PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- It was almost exactly a decade ago that David Wright earned his “Captain America” nickname, a moniker he appreciated but that his humility never fully allowed him to embrace. The nickname came naturally, as all the best ones do: Wright dominated the World Baseball Classic just as rumors were swirling that the Mets planned to make him captain. When Wright left that tournament early because of an oblique injury, his USA teammates hung a superhero cap in the dugout to recognize him.
More than perhaps any American player, Wright, who was interviewed on the broadcast during the Mets' 6-2 loss on Thursday, is synonymous with the WBC. He starred in the second iteration of the tournament in 2009, hitting a walk-off single against Puerto Rico in the second round to stave off elimination for Team USA. Four years later, he drove home 10 runs in four games before injury cut short his run.
Although it’s hard for Wright to believe a decade has passed since that time -- “Maybe I am old,” he said Thursday after arriving at Mets camp for his annual trip -- the evidence is plain to see. None of Wright’s former WBC teammates are taking part in this year’s tournament. Most are retired. (Two were actually in Port St. Lucie on Thursday: Adam Jones, who’s working for the Baseball Assistance Team, and J.P. Arencibia, a Minor League bench coach for the Mets.)
Old or not, Wright remains a foremost expert on the tournament.
“When you talk about the WBC, it always brings a smile to my face because I really, really enjoyed the experience,” Wright said. “Getting a chance to take the field with -- in my eyes -- some of the best to ever play the game and to see how they prepare, to see how they compete, to see their routines before the games was something that I think helped me as a player.”
In his Manhattan Beach, Calif., home, Wright has two jerseys hanging on a wall. One is his Mets jersey from the 2015 World Series. The other is his Team USA jersey from the WBC.
“It was very important to me,” he said.
Asked what his advice would be for Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil or any other first-timer in this year’s tournament, Wright deadpanned: “Do well. Don’t embarrass the country."
The former Mets captain was full of jokes on Thursday, seeming happy and carefree as more distance builds between him and his playing career. Although Wright isn’t an official on-field instructor this spring -- he’s in Florida mostly for marketing purposes -- he did spend time talking with prospects Brett Baty and Mark Vientos in a back room of the clubhouse. Vientos wore No. 5 as a youth because he grew up rooting for Wright and the Mets. Much like Wright in the early 2000s, both Vientos and Baty have legitimate claims to be the Mets’ third baseman of the future.
Wright understands that and is happy to help in what ways he can. He’s among several alumni to arrive at camp this week, along with Edgardo Alfonzo and Darryl Strawberry.
Manager Buck Showalter considers it important to keep such resources handy, saying, “You’re glad when they’re back here.”
All have their specific areas of expertise, such as Wright’s WBC knowledge. Like Alonso and McNeil, Wright never made the cut for Team USA youth teams, so he relished the opportunity to take part in 2009 and 2013, batting .300/.400/.458 with three doubles, a grand slam and a stolen base over 12 tournament games played.
For now, Wright doesn’t have a desire to follow his friend Michael Cuddyer into a leadership position at USA Baseball, because he’s content spending most of his time as a stay-at-home dad. Wright’s youngest, 2-year-old Brooks, recently broke a chandelier playing baseball inside the house. Dad beamed as he whipped out his phone on Thursday to show videos of the left-handed Brooks swinging a plastic bat.
He also made the obligatory joke about the 2038 MLB Draft shaping up to be a strong one, considering Brooks is about three months younger than Beckham Trout, the son of Angels superstar Mike. But perhaps there’s another connection in play given Trout’s standing as Team USA captain.
The sons of Captain America and America’s captain one day taking the field together? Amazingly, the WBC’s future may have as much potential as the present.