In on Its David and Goliath Story
The Padres Are Not Worried About Sustainability
Northern Colorado baseball adds Shane Opitz to coaching staff
Baseball reacts to release of letter that outlined team’s sign- and pitch sequence-stealing methods in 2015 and 2016 – The Denver Post