The World Baseball Classic is less than a week away, beginning March 5-17, and Chicago Cubs infielder, first baseman Jonathon Long, will not be attending due to a left elbow sprain.
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Long, 24, is competing to win a spot on the Cubs Opening Day roster, and decided not to attend the World Baseball Classic was the best thing for his future.
“You’ve got to look at it like, what’s the best long-term solution?” Long told Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. “Obviously, in the short term, I want to go. But we’re more inclined to push through something that we shouldn’t push through with such a strict timeline.”
Long was one of the best-hitting prospects in the Cubs organization, batting .305 with an OPS of .883 and 20 home runs in 140 games with the Iowa Cubs. Long also showed his ability to get on base (.404) and walked 79 times in 514 at-bats. Long was going to represent Team Chinese-Taipei (Taiwan) in the World Baseball Classic.
Jonathon Long is making the smart decision to improve his chances of making the Chicago Cubs
Despite the injury setback, Long has a great chance to make the Cubs as a bench bat, as his main competition, first baseman Tyler Austin, had surgery on his right knee and could miss “months.” Long also plays third base and left field, offering manager Craig Counsell some versatility to give starting third baseman Alex Bregman and left fielder Ian Happ days off.
Catchers Miguel Amaya and Moises Ballesteros will also get some work over at first, with Long having the edge as the Cubs need a right-handed power bat.
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