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Team USA should beat the Dominican Republic

MIAMI — One team remains undefeated in the third World Baseball Classic, and it isn't Team USA. Seeking to bury its disappointing early exit in 2009, the Dominican Republic reeled off four victories, six if you include exhibitions against the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees.

As productive as David "Captain America" Wright has been with his 10 RBIs, another New York superstar, Robinson Cano, has been the tournament's MVP. To paraphrase his Yankees teammate Ichiro Suzuki's favorite American phrase, Cano has been hotter than two rats in a sock getting it on. At 12-for-19 with two homers, Cano has five more hits than anyone on the U.S. side.

Robinson Cano leads the way for the Dominican Republic. (AP Photo)

U.S. vs. Dominican Republic, 7 p.m. ET, Marlins Park, Miami

As much as the Dominicans have been dancing in the dugout, it is clear they are playing with as much joy as purpose. They have plenty of determination, too, after failing to reach the championship round in the last WBC.

"They came mentally and physically prepared to perform better this year," Dominican Republic general manager Moises Alou said Wednesday while watching his team work out at Marlins Park. "What you're seeing is the result of guys who hadn't played winter ball in years who played winter ball this year. Hanley Ramirez, Erick Aybar, Nelson Cruz and others."

Sitting one victory from reaching the championship round, their efforts are paying off. But despite all the momentum and a dynamic lineup, the Dominican Republic should not defeat Team USA when the teams meet for the first time in WBC history Thursday night at Marlins Park.

No way, no how.

This isn't only because Team USA boasts more All-Stars (14-7), MVPs (3-1) and Cy Young Award winners (1-0) on its roster, either. These three reasons are just as convincing:

They're putting the team in Team USA

Say what you want about manager Joe Torre's in-game decisions, but his decision to dump a dream-team concept for a more-rounded roster is paying off.

"It's important that you don't have two All-Stars at every position," Team USA starter R.A. Dickey said Wednesday. "I don't think that works, as we have proven in the past. This is a different strategy and so far, it feels good to everybody."

Their chemistry has been noticed in the opposing dugout.

"I see an American team more together this time," Alou said. "You can see the patriotism on that team. The guys are playing hard and the guys are in better shape."

Look who's pitching for the Dominican Republic

While the Americans will start a reigning Cy Young winner in Dickey, the Dominicans will turn to Sam Deduno. You aren't the only one who hasn't heard of him. Deduno is a 29-year-old righthander who has spent most of his eight pro seasons in the minors. Based on his 45-45 record and 4.18 ERA in the minors, that is where he has belonged.

Deduno won't even have the element of surprise on his side. Team USA catcher/DH Joe Mauer is as familiar with him as any player. Mauer caught eight of the 15 major league starts that Deduno made in 2012. Deduno's stuff, which features a four-seam fastball that acts more like a sinker, isn't the issue. He walked 53 batters in 79 innings in those 15 starts in 2012, and that bodes well for a U.S. lineup that knows how to grind out at-bats.

Look who's running the shows

When Torre was with the Yankees, Dominican Republic manager Tony Pena worked for him—not the other way around.

You can criticize Torre's in-game decisions all you wish but that never has been his forte. He someday will enter the Hall of Fame as a manager because of the way he handles his players (well, that, and the four World Series championships). Pena, a baseball lifer, learned plenty working in Torre's dugout.

The most lasting lesson?

"He lets his players play," said Pena who, like Torre, had a distinguished playing career. "We're not playing. We give direction. They play."

Based on how Pena is approaching the U.S., it is clear he also picked up on Torre's ways of dealing with the media. As in, downplay everything, even the most anticipated game in the Dominican Republic history.

"We have to play the United States like any other team," Pena said. "We want to beat every single team that we face. This means not only United States. Whoever we face, we want to win."

But Alou, who has lived in the Dominican Republic since his retirement in 2008, knows better.

"Every game is a big deal," he said. "They're not worrying about all the things that are going on right now with politics, with safety. Everybody is concentrating on what is happening in the WBC, especially (Thursday's) game. Finally, these two teams are going to face each other after two WBCs."

The teams could end up meeting twice more before a champion is decided in the tournament. If Thursday's loser wins the loser's bracket final on Friday, it then plays Thursday's winner for the pool championship on Saturday. Both teams that play Saturday then will head off to the championship round in San Francisco, where they could meet Tuesday for the WBC championship.

"Hopefully we're going to face each other three times and hopefully, we come out on top," Alou said.

If they meet the Americans three times, the Dominicans will need three upsets to sweep them.

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