Red Sox shortstop Alex Gonzalez pulled out of the World Baseball Classic today, and is on his way back to the Red Sox from the Venezuelan camp in Clearwater, Fla.

 

Gonzalez, who starred for Venezuela in the Caribbean World Series a few weeks ago, was slated to play for his home country in the WBC as well. The Red Sox don?t have any details as to why Gonzalez chose to pull out, but the prevailing thought is that it was because he wouldn?t get enough playing time. Carlos Guillen and Omar Vizquel are also on the Venezuelan team.

 

Gonzalez, who is expected to be the Red Sox starting shortstop, spent the winter playing the role of hero for Venezuela in the Caribbean World Series, where he hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning to win one game, and drove in the tying run and scored the winning run in the championship game vs. the Dominican Republic. He hit .409 in the series, this coming after he recovered from elbow surgery that cut short his season with the Florida Marlins.

 

Gonzalez is the second member of the Red Sox to pull out of the WBC since spring training began. Manny Ramirez did so as well.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/reds...lez_out_of.html

Smart move by Alex especially with the contract he got.

*insert typical omg the WBC is so gay all the stars are leaving omg*

*insert typical omg the WBC is so gay all the stars are leaving omg*

 

i know right...everyone is frekin pulling out where is that national pride :banghead

Thats bulls***, players shouldnt be allowed to be pulled from their national teams. We are gonna see a bunch of back up players fighting for their countries out there.

*insert typical omg the WBC is so gay all the stars are leaving omg*

 

i know right...everyone is frekin pulling out where is that national pride :banghead

 

There was sarcasm behind that statement. :plain

*insert typical omg the WBC is so gay all the stars are leaving omg*

 

i know right...everyone is frekin pulling out where is that national pride :banghead

 

There was sarcasm behind that statement. :plain

hey alex isnt great but hes alright and he did well in the carribean WS, im taliking about vladdy and manny and bonds and wagner...

Vlad had three of his cousins die the same day. It's ok if he needs time off.

Vlad had three of his cousins die the same day. It's ok if he needs time off.

 

yea he has a valid excuse

Thats bulls***, players shouldnt be allowed to be pulled from their national teams. We are gonna see a bunch of back up players fighting for their countries out there.

 

Did you read the article? He was going to be the 3rd Shortstop on the depth chart.

Apparently Alex was cut from the Venezuelan team.

 

Gonzalez makes a U-turn

By Jeff Horrigan

Saturday, March 4, 2006 - Updated: 09:17 AM EST

 

FORT MYERS - Explaining his regrets for having to leave spring training camp after only one week with the Red Sox in order to participate in the World Baseball Classic, Alex Gonzalez said he had no choice because of the responsibility he felt toward Venezuela when his country came calling.

 

Yesterday, he learned that it was a crank call.

 

After making the three-hour drive north to the Venezuelan training camp in Clearwater on Thursday, the veteran shortstop phoned the Sox yesterday to say he would be returning after being cut before practice opened. Gonzalez, who signed a one-year contract just one month ago, apparently was cut loose when it became clear he wasn?t going to play over countrymen Omar Vizquel and Carlos Guillen.

 

Gonzalez phoned Sox traveling secretary Jack McCormick during yesterday?s 10-0 exhibition win over Boston College and offered to try to get back in time to play in last night?s game vs. Northeastern at City of Palms Park.

 

?He called Jack and said, ?Do you want me back there for tonight?? ? manager Terry Francona said. ?He didn?t sound upset or anything, just that he was coming back.?

 

The Sox knew no other details. Venezuela did not make any announcements yesterday regarding Gonzalez.

 

The cut came as a surprise for many reasons. Extremely proud of his homeland, Gonzalez played a major part in delivering Venezuela?s first Caribbean World Series title since 1989 in early February by contributing several key hits to the Caracas Liones? perfect 6-0 record against entries from Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. At the time, he said his game-winning home run against the Dominican meant more to him than his walkoff homer for the Florida Marlins against the New York Yankees in Game 4 of the 2003 World Series.

 

Source -- Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald, 03/04/06