And Pillar could have been part of the Cinderella story, in the first time Israel has qualified for the event. That’s Team Israel as in the unlikely squad wowing the World Baseball Classic, 2-0 in the round-robin phase after stomping Chinese Taipei (ranked No. Pillar’s thumb on his catching hand went under the scalpel last October, immediately after the Jays were ousted from post-season labours. Pillar had been coveted by Team Israel management for a squad made up of minor-leaguers, ex-major-league journeymen and part-timers. I have a body of work off most guys I’m going to face.”So now it’s about refining approach, which is why he had bi-weekly sessions with hitting coach Brook Jacoby over the winter.

Source: thestar March 08, 2017 23:26 UTC