DALLAS -- Buck Martinez, the former Toronto Blue Jays skipper, has been tabbed to manage Team USA in next year's inaugural World Baseball Classic, said Bob Watson, the general manager for USA Baseball and Major League Baseball's vice president of on-field operations.

 

"He's definitely qualified for the job," Watson said. "He was the front-runner among a group of extremely qualified candidates."

 

"It's a tremendous honor," said Martinez. "I can't hardly believe it. To be invited to do anything with Team USA is such a exciting experience. To be the manager of a team with this group of guys is something I'll always remember."

 

Former Rockies and Cubs manager Don Baylor was Martinez's chief competition for the position.

 

Baylor, the former American League MVP who played with six teams during his 19-year career, spent nearly nine seasons managing the Rockies, whom he took to the playoffs in 1995, and the Cubs. He had a 627-689 record and was the manager of the expansion Rockies for their first six seasons.

 

Martinez, who managed the Blue Jays in 2001 and for part of the 2002 season, will have a team in March that is expected to include the likes of Giants slugger Barry Bonds, Houston potential Hall of Fame right-hander Roger Clemens and Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees.

 

"Just to name a few," Martinez said. "The rest of the team will be along those lines, players of that ilk. I've talked to a lot of players, and every one of them who has been involved with Team USA at any level has told me it's a singular experience. Come March, as this tournament is taking place, I think a lot of players who chose to remain on the sidelines are going to watch this unfold and wonder why they hadn't taken part in it."

 

The 16-team tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), will take place March 3-20 in Japan, the United States and Puerto Rico, and will feature the world's best players competing for their home countries and territories for the first time. Fans will be able to follow all the games live exclusively online at MLB.com.

 

John Albert Martinez, a former catcher who was a .225 career hitter in his 17 seasons, the last six with Toronto, was hired as much for his experience as a baseball broadcaster and ability to handle the media as he was for his managing acumen.

 

He has had only one job coaching or managing in the Major Leagues, for the Blue Jays in 2001 and part of the 2002 season. Martinez replaced Jim Fregosi and had an 80-82 record during his only full season. He was brought down from the broadcast booth at the time to take the job as manager.

 

But J.P. Ricciardi replaced Gord Ash as general manager during that offseason and put Martinez on notice that the team needed to quickly improve. When the Blue Jays started out 20-33, Carlos Tosca replaced Martinez.

 

"To start off, I'm a California Indian, which makes this a very sweet challenge, indeed," said Martinez, who spent the last season doing baseball analysis for XM Radio's Major League package. "Then, everything else I've accomplished in my career is what has prepared me for this challenge."

 

The naming of Martinez makes him the 13th manager to be selected among the 16 teams participating in the first international hardball tournament ever to include Major League players.

 

The group includes Jon Deeble (Australia), Robert Eenhoorn (The Netherlands), Hua-Wei Lin (Chinese Taipei), In-Sik Kim (South Korea), Jose Oquendo (Puerto Rico), and legendary home run hitter Sadaharu Oh (Japan).

 

In addition, former Major Leaguer Jim Lefebvre leads the budding Chinese national team and has done so since it was formulated two years ago with an eye toward competing in the 2008 Olympics. The host country automatically gets a berth in the Olympic baseball tournament. Former Yankees coach and player Luis Sojo will guide the Venezuelan team. Former Major Leaguer Roberto Kelly will head his native Panama. Francisco "Paquin" Estrada is Mexico's manager. And Manny Acta, the Mets' third base coach, was named to lead the Dominican Republic, replacing Tony Pena, who recently signed a contract with the Yankees to be their first base coach next season.

 

 

 

Link

Plent of Reds/former Reds.

 

DALLAS -- They're running through the list of player commitments rather haphazardly, but Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. are on the initial list for the U.S., Felipe Lopez for Puerto Rico and Wily Mo Pena for the Dominican Republic.

 

As far as recent former Reds go, a few more are sprinkled throughout, including Juan Castro (Mexico), Bruce Chen (Panama) and Chris Reitsma (Canada).

 

This doesn't mean they'll be on the 30-man rosters for those countries, only that they've agreed to play if chosen down the line.

 

I am not sure if I like Griffey playing though.

Some stars announced

 

DALLAS -- Major League Baseball brought its "We are the World" tour to the annual Winter Meetings on Monday, putting a face on the World Baseball Classic for the first time since the inaugural tournament was announced this past July before the annual All-Star Game in Detroit.

 

 

 

Among the 177 Major League players announced for many of the 16 teams competing in the 18-day tournament are the best and the brightest of this era.

 

"This will change the sport," Commissioner Bud Selig said last month about a tournament that is expected to be staged again in 2009 and then every four years thereafter.

 

Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Derek Jeter, Dontrelle Willis, Ken Griffey Jr., Carlos Delgado, Carlos Lee, Javier Vazquez, Ivan Rodriguez, and Ichiro Suzuki, plus both of this year's league MVPs -- Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriquez -- have already committed to play in the games if selected by their respective teams. Sixteen countries or territories are committed to participate in the event that will begin on March 3 in Japan's Tokyo Dome and end with an inaugural champion crowned on March 20 in San Diego's PETCO Park.

 

In between, venues like Scottsdale Stadium and Chase Field in Arizona, Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico, Cracker Jack Stadium at Disney Wide World of Sports in the Orlando area and Angel Stadium in Anaheim will host either first- or second-round games. Or in San Juan's case, both.

 

Former Toronto skipper Buck Martinez will manage the U.S. team and he'll have Davey Johnson, who just led Team USA to a five-game sweep in its Olympic pre-qualifying tournament last month at Phoenix, as his bench coach. Each team is limited to five in-uniform coaches and on the U.S. team, Johnson will be joined by Ken Griffey Sr. (first base), Marcel Lachemann (pitching) and Reggie Smith (hitting). Still undecided is the third base coach. Rick Eckstein, who was on the recent Olympic staff, will help in the bullpen, but probably won't be in uniform.

 

The landmark tournament field includes Australia, Canada, China, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Chinese Taipei, the United States and Venezuela. Cuba is the only country that hasn't formally accepted its invitation, although long-time president Fidel Castro has made statements during the past week indicating that the baseball-rich Cubans will be there.

 

Thirteen of the 16 teams announced their managers with nine of them having at least one game of Major League playing experience --- Ernie Whitt (Canada), Jim Lefebvre (China), Manny Acta (Dominican Republic), Paquin Estrada (Mexico), Robert Eenhoorn (The Netherlands), Roberto Kelly (Panama), Jose Oquendo (Puerto Rico), Martinez (U.S.) and Luis Sojo (Venezuela).

 

The Japanese will be represented by Sadaharu Oh, the world's all-time home run king with 868 career dingers. The Australians will be managed by Jon Deeble, who pitched 16 years for their national team. In-Sik Kim led the Koreans during several of their Olympic bids. And Hua-Wei Lin was skipper of the Chinese-Taipei squad that won a bronze medal when that country hosted the 2002 International Baseball Federation (IBAF) World Cup.

 

Managers for Italy, Cuba and South Africa are still to be announced. And rosters for the four Asian teams are expected to be released later in the week.

 

Sixty-man rosters must be submitted by Jan. 17 with the ultimate 30-man rosters finalized 24 hours prior to the start of the tournament. The final rosters must include a minimum of 13 pitchers and three catchers. MLB has committed to 60 percent of the players having either a Major League or Minor League contract. All the players announced on Monday were blessed by the players association and MLB, who have collectively spent months in the initial culling process.

 

The projected U.S. roster, now at 45 Major League players, is stocked with a plethora of stars that span the ages. It goes from Clemens, Griffey and Bonds at one end of the spectrum to Eric Chavez, Brad Lidge and Joe Mauer on the other.

 

Three players -- Rodriguez, Mike Piazza and Marco Scutaro -- have the opportunity to select between two countries because of their family heritage and have yet to make a decision for which team they will play. A-Rod can choose between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic; Piazza between the U.S. and Italy, and Scutaro between Italy and Venezuela.

 

The tournament will begin on March 3 with first-round played at four sites: Pool A, consisting of Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei and China, will meet at the Tokyo Dome, March 3-5, with the other three pools all on March 9-11. Pool B, featuring the U.S., Canada, Mexico and South Africa, will play at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Scottsdale Stadium, Spring Training home of the San Francisco Giants, March 7-10; Pool C includes Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama and the Netherlands, and will play at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, March 7-10, and Pool D, featuring the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Australia and Italy, will play at the spring home of the Atlanta Braves near Orlando, March 7-10.

 

The top two teams from each pool will advance to the second round, which takes place March 12-15 back at Hiram Bithorn Stadium and at Angel Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Angels. Again the top two teams in the four-team second-round brackets will each move on to the semifinals and finals to be held at the home of the San Diego Padres on March 18-20.

 

Fans can follow all of the games live via MLB.com.

 

Tickets go on sale Dec. 10 for games in Puerto Rico and Dec. 12 for games in the United States, while the dates for ticket sales in Japan are still to be determined. For more information, go to www.worldbaseballclassic.com.

 

The tournament will run concurrently with Major League Baseball's Spring Training in Arizona and Florida and Nippon Professional Baseball's camps in Japan.

 

Strict pitch counts will be incorporated in the tournament games and there will be suggested limitations on the use of position players, conforming to the usual playing time expended by most Major Leaguers during Spring Training.

 

No team can play more than eight games in the tournament and only the two that go to the championship game will do that. In the first two rounds, each team plays three games per round with the two teams having the best records surviving to play another day.

 

Only the semifinals and finals are single-elimination games. Thus, eight of the 16 teams will be eliminated after the first round with all Major League players participating for those teams returning immediately to their respective camps.

 

 

 

Link

Isn't Miggy playing for Venezuela?

He might be the official rosters haven't been announced they just showcased a bunch of guys that were at the winter meetings...im sure he will play for venezuela once the rosters are announced

I can't wait for this. Even though it's in Orlando and in the middle of the week, if the DR-Venezuela matchup in the first round pits Pedro vs Santana I'm there in half a heart beat.

Can we start putting together rosters by country? I'm putting only confirmed players

Puerto Rico

1B - Delgado

2B - Open

SS - Felipe Lopez (?)

3B - Open

C - Ivan Rodriguez

Pitching - Javier Vazquez, . .

Relieving - Open

LF - Open

CF - Beltran

RF - Open

 

US

1B -D. Lee

2B - Open

SS - Jeter

3B - D Wright

C - Varitek

Pitching - Dontrelle Willis, Roger Clemens

Relieving - B Wagner

LF - Bonds

CF - Open

RF - Open

 

DR

1B -Pujols

2B - Open

SS - Open

3B - A-Rod

C - Open

Pitching - P Martinez

Relieving - Open

LF - Open

CF - Open

RF - Open

 

 

Italy

1B -Open

2B - Open

SS - Open

3B - Open

C - Piazza

Pitching - Open

Relieving - Open

LF - Open

CF - Open

RF - Open

 

Venezuela

1B -Open

2B - Open

SS - Open

3B - Open

C - Open

Pitching - Zambrano

Relieving - Open

LF - Open

CF - Open

RF - Open

Italy

 

C - Mike Piazza.

 

Im glad he chose them over the US, it helps the games more.

 

Add Varitek as the US catcher. Derrek Lee at first base.

Italy

 

C - Mike Piazza.

 

Im glad he chose them over the US, it helps the games more.

 

Add Varitek as the US catcher. Derrek Lee at first base.

 

 

Thanks, I'll update

Wright (US), Wagner (US), Zambrano (VZ), and Beltran (PR) have committed.

Wright (US), Wagner (US), Zambrano (VZ), and Beltran (PR) have committed.

 

updated. keep it coming , , ,

Rosters

 

Yadier Molina has commited (just not on the roster page) to Puerto Rico being managed by Jose Oquendo! Isringhausen is on the US.. Carpenter has declined..

CINCINNATI ? (AP) ? Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. has agreed to play in next year's inaugural World Baseball Classic if he is picked for the U.S. team.

 

His father, Ken Griffey Sr., will be the first-base coach for the U.S. team during the 16-team tournament, to be played from March 3-20. The elder Griffey is a special consultant to Reds general manager Dan O'Brien.

 

Griffey Jr.'s decision was announced Tuesday by the Reds.

 

Cincinnati outfielder Adam Dunn (U.S.), shortstop Felipe Lopez (Puerto Rico), outfielder Wily Mo Pena (Dominican Republic) and catcher Javier Valentin (Puerto Rico) previously committed to play.

That just makes our team that much better. The Kid needs to be on this team and he will be. I'd start him over Damon personally, especially if he is healthy like he was for most of last year.

Jorge Posada wanted to play, but the Yankees won't let him.

 

Classy.

Jorge Posada wanted to play, but the Yankees won't let him.

Classy.

 

Lame

Full story:

 

Yankees won't let Posada play in Baseball Classic

ESPN.com news services

 

 

Jorge Posada was ready to play for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. Unfortunately for Posada, the New York Yankees had other ideas.

 

The Yankees blocked Posada from participating, telling Major League Baseball that Posada was indispensable and was concerned the heavy workload he incurs during the season would be added to and might cause injury, The New York Post reported.

 

"As a courtesy I called the Yankees to advise them that Jorge wanted to participate in the World Baseball Classic," agent Seth Levinson told the paper. "The Yankees filed an objection that was accepted and Jorge was not eligible despite his desire to play."

 

Posada felt an urge to represent Puerto Rico in the tournament, wanting to make his family proud.

 

"I wanted to play since my family is from Puerto Rico, it's where I am from and I was excited," Posada told The Post. "I was the first one to ask for the documents. I can't do anything about it. The Yankees have the last word. I respect that and I will prepare for spring training like I always do."

 

Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano are expected to play in the WBC. Hideki Matsui will likely be added to the Japan roster as well.

 

On one hand, I understand the Yankees stance, but come on.

I'd love to see Vernon Wells in the Classic. America needs to see what one of the most underrated players in the league can do.

Looks like AROD is leaning towards DR right now.

 

Anyone know what the deal with Miguelito is?

Looks like AROD is leaning towards DR right now.

 

Anyone know what the deal with Miguelito is?

 

 

probably will end up playing

Here's a question: Wasn't Piazza born in PA? Wasn't Arod born in NYC? How the heck do they get to decide to play for some other random country?

 

That's it - I'm playing for team Poland... :shifty

Here's a question: Wasn't Piazza born in PA? Wasn't Arod born in NYC? How the heck do they get to decide to play for some other random country?

 

That's it - I'm playing for team Poland... :shifty

 

Cause according to the rules set aside by MLBPA and MLB in regards to the WBC, the player can play for the country in which he was born or where his parent's were born.

 

ARod's dad I think is Dominican and Piazza's family is from Italy

I'm thinking of going to this, just not sure what strip of tickets to buy

 

One strip would get me 3 games at Chase Field (BOB) - USA v Mexico, USA v Canada, Canada v Mexico

 

The other would give me these games played at a spring training park (Scottsdale Stadium) - Canada v South Africa, Mexico v South Africa, USA v South Africa, USA v SF Giants (exhibition)

 

the ticket/price value is a little better at Scottsdale Stadium and the exhibition would be neat - however i'm not sure if I want to see South Africa 4 times ............ it would also be nice to see USA pitch a few times (hopefully getting to see dontrelle)

 

any advice?!

Here's a question: Wasn't Piazza born in PA? Wasn't Arod born in NYC? How the heck do they get to decide to play for some other random country?

 

That's it - I'm playing for team Poland... :shifty

If AROD considers himself Dominican-American I think he should play for the DR. But if he considers himself American, he should be playing for the States.

 

And PhxPhin I'd go with the US-Canada, US-Mexico, Mexico-Canada. Those promise to be three good games.

Griffey to play

 

Junior is in.

Reds center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. agreed Tuesday to participate in the inaugural World Baseball Classic for Team USA.

 

If both of them are selected, Griffey will join Cincinnati teammate Adam Dunn on the American squad. Shortstop Felipe Lopez and catcher Javier Valentin have signed up to play for Puerto Rico, while outfielder Wily Mo Pena may represent the Dominican Republic.

 

"To be named on that list, it's kind of recognition," Dunn said recently. "It's exciting."

 

The World Baseball Classic, a 16-team tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), will take place March 3-20. Sixty-man rosters must be submitted by Jan. 17, and the ultimate 30-man rosters must be finalized 24 hours before the start of the tournament.

 

The 36-year-old Griffey batted .301 with 35 home runs and 92 RBIs in 2005, which earned him National League Comeback Player of the Year honors.

 

The 26-year-old Dunn batted .247 with 40 home runs and 101 RBIs, his second straight 40-homer season. Lopez, a native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, was a first-time All-Star in 2005 and batted .291 with 23 homers and 85 RBIs in a breakout season.

 

Valentin batted .281 with 14 homers and 50 RBIs in 76 games as Cincinnati's backup catcher. The 30-year-old hails from Manati, Puerto Rico. Pena batted .254 with 19 homers and 51 RBIs in 99 games this season.

 

If ultimately selected to play for their countries, players will leave the clubs during Spring Training to prepare for and play in the tournament. That would create a unique issue, especially since Cincinnati would lose three of its outfielders during most of its camp in Sarasota.

 

"This is something new, something different," Reds manager Jerry Narron said. "I don't think anyone knows the perfect way of doing it."

 

"It's one of those things where when it's the first time of doing something, everyone is kind of anxious to see how it's going to work out," Dunn said. "I'm definitely interested in playing. I'm really not sure how it will work out. It definitely will be tougher for pitchers than position players."

 

The organization plans to hold a Minor League mini-camp shortly before Spring Training to identify players who could fill in on the big-league club for exhibition games.

 

 

 

 

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"You don't know how long a player will be involved in the tournament, depending on how far their individual team advances," Reds general manager Dan O'Brien said. "We're prepared for that."

 

Former Reds star Ken Griffey Sr. will be the first-base coach for Team USA.

 

"First of all, it's good competition because of all the countries involved in something like that," Griffey Sr. said. "The other thing that intrigued me is it gets me back in uniform and out on the field."

 

First-round action will be played at four sites. Pool A, consisting of Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei and China, will meet at the Tokyo Dome, March 3-5. Pool B, featuring USA, Canada, Mexico and South Africa will play at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Scottsdale Stadium, Spring Training home of the San Francisco Giants, March 7-10. Pool C is Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama and the Netherlands, and will play at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 7-10. Pool D, featuring the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Australia and Italy will play at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, March 7-10.

 

The top two teams from each pool will advance to the second round, which takes place March 12-15 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico and Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The semifinals and finals will be held at San Diego's PETCO Park, March 18-20