The distance from Monclova, the steel capital of Mexico, to the Estadio Charros de Jalisco, one of four first-round sites for the World Baseball Classic, is approximately 565 miles — or 909 kilometers, if you prefer the local system of measurement.
Monclova, which doubles as the hometown of Royals reliever Joakim Soria, is located in the northern state of Coahuila, just 170 miles from the Texas border. Estadio Charros de Jalisco sits on the northern outskirts of Guadalajara, a 10-hour drive to the southwest.
The cities are not close. But in Soria’s view, the distance means little.