Team manager Jon Deeble has warned favourites Australia are in for a torrid struggle at this week's World Baseball Classic qualifying tournament, despite being ranked well above the other three nations.
The winner of the four-day tournament at Sydney's Blacktown International Sports Park will advance to the WBC finals in March 2017.
Deeble has named a powerful 28-man Australian squad including nine players affiliated to American Major League clubs, while the other three teams boast a combined total of just seven.
Five of the pitchers at his disposal are linked to Major League organisations - Sam Gibbons and Steensel Van (Minnesota), Steven Kent (Atlanta), Peter Moylan (Kansas City) and Warwick Saupold (Detroit), plus two free agents in Ryan Rowland-Smith and Travis Blackley.
The Australian roster also includes short stop Logan Wade, infielder James Beresford, and outfielder Aaron Whitefield all attached to Minnesota and catcher Matt Kennelly (Atlanta).
And there's plenty of recent good form on tap with eight of the squad coming from new Australian Baseball League champions Brisbane Bite.
Australia are world ranked 14th, ahead of the Philippines (23rd), New Zealand (26th) and South Africa (29th).
But Deeble emphasised the rankings were impacted by results of junior level world championships, as well as international matches at senior level.
"We should be favourites, but you can't take those rankings into account," Deeble told AAP.
"New Zealand have got a couple of Big Leaguers, this is not going to be a walk in the park.
"The team from the Philippines, they've got two or three former Major League players.
"South Africa, I was in South Africa a couple of weeks ago. This team is really good.
"Everyone thinks it's going to be a walk in the park and it's not.
"We're going to need to be at our very best because it comes down to one game."
Pitch counts imposed by the competition and also the Major League clubs means Deeble will have of plenty to think about as he juggles his resources.
The tournament represents a rare opportunity for the Australian team to play at home, where they have had just four matches in the past two years.
"We keep it simple, we keep it short, sharp and to the point," Deeble said.
"We don't have motivational speeches and things like that. We just work with our guys in executing what they can do."
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