Finally, the World Baseball Classic returns to screens in 2023 after a two-year, pandemic-induced hiatus, with its largest field and debatably the greatest gathering of players so far. After two qualifying events last September, the Classic will be happening across the globe. These are the answers to frequently asked questions about the World Baseball Classica and how it works. What is the World Baseball Classic? The Baseball Classic is like the World Cup event, but for baseball, where different talents across the globe are showcased. It is authorized by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with MLB. The Classic is the only baseball tournament by the WBSC that confers the title of  “World Champion.’’ How can you watch and listen to the game? Games from the event will be broadcasted live on Fox, FS1, FS2, Tubi and Fox Deportes.  Viewers can find information on international broadcasts. Highlights, recaps, condensed games and other tournament coverage is displayed on MLB.com, WorldBaseballClassic.com, MLB Network and in the MLB App too. Live audio coverage of all matches will be shown on SiriusXM, TuneIn, MLB.com and in the MLB App. Who is the defending champion of the World Baseball Champion? Team USA won the tournament in 2017 for the first time. How many Classic tournaments have there been? The World Baseball Classic tournament has happened four times. It started in 2006. Held again in 2009 (Japan), 2013 (Dominican Republic), and 2017. This year’s own is the fifth time. How many teams play in the tournament? In 2023, the total number of teams playing is 20, an increase from 16. What teams are there and how do they rank? In the first round, teams are assigned, and ranked in pools, based on: First, the team representing each pool’s host country/ territory. Second, the team(s) that played in the final four of the 2017 Classic will be assigned next as the top teams for each pool. The remaining teams will be assigned based on December 31, 2021, WBSC rankings to ensure competitive balance. The pool list and rankings are below: Pool A – Taichung, Taiwan Chinese Taipei Netherlands Cuba Italy Panama Pool B – Tokyo, Japan Japan Korea Australia China Czech Republic Pool C – Phoenix, AZ, USA United States of America Mexico Colombia Canada Great Britain Pool D – Miami, Fla., USA Puerto Rico Venezuela Dominican Republic Israel Nicaragua Can I watch the games in person? Yes. The list of host cities above can provide more information, and tickets can be bought here. What format is the tournament using? Pool play is a round-robin, double-elimination tournament. From there, the two top teams in every pool progress to, an eight-team, single-elimination bracket. What is the schedule? Find complete information for the schedule. The schedule for every pool in the World Baseball Classic happens like this: Pool A: March 8-12 Pool B: March 9-13 Pool C: March 11-15 Pool D: March 11-15 Quarterfinals No. 1: March 15-16 in Tokyo (winners and runners-up from Pools A and B) Quarterfinals No. 2: March 17-18 in Miami (winners and runners-up from Pools C and D) Semifinals: March 19-20 in Miami Championship game: March 21 in Miami Which players will participate in this year’s World Baseball Classic? Players participating in this year’s classic are Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, and Mookie Betts. More information on roasters can be seen here. What are the roaster requirements? Each team’s final, 30-man roster must include at least 14 pitchers and at least two catchers. What is the designated pitcher pool? Every team can identify a designated pool of 10 pitchers who qualify to participate in one or more consecutive rounds. The list of pitchers was submitted when the provisional and final rosters were due. A team who wants to use the pitcher pool must have one or two pitchers from the pool on its final roster. If they can’t list a pitcher from the pool on its submitted roster, they will be barred from using the designated pitcher pool for the rest of the event. When a pool pitcher is listed on a tournament roster and removed before the next round, he can no longer participate.  After every round, a pitcher from an advancing team’s designated pitcher pool may be replaced on the final roster with another pitcher from the pool, as long as no member of the pool is added back to his federation final roster once he has been replaced. How is player eligibility for a team determined? A player is eligible if they meet these criteria: The player appeared on a team’s final roster in the past, at the beginning of a World Baseball Classic qualifier or tournament round; or The player is a citizen of the team’s country or territory, as indicated by a valid passport the player holds as of three months to the start of the tournament; or The player is currently a permanent legal resident of the team’s country or territory; or The player was born in the team’s country or territory, as shown by a birth certificate or its equivalent; or The player has at least one parent who is (or, if deceased, was), a citizen of the team’s country or territory; or The player has at least one parent who was born in the team’s country or territory; or The player presents documentary evidence that he would be granted citizenship or a passport in due course under the laws of the team’s country or territory if he were to apply for such citizenship or passport. Is there a cap on how many players can participate from a single MLB club? Yes. The maximum number is 15 players from any team or 10 from an active Major League roster or injured list as of August 31, 2023. How does World Baseball Classic handle injuries? An injured player on a team’s roster is replaced by another player who is on their available player list. Only a pitcher can replace a

Connor McDavid the Edmonton Oilers captain has scored twice to boost his NHL-leading goal to 54, setting a career-high with 124 points in a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. McDavid makes a case to win his third Hart Trophy for MVP in eight seasons, with his 12th multigoal game of the season, aiding the Oilers to secure two crucial points in a packed Western Conference race to the playoffs. “The finish was all-world,” Jay Woodcroft the Edmonton Oilers coach said about McDavid scoring the first goal on the fly by defeating Craig Anderson through the legs 3:23 into the third period, less than a minute after Buffalo tied the game at 2.  McDavid’s 124 points in 65 games are over the career best he set in 80 games last year, and the All-Star centre took his points streak to 11 games, in which he has 12 goals and 15 assists. “I saw someone that was competitive right from the puck drop,” Woodcroft said. “Connor’s at a different evolutionary stage in his game right now, and I think everyone saw that here tonight.” It is not often that a crowd from the Eastern Conference gets to watch Connor McDavid play in person and for that game, they seem to have gotten their money’s worth; although the Sabres failed to pick up two points in their fight for a wild-card berth. “Who’s more likely to make a big play than him?” Zach Hyman said. “He’s the best player in the world, and he’s pushing his own boundaries. He’s been driving the bus for a long time and continues to get better.” Derek Ryan scored too, while Stuart Skinner blocked 37 shots for Edmonton, who rose to 5-4-3 in their past 12 and came back from a 7-5 loss at Winnipeg on Saturday. Meanwhile, Jeff Skinner and Dylan Cozens scored for the Sabres and Anderson blocked 34 shots. By dropping to 6-4 in its last 10 games, the Sabres resumed its season-long struggles at Buffalo in losing five of their past seven. The Sabres have been in the middle of an NHL-worst 11-season playoff drought but stay in the mix and have games in hand on most of its competition. The day started with four points demarcating the New York Islanders who were in seventh place from the Buffalo Sabres which are in ninth place; locked in a four-way tie with 68 points. The Sabres coach Don Granato did not say if he thought McDavid to be a step ahead of everyone else in the league, out of deference to his own players. But, Granato had no other option but to sing the praises of the Oiler’s captain, who scored twice on three shots on net. “He’s got 50-plus for a reason, he doesn’t need many [shots],” Granato said. “He’s done that to lots of teams and goaltenders, and he was ready for his opportunities. That’s what makes him special.” The Edmonton Oilers (35-22-8) share a tie with Seattle for third place in the Pacific Divison.  After opening the scoring in the first period, McDavid scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, immediately after Cozens tied the game. Warren Foegele moved up to the left wing to take the Sabres’ zone and then spun to hit McDavid in stride cutting up the middle. McDavid steered to his left to get by defender Jacob Bryson and fired a shot through Anderson’s legs. It was McDavid’s ninth game-winning goal of the season after he started the day in a four-way tie for second and one behind teammate Leon Draisaitl. Connor McDavid and the Oilers will play the NHL-best Boston Bruins next on Thursday night. Quick Recap: NHL Expert Picks; Buffalo Sabres Vs Edmonton Oilers Predictions Today