Ricardo Nanita and his Gold Medal

Ricardo Nanita is a good player, as we all saw back in the 2011 championship season. Last year, he continued to confirm that statement, hitting better than .300 for the third consecutive season.

Despite posting a career minor league average just a few points below the magical .300 line, Nanita has never played in the big leagues in better than ten seasons of pro ball. However, that didn't stop the outfielder from earning a spot on the roster for his native Dominican Republic in this year's World Baseball Classic.

Nanita recently chatted with broadcaster Tom Gauthier about his experience winning the gold and growing up in a baseball-mad country.

Tom Gauthier: What was it like to win the World Baseball Classic representing your home country?

Ricardo Nanita: It was the greatest thing that ever happened to me, being with those superstars in the big leagues.

TG: How did you get selected to play on a team with major league all-stars like Jose Reyes and Robinson Cano?

RN: Everybody knows me because I play in the Dominican for winter ball, and I've been doing well down there. But, it's not easy for a guy who is not in the big leagues to play in the WBC, but everyone knows what I can do with the bat and in the field, and I was very happy to help.

TG: You've been playing in the Dominican Winter League since 2004, but you were traded from Licey to Toros in 2008 - how big was that for your career?

RN: I spent four years with Licey, and they are the most popular team and have a lot of big leaguers who play every day, so I never got the chance to play. I had about 70 at-bats in four years. In 2008, I was traded from Licey to Toros and that was the best thing for me because I was started to play every day and my career just took off.

TG: Why is baseball so important in the Dominican?

RN: I think it's the only sport that everyone likes. They see it as the best job you can have and make a lot of money. Everybody thinks about baseball when their little because they want to sign the big bonuses and buy the big house. It's a poor country and everyone wants to succeed and have money, and baseball is a good way to get that job and have a good life.

TG: In the last 15 or 20 years, major league teams have done a good job of setting up camps in the Dominican to find talented players. How much has that changed since you were a kid?

RN: When I was a little kid, Las Palmas (Dominican home of the LA Dodgers) was one of the best. Now, every team has a great complex in the Dominican to get kids ready. They are just like the complexes that the teams have here in the States, which is good for the players because they can see the good things and be ready for what to expect then they come to the U.S.

TG: At Dominican games in the winter, they have bands, cheerleaders, really loud crowds - how much different is it to play in some cities in the United States?

RN: This is your job and you have to do it right and be professional, but it's not the same when it's cold and sometimes you don't feel excited here. But in the Dominican, you feel more ready to go because the stands are packed and it's always really loud.

TG: Who were your favorite teams and players while you were growing up?

RN: I was a fan of Licey (located in his hometown of Santo Domingo). My favorite player was Henry Rodriguez because he was the best left-handed hitter on Licey and he hit 36 home runs with the Montreal Expos (1996).

Nanita will be featured in the June edition of the Inside Pitch, available for free at every Fisher Cats' home game.