Cuba performs the ultimate decoy play on China in the WBC

In Monday morning's World Baseball Classic matchup between Cuba and China, the Cuban team showed just why exactly they're one of the favorites in this tournament. 

In the top of the second inning, Chinese runner Fujia Chu steals second base after Cuban catcher Eriel Sanchez dropped a pitch from pitcher Danny Betancourt as Sanchez was rising to his feet to throw down to second to catch Chu stealing. Sanchez then pretends that hitter Wei Wang fouled the ball off.

Chu then casually begins to trot back to first base, when Sanchez alertly throws down to first and gets Chu in a rundown, eventually erasing him from the basepaths and snuffing the Chinese rally before it even truly began.

Cuba won the game 12-0, and clinched a spot in the second round of the tournament along with Team Japan. The two countries will play for the top  spot in Pool A on Wednesday morning at 5 AM. China will face Brazil at 3 AM on Tuesday, with the winner taking third place in the pool and the loser finishing winless in last place, forcing them into a qualifier for the next WBC in 2017.

About Joe Lucia

I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.

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