Samurai Japan hopefuls set to report to WBC training camp

Kyodo

Feb 14, 2013

With the third World Baseball Classic less than three weeks away, the 33 invitees to manager Koji Yamamoto’s Samurai Japan training camp will gather Thursday in Miyazaki and begin training the following day.

The Chunichi Dragons, who didn’t send a single player to Japan’s 2009 championship squad, have four players coming to Yamamoto’s camp at Miyazaki’s Sun Marine Stadium, but only one of the four, veteran shortstop Hirokazu Ibata, appears to be in top shape at the moment.

Center fielder Yohei Oshima has been hampered by an elbow injury that required him to leave the Dragons’ camp in Okinawa briefly to have it examined in Nagoya. Right-handed relievers Takuya Asao and Daisuke Yamai have also been having issues.

Asao threw 20 pitches in the bullpen on Wednesday, but the Central League’s 2011 MVP — who missed much of last season with a rotator cuff injury — felt stiffness in his shoulder.

“My condition has been on a downswing, but I’m practicing in the belief that it will improve again,” Asao said.

Yamai threw situational batting and allowed one hit to the 10 batters he faced. He struck out two but also put two runners on through poor control.

He said he has been unable to shake his discomfort with the WBC ball.

“My command on each and every pitch is still all over the place,” said Yamai, who stabilized the Dragons bullpen last summer when Asao was unavailable and career saves leader Hitoki Iwase was ineffective.

Ibata and Oshima both took part in situational batting, with Ibata getting two hits in two at-bats and declaring he was a few weeks ahead of his regular pace.

“I’m ahead of where I usually am at the start of the exhibition season,” said the 37-year-old. “I’m looking forward to this, but I’m nervous, too.”

Oshima, however, went hitless in his first simulated at-bats of the spring but stated he was now in shape to play ball.

On Okinawa’s Miyako Island, 37-year-old shortstop Kazuo Matsui was leaving the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles’ camp to wear a Japan uniform for the first time since 2003, when he helped Japan qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics.

“My (practice) workload may have been heavier than it has been in past years,” Matsui said. “Despite that, I’ve been injury free.”

On a roster without any big leaguers, Matsui alone has major league experience, having spent seven seasons with three different clubs from 2004 to 2010.

In the Eagles’ third intrasquad game of the spring, Matsui was at second base, where he played 473 games in the majors and was able to glove some tough grounders headed for right field and turn them into outs.

“The important thing is to get chosen for the team,” Matsui said. “I want to get the job done in camp so that I can contribute to Japan winning its third straight championship.”

One player who appears a longshot to make the team is Giants third baseman Shuichi Murata, who suffered a finger injury on Saturday. The slugger hurt his hamstring during the quarterfinals of the 2009 WBC and was replaced on the roster before the final round at Dodger Stadium.

Baseball

Japan begins preparations for WBC

Kyodo

Feb 16, 2013 PPRINT↪SHARE

MIYAZAKI –

Samurai Japan hopefuls got under way with a training camp in Miyazaki on Friday as they aim to be named for the squad for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Japan manager Koji Yamamoto, who has been tasked with trying to win the country’s third consecutive WBC championship, had his team practice indoors due to the previous night’s rain.

A total of 33 players led by captain Shinnosuke Abe and coaching staff assembled a little past 9:30 a.m. with pitchers and position players huddling in separate corners before starting practice.

Abe led the team in running drills and caught in the bullpen.

“There are a lot of pitchers I am catching for the first time, so it’ll be best if we talk things over and spend quality time together,” said the Yomiuri Giants catcher.

Japan will work out in Miyazaki until Feb. 21. The final 28-man roster will be selected following practice games against the Hiroshima Carp on Sunday and the Seibu Lions on Monday.

Alexei Bell leads Cuba’s offense in opening game setback versus Chinese Taipei.


Cuba Drops Opening WBC Exhibition Match with Chinese Taipei Squad

by Peter C. Bjarkman

February 18, 2013

Team Cuba displayed sufficient offensive punch but the bullpen ultimately failed to deliver in the clutch as Victor Mesa’s squad dropped a Monday afternoon 6-5 decision to the Host Taiwan WBC roster at picturesque Kaohsiung Stadium. Things opened well enough as Alfredo Despaigne broke the ice with a ringing center-field homer off Taipei starter Yao Lin Wang in the top of the second frame. The see-saw battle that followed witnessed three lead changes before Cuba took the advantage in the top of the sixth on an infield single by Alexei Bell, a run producing double by Eriel Sánchez, and a sacrifice fly (scoring Sánchez) off the bat of Guillermo Heredia.

Cuban starter Ismel Jiménez worked four successful shutout innings (3 Ks, 2 walks and a pair of base hits) but Mesa’s initial reliever Leandro Martínez surrendered a three-run homer to DH Yi Chuan Ling that propelled the home club into the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Mesa would subsequently use a full bullpen contingent of Yander Guevara (who worked successfully in the sixth), Norberto González, Rasiel Iglesias, Wilber Pérez (who gave up the tying tally in the seventh), Diosdani Castillo and Alex Rodríguez; Guevara was solid but the remainder worked with mixed results. Castillo (the loser) loaded the bases in the home ninth and Alex Rodríguez subsequently walked in the winning marker.

On the afternoon, Cuba outhit their opponents 14-9 with Bell leading the way (three hits) and Cepeda, Abreu, Sánchez and Arruebarruena each contributing an additional pair of safeties. The Cuban offensive lineup for the opening match was as follows:

Starters

Guillermo Heredia, Cf (4-0, sacrifice fly)

Andy Ibáñez, 2B (3-1)

Yulieski Gourriel, 3B (4-1)

Frederich Cepeda, DH (4-2)

José Dariel Abreu, 1B (3-2)

Alfredo Despaigne, LF (4-1, home run)

Alexei Bell, RF (4-3)

Eriel Sánchez, C (4-2)

Erisbel Arruebarruena, SS (4-2)

Substitutes

José M. Fernández (1-0)

Frank Camilo Morejón (1-0)

Luis Felipe Rivera (0-0)

Raúl González (0-0)

The Taipei exhibition series moves on to Taichung on Tuesday afternoon where Cuba will square off with Australia in a 2 pm (local time) televised match-up.

Cuba Pre-WBC Exhibition Game Series


February 18 – Kaohsiung – Chinese Taipei 6, Cuba 5 (20,000 attendance estimated)

February 19 – Taichung – Cuba versus Australia

February 21 – Dou Liou – Cuba versus CPBL All-Stars

February 22 – Tainan – Cuba versus Chinese Taipei

February 24 – Taichung – Cuba versus Holanda

February 27 – Osaka Kyocera Dome (Japan) – Cuba versus Hanshin Tigers

March 1 – Fukuoka Yahoo Dome (Japan) – Cuba versus Yomiuri Giants

News Sport Cuba Team Wins over Australia 5 - 3

Cuba beats Australia at Baseball Classic preparatory meeting

By Radio Angulo

Tuesday, 19 February 2013 11:13

Cuba beat Australia 5 to 3 at the preparatory meet held in Taichung, China Taipei, prior to the 3rd World Classic Championship, slated for March.

The Cuban team took the lead in the second inning after scoring a homerun by Alfredo Despaigne (2), but it allowed the Australians to take the advantage with two runs in the second chapter.

The islanders tied the game in the fifth inning, but the Australians took the lead again. In that back and forth fight, Cuba scored another three runs in the seventh inning, which guaranteed its victory.

Pitcher Vladimir Garcia kept the pace of the Cuban team without allowing any other hit during the game.

The Cubans will take training on Wednesday and Thursday before participating in their third of five games scheduled for them in China Taipei, and they will travel to Japan on February 25 for the last preparatory stage towards the Classics. / Source: ACN.

Bruce Rondon, Ramon Santiago performed well in winter ball

By Steve von Horn

The Detroit Tigers are hoping for good things from infielder Ramon Santiago and pitcher Bruce Rondon in 2013, and if winter ball is any indication those two could be ready to bring some value to the squad. Santiago played in 93 games for the Tigers in 2012, splitting time between second base, shortstop, third base and even designated hitter, while Rondon spent the season in the minor leagues at Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.

George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press notes that both players are tearing up winter leagues -- Santiago is hitting .338 through 18 games in the Dominican league and Rondon is 4-1 with eight saves and 17 strikeouts over 15 innings in the Venezuelan league -- and Tigers assistant general manager Al Avila had nice things to say about both guys:

"Obviously Rondon has had a very good winter, closing out games there for Magallanes. Ramon Santiago is having a good winter. Those are two big ones, two guys that are on the roster."

Rondon is much younger (22) than Santiago (33), but both men could help the Tigers in 2013.

Rookie Rondon his fastball at 104 miles

02/18/2013 12:00 AM - AP

Lakeland, Florida.

Bruce Rondon talked with reporters with the help of an interpreter and when asked how fast was his fastball. quoted the prospect of the Detroit Tigers said they have reached 104 miles per hour. "I want to see that," said his companion Joaquin Benoit.

Skepticism, enthusiasm and, above all, curiosity. Such are the feelings that the Tigers have about Rondon right now. The Venezuelan is intimidating with his big physical body who could be the team's closer at the start of the new season. But has not made ​​a single pitch in the majors, and the defending champions of the American League want to assign Rondon a major role in their bullpen.

"Of the many players on our team, the only question I have so far is about Rondon "said reliever Octavio Dotel. "He will have to relax every time heu throws in the ninth. That's what I instill every day, all the time. "

A great opportunity for Rondon after Detroit let go Jose Valverde after last season. Instead of getting a closer that was experienced, the Tigers left the seat vacant. The reason for the decision was due to Rondon, who turned 22 in December and celebrates his sixth season with the organization and was the best pitcher in the minors for the Tigers in 2012, when he had 29 saves and a 1.53 ERA with Class A Lakeland, Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo, impressive numbers, but only eight innings Rondon worked with Toledo.

In his 196 innings in the minors, he had 213 strikeouts. He gave up 111 walks, and an average of .189 against.

Manager Jim Leyland says he will have patience with the Venezuelan to determine how ready he will be to challenge for a closer's role. "He's been a strikeout pitcher in the minor leagues. We are now in the majors, "said Leyland. "I'm leaving it at that and I will not be talking about this every day. We have a young man with a great arm, how he is going to play in the game? I can not answer that, but that's what we have. "

Venezuela completes the roster for the Classic

05:09 pm | Escalona, ​​War, Romero, Chacin, Ledezma, Torres, Lisson and Infante entered the final selection

CARACAS. -

Venezuela has virtually defined its roster of 28 players that will participate in the third World Baseball Classic, a few hours to formalize their salary cap.

Our reporter, Alfredo Villasmil published the names of players who will occupy the nine vacancies in the Creole roster. They are: Edgmer Escalona, ​​Deolis Guerra, Alex Romero, Jhoulys Chacin, Wilfredo Ledezma, Alex Torres, Mario Lisson, Omar Infante and Ramon Ramirez.

For Alex Romero, American visa process should indicate if he is healthy to enter the roster. If not, to be activated by plan B that would see the inclusion of Jose Castillo, Yoervis Medina, Juan Rincon and Romulo Sanchez . The official list will be announced on Wednesday 20 to Major League Baseball.

The Venezuela's roster:

PITCHERS

Henderson Alvarez
Ronald Belisario
Enrique Gonzalez
Cesar Jimenez
Jose Mijares
Francisco Rodriguez
Anibal Sanchez
Carlos Zambrano
Deolis Guerra
Jhoulys Chacín
Wilfredo Ledezma
Alex Torres
Edgmer Escalona
Ramon Ramirez

CATCHERS

Ramon Hernandez
Miguel Montero
Salvador Perez

INFIELDERS

Elvis Andrus
Asdrubal Cabrera
Miguel Cabrera
Pablo Sandoval
Marco Scutaro
Mario Lisson
Omar Infante

OUTFIELDERS

Carlos Gonzalez
Gerardo Parra
Martin Prado
Alex Romero

Catch me if you can: Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (left) leads his Samurai Japan teammates during an exercise at the team's Miyazaki training camp on Monday. | KYODO.

Japanese Baseball

Samurai Japan gets back to work after hammering

Kyodo

Feb 19, 2013

MIYAZAKI –

A day after the first of two games being used to help determine the makeup of the national baseball team resulted in a 7-0 drubbing, manager Koji Yamamoto’s squad tried to get the whipping out of its system in practice on Monday.

“Yesterday, we had one of those games that you just have to put behind you,” said Fukuoka Softbank Hawks outfielder Seiichi Uchikawa, one of 33 players vying for 28 spots on Yamamoto’s final roster for March’s 2013 World Baseball Classic.

“You reflect on what happened and go out and do the things that need doing. Now the thing is to carry that over to real games,” he added about the whitewash suffered at the hands of the Hiroshima Carp.

Monday’s scheduled practice game against the Seibu Lions was canceled on account of rain. The official 28-man roster, which was to be announced after that game, will instead be finalized following an intrasquad game on Wednesday.

Camp will wrap up on Thursday, and Japan will play exhibition games against Australia at Kyocera Dome on Saturday and Sunday. Japan plays its first game of the tournament against Brazil on March 2 at Fukuoka Dome.

“Today was a day for everyone to consider yesterday’s game,” Yamamoto said. “I think we’ve done that.”

Uchikawa talked of adjusting to the tournament ball, and he was just one voice in the chorus. Head coach Masataka Nashida said that not only are the WBC balls different from their Nippon Professional Baseball counterparts, they also vary in quality from one ball to the next.

“We’re still not used to it, yet,” Nashida said. “They’re slippery. But on top of that, the practice balls we have are not all the same size. Some are bigger. Some are smaller. Some have wider seams, some have narrower seams. The quality control seems to be a little loose.”

Fielding coach Koichi Ogata observed that the tournament ball seems to fly better than the lifeless, tacky balls NPB currently uses, but that the slick cover has made throwing an adventure.

“When you are about to release the ball, you will sometimes feel the ball slipping,” Ogata said. “When that happens, there seems to be a tendency to want to squeeze it to regain control and that doesn’t work. We’re adjusting.”

Lions ace pitcher Hideaki Wakui said he is now able to command his slider with the different ball, but that his curve was still far from game-ready.

“My fingers seem to be catching when I throw my curve,” said the right-hander who is slated to throw an inning on Wednesday. Although, he said, this is not that unusual for this time of the season.

That may be one of the few normal things about this WBC spring. Most players got an early start to their spring training, and Uchikawa, who had one of Japan’s three hits in Sunday’s loss to the Carp, said the intensity of the Japan camp has been palpable.

“I still haven’t shed all my fatigue from the Hawks’ camp,” he said. “But wearing a Japan uniform, even practice really wears you down. But we’ll get over that and put things together.

“You can adjust and you can adjust, but if you don’t get results in games, then you have to keep at it. I want to make something happen before we leave for Osaka.”

Baseball / MLB

Torre ready to manage U.S. at WBC, calls Japan team to beat

AP

Feb 20, 2013

PHOENIX –

The game is supposed to be America’s national pastime, but the United States has not fared well in the World Baseball Classic.

Joe Torre is putting his manager’s uniform back on to lead Team USA in this year’s competition, but he cautions that there are reasons the U.S. has not won, or even made it to the title game, in the first two editions of the worldwide competition.

Torre, speaking Monday at a news conference in Phoenix, said players usually use spring training to get ready physically for the long major league season, slowly working in the mental edge along the way. But with the World Baseball Classic, they are asked to get that competitive edge in a hurry against countries that take this competition very seriously.

“I think a big part of it is the mental preparation for a postseason type of atmosphere,” Torre said.

Japan won the first two championships, beating Cuba in the finale in 2006 and South Korea in 2009.

There is more than a little grumbling among managers who lose players for two or three weeks at a crucial time when they are supposed to be putting together a cohesive team for the coming big league season.

The team hit the hardest this year is the Milwaukee Brewers, who will lose 14 players during spring training, 11 of them from their 40-man roster.

“I get why a player would want to do it. I understand that,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. “And we’re fine with them going and doing that, but it just happens that we’re getting hit with a lot of guys. We’re missing both catchers. It’s really important to us. We’ll just have to deal with it.”

Torre hasn’t managed since he retired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010. He has no interest in the grind of another major league season in that job but he gladly will accept a three-week chore of running Team USA, jokingly comparing it to the role of a grandparent who after spoiling the kids gives them to their parents.

On a serious note, he recalled how he felt as New York Yankees manager in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“This is going to be a similar emotion, but certainly not the sadness that was part of that,” he said. “But I think emotionally, once you put that uniform on, it’s responsibility. It’s not necessarily the winning part of it, I think it’s just the way you carry yourself and the way you go about it. The one thing I’ve preached to my players is you represent yourself and in this case you represent your country. And you certainly want to leave everybody a good taste in their mouth.”

The team to beat will be Japan.

Torre said that not only their ability, but the “discipline, the motivation, the whole nine yards, the way they go about it” makes the Japanese so good.

“The fact they rarely make mistakes,” he said. “Whatever sport you’re looking at it’s usually the team that makes the least mistakes that has the most success.”

Yes, he said, “Japan’s been the boss here the first two times, but in a short series, and I’m fortunate to have had the experience on the winning end and the losing end, anything can happen.”

Cuba Turns Tide in Second Pre-WBC Taiwan Match Versus Australia

by Peter C. Bjarkman

February 19, 2013

Another solid offensive display combined with more consistent pitching was enough to propel Cuba to a 5-3 victory over Australia in this week’s second pre-WBC outing in Taichung, Taipei. Starter Freddy Asiel Alvarez surrendered a pair of early runs to the Aussies in the home half of the third, dropping Mesa’s squad to a quick 2-1 deficit. The initial damage came on a double by Brad Herman and a pair of run-producing singles stroked by Mitch Dening and former big-leaguer Luke Hughes. After the trailing Cubans successfully knotted the count in the fifth, Australia immediately regained the lead against reliever Dany Betancourt in the same frame courtesy of a second RBI single provided by lead-off hitter Dening.

Cuba’s victory was secured with a three-run uprising in the seventh sparked by a pair of two-out singles by Guillermo Heredia and José Fernández. A follow-up walk to Yulieski Gourriel loaded the sacks against southpaw Adam Bright. Freddie Cepeda then singled home the lead runs and Pito Abreu provided an insurance tally with yet another single that plated Gourriel. Betancourt picked up the victory and Vlad García earned a save with 2.1 innings of effective one-hit relief. Heredia, Fernández and Alexei Bell paced the Cuban offense with two hits apiece and Alfredo Despaigne homered for the second consecutive game – a solo shot to open the scoring in the second. But it was Cepeda and Abreu that provided the clutch hits precisely when they were most needed.

The most positive news to be garnered by Cuban fans after the first two matches in Taiwan is the fact that Cuban bats are alive and well, with Mesa’s forces now having outhit the opposition 25-17 over the first 18 innings. This was not the case during last November’s brief Asian tour in which Cuba bats struggled against both Taiwanese and Japanese professional pitching. A second noteworthy bright spot was the successful return of second baseman José M. Fernández who seemed fully recovered after having been hit on the hand by an errant Yao Lin Wang fast ball in the initial frame of the opener versus Taiwan.

Tuesday’s Cuban Starters

Guillermo Heredia, Cf (4-2, RBI)

José M. Fernández, 2B (2-2)

Yulieski Gourriel, 3B (4-0)

Frederich Cepeda, DH (4-1, 2 RBI)

José Dariel Abreu, 1B (4-1)

Alfredo Despaigne, LF (3-1, home run)

Alexei Bell, RF (3-2)

Eriel Sánchez, C (3-1)

Erisbel Arruebarruena, SS (2-0)

Tuesday’s Offensive/Defensive Substitutes

Andy Ibáñez, 2B (1-0)

Luis Felipe Rivera, PH (1-1)

Yasmani Tomás, RF (0-0)

Yosvani Peraza, C (1-0)

Frank Camilo Morejón, C (0-0)

Raúl González, ss (0-0)

Tuesday’s Cuban Pitchers

Freddy Asiel Alvarez (3.2 innings, 2 ER)

Dany Betancourt, W (3.0 innings, 1 ER)

Vladimir García, S (2.1 innings, 0 ER)

The Taipei exhibition series moves on to Dou Liou on Thursday afternoon where Cuba will encounter Korea in another 2 pm (1 am Havana and EST time) televised match-up.

Cuba Pre-WBC Exhibition Game Series

February 18 – Kaohsiung – Chinese Taipei 6, Cuba 5 (20,000 attendance estimated)

February 19 – Taichung – Cuba 5, Australia 3

February 21 – Dou Liou – Cuba versus Korea

February 22 – Tainan – Cuba versus Chinese Taipei

February 24 – Taichung – Cuba versus Holanda

February 27 – Osaka Kyocera Dome (Japan) – Cuba versus Hanshin Tigers

March 1 – Fukuoka Yahoo Dome (Japan) – Cuba versus Yomiuri Giants

My favorite Cuban players:

Guillermo Heredia, Cf (4-2, RBI)
José M. Fernández, 2B (2-2)
Frederich Cepeda, DH (4-1, 2 RBI)
José Dariel Abreu, 1B (4-1)
Alfredo Despaigne, LF (3-1, home run)
Alexei Bell, RF (3-2)

I wouldn't mind seeing Heredia, Despaigne, and Bell defect and the Indians add them to the roster. Abreu is not too shabby either.

Baseball / Japanese Baseball

Yamamoto stresses importance of pitching, defense ahead of WBC

Kyodo

Feb 22, 2013

MIYAZAKI –

When Japan manager Koji Yamamoto named his team for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, he said the two-time defending champs would need to win low-scoring games. But if that is going to happen, some of his pitchers are going to have to improve on what they’ve shown so far.

“Runs are going to be at a premium, that means we have to shut down opponents,” the skipper said.

The quality of Japan’s pitching has been the biggest issue in Yamamoto’s Miyazaki camp, where players have had to adjust to the slick WBC ball and mounds rebuilt to tournament standards that are harder than those used in Nippon Professional Baseball.

Two of the big pitchers he is counting on to hold opponents to a minimum of runs are Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles ace Masahiro Tanaka and Hiroshima Carp ace Kenta Maeda, neither of whom looked that good in training.

If those two should fail to come around, however, Yamamoto and his pitching coaches have plenty of options among the 13 pitchers on his staff.

“If Maeda isn’t up to it, then we have the guys who can pick up the slack,” pitching coach Tsuyoshi Yoda said Thursday. “That goes for everyone on the staff, not just Maeda.”

Tanaka is slated to start Saturday’s International friendly against Australia at Kyocera Dome, while Maeda is set to open Sunday’s series finale. The Australia games will also be used to test bullpen options, with Yoda saying the staff wants to decide on three to four late relievers.

“We want to have everyone pitch in pressure situations (against Australia),” Yoda said. “Making your pitches in a real game is a test and we’ll see how players respond to the challenge.”

While Maeda, Tanaka and Seibu Lions ace Hideaki Wakui were causes for concern, the rest of the pitching staff looked very good in camp.

Although the batters failed to score in a practice game last Sunday, they were putting decent swings on the ball in an intrasquad game on Wednesday that preceded the team selection. The skipper said his focus is on catching the ball and for the most part, his lineup selection shows that.

With 13 pitchers on the 28-man roster, Yamamoto has opted for a lot of flexibility in his infield, where veteran shortstops Kazuo Matsui of the Eagles and Takashi Toritani of the Hanshin Tigers have been working out at second and third.

His starting catcher and his team captain is Central League MVP Shinnosuke Abe of the Yomiuri Giants. Backing up Abe are Ryoji Aikawa of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and Ginjiro Sumitani of the Seibu Lions.

Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters first baseman Atsunori Inaba looks like the No. 1 choice at that position, with slugging Fighters outfielder Sho Nakata providing additional cover.

The Softbank Hawks’ Yuichi Honda is the only regular second baseman on the roster, although veteran shortstop Hirokazu Ibata was the Chunichi Dragons’ regular at second base in 2010 and 2011, when the club won back-to-back CL pennants.

The Giants’ Hayato Sakamoto appears to be at the top of Yamamoto’s heap of shortstops, while Nobuhiro Matsuda of the Hawks is now the only member of the team who plays third base for a living.

By cutting two of the three regular center fielders who came to camp, the Giants Hisayoshi Chono looks to play every inning of every game in center, with the Orix Buffaloes’ Yoshio Itoi in right.

Fielding coach Koichi Ogata said that alignment was the consensus among the staff as the best of their options.

“Sho and (the Hawks’ Seiichi) Uchikawa will hold down left,” Ogata said. “While (the Lotte Marines’ Katsuya) Kakunaka can play left and right.”

On a team filled with high-average, line-drive hitters, Nakata is the wild card, a 23-year-old, big-swinger with a .239 career batting average.

Following the two games against Australia, Japan and the other WBC Pool A teams — Cuba, China and Brazil — will play two games apiece against NPB clubs. Japan will FACE Hanshin in Osaka on Feb. 26 and play its final warmup Feb. 28 at Fukuoka Dome against defending Japan Series champion Yomiuri.

Pool A will begin play on March 2, when Japan takes on WBC debutant Brazil.

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FINAL WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC ROSTERS


http://www.ibaf.org/doc/6ac92815-b446-4 ... 022113.pdf

Late heroics: Catcher Ryoji Aikawa smacks a game-winning three-run homer in the eight inning as Japan topped Australia 3-2 in an exhibition game on Saturday in Osaka. | KYODO

Aikawa’s clutch eighth-inning homer gives Japan comeback win over Australia

Kyodo

Feb 24, 2013

OSAKA –

Two-time defending World Baseball Classic champion Japan endured a scare on Saturday one week before the start of the 2013 tournament, but backup catcher Ryoji Aikawa rescued his team with a three-run, eighth-inning homer in a 3-2 victory over Australia.

Koji Yamamoto’s Samurai Japan prevailed in the first of its two exhibition games as the teams prepare for the start of the WBC on March 2. Japan will open the defense of the titles won in 2006 and 2009 in Fukuoka in Pool A, while Australia is grouped in Pool B in Taichung, Taiwan.

Trailing 2-0 with one out in the eighth and just one hit on the scoreboard, Sho Nakata and Hirokazu Ibata hit back-to-back singles off lefty Steven Kent, who served up a 3-1 pitch that Aikawa just got over the left-field wall. The Yakult Swallows catcher came on in the top of the eighth as a defensive replacement and made a difference in his only at-bat.

Hanshin Tigers lefty Atsushi Nomi threw three scoreless innings to earn the win in relief. Seibu Lions submariner Kazuhisa Makita worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn the save.

Japan starter Masahiro Tanaka, who floundered in his previous outing on Sunday, shot himself in the foot with poor command, giving up two runs in the first inning, and allowing four hits, two walks and a hit batsman over three frames, while striking out three.

“It’s the same as last time,” said Tanaka, who has been named to start Japan’s WBC opener against Brazil on March 2. “Today, too, I struggled in the first inning, and let them score. But as the game progressed into the second and third innings, it felt like I could respond in the way I usually do.”

Tanaka ran the count full on three batters and the first two times it cost him.

The right-hander issued one-out walks either side of a smash single up the middle. Justin Huber, who played with the Hiroshima Carp in 2010, was hit with the first pitch he saw from Tanaka to push across a run. Mike Walker hit a high chopper to Tanaka that resulted in a groundout but brought in Australia’s second run. Tanaka got out of the inning with a called third strike to Matt Kennelly.

Former Hanshin Tigers right-hander Chris Oxspring took the mound for Australia in the first and issued a two-out walk before catching Japan captain Shinnosuke Abe looking at an outside pitch for the third out.

Japan’s defense prevented a run in the top of second after Australia had two more hits against Tanaka. With one out and runners on the corners, left fielder Seiichi Uchikawa caught a medium-deep fly, and a letter-perfect relay from his Hawks teammate, third baseman Nobuhiro Matsuda, gave Yomiuri Giants catcher Abe the time to apply the tag. Chris Snelling, who was out at the plate, was replaced in right field in the bottom of the inning.

Oxspring, who pitched 16 games for Hanshin in 2006 but was not re-signed after going 4-3 with a 5.12 ERA and is currently looking for employment, had an impressive outing. The 35-year-old walked two and struck out three in two hitless innings. Australia’s second pitcher, side-armer Dushan Ruzic allowed just a walk in two scoreless innings.

Japan did not manage a hit until Nobuhiro Matsuda led off the bottom of the fifth with a ground single against former Yomiuri Giants farmhand Adam Bright.

Japan’s second hurler, southpaw Toshiya Sugiuchi, set to play in his third WBC, steadied the ship by allowing just one hit over two innings.

“It’s been a while since I’ve thrown two innings,” said the 32-year-old Sugiuchi, who finished the 2012 season on the sidelines with shoulder trouble. “I’m glad I was able to pitch the way I expect. Next time I want to throw a little longer if I can.”

While Japan couldn’t hit Australia’s pitching, the visitors were plagued by walks. A pair of pitchers loaded the bases with walks in the bottom of the seventh but a two-out smash back to the box was cleanly handled by Kent, who threw Uchikawa out to put out the fire.

Vizquel: "I have not ruled out leading Caracas"

2/19/2013 5:52:57 AM

Omar Vizquel said nothing is set to lead Caracas until the meetings

By: Cesar Augusto Marquez cmarquez@cadena-capriles.com

CARACAS. -

Omar Vizquel knows that right now the priority is to find a leader for the Leones del Caracas team in 2013-2014. Vizquel says he wants to lead Caracas where he began his career in Venezuelan baseball, however , says that the final decision will depend on many factors that will be clarified when we meet in March.

"I Like the possibility. I have not ruled anything out as far as leading the Leones del Caracas, however, we must take into account several factors, such as when they want me to lead the Lions, selecting the coaching staff, and other factors which depend on what we decide" , said the Anaheim coach from Tempe, Arizona, where he is an instructor of infielders for the Los Angeles Angels.

Vizquel has been thinking in recent years that it is a possibility to direct the Leones del Caracas, but his name has been mentioned a lot more recently, since the Frank Kremblas was discarded this previous campaign as manager and Vizquel became one of the leading candidates for the office for the next edition of the Caracas team.

"Vizquel is one of our leading candidates to lead the team next season. We'll see next month from Arizona, but there is nothing definite yet on his part or ours, " said Luis Avila via email. "There were no discussions with Kremblas about it or about any topic after the championship season was completed. He is in no position to make conditions and therefore was automatically discarded."

From the University Campus Stadium after his dismissal, Kremblas statements to journalist Efrain Ruiz, in which he expressed his decision not to return to the Lions because of differences with the general manager, Juan Vicente Zerpa. Caracas Lions not only seek a new manager, but are also in the process of selecting a new football operations manager, since Yves Hernandez, who until last week held the position, resigned.

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Stacked USA squad set for World Baseball Classic

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | 2/21/2013 10:13 P.M. ET

PHOENIX --

Team USA announced its final roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic on Thursday and there were no last-minute surprises.

For the U.S., five players are back from the 2009 team, which lost in the semifinals to two-time Classic champion Japan: Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, Mets third baseman David Wright, Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun, Red Sox right fielder Shane Victorino and D-backs reliever Heath Bell.

Rollins will start this time at short and Wright at third. Braun -- the 2011 National League MVP -- is the left fielder, Victorino will come off the bench and Bell is part of an ample 10-man bullpen.

R.A. Dickey, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, who was traded this offseason from the Mets to Blue Jays, will anchor the starting staff.

Team USA manager Joe Torre and GM Joe Garagiola Jr. completed the 28-man roster with 13 position players and 15 pitchers. The last two starting pitching slots were the toughest to fill after Braves right-hander Kris Medlen dropped out and both Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte and Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander turned down bids. Torre was able to grab two Nationals pitchers -- Gio Gonzalez and Ross Detwiler -- to fill those spots.

"I'm excited about this team we put together and I'm pleased that the players seem to be equally excited," said Torre, who is coming out of retirement to manage the U.S. team in the tournament, when the provisional rosters were released in January. "That's important that these guys have the passion to represent USA and hopefully we'll do good things."

The team will gather in Arizona at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick complex on March 4. And after playing exhibition games against the White Sox at Camelback Ranch on March 5 and the Rockies at Salt River Fields on March 6, the U.S. will open its leg of the tournament against Mexico at Chase Field at 7 p.m. MT on March 8. Italy and Canada are the other two teams in that bracket, and those teams will play the U.S. on March 9 and 10, respectively.

The two winners in Arizona go to Miami, where they will play the victors of the Puerto Rico bracket in the second round at Marlins Park from March 12-16. Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Spain will battle it out at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan.

The semifinals and final are slated for San Francisco's AT&T Park from March 17-19.

Around the diamond, the U.S. has a starting eight of Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips, Rollins at short, Wright at third, Twins catcher Joe Mauer, Braun in left, Orioles center fielder Adam Jones and Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton.

The bench includes Victorino in the outfield, plus Ben Zobrist of the Rays and Willie Bloomquist of the D-backs as utility infielder/outfielders. The backup catchers are Jonathan Lucroy of the Brewers and J.P Arencibia of the Blue Jays, who has been working with Dickey in Nashville, Tenn., learning how to catch his knuckleball, and is projected to catch his new Toronto teammate in the tournament.

"I knew [Arencibia] had been catching him," Torre said this week. "I talked to Joe Garagiola and I thought it was important that we had somebody on the staff to do that. And I also know that R.A. Dickey pitched to Mauer [when the two were with the Twins], but he certainly was a different guy back then. We'll see. The thing is, if you can catch him in practice, you can catch him in the game.

"That knuckleball doesn't do anything different. It's not like catching the fastball. Trust me, I tried catching it and I tried hitting it when I played in the big leagues. I sort of liked hitting it better because you only had to do that four times a game."

Aside from Dickey, the U.S. has invited Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong, Rangers left-hander Derek Holland, plus the left-handers Gonzalez and Detwiler to make up the starting rotation. The bullpen includes closers Craig Kimbrel of the Braves and Chris Perez of the Indians. The rest of the 'pen is replete with Bell, Perez's Cleveland teammate Vinnie Pestano, Luke Gregerson of the Padres, Glen Perkins of the Twins, Steve Cisek of the Marlins, Jeremy Affeldt of the Giants, Tim Collins of the Royals and Mitchell Boggs of the Cardinals.

The U.S. has never gotten as far as the final, losing in the second round in '06 and in the semis at Dodger Stadium in '09.

This time, at least making it to the final game is an imperative, if not winning it all. To that end, Torre will vacate his current job as Major League Baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations until his team's run in the tournament is complete.

Torre's on-field career ended in 2010 with the Dodgers after a 12-year span with the Yankees from 1996-2007, during which his club made the playoffs every year, winning the World Series four times and six American League pennants. That postseason streak went to 14 in a row when the Dodgers lost to the Phillies in the National League Championship Series in 2008-09.

Torre's coaching staff is also filled with big names: Larry Bowa is the bench coach, Willie Randolph the third-base coach, Dale Murphy the first-base coach, Gerald Perry the hitting coach and Greg Maddux and Marcel Lachemann the co-pitching coaches.

Unlike the first two U.S. teams in the Classic, Torre wanted All-Star caliber players at every position, but a starting cast and a bench squad. Pitching is always problematic because of limitations in the spring. Starters are restricted to 65 pitches in the first round, 80 in the second and 95 in the semifinals and finals. A starter must take four days off if he throws more than 50 pitches.

Relievers can pitch on back-to-back days if they don't exceed 30 pitches the first day. Throw 30 in a game and you get another one off. After back-to-back appearances of even low pitch counts they must get a day off.

"We put it together not necessarily like an All-Star team -- because when you have an All-Star team, you base it upon the fact that you'll have one player playing three innings and another playing three innings," Torre said. "We also need to pay attention to pitching. You have to have a deep pitching staff because there are limitations on both starters and relievers that time of year.

"It's going to be a little bit of a different makeup, but it's really a good ballclub I put together based on trying to do something that works and hopefully, we'll have good results."