SURPRISE, Ariz. — Luis Robert Jr. was back in White Sox camp Wednesday, the better for having played in the World Baseball Classic.
The intensity, high stakes environment and pressure of wearing Cuba’s colors had their value for him as a player.
What’s more, the experience was like nothing he had gone through before.
“It was a beautiful experience,” Robert said Wednesday through translator Billy Russo. “It was all that I imagined. It was very special to represent my country.”
Team Cuba teammate Yoan Moncada, who made the WBC All-Tournament Team after batting .435 with a home run, four doubles, five RBI, four runs scored and a 1.258 OPS in six games, is expected back in camp Thursday. So are Team USA players Tim Anderson, Kendall Graveman and Lance Lynn.
Robert expects to play Thursday, which is one week before the season opener in Houston. So the focus shifts to the Sox and getting ready for a 162-game marathon season as opposed to an intense tournament.
“I’m going to just stick to my routine,” he said. “What I was doing before I went to the World Classic, try to stay healthy, try to make my body stronger. Hopefully I’m going to have a healthy season and won’t have any trouble. But thus far I feel good and don’t feel I have to change anything.”
Robert — who was 7-for-27 with one double, two walks and eight strikeouts in six games — and Moncada batted 2-3 in Cuba’s lineup. Robert compared playing for Cuba, which lost 14-2 to Team USA in the semifinals, to the Sox playing the Astros in the American League Division series in 2021.
“It just felt different because you are representing your country and you know that your whole country is watching and supporting you,” he said. “It was the first time in six years we had this event. It’s just different. The sentiments about that are completely different. Yeah, it’s just that, the weight you have on your shoulders is bigger because it’s your country.”
And as Robert said, every game is high stakes.
“You have all the adrenaline and just the pressure to win,” he said. “Because out and go back home. Every single game mattered.
“The intensity and urgency of the games definitely helped me.”
Perhaps it was the intensity that revved up Moncada’s engine when he somewhat recklessly crashed into Cuban left fielder Roel Santos during Sunday’s blowout loss, forcing him to exit with a bruised rib. Manager Pedro Grifol said Moncada should be ready to resume playing soon, however.
“He told me if he had to play, he’s ready to go,” Grifol said. “He wants to start playing already. He’s in a good spot.”
Grifol liked seeing Moncada draw four walks and hit for power.
“He just played baseball the way baseball needs to be played. We’ll continue that,” Grifol said.
“Luis is Luis. He’s a dynamic talent. Just to watch him move around out there in center field is really special for me to see. He’ll bring a little bit of everything to us.”
Grifol liked watching the WBC.
“The WBC has helped everybody, the guys that went there played tough baseball in a really good environment,” Grifol said. “The guys that stayed here got a lot of ABs and got time that they might not have been able to get if the other guys were here.”
But he likes having his guys back even more.
“So we can move forward,” he said.
