- As it stands now the trial of Barry Bonds will begin March 2 in San Francisco — just three days before the start of the 2009 WBC. Games in California begin March 14.
- Go ahead and cross suspected communist Roy Halladay off any prospective WBC Team USA rosters.
- Count Tim Lincecum out as well.
- And for the time being you can cross capitalists Carlos Guillen, Magglio Ordoñez and Miguel Cabrera off the Venezuela roster. However, Ordoñez said two weeks ago the three wouldn’t play unless significant changes were made to the team’s operations. Things may not be set in stone yet.
- NPB Commissioner Ryozo Kato implied he will ask Sadaharu Oh for advice regarding who should manage the Japanese team.
- Who says the Yankees don’t heart the WBC? George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa is likely to play host to either an exhibition game between WBC bound teams, or possibly a Yankees/WBC team tilt.
- Ubaldo Jimenez got an invite from Nationals manager Manny Acta to be on the Dominican Republic’s team. Jimenez has said he “would love to do it.”
- Hanley Ramirez has already agreed to play for Acta.
- Spring Training will expand by six days to accomodate.
- Huston Street, Michael Young and Ian Kinsler are all interested in playing on Team USA…if invited.
Quote: “One thing that might help is the World Baseball Classic is back in play (next spring). We have some pitchers of interest to their native countries. That could help sharpen their game approach earlier rather than later.”
Rockies manager Clint Hurdle on the WBC possibilities for pitchers Jorge De La Rosa (Mexico), Jimenez (Dominican Republic), Jeff Francis (Canada), Manuel Corpas (Panama), and Luis Vizcaino (Dominican Republic).
6 responses so far ↓
1 DJ // Oct 3, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Also from the Marlins, Alfredo Amezaga and Jorge Cantu have agreed to play for Mexico, as has Renyel Pinto (Venezuela), and Rick VandenHurk (Netherlands).
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?…=.jsp&c_id=mlb
According to Acta, Shairon Martis of the Washington Nationals will join VandenHurk on Team Netherlands.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?…=.jsp&c_id=mlb
2 Shinsano // Oct 3, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Venezuela has the talent to win the whole thing if they get a break or two. If Kelvim Escobar is healthy and allowed to play…Santana, Carlos Zambrano, Escobar, and I would assume…Armando Galarraga. Very solid.
3 DJ // Oct 4, 2008 at 3:27 am
If they show up.
If the big names show up, that Pool C in Toronto–USA, Canada, Venezuela, Italy)–could be crazy. It’s definitely the tournament’s pool of death.
It’s been reported that Canada and Team USA will square off in the opening game. Team Canada could be very tough, with Justin Morneau, Russell Martin, Ryan Dempster, and Rich Harden likely to play. (Staring pitchers could also include Jeff Francis and Erik Bedard.) With these guys, an upset of Team USA isn’t out of the question. And if the US loses, they’d have to get past Team Italy (assuming Italy loses to Venezuela in its opening game) and then Venezuela or Canada again in order to advance. Yipes!
For more on Canada’s roster, see here:
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jPVbX_9Y7u3rnk-t-Ox0-poV0KGw
4 DJ // Oct 4, 2008 at 3:36 am
One more thing: I think the 2006 WBC rosters only included 3 starting pitchers for each team. And, for what it’s worth, I’ve read that major league players who end the year on the DL aren’t eligible to play in the Classic unless they get special dispensation. So I don’t know Kelvim will make the team. (Assuming he ever pitches again at all.)
Why not Freddy Garcia?
5 Shinsano // Oct 4, 2008 at 10:45 pm
You’re right about Canada…that is a tough group. To think that either the US, Canada or Venezuela won’t emerge is wild.
6 A Couple WBC Items — Team Venezuela and Winn | // Oct 11, 2008 at 11:58 am
[...] week I linked to an item concerning the Venezuelan WBC team and why players like Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera and Johan Santana are [...]
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