Despaigne and Cepeda Make Up MLB's All-Star Team of Excellence

July 14, 2022

Four World Baseball Classics have been held and, as we approach the fifth edition, a few days ago MLB.com did something new and different. To the all-star teams that are selected after each event concludes, they added one that carries the pride of making it to a new level.

It is an "All Stars" that brings together the best from the four tournaments held in its roster. Two Cubans have been selected as part of the squad and even one of them with shades of a starring role accompanied by none other than Japanese superstar Daisuke Matsuzaka.

MLB took on the task of creating the "All Star" of all World Baseball Classics. To their surprise, two Cubans are part of the selection. Alfredo Despaigne in left field and Friederich Cepeda as designated hitter. Even more, they stand out as the best of the best....

— Jesús Fernández ??⚾️ (@jesusLCA2017) July 8, 2022

The selection is made up of two Dominican players (Robinsón Canó and Fernando Rodney), two Puerto Ricans (Iván Rodríguez and Carlos Beltrán), two Japanese players (Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka), one American (Jimmy Rollings), one Mexican (Jorge Cantú) and the two Cubans, Alfredo Despaigne and Frederich Cepeda, of whom the publication announcing the group says that he "heads the roster."

It is that the Spiritus native has participated in all four tournaments held (only player to do so). Likewise, he is the leader in hits (32), RBIs (23), runs scored (19) and second in home runs with six. Another interesting milestone that makes him worthy of the tournament's highest distinction is the fact of being the only one to hit home runs from both sides in the event.

Cepeda (25 games, .381 average) is part of the squad as designated hitter, even though he hasn't been in that role all the time. Thus a space opens up for left field to be occupied by a thoroughbred.

Said that way it seems like pure epithet but if we put a name and surname to it things change. It is that Alfredo Despaigne earned a place in the group by force of his "strength."

The Granma native is the absolute leader in the tournament in home runs with seven after 17 games and 54 at-bats. If we only consider the classics of 2013 and 2017 then the "horse of horses" displays six home runs in just 12 games and an average of .432 (.370 for his entire tournament participation).

The legacy of both would undoubtedly be extended when the next event is held in March 2023 to which they could and should be selected.