World Baseball Classic fans rooting for Team Czech Republic’s all-amateur squad: "I hope they win it all" "They play for love of the game"

The 2023 World Baseball Classic is less than two weeks away, and fans are already falling in love with Team Czech Republic. The small European nation of under 11 million people is well known for producing tremendous soccer and hockey players, but only around 7,000 people play baseball.

Despite this, the Czechs are making their WBC Tournament debut with an all-amateur roster. The Czech Republic stunned Spain 3-1 in a WBC qualifier in September to earn its berth in the 18-team tournament. Spain had defeated the Czechs 21-7 just days earlier.

While many nations that compete in the World Baseball Classic do so with the help of players from Major League Baseball or other international major leagues, Team Czech Republic is taking the field with an entirely amateur lineup.

All but four members of the team were born in the Czech Republic. Three were born in the USA – but one, outfielder Matej Mensik, is old enough to have been born in Czechoslovakia. Mensik was born on May 11, 1992, nearly eight months before Czechoslovakia was split into the Czech and Slovak Republics on Jan. 1, 1993.

Some baseball fans took a look at the Czech lineup and imagined an ugly tournament for the debutants.

The team's catcher, Martin Červenka, played minor league baseball in the United States and became the first Czech-born player to appear in an MLB game when he came on as a defensive substitute in a Baltimore Orioles spring training game in 2019. However, he now works as a sales representative.

He joins a squad that introduced themselves and their occupations when they aren't playing baseball in a tweet from the WBC on Thursday. Fans' hearts were warmed by seeing ordinary guys willing to step up to the plate for their country.

While the Czech Republic may be lucky to win a WBC game, many are backing the team as their sentimental favorite to win the tournament. After all, baseball in the spring is all about dreams.

And, well, if any of the Czech outfielders stand out in this year's World Baseball Classic, New York Yankees fans would like to have a conversation about them taking over for Aaron Hicks this season.

Czech Republic opens World Baseball Classic play on March 9

Team Czech Republic is in Pool B of this year's World Baseball Classic field. They open tournament play against China on March 9, before taking on two-time WBC champion Japan two days later. The Czechs also play Korea and Australia in their pool play games.