Japan won the 2023 World Baseball Classic, going undefeated in the tournament behind fantastic team play and a winning mentality. MLB legend Alex Rodriguez was present at the games in the latter stage of the competition. He commentated for the last few games, including the Semi-Finals and Finals as a part of his role with FOX. During those games, he enjoyed the displays put on by players representing their nations. Also, he gave fans a sneak peek of his all-time dream team.

He particularly lauded Shohei Ohtani, who was crucial in Japan winning the WBC, even comparing him to Babe Ruth. But the Global tournament seems to have taken Rodriguez down memory lane. Most recently, he gave us a glimpse of a Team USA involving him and Derek Jeter that never came to be.

Alex Rodriguez shows us what Team USA would have looked like in 1998

The World Baseball Classic was first played in 2006, so many massive superstars didn’t get the chance to play it. Most recently, Alex Rodriguez posted an Instagram Story in which he shared an Instagram Post by ‘mlbelites_’. In the post was a list of players that would have headlined Team USA if the WBC had taken place in 1998. 

The names include 2B Derek Jeter, CF Ken Griffey Jr., SS Alex Rodriguez, LF Barry Bonds, DH Mark McGwire, 3B Chipper Jones, RF Albert Belle, 1B John Olerud, and C Jason Kendall. For the pitchers, it would be Roger Clemens, Kevin Brown, Greg Maddux, and Randy Johnson as starters. Trevor Hoffman, Rod Beck, Tom Gordon, and Troy Percival would be the relief pitchers.

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This is a truly stacked team, but, unfortunately, they never got the chance to play together. If the WBC had happened in 1998, this Team USA squad would have been unstoppable. Rodriguez only played in one edition of the WBC, but the 2023 edition seemed to give him a good impression of Shohei Ohtani. 

A-Rod predicts that Shohei Ohtani will become the first $50 million-a-year player

Alex Rodriguez recently appeared on the ‘Michael Kay Show’, during which he predicted which three teams are in the Shohei Ohtani free agency sweepstakes. But, he also lauded Ohtani and said that he will be the first player to earn $50 million a year. He holds the Japanese star in high regard, especially after his 2023 WBC heroics. 

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What do you think of the 1998 Team USA squad shared by Alex Rodriguez? Do you think they would have dominated the WBC if it had happened that year? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.