Albert Pujols: 'Our shared goal is to bring home another World Baseball Classic championship for the Dominican Republic'
"We are in World Baseball Classic mode." With these words, the Dominican Republic's General Manager for the WBC, Nelson Cruz, summed up the 90-minute-long press conference where his recently announced manager, Albert Pujols, addressed the Dominican media via online.
Joined on the Zoom call by Cruz and committee members David Ortiz, Pedro Martínez, Adrián Beltré, and Edwin Encarnación, the Dominican Republic's manager wasted no time in announcing his coaching staff for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
"First and foremost, I want to thank Nelson Cruz, Juan Núñez, and the committee for their trust and belief in me," Pujols said. "I also want to thank the staff that will be working with me to assemble the best possible team so that we can bring home another World Baseball Classic championship for the Dominican Republic. That is our goal and objective. I am extremely proud of this opportunity and grateful to everyone."
With these words, Pujols introduced his staff, which includes Plácido Polanco (Bench Coach); Gilbert Gómez (Assistant Coach); Fernando Tatis Sr. (Hitting Coach); Jorge Mejía (Hitting Coach Assistant); René Rojas (Hitting Coordinator); Olympic bronze medal-winning manager Hector Borg (1B Coach); Tony Díaz (3B Coach); Wellington Cepeda (Pitching Coach); Joel Peralta (Pitching Coach Assistant); and Jose Cano (Bullpen Coach). "Since many of these players will return to their regular seasons after the Classic, we need a strong support system to ensure they stay prepared," he analysed. "We are also working on securing permission to add a couple more coaches to assist in player development."
Asked about his feelings on representing the Dominican Republic at the highest international level, Pujols mentioned it is truly a pleasure and an honour for him to represent his country once again in the World Baseball Classic. “It is a great honour to raise our flag high. I will do my best to prepare the players to win this tournament,” he said.
With one year to go for the World Baseball Classic, the Dominican Republic are already a clear favourite to win their second title with a potential roster full of MLB superstars. One key to success will be managing clubhouse chemistry among these high-profile players.
"It is natural for elite players to have confidence and a strong competitive spirit," said Cruz. "However, our message to the players, the press, and the Dominican fans is that we are all one team with a shared goal - bringing the championship back to the Dominican Republic."
Pujols is also aware of the huge amount of talent available to select the final Domincan roster, but he also knows that a lot of work must be done to reach success at the highest level. "We have been blessed with immense talent, but communication is key. As we assemble the team, we will ensure that every player understands their role," he mentioned. "Our responsibility as a committee, as a coaching staff, and as a management team is to eliminate egos and emphasise that representing the Dominican Republic is about the team, not individual players. Our only objective is to win, and that requires everyone to set aside personal achievements for the greater good."
Fellow committee member and veteran of the 2009 Dominican World Baseball Classic team David Ortiz also expressed the same idea. "The Dominican Republic has been one of the top producers of baseball players outside of the United States, not just players but superstars," agreed Ortiz. "But that doesn’t automatically mean we have the best or most complete talent. When I watched Japan play last year, from the very start of the Classic, I saw an extremely well-prepared team. We cannot assume that just because we produce the most players, we automatically have the best and most complete team. No, we need to prepare ourselves."
The Dominican Republic still remembers the lesson learnt when it was eliminated from the 2009 World Baseball Classic at the hands of the Netherlands, 3-2. "We have since understood that there are no weak opponents. That remains our mindset - every game is a battle, regardless of the opponent," Cruz made clear.
Preparation wise, Pujols feels that his experience as a player is helping him now in the managerial role. "There is little difference between playing and managing. As a player, you play every inning as if it’s your last," said the former first baseman, a member of the 700-home run club with a secure path to the Hall of Fame. "I apply the same mindset as a manager. I also give a lot of credit to my staff, who will help me guide this team to success."
Cruz mentioned that building a team from scratch requires a great deal of work and effort from many people. "We will need contributions from each of them, just as we did in the previous Classic," he said.
However, it is still too early to start thinking about player selection and roster composition. “We hope that each player remains healthy and has an excellent season. When the time comes, the type of roster will be determined"
"We are in World Baseball Classic mode. This press conference proves it. Unlike in previous editions, we are planning early, assembling our team well in advance, and ensuring that every player stays healthy and focused on our shared goal - bringing the championship back to the Dominican Republic," he concluded.