Every three years, in the month of March, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) sanctions an international baseball tournament -- the World Baseball Classic -- in which the best players in the world compete for their home countries.
With that being said, it's time to check in on six members of the Phillies representing their home countries in this year's World Baseball Classic.
Venezuela, which has suffered two straight losses in the second round of the WBC, has the most Phillies of any team in the tournament … a grand total of two: Odubel Herrera and Edubray Ramos.
Herrera, in five games, has one hit. He's batting .091 (1 for 11). If there is any silver lining, the Phillies' centerfielder has struck out just once.
Ramos has yet to make a pitching appearance.
The Dominican Republic and the United States, who are in the same second-round pool as Venezuela, feature Hector Neris and Pat Neshek, respectively.
Neris (Dominican Republic) has pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowed two hits (one home run), no walks and picked up a strikeout.
MLB
Neshek (United States) picked up the victory in the United States' come-from-behind 4-2 win over Venezuela on Wednesday night in San Diego. He pitched a scoreless eighth before the United States tied the game and took the lead on solo home runs from Adam Jones and Eric Hosmer. Neshek has allowed only two hits in his 2 2/3 innings in this tournament.
Columbia, which was eliminated after going 1-2 in the first round, featured Phillies catching prospect Jorge Alfaro. He had a good tournament despite being short-lived. Alfaro hit .250 (3 for 12) with one home run.
Canada -- which went a dreadful 0-3 in round one resulting in elimination -- featured Phillies pitching prospect Nick Pivetta, who pitched 12 games between Double A Reading and Triple A Lehigh Valley last season.
Pivetta pitched in four innings for Canada. He posted a 2.25 ERA and allowed five hits and one run.
Team Italy featured pitching prospect Nick Fanti, who threw just one inning and gave up two hits. Italy went 1-3 in the first round as the club was eliminated from the tournament.
Finally, pitching prospect Kenny Koplove (no appearances in the tournament) represented Israel, which made an exit in the second round after going 1-3. The club was 3-0 in round one.