Cleveland Sports Forum

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Final Classic rosters brimming with talent

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | 2/21/2013 11:35 P.M. ET

PHOENIX --

Final rosters for all 16 teams competing in the upcoming World Baseball Classic were released late Thursday with a bevy of big-name Major Leaguers committing to the third edition of the international tournament.

Joey Votto of the Reds, who missed 48 games last year because of a pair of arthroscopic surgeries on his left knee, was a surprise last-minute add to the Team Canada roster.

Among the elite on the Latin teams in the tournament are Miguel Cabrera, the Tigers third baseman and reigning American League Most Valuable Player and Triple Crown winner, and Giants third baseman and 2012 World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval, playing for Venezuela; Dodgers infielder Hanley Ramirez, Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano and Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes playing for the Dominican Republic; Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez on the Mexico roster; and outfielder Carlos Beltran and catcher Yadier Molina -- both of the Cardinals -- playing for Puerto Rico.

MLB Network will broadcast all 39 games in a tournament that opens in Asia on March 2 and closes with the semifinals and finals March 17-19 in San Francisco's AT&T Park.

Votto joins a Canadian roster that includes 12 players currently on Major League teams. The Canadians are in Arizona with Team USA, Mexico and Italy. That bracket opens play on March 7.

Team Canada will train for the Classic on the Reds side of the complex in Goodyear, Ariz., beginning March 4, but Votto will stay with the Reds at least until Canada's first official tournament game against Italy at Salt River Fields four days later. Like the other three teams in their bracket, the Canadians play exhibition games on March 5-6 against Major League teams in the Cactus League.

"They'll put me on the roster and we'll decide in the future based on what myself and the organization decides," Votto said Thursday. "The games will be able to tell me whether or not I'll be ready to go. All of this practicing is just practicing."

But Votto had four words to describe his current condition: "I feel very good."

There are strict rules, though, guiding replacement on the final 28-man rosters that are not comparable to postseason play in the Major Leagues. Only an injured catcher can be replaced in the same round. Injured position players and pitchers can only be replaced if a team ascends to the next round. Thus, aside from a catcher, any team must play short a player seriously injured within the same round.

So the Canadians have to be pretty certain that Votto will be able to play by the time the tournament begins.

"Joey is a big boy. Joey knows what's best for him," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "He also knows what's best for us. He's been in contact and communication with [general manager] Walt [Jocketty] and myself. Joey is also a kind of a private dude -- he's not going to tell you. You have to respect that. He'll let you know."

Japan won the first two Classics in 2006 and 2009 with right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka named tournament MVP on both occasions. The Japanese will enter this year's tournament without a Major League player on their roster. Korea, the loser to Japan in the '09 finals, also is without a big leaguer, although both teams have been practicing for weeks and again will be well prepared and fundamentally sound.

Cuba, the once unparalleled international baseball power, was clobbered in the 2006 finals by Japan and didn't make it out of the second round four years ago. The Cubans are back with their usual group of homegrown talent.

Japan and Cuba are joined by China and upstart Brazil in their first-round bracket from March 2-6 at Fukuoka, Japan. The other Asian bracket on the same dates is in Taichung, Taiwan, and includes the Koreans, Chinese Taipei, Australia and the Netherlands. The two winners from each of those brackets meet in Tokyo Dome from March 8-12.

Far, far away, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and newcomer Spain meet at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 7-10, the same dates as the Arizona bracket. The victors from those brackets meet on March 12-16 at Miami's Marlins Park.

The U.S. has never gotten as far as the finals, losing in the second round in '06 and in the semis to Japan at Dodger Stadium in '09. This time under Joe Torre, who is coming out of retirement to manage the team, at least making it the final game at AT&T Park is the goal, if not winning it all.

"Without a doubt, you get tired watching other countries playing on the last day of this thing," said Larry Bowa, the bench coach under Torre this year for the U.S. "When I was playing, if somebody asked me, I would have jumped at playing in this thing. I'm not just going there to hit fungoes. I want to win."

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

Toronto knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong, Rangers left-hander Derek Holland and Nationals left-handers Gio Gonzalez and Ross Detwiler are anchoring the starting rotation with Braves closer Craig Kimbrel in the same role heading up a deep 10-man bullpen.

Including Votto, the Canadian roster includes a lot of big league talent. Set for that squad is first baseman Justin Morneau of the Twins, newly signed catcher Russell Martin of the Pirates, closer John Axford of the Brewers, reliever Jesse Crain of the White Sox, outfielder Michael Saunders of the Mariners and third baseman Brett Lawrie of the Blue Jays.

Ernie Whitt, an original member of the expansion Blue Jays in 1977, will manage the Canadians again and Morneau is slated to be with him for the third time. Witt has been Canada's manager perennially in the World Baseball Classic and Olympics.

"The popularity of baseball is growing in Canada, and I'm looking forward to playing in the World Baseball Classic again," Morneau said. "There's something special about representing everyone back home and proving that Canadian baseball is among the world's best."

The Dominicans, like the U.S., has a roster complete with current Major Leaguers and one free agent -- closer Jose Valverde, the former Tiger who is still unsigned and a late add to the team. Angels shortstop Erick Aybar, Texas outfielder Nelson Cruz, Padres starter Edinson Volquez and Rays closer Fernando Rodney are also on the roster.

The distribution of talent is going to make it a tough tournament, Torre said.

"Japan is two-time champs and you know that the Dominican is going to be very strong," he said. "I know Robby Cano is going to be playing second base and that scares me coming right out of the box. It's going to be a very good club. Venezuela is also going to be good and strong, and of course, the Asian countries will be well-represented. I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be an exciting time."

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FINAL WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC ROSTERS


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

Torre: USA will be focused 'every single day' in Classic

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | 2/22/2013 4:33 P.M. ET

PHOENIX --

All the talking is over, and the third running of the World Baseball Classic is little more than a week away. And in the last few months, Team USA manager Joe Torre has painstakingly put together a club he believes has a chance to win the whole thing.

This year's tournament begins in Asia on March 2 and resumes in Arizona and Puerto Rico only five days later.

Team USA opens its bracket at Chase Field in Phoenix on March 8 with a 7 p.m. MT game against Mexico. The Americans play Italy and Canada the following two days, with the goal of winning the round-robin section of the tournament and heading on to Miami against a pair of Latin teams beginning on March 12. The semifinals and final are slated for San Francisco from March 17-19.

The U.S. hasn't made it beyond the semifinals in either of the first two Classics, both won by Japan. Coming out of retirement to manage the team, Torre's first task is to put the players into the right mindset.

"Right now, we can't look at the finish line," Torre said during a media conference staged earlier this week at Chase Field. "In any tournament or playoff, if you get all pumped up about the final result, it's going to keep you from paying attention to what you need to pay attention to. It sounds trite, but we have to just go out there and play one game at a time, with the need to win every single game, every single day."

Torre, Major League Baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations and a winner of four World Series titles as manager of the Yankees, spent about 35 minutes answering questions about his own team and the tournament.

Question: Why do you think the U.S. had problems winning the first two Classics?

Torre: I think the time of year has something to do with it. Spring Training is a time when you get into shape, physically. The mental part you slowly work your way up to it. Witnessing it from the outside, that's the one area that things obviously have to be a little different. Preparation has to be beyond physical. It has to be about making those games in March count, which is something we're not used to doing.

Question: There has been some talk about playing it at some other time of the season.

Torre: There's no other time of the year we can do this. Hockey stops the season to go play in the Olympics and comes back and continues the season. We can't do that in our sport. The only other time would be the fall. But that's really a tough time to hold a Classic like this after guys have played in 160-200 games. This is just the time to do it. In a short series, we really have talented countries out there. Japan has been the boss here the first two times. I'm fortunate to have had experience in the postseason from the good and bad ends, and in a short series, anything can happen. But I think it's just the mental preparation for the postseason-type atmosphere.

Question: Is there anything that can be done about that?

Torre: I've talked to every player. I just felt that there were some players who could not commit. Justin Verlander, for instance, wasn't sure that he was going to be ready because he was in the World Series [in 2012]. I appreciated it when he gave me a call and we talked about it. I talked to every player, because I wanted to gauge, not only the interest, but the excitement about playing with USA across your chest. That's what every single one of them spoke about: the excitement of being a part of this. So I feel pretty comfortable with the team we've put together, based on their ability, for one, and the fact that they will be ready to do this when we need to.

Question: You only will have one day of workouts as a team before playing exhibition games in the Phoenix area on March 5-6. In contrast, Japan, China, Korea and the Netherlands have all been training for weeks. Do you think that's a little unfair?

Torre: You mean for them to have the advantage because of that? Well, they're going to have to give us two runs a game. It is what it is. It doesn't mean you're going to win. As I've said, this is the only time of year it makes sense to do this. The difference this year is that we started Spring Training a little earlier and we're going to play some games beforehand. Each of our starting pitchers will have pitched twice already in Spring Training for their teams. We've done some things a little bit different in allowing the players -- pitchers especially -- to get ready. Pitchers are creatures of habit, and we have to make sure they get their work on the days they're supposed to get their work. I know [USA co-pitching coach] Greg Maddux has talked to every pitching coach and asked where [guys are] slotted to start the season. We're trying to match up what the team's needs are with what we can do with them.

Question: Can you talk a little about the composition of your team?

Torre: I was asked the other day in Los Angeles why more "superstars" aren't playing. And I said, "You just can't play them all." It would be great if we could use free substitution in our sport, change the rules to the point of doing that. But in Spring Training, if you're two-deep at every position, guys are not going to play enough. So the way I put the team together was just try to take one guy at each position. And I thought the utility men were important. The two I have -- Willie Bloomquist and Ben Zobrist -- both play the infield and outfield and play them very well. I just feel that if you're going to put a team together, and it's really a postseason atmosphere, you have these guys out there and hopefully you play them nine innings. There are a lot of variables in the schedule, but there aren't enough games to get enough playing time in if you had too many starting players at each position.

Question: How do you anticipate lining up the pitching, considering pitch-count limits and mandatory off-days after appearances for starters and relievers?

Torre: That's a real good question. The most important thing is that these guys get the work that they're supposed to get. I had talked to Greg and [USA co-pitching coach] Marcel Lachemann about the number of starters that we'd need. They talked about four or five or six, because they could make things work. There are certain areas where you might piggyback starters a little bit. So I will get on paper what their thought process is, but everybody will throw on the days they're supposed to throw. Plus, we have those two exhibition games, too, to give the pitchers who might not be pitching until Games 4 or 5 a taste. And there's a chance, and I think it's legal, for those guys not pitching in Phoenix to stay with their clubs to pitch and then join us later.

Question: You've mentioned Maddux a couple of times. What does it mean to have a guy like that on your coaching staff?

Torre: When I called Greg, at first he thought I had called the wrong Maddux to be my pitching coach. I had him in Los Angeles in 2008 when we got him for that last month of the season. I always admired what he did. He used to frustrate me watching it because it was against my teams, but I always just admired how business-like he was and grounded he was. When I got him over with the Dodgers, he was every bit of what you hoped he would be. It's going to be a benefit to these pitchers to be exposed to this guy for a few weeks. They certainly know who he is and what he's been about. And he's so dedicated, because he finds a way to win.

Question: How does it feel to be managing a team representing the U.S.?

Torre: I know it's not going to hit me until I put on the uniform. I remember when I was picked in [November 1995] to manage the Yankees and said, "Wow, this is a great thrill to put on a Yankees uniform." And now you put on that USA across your chest? In my mind, this is sort of reminiscent of a sad time, in 2001 when 9/11 happened. We were in New York at the time and visited families of people who had lost their lives. It was at that time when I realized that baseball was more than entertainment on the field. That we meant a lot to a lot of people. And our responsibility was far beyond just playing the game. I told the players this in our first meeting back: "This NY on our cap means more than just the Yankees. It's the game, and people need this game to hide out from their problems."

Question: So you feel the same way about this tournament?

Torre: For me, this is going to be a similar emotion, certainly without the sadness that was part of all that. Emotionally, once you put that uniform on, it's a responsibility. And it's not necessarily the winning part of it, but the way you carry yourself and go about it. You represent yourself, and in this case, you represent your country.

Cuban Slugger Despaigne Terrorizes Chinese Taipei Pitchers

Published on Friday, 22 February 2013 19:20

Havana.-

Alfredo Despaigne hit three home runs to lead Cuba to a victory over Chinese Taipei 20-11 in the third preparatory match in that nation, prior to the Third World Baseball Classic.

Despaigne has already five homers in these matchup games, and has become one of the leading names in the Cuban lineup for the upcoming great event of next March.

The ace pitcher Yadier Pedroso achieved the victory despite allowing five hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings of action, in a game played in the city of Tainan, Jit sports publication told.

Cubans, coached by Victor Mesa, batted 26 hits and got even with the hosts after being beaten in the first of these games with a tight score (6-5), while in the second match they defeated Australia (5-3).

Cuban will have another preparatory play on Chinese Taipei against the Netherlands on Sunday, before traveling to Japan on February 25th, where they will face the local squad to finalize details toward the WBC.

In the 3rd WBC, Cuba will debut against Brazil on March 3 as part of the group-A, based in the city of Fukuoka, Japan, a day later they'll face China, and to complete the first phase on March 6th they play versus the hosts, monarchs of the two previous versions of WBC (2006 and 2009). (acn)

Alfredo Despaigne

Bats Right, Throws Right

Height 5' 9", Weight 172 lb.

Born June 17, 1986 in Palma Soriano, Santiago de Cuba Cuba

Biographical Information

Outfielder Alfredo Despaigne is one of the brightest stars in Cuban baseball. He set the Cuban single-season home run record, then reclaimed it after having seen it broken by another player. He also holds the record for most home runs in a Baseball World Cup.

In the 2004 World Junior Championship, Despaigne hit cleanup for the Cuban team that won Gold. He batted .263/.400/.526 with 8 runs in six games and tied for the tourney lead with one home run (7 players each hit one in the event). He scored the most runs in the competition, beating out the likes of Justin Upton.

Despaigne debuted in the Cuban leagues in the 2004-2005 Serie Nacional. During the 2006-2007 Serie Nacional, he hit .321/~.394/.539 with 16 homers, 60 runs and 66 RBI for Granma. Despite his small size, the 20-year-old phenom tied Juan Carlos Linares for fifth in the league in homers, four behind leader Alexei Ramírez. He was 5th in total bases (182), tied teammate Yohenis Cespedes for 4th in RBI (six behind leader Jose Julio Ruiz and fifth in slugging, ranking ahead of the much more famous Yulieski Gourriel.

Despaigne joined the Cuban national team for the 2007 World Port Tournament, replacing Giorvis Duvergel in center field. He hit .448/.419/.828 to lead the tournament in average and slugging as Cuba won the tournament; teammate Yosvani Peraza was named MVP. In the 2007 Baseball World Cup, Despaigne batted .250/.333/.375 and had three outfield assists in eight games. He was at the center of a conflict in the game with Venezuela when he was plunked by former major leaguer Beiker Graterol. Despaigne started off the Cup 3 for 19 but went 5 for his final 13, including a 3-for-5 game against the Bronze Medalists from Japan in the quarterfinals. In the Gold Medal game, he drove in 2 of Cuba's 3 runs in a loss to the US, singling home Yoandry Urgellés and Eduardo Paret against Brian Duensing. It was his only hit in the game, but he also came up with a big defensive play, throwing out Delwyn Young at home.

Despaigne set a new Cuban Serie Nacional record in 2007-2008, with 58 extra base hits. He hit .364/.474/.714 and finished among the league leaders in runs (78), tied for 5th in hits (117), led in doubles (33), was 4th in home runs (24), 2nd in total bases (232, trailing MVP Alexei Bell), tied for 4th in steals (14 in 20 tries), was 7th in average, second in slugging (.005 behind Bell) and tied for 5th in times hit by pitch (15). He joined Bell and Urgellés on the Serie Nacional All-Star outfield.

Despaigne was Cuba's DH in the 2008 Olympics and hit .382/.400/.765 with 3 home runs and 12 RBI in 9 games. He drove in 3 of Cuba's 4 runs in their win over the Japanese national team. He delivered a 2-run homer off of Chris Reitsma in Cuba's one-run victory over Team Canada. He broke a 2-2 tie in the 8th against the USA with a solo shot against Jeremy Cummings. He was 3 for 5 with 3 RBI against the Dutch national team. Alfredo homered off of Stephen Strasburg in Cuba's 10-2 rout of the USA in the semifinals. Cuba went on to win Silver. In the preliminary rounds, Despaigne tied for 5th in slugging (.667, even with Bryan Engelhardt), led with 11 RBI (one ahead of runner-up Dae-ho Lee) and tied for second with two homers (even with Engelhardt, Chih-Sheng Lin, Nick Weglarz and Mike Saunders), one behind Dae-ho Lee.

Despaigne was a disappointment as Cuba's right fielder in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, hitting .235/.316/.412 with 1 run and 2 RBI in five games; the lone production came on a 2-run homer off Barry Armitage of South Africa. Cuba failed to make the top four for the first time ever in a major baseball competition and failed to make the finals for the first time in a global event since the 1951 Amateur World Series. Despaigne was Cuba's only starting outfielder left off the All-Tournament team as Yohenis Céspedes and Frederich Cepeda were picked.

Despaigne homered in six straight games in the 2008-2009 Serie Nacional, catching fire right after the WBC ended. This tied the Cuban record. On the final day of the season, May 3, Alfredo hit his 32nd homer of the campaign, breaking Alexei Bell's one-year-old record. His home run mark only lasted two years before Yoennis Céspedes and José Dariel Abreu broke it. For the season, Despaigne hit .375/~.473/.681 with 97 RBI and 73 runs. Despaigne tied Giorvis Duvergel for 8th in hits (123), tied Isaac Martínez for 8th in doubles (25), led in total bases (248, 15 ahead of Yulieski Gourriel), was 4th in steals (16), led in RBI (7 ahead of Gourriel), was 6th in average and led in slugging (.046 over Gourriel). He made the All-Star outfield alongside Céspedes and Giorvis Duvergel and was named league MVP, easily outpolling Gourriel.

He was absolutely dominating in the 2009 Baseball World Cup. He hit .436/.500/1.109. He hit 11 home runs, a new Baseball World Cup record. Interestingly, Justin Smoak had broken Antonio Muñoz's 31-year-old World Cup home run record of 8 earlier in the event, but Despaigne tie Smoak when he took Ming-Chin Lee deep on September 23. Two days later, he homered off Chris Begg to pass Smoak. In the Gold Medal game, he starred as Cuba's cleanup man and right fielder, going 3 for 5 with 2 runs and a homer off Brad Lincoln, but it wasn't enough in a 10-5 loss. In the 9th inning, he came up with two outs and the bases loaded but was retired by Nate Field. He joined Miguel Abreu and Jon Weber as the Cup All-Star outfielders. He was second in the Cup in runs (one behind Rene Tosoni) and 4th in RBI (behind Rene Reyes, Smoak and Terry Tiffee) while leading in slugging and home runs.

Alfredo remained one of Cuba's biggest stars in 2009-2010, hitting .404/.489/.814. He led the league in average, doubles (37), home runs (31) and total bases (258, 22 ahead of runner-up Yulieski Gourriel). Gourriel robbed him of a Triple Crown as he had 105 RBI to Despaigne's 97. He was 3rd in hits (128), 8th in runs (79) and second in slugging, .008 behind José Dariel Abreu. He was named an All-Star outfielder alongside Alexei Bell and Frederich Cepeda and also took home MVP honors, with 20 of 22 first-place votes, beating out Gourriel 63 points to 37. Despaigne became the third repeat MVP in Cuban Serie Nacional history, following Wilfredo Sánchez (1969-1970) and Gourriel (2005-2006).

In the 2010 World University Championship, he was unstoppable, going 13 for 24 with 3 doubles, 4 homers, 3 walks, 12 runs ans 12 RBI in 6 games. He tied Céspedes for second in the event in runs (2 behind Leonys Martin), led in hits, was second in average (behind Abreu), tied for second in doubles, tied Abreu and Céspedes for the home run lead, tied Abreu for second in RBI (2 behind Céspedes), led in total bases and was second to Abreu in slugging. He provided all of Cuba's offense in their 4-3 Gold Medal Game win over the USA, hitting a solo homer off Noe Ramirez in the 8th and a 3-run blast off Nick Ramirez to win it in the 10th. Despaigne was named tournament MVP for his efforts.

During the 2010 Pan American Games Qualifying Tournament, Despaigne hit a more human .283/.340/.565 with 3 home runs and 8 RBI in 11 games as Cuba finished second and won a spot in the 2011 Pan American Games. He tied Mike Trout for second in the event in homers, two behind co-leaders Jamie Romak and Gabriel Martinez. Despaigne's big hit came in the semifinals. With Cuba tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 9th against Venezuela, Despaigne came up with the bases loaded and one out against Carlos Mori; Venezuelan skipper Luis Sojo had Cepeda intentionally walked to get Despaigne. Alfredo made the move backfire with a game-winning single to score Héctor Olivera Jr.

Despaigne hit .474/.476/.895 in the 2010 Intercontinental Cup as Cuba won Gold. Entering the final day's games, he was second in the event in slugging (behind Olivera), 4th in average (between Bell and Che-Hsuan Lin), 1st in RBI (9), 6th in OBP (between Bell and Jae-hwan Kim), tied for 7th in total bases (17) and tied for second in home runs (2, even with Takahiro Iwamoto, Curt Smith and Duvergel, one behind Kim). In the Gold Medal game 4-1 win over the Netherlands, he surprisingly did not start, entering as Cuba's third left fielder late in the game, replacing Céspedes (who had in turn replaced Urgellés).

As a DH and corner outfielder in 2010-2011, he hit .356/.439/.693 with 27 homers, 56 runs and 74 RBI in 67 games as Cuba switched to a more offense-friendly baseball and Despaigne missed a month while serving on a government-sponsored mission to the World Youth Congress. He still was third in slugging behind Abreu and Cepeda, tied Alexander Malleta for 6th in home runs and missed the top 10 in average by .001. He outslugged teammate Céspedes, who was busy setting the home run record along with Abreu. He was named the All-Star right fielder, joining Céspedes and Cepeda in the outfield.

In the 2011 Baseball World Cup, he was Cuba's cleanup hitter and left fielder. He did well (.325/.396/.500) but it was a far from his performance in the 2009 World Cup. This time, he did not finish among the leaders in any department. In the Gold Medal game, his sacrifice fly to score Cepeda against Rob Cordemans was Cuba's only run in a 2-1 upset loss to the Dutch. In the 9th, Despaigne flew out against Juan Carlos Sulbaran to lead off the frame. He was 0 for 3 on the day.

Next came the 2011 Pan American Games. Despaigne batted .292/.292/.625 with 2 home runs, 6 runs and 7 RBI in five games. In the Bronze Medal game, the left fielder's 2-run shot off Walter Silva in the first started Cuba's 6-0 romp over host Mexico. He had as many homers in the event as the entire Gold Medal-winning Canadian squad and drove in more runs than the whole Panamanian national team. He tied Brett Carroll for second in the Games in homers (one behind Abreu), was third in runs (behind Carroll and Jordy Mercer) and was 4th in RBI (trailing Tommy Mendonca, Abreu and Carroll).

Despaigne surged again in 2011-2012. On April 3, he went deep off Ian Rendón for his 34th home run of the season, reclaiming his home run record from Abreu and Céspedes (who had defected in the off-season and had just hit his first MLB home run). Abreu later caught up to him with 35. On the season's final day, Despaigne took sole possession of both the record and the home run title, with an inside-the-park home run off Alesky Perera (his only inside-the-park job off the season). Despaigne finished the 2011-2012 campaign with a .326/.479/.695 batting line with 87 runs, 105 RBI, 36 homers and 91 walks in 95 games. He led the league in homers (one over Abreu), plate appearances (447), RBI (6 over Abreu), total bases (239, 3 more than Abreu) and walks (91, 1 more than Malleta). He was second in intentional walks (27, 6 behind Abreu) and slugging (a whopping 142 points behind Abreu) and third in runs (behind Guillermo Heredia Jr. and Ramón Tamayo). He won his third MVP, tying legends Wilfredo Sánchez and Omar Linares for the most since the Revolution (Martin Dihigo had won four before the Revolution).

Guillermo Heredia Jr.

Bats Both, Throws Right

Height 5' 8", Weight 154 lb.

Born January 31, 1991 in Matanzas, Matanzas Cuba

Biographical Information

Guillermo Heredia Jr. is the son of Guillermo Heredia Sr.

Heredia Jr. debuted with the Cocodrilos de Matanzas in 2009-2010. The teenager hit .290/.331/.407 and fielded .969 while alternating between right field and center field. He started in right for Matanzas in 2010-2011 but fell to .235/.290/.343 while fielding .984 with 11 assists. In 2011-2012, the little flyhawk blossomed, batting .343/.439/.527 with 91 runs and 9 triples in 96 games. Replacing Ariel Sánchez in center (Sánchez moved to left), he fielded .977 and had 9 assists. He ranked among the Cuban Serie Nacional leaders in plate appearances (443, 2nd, 4 behind Alfredo Despaigne), at-bats (tied with Andres Quiala for 8th with 364), runs (1st, 2 ahead of Ramon Tamayo), hits (tied for 4th with Rusney Castillo at 125), triples (tied for 2nd with Erisbel Arruebarruena, 2 behind leader Lázaro Rodríguez), total bases (192, tied for 5th with Edilse Silva), sacrifice hits (tied for 8th with 12) and batting average (6th, between Yordan Manduley and Héctor Olivera Jr.).

The Skills Drills and the home run Derby All Star Game Festivities 2011-2012 Season.

Centerfielder, Guillermo Heredia won the home to first speed contest (second home to home).

Centerfielder, Guillermo Heredia won the Accuracy/Strongest arm contest (straightaway center to home 365ft)

Guillermo Heredia "flew" in the race from home to first (3.50 seconds). Heredia then had the fans on their feet with his winning throw from centerfield to home plate. He threw the ball 378.8 feet and showed horror in his arm.

Manny Ramirez could be heading to a league as erratic as he is!

Ted Berg, USA TODAY Sports

According to Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com, Manny Ramirez is "in talks to play for the EDA Rhinos of the Taiwanese professional league."

Ramirez's major league career spanned parts of 19 seasons and was marked by outstanding offensive production, shaky and sometimes indifferent defense, colorful to bizarre behavior, and, near its end, suspensions.

Ramirez would represent by far the most notable former major leaguer to compete in Taiwan's top professional circuit — dusting the likes of John Halama and Mel Rojas. Though Ramirez's seemingly carefree demeanor often entertained fans during his successful stints in Cleveland, Boston and Los Angeles, it might be significantly more difficult for Manny to be Manny under a more nefarious pressure not uncommon in the Taiwanese game.

The short history of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League has been marked by scandal and corruption. Here are five of the most notable controversies in CPBL history:

— In 1997, all but two members of the China Times Eagles were found to be fixing games and banned from the league. To complete their schedule, the Eagles borrowed players from the league's six other teams, then folded in the offseason.

— In August 1996, a group of local gangsters carrying weapons abducted four players from the Brother Elephants team and held them in a hotel room, pistol-whipping second baseman Wu Fu-Lien and shoving a gun in the mouth of pitcher Chen Yi-Hsin. Per Time magazine, "According to prosecutors, the kidnappers were from a syndicate that had lost $125,000 on an Elephants game. They believed the players had intentionally thrown it after being paid off by a rival gang."

— In 2010, more than 40 players, including several of the league's best-known stars, were found to be colluding with gamblers and mob bosses to throw games, a scandal that indicted a prominent local politician and one notorious bookmaker nicknamed "the Windshield Wiper" for his ability to clean up messes.

— In 2005, a yearlong investigation by prosecutor Hsu Wei-Yueh into a gambling scandal involving players paid in cash or sexual services to throw games was derailed when Hsu himself was arrested and sentenced for his part in a bribery scandal.

— In April 1999, Wei Chuan Dragons manager Hsu Sheng-Ming was stabbed four times after dropping his daughter off at school. Police arrested two suspects, but he declined to press charges.

On the upside for Manny, should he choose to join the Rhinos? Their logo should appeal to his childlike sense of wonderment:

Offensive Explosions and Political Intrigue Highlight Taiwan Warm-Ups

by Peter C. Bjarkman

February 23, 2013

Friday’s Cuba-Taiwan WBC warm-up match looked more like a batting practice session than a serious competitive ballgame as the two clubs combined for 31 runs and 38 hits in Cuba’s lopsided 20-11 victory. It was but another strange twist to a week of pre-tournament training games in Chinese Taipei that has already featured its share of off-the-field headlines. One mid-week game was strangely sullied by an apparent intrusion of disguised Taiwanese scouting “spies” at a closed match (no public or press admitted) between Korea and the Korean League Dinos club; the scheduled Dinos-Cuba game a day later was cancelled well after its scheduled starting time when the Korean pros protested the quality of the baseballs provided by Taiwanese League officials; and the strong Dutch squad found former national team manager and current head bench coach Brian Farley abandoning the squad only hours after their arrival in Taiwan from their earlier training camp in Arizona. The flurry of bizarre sideline developments has created almost as much buzz as the actual on-field games themselves – games which have been highlighted by an encouraging display of offensive power from the Cuban camp.

If there has been a major concern surrounding the Cuban squad selected for this spring’s third renewal of the MLB showcase Classic by Victor Mesa and his assistants, it had to be the health of the red-clad offensive machine. The Cuban offense for all its potential potency has often struggled in recent international outings, due largely to the acknowledged overall weakness of recent Cuban League pitching and thus the resulting difficulties of sluggers like Cepeda, Gourriel, Despaigne and Abreu to quickly adjust to the more talented arms of international professionals. Nowhere was the chink in Cuba’s offensive armor more obvious than in last November’s two-game set with the Japanese WBC hopefuls that produced only a single run (a Gourriel solo homer) in eighteen full innings. So far this week the fears of inadequate hitting are quickly being put to rest. Two opening matches with Taipei (6-5 loss) and Australia (5-3 victory) produced 25 safeties and a pair of Despaigne homers, although a continuing negative seemed to be the number of runners left stranded in scoring position during those first matches.

Friday’s lopsided affair displayed Cuban bats coming alive in a manner rarely seen in recent international tournament seasons. The welcomed offensive explosion against tame Taiwanese pitching was launched with a 10-run second inning and featured in the end three more homers for Despaigne (who collected 8 RBI), additional long-ball shots by Abreu and Yasmani Tomás, and 5-for-6 batting displays by both Abreu and Gourriel. All that powerful hitting was dulled only by the relative inability of Cuba’s own first four hurlers to keep the opposition off the scoreboard. Starter Yadier Pedroso – given a 10-run cushion to work with – yielded five hits and 4 earned tallies in his 4-plus innings of work; replacements Odrisamer Despaigne (2/3 of an inning) and Yander Guevara (1/3 frame) were less effective still – yielding seven runs between them in their single inning of labor. More impressive where the quartet of finishers for Cuba – Norberto González, Raciel Iglesias, Wilber Pérez and Alexander Rodríguez – who blanked the host Taiwanese over the final four innings.

The bizarre circumstances surrounding the cancellation of Cuba’s Thursday contest against a Korean pro league team were muted by a Cuban Federation website report that mentioned only “operational reasons” as an explanation for why the game was not played. The actual events were first reported in a brief article of the Dutch baseball Federation website that gave the following account. Taiwanese officials responsible for field operation apparently provided game balls that the Koreans objected to as being “soft and oversized” and thus unacceptable for use. One Korean official was quoted as claiming the balls provided an injury risk for his professional ballplayers. Anxious to get in their scheduled practice match, the Cuban delegation apparently volunteered their own practice balls for use in the contest but the Koreans still balked at the absence of quality baseballs and eventually left the field in protest.

The “mystery ball” events may in fact have been related to a more intriguing occurrence two days earlier (also reported by the Dutch website) when Taiwan pro league scouts attempted to view the closed-session 1-0 loss by the Korean WBC squad at the hands of the same Dinos Korean pro outfit. The rare act of “baseball espionage” was uncovered during the contest when the Korean bench noticed an unusually large contingent crammed into the umpires’ box behind home plate and quickly launched a protest; the game was allowed to continue only after the disguised scouts were asked to leave the ballpark. It appears from these reports that the Taiwanese club officials have been carrying on both a covert and also overt program of harassing the visiting Koreans in order to gain every slight advantage possible against the bitter rivals they will face on home turf once official Round One Classic play begins next weekend.

Friday’s Cuban Starters

Guillermo Heredia, RF (2-1, RBI)

José M. Fernández, 2B (5-2, 2 RBI)

Yulieski Gourriel, 3B (6-5, 3 RBI)

Frederich Cepeda, DH (6-2, 2 RBI)

José Dariel Abreu, 1B (6-5, home run)

Alfredo Despaigne, LF (6-3, 3 home runs)

Eriel Sánchez, C (4-1)

Yasmani Tomás, CF (6-3, home run)

Erisbel Arruebarruena, SS (4-2)

Friday’s Offensive/Defensive Substitutes

Raúl González, CF/RF (2-1)

Luis Felipe Rivera, LF (2-0)

Andy Ibáñez, 2B (0-0)

Yosvani Peraza, C (2-1)

Frank Camilo Morejón, C (0-0)

Friday’s Cuban Pitchers

Yadier Pedroso, W (4.1 innings, 4 ER)

Odrisamer Despaigne (0.2 innings, 3 ER)

Yander Guevara (0.1 innings, 1 ER)

Norberto González 0.0 innings, 0 ER)

Raciel Iglesias 1.2 innings, 0 ER)

Wilber Pérez (1.0 innings, 0 ER)

Alexander Rodríguez (1.0 innings, 0 ER)

Cuba’s biggest test before heading to Japan on Monday will obviously be an upcoming Sunday afternoon match against the Dutch squad – a team that contains numerous holdovers from the talented squad that edged the Red Machine 2-1 in the September 2011 rain-soaked Panama World Cup finale. The Netherlands appears to be one of the strongest clubs competing in Asia and is coming off a series of early training camp wins (mostly against university teams) during their stay in Arizona. But the Dutch surprisingly hit the wall in their own open in Taiwan on Friday, suffering a humiliating 10-5 pounding by a Taichung University squad that is currently Taiwan’s university league champion. The Dutch camp has also had to deal with some off-the-field distraction caused when former national team manager Brian Farley (the skipper for the gold medal club in Panama) suddenly left the squad upon arrival in Taipei. Farley was earlier replaced by former big leaguer Hensley Meulens as national team manager for the Classic but had been counted on to fill the role of head bench coach and Meulens’ top dugout assistant. The surprise departure (reported by the Dutch team website as having been prompted by personal matters) has forced former national team skipper and current Netherlands Federation Commissioner Robert Eenhorn to now fill Farley’s slot on the Orange bench.

Cuba Pre-WBC Exhibition Game Series

February 18 (Monday) – Kaohsiung – Chinese Taipei 6, Cuba 5

February 19 (Tuesday) – Taichung – Cuba 5, Australia 3

February 21 (Thursday) – Dou Liou – Cuba versus Korea Dinos (Cancelled)

February 22 (Friday) – Tainan – Cuba 20, Chinese Taipei 11

February 24 (Sunday) – Taichung – Cuba versus Holanda

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

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

Japan will be forced to dig deep to defend WBC crown

by Jason Coskrey


Feb 26, 2013 PRINT SHARE

It’s debatable whether or not a team needs to play “perfect defensively” to beat Japan as Australia manager Jon Deeble lamented after his team’s 10-3 loss on Sunday night.

First, it helps to not commit four errors or allow five unearned runs the way the Australians did, but that same Aussie squad was far, far from perfection when it was five outs and one ill-fated pitch from beating Japan Saturday night, instead falling 3-2 after Ryoji Aikawa’s three-run homer in the eighth.

What you can take out of the teams’ two-game series is that at least someone, anyone, on the Japanese team may indeed need to play a perfect game if the Samurai are to bring home the World Baseball Classic title for the third consecutive time

Japan is the two-time defending champion, but will have to play the scrappy, gritty game of an underdog during the WBC.

Japan will need to keep its nerve and survive a few nail biters, as in Saturday’s 3-2 win, while punishing its opponents for their mistakes, as was the case Sunday. Pure skill should push Japan into the second round, where the Australians say they’ll be waiting, but Japan won’t be able to get away with disjointed performances after that point.

Someone, a few someones actually, will have to step up and light the fire, night after night, game after game, as the pressure to three-peat builds with each passing day.

Offensively, Japan can’t be counted on a consistent basis, and while Sunday’s 10-run outburst led to relieved smiles all around, it was aided by four errors and an Australian starter who had pitched one inning since September, and was hardly in peak condition.

More troubling are the struggles starters Masahiro Tanaka and Kenta Maeda continue to have on the mound. Both have put together solid innings but have yet to deliver a wholly solid outing, with their next chance to do so coming when the games actually count.

On the bright side, the majority of the pitchers behind them have delivered. Atsushi Nomi has been the standout of that group, which also includes Toshiya Sugiuchi, Kazuhisa Makita, Takeru Imamura and Masahiko Morifuku among others.

“Each of them had positive outings, so that was good,” Japan manager Koji Yamamoto said. “We still have some guys who haven’t pitched, but these all faced some tense situations and can work with more composure next time.”

The WBC’s 65-pitch limit in the first round (which will be upped to 80 in the second) means the second-tier of pitchers have to perform, but their roles take on greater importance should Japan fall behind early after another shaky start by Tanaka or Maeda.

Among the position players, Seiichi Uchikawa, one of the few holdovers from the 2009 squad, was the only one of Japan’s star players to deliver over the weekend. The rest of the dirty work was left to the backups.

Aikawa was the hero Saturday, with the aforementioned three-run homer — after hitting just two in 629 at-bats for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows the past two seasons — that bailed out a team having a dismal night at the plate.

Sunday, Kazuo Matsui, newly inserted into the starting lineup, sprinkled a three-run triple and sacrifice bunt into a productive 2-for-4 night, with Katsuya Kakunaka also going 2-for-4 in another win.

Operating at a high level is not limited to the players on the field. Yamamoto, who guided the Hiroshima Carp to the Central League pennant in 1991, presiding over the final vestiges of the team’s last golden era, is going to have to push the right buttons.

After Japan was held in check by the Carp in a practice game Feb. 17, a 7-0 loss, and by the Australians most of Saturday night, Yamamoto jump-started his stagnant lineup by moving players around and inserting Matsui and Kakunaka into the lineup, and was rewarded for his efforts with 10 runs, though even that felt like more of a band-aid than a cure.

“I told both of them that this wasn’t the last game they’d play,” Yamamoto said, referring to Matsui and Kakunaka. “This game gave me confidence that I can use various types of lineups.”

Perfection, or near-perfection, is a fine line to walk, and most of the time a defending champion operates from a position of power.

This Japan squad however, isn’t the 2006, or the 2009 team.

The name across the front of their uniforms demands respect, but it means nothing once the first pitch is thrown. Japan can’t afford many letdowns and will have to be at its best, if not nearly flawless, if it hopes to extend its reign as world champion.

In Miami, expect World Baseball Classic to heat up

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | 2/27/2013 4:52 P.M. ET

PHOENIX --

If the baseball universe aligns properly, three Latin American teams and the U.S. will converge on Miami's Marlins Park from March 12-16, when the World Baseball Classic convenes for the second round.

The U.S. and Mexico could come out of the first round in Pool D, which includes Canada and Italy and plays from March 7-10. The Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Puerto Rico are competing with Spain down in San Juan, P.R., on the same dates.

The confluence of three powerhouse Latin teams and the U.S. would create an intriguing bracket in the one-year-old ballpark located in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood just beyond the outskirts of downtown.

The other second-round pool is slated to be played in Tokyo Dome from March 8-12.

MLB Network will broadcast all 39 games in a tournament that eventually closes with the semifinals and final March 17-19 in San Francisco's AT&T Park.

Pool A

JPN CHN CUB BRA

Pool B

KOR NED AUS TPE

Pool C

VEN PUR DOM ESP

Pool D

USA MEX ITA CAN


"It would be great to get to Miami this time," said Dominican starter Edinson Volquez, whose D.R. club didn't make it out of the first round at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in the 2009 Classic. "I hope we can do better. That we can pass on to the second round. We're all aware of that, and we know what we have to do. It's a tough bracket. We're going to do the best we can."

The second round is a double-elimination bracket, meaning that the first pair of teams to lose two games is out.

March 11 will be a workout day for all four teams at Marlins Park. The round begins on March 12 with a day-night, separate-admission doubleheader. In the first game at 1 p.m. ET, the winner of the San Juan pool plays the runner-up from the Arizona pool. And at 8 p.m., the winner of the Arizona pool faces the runner-up from the San Juan pool.

The two losers from Miami's Day 1 play at 7 p.m. on March 13, and the winner from Day 1 will face the winner from Day 2 at 7 p.m. on March 14. The two winners of the bracket will be decided after another 7 p.m. game on March 15. And seeding for the semifinals will be determined when the two pool survivors play at 1 p.m. on March 16.

The final game is essential, because it will decide who plays the first semifinal game in San Francisco on March 17 at 9 p.m. In that one, the winner from the Tokyo pool will play the runner up from Miami, giving the Miami winner a key off-day.

The Miami winner plays the Tokyo runner-up on March 18 at 9 p.m., with the final game at 9 p.m. on March 19.

If this all sounds confusing, it won't be as the tournament sorts itself out. Just figure there will be at least one very meaningful game every day.

The U.S. is slated to play three of the premier games in the round-robin opening round at Chase Field: On March 8 at 7 p.m. MT against Mexico, on March 9 at 7 p.m. against Italy, and March 10 at 1 p.m. against Canada.

Japan won the first two Classics with right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka named tournament MVP on both occasions. This time, the Japanese won't play on U.S. soil, unless they survive the first and second rounds, both slated for Japan.

This year, Japan is joined by Cuba, China and upstart Brazil in its first-round bracket this weekend at Fukuoka, Japan. In Taichung, Taiwan, on the same dates is Pool B's bracket, which includes Korea, Chinese Taipei, Australia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The two winners from each of those brackets meet in Tokyo Dome on March 8-12.

In Puerto Rico, the bracket opens next Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. ET, with Venezuela playing Team D.R. Like 2009, when the Dominicans opened by losing the opener to the Netherlands, Volquez is expected to be on the mound.

Proud to be on team, Phillips wants US to excel

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | 2/26/2013 7:12 P.M. ET

PEORIA, Ariz. --

When Team USA manager Joe Torre talked to Brandon Phillips on the phone and asked him whether he'd like to be the starting second baseman for the U.S. in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, the Reds All-Star was completely thrilled.

Phillips had been hoping to again wear the Team USA uniform since he was a 15-year-old batboy in the baseball portion of the 1996 Summer Olympics staged in his hometown of Atlanta. Cuba won the gold medal that year.

"I had called [Phillips], left him a message and he called me back," said Torre, who is coming out of retirement to manage in the third running of the Classic that begins for the U.S. against Mexico at Chase Field on March 8. "I'm not sure he knew it was an invitation. He thought I was sort of on a fact-finding mission. Then when I did assure him that I wanted him to play second base, he got excited, and said, 'Can I tweet about this?'"

Torre said he'd first have to check with his teenage daughter because he didn't know what Twitter was and then quickly told Phillips, "Sure go ahead, tweet away, tweet away."

Torre, 72, is not a likely member of the Twitter generation, but Major League Baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations and a four-time World Series winner as manager of the Yankees evidently is aware of it now.

"It was funny, because first of all, I was just happy to hear Joe Torre's voice," Phillips said on Tuesday before his Reds lost, 7-5, to the Padres in a Cactus League game at Peoria Stadium. "I respect that man dearly. He was a championship manager and a great player also. For him to ask me to be the second baseman, that was a blessing in disguise. It was nice."

Phillips, who is a prolific tweeter, told the world succinctly via his @DatDudeBP account: "I can't wait to wear the red, white and blue on my chest."

That moment is quickly approaching. The 28 players who make up Team USA's roster will gather as a unit for the first time this coming Sunday at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick complex in nearby Scottsdale, Ariz., with a full workout on one of the back fields the next day.

The U.S. is scheduled to play exhibition games on March 5 against the White Sox at Camelback Ranch and on the evening of March 6 against the Rockies at Salt River Fields. In a pool with Mexico, Italy and Canada, the U.S. will play those three countries in succession from March 8-10 at Chase Field.

If the Americans are one of the two teams to survive the bracket, they'll move on to Miami to play the second round at Marlins Park from March 12-16 against the winners among Venezuela, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Spain. The semifinals and final are slated for March 17-19 at San Francisco's AT&T Park.

Phillips is quickly trying to get up to speed. He had two at-bats on Tuesday and came out in the fifth inning. That gives him nine plate appearances in four games. But by the time he takes the field for Team USA, Phillips says he will be ready.

"I'm very excited to represent the country and wear the red, white and blue," Phillips said. "It's something I've always wanted to do since 1996, and I was a batboy in the Olympics. I looked up to Jacque Jones, Troy Glaus, all those guys who represented their country. It's just an honor to go out there and do that."

The U.S. won the bronze in 1996, when Phillips was the batboy and the games were played at long-gone Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium. The Americans hit their zenith four years later by defeating Cuba for the gold medal in Sydney, Australia, when professional players outside the 40-man rosters of each big league team played for the first time.

In the Classic, the U.S. hasn't excelled. The Americans were knocked out in the second round in 2006 and were beaten by Japan in the semis four years ago at Dodger Stadium. The Japanese won the first two tournaments, and right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka was the MVP of both events.

Looking at the lineup of All-Stars and award winners being fielded by Torre this time around, Phillips finds it hard to believe the U.S. will not do better.

"I mean, it looks good. On paper, it looks good. It's just all about us going out there and performing," Phillips said. "Hopefully, we can go out there and make the USA proud. Get that first place, get that medal, trophy, whatever it is, bring it home. Hopefully, we can do that. I don't want to just do something and lose.

"When Mr. Torre called and asked me, it didn't take long for me to say, 'Yes!' When somebody like that asks you to do something, how can you not do it? He's one of the best managers ever. He's one of the best players ever. Plus, you only might have only one opportunity to get a chance to do this."

And don't forget to follow his tweets!

Japan opens quest for third Classic title at home

By Jason Coskrey / Special to MLB.com | 2/26/2013 9:15 P.M. ET

Two-time defending World Baseball Classic champion Japan is back for a run at a third title, albeit with some familiar faces missing.

Japan's entire contingent of Major League stars -- a who's who of Japanese baseball that includes Yu Darvish, Ichiro Suzuki and two-time Classic MVP Daisuke Matsuzaka -- passed on the chance to suit up this time around, making way for rising stars such as Tohoku Rakuten Eagles pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, Yomiuri Giants shortstop Hayato Sakamoto and a host of others as new manager and Japanese baseball Hall of Famer Koji Yamamoto attempts to equal the feat of Sadaharu Oh in 2006 and Tatsunori Hara in '09 by bringing home the title.

The Japanese will enjoy home-field advantage in the first round, as they did in 2009, with Pool A to be held at Fukuoka, Japan's Yafuoku Dome, home of Nippon Professional Baseball's Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, who have placed outfielder Seiichi Uchikawa, third baseman Nobuhiro Matsuda and pitchers Tadashi Settsu, the 2012 recipient of the Sawamura Award (given to Japan's top pitcher), Masahiko Morifuku and Kenji Otonari under Yamamoto's care this spring.

Hoping to stand in the way of another Japanese coronation is a Cuban team hungry for success in the Classic after falling to Japan in the 2006 final and being bundled out of the '09 tournament in the second round.

Joining the two baseball powers in Pool A is Classic newcomer Brazil, managed by Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, and China, which is competing in the tournament for the third time.

Japan and Cuba are the teams to beat in Pool A, with China and Brazil hoping to play the role of spoiler.

The following is a look at the four teams who make up Pool A:

Brazil

The Brazilians pulled off a shocker during the qualifying round by beating Panama, 1-0, to secure the final spot in the World Baseball Classic.

Baseball is still growing in Brazil, where soccer reigns supreme, but Larkin is helping to raise the game's profile as the national team manager.

Brazil made the long journey to Fukuoka from South America, but many of the Brazilians should feel right at home as the roster includes a number of players, including the Tokyo Yakult Swallows' Daniel (Yuichi) Matsumoto and Rafael Fernandes, who are currently plying their trade in either Nippon Professional Baseball or the Japanese industrial league.

Unfortunately, they'll be without their best player, Indians catcher Yan Gomes, Brazil's first Major Leaguer.

The Brazilians figure to be a bit offensively challenged, hoping that getting a good performance from their pitchers the key to picking up a victory in their first Classic, with China looking like the most likely victim. Beyond that, with Cuba and Japan lurking, the waters are probably too rough for Larkin's squad to safely navigate.

China

China earned its first World Baseball Classic victory in 2009, but the nation is still a ways off from competing against Japan and Cuba.

Success this year looks like an especially tall order, given that all but eight members of the Chinese roster (including 10 of 13 pitchers and all three catchers) were a part of the squad that was outscored, 23-1, by Taiwan's Lamigo Monkeys (14-1) and Korea's Samsung Lions (9-0) in two Asia Series losses in November.

China's prospects took another hit before the Classic, when the team learned Kansas City Royals pitcher Bruce Chen would not be added to the roster. Chen's absence puts even more pressure on other notable Chinese pitchers Xia Lou and lefty Tao Bu.

Despite Chen's absence, the Chinese have a U.S. connection in infielder Ray Chang, a veteran of eight Minor League seasons. Speedy outfielders Xiao Cui and Zhenhong Lu are two other players to keep an eye out for.

Baseball is still a developing sport in China, so the team will be short on experience on the field. Fortunately that won't be the case in the dugout, where former Seattle Mariners skipper John McLaren will be calling the shots and former Houston Astros, New York Mets and Oakland Athletics manager Art Howe serving as his hitting coach.

The downside is neither McLaren nor Howe will be on the field, where the Chinese could be in for a bumpy ride.

Cuba

The International Baseball Federation, the sport's world governing body, ranks Cuba as the No. 1 team in the world -- followed by the U.S. and Japan -- and the 2006 Classic finalists are looking to affirm that designation by winning it all this time around.

Although without slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who defected in 2011 and spent the past season with the Athletics, Cuba could still be dangerous at the plate.

Opposing pitchers have to be especially wary of Jose Abreu and Alfredo Despaigne, two of the most potent hitters in Cuba.

Abreu had a huge season playing for Cienfuegos during the 2011-2012 campaign in Cuba's Serie Nacional, batting a league-best .394, with 35 home runs, 99 RBIs and an OPS of 1.379 in 87 games. Not to be outdone, Despaigne put up a .326/.479/.695 line for Granma and led the league with 36 home runs and 105 RBIs.

The Cubans have another potential impact player in stalwart Frederich Cepeda, an all-tournament selection in 2009 after finishing a scorching 12-for-24 with a pair of doubles, three home runs and 10 RBIs in six games. Infielder Yulieski Gourriel presents another threat on a Cuban team that can hold its own against any in the 16-team field.

The Cubans also benefit from a wealth of experience on the mound with a number of players having pitched in either the 2006 and '09 (or both) editions of the Classic.

Two of them, Yadier Pedroso and Freddy Alvarez, were the starters during Cuba's two-game exhibition series against Japan in November. The Cubans dropped both games, and will be out for revenge when the teams square off to close out Pool A on Wednesday, March 6.

Japan

Without its Major League stars, Japan will field an entirely domestically based team with veterans such as Yomiuri Giants catcher Shinnosuke Abe, Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters outfielder Atsunori Inaba and Tohoku Rakuten infielder Kazuo Matsui, the only Japanese player with Major League experience, leading a host of young players into battle.

Eagles right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (the 2011 Sawamura Award winner) leads a talented pitching staff, and the Hiroshima Carp's Kenta Maeda (the 2010 Sawamura winner) and Giants lefty Tetsuya Utsumi (the 2012 Japan Series MVP) are joining him on the front lines, with sidearming submarine reliever Kazuhisa Makita of the Seibu Lions lurking in the back of the bullpen.

Abe, who hit .340, with 27 home runs and 104 RBIs for the Giants in 2012, will bat at the heart of a lineup built to get on base and manufacture runs.

Abe and Fighters slugger Sho Nakata are among the few real power threats for the Japanese, who will again rely on pitching and defense to carry the day.

Koreans open Classic vs. tough Dutch squad

2009 runner-ups looking to avoid upset against talented Netherlands lineup

By Debby Wu / Special to MLB.com | 2/28/2013 12:17 P.M. ET

TAIPEI, Taiwan --

Seasoned sluggers who helped Korea excel in recent international competitions will once again assume a vital role in the Asian powerhouse's efforts to overcome the Netherlands on Saturday in its first game in Pool B in the 2013 World Baseball Classic first round.

While Korean players may be largely unknown to an international audience, some of those veterans have propelled their national team to reach the semifinal in the 2006 Classic, secure second place in the '09 Classic and win gold medals in the '08 Beijing Olympics and the '10 Asian Games.

Two big names are missing from the Korean squad, as Cincinnati Reds outfielder Shin-Soo Choo and Los Angeles Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu have both declined to play.

Despite the absence of Major Leaguers, skipper Joong-Il Ryu has built a formidable lineup featuring 30-year-old infielder Dae-Ho Lee of Japan's Orix Buffaloes and 36-year-old first baseman Seung-Yuop Lee of the domestic Samsung Lions.

Dae-Ho Lee enjoyed a spectacular 2012 season with Orix, batting .286 with 24 homers and leading Japan's Pacific League with 91 RBIs. When he played for Korea's Lotte Giants in '10, Lee finished the season as a leader in seven statistics, including batting average, home runs and RBIs.

Seung-Yuop Lee is the Asian baseball single-season home run record holder, with 56 during his 2003 season in the Korean league. Known as "Lion King" to Korean fans for his stellar stint with the Samsung Lions, he helped his team capture the league title in '12, with a .307 batting average and 85 RBIs.

Both Lees contributed significantly to Korea's winning a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics in 2008. In addition, Dae-Ho Lee was a member of the '09 Classic team. Seung-Yuop Lee participated in the 2006 Classic, finishing as the homer leader and sharing the RBI title with Team USA's Ken Griffey Jr.

Another noteworthy name is 35-year-old right-hander Jae-Weong Seo, the only team member with Major League experience. He spent four years with New York Mets in the early 2000s and later played for Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He is now pitching for the domestic Kia Tigers.

The Netherlands can be expected to put up a good fight, bolstered by several current and former Major Leaguers. Washington Nationals outfielder Roger Bernadina, Atlanta Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons, former Braves All-Star outfielder Andruw Jones and Tokyo Yakult Swallows slugger Wladimir Balentien will almost certainly give opposing pitchers a hard time on the mound.

Jones is now playing for Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan's Pacific League. During his 17-year Major League career, he hit 434 home runs and was selected to the All-Star Game five times. Meanwhile, Balentien has been the reigning homer king in Japan's Central League over the past two seasons.

As a contrast, the Dutch roster of pitchers suffers from the absence of several talents with U.S. experience, including Jair Jurrjens, Kenley Jansen and Rick van den Hurk.

Major pitching responsibilities will probably be shared by Twins prospect Shairon Martis and right-hander Robbie Cordemans, the winning hurler in the team's 2011 victory against Cuba in the now discontinued World Baseball Cup.

The team is managed by Hensley Meulens, who is also the current batting coach for the San Francisco Giants.

Korea faces tough road through Pool B

2009 runner-up will take on Dutch, Chinese Taipei and Australia in first round

By Debby Wu / Special to MLB.com | 2/28/2013 10:56 A.M. ET

TAIPEI, Taiwan --

Korea will encounter ferocious challenges in its attempt to return to the World Baseball Classic final when it plays three tournament regulars in the first round, each of whom features players with U.S. baseball experience.

Korea, which earned second place in the 2009 Classic, will face Australia, Chinese Taipei and the Netherlands in Pool B, to be held in the central Taiwanese city of Taichung from Saturday through Tuesday. The games will be held at Taiwan's state-of-the-art baseball venue, the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium. The stadium officially opened in '06, and it can host 20,000 fans.

Without a single current Major or Minor Leaguer on its roster, Korea will rely heavily on domestic talents and old hands from the previous tournaments. While Korean players may be largely unknown to an international audience, some of their seasoned veterans have helped the national team reach the semifinal in the 2006 Classic and win the gold medals in the '08 Beijing Olympics and the '10 Asian Games.

To advance its quest for gold, the Korean squad will need to upend opponents in the first round that are bolstered by players who are more well-known in the U.S., including former New York Yankees and Washington Nationals starter Chien-Ming Wang, former Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Hung-Chih Kuo and former All-Star slugger Andruw Jones.

Here's a look at the participants in Pool B:

Australia

Australia may be the biggest underdog in the pool, as it is the lowest-ranked among the four teams, but the club still boasts some players with Major League experience.

The Aussies have the ability to surprise, too, as they unexpectedly snatched the silver medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics under the guidance of manager Jon Deeble, who is again leading the team this year. Australia was eliminated in the first round in the two previous Classic tournaments.

As Oakland Athletics pair Grant Balfour and Travis Blackley will be missing from action, whether the Aussies can spoil the chances for the other three teams and move on will depend on how Boston Red Sox organization left-hander Ryan Rowland-Smith, Detroit Tigers organization right-hander Chris Oxspring and infielder Luke Hughes, formerly of Minnesota Twins, perform.

Chinese Taipei

Chinese Taipei has high hopes for reestablishing its standing as a baseball giant and has recruited several players with a wealth of Major and Minor League experience to increase its chances. The team has been suffering from uneven performances in international competitions in recent years.

Chinese Taipei was eliminated in the 2009 Classic first round without winning a game. The team also disappointed in the inaugural tournament in '06, when it only won one game in the first round.

Chinese Taipei did manage to sail through the Classic qualifying round last November, overpowering opponents with landslide victories in every game. The team's morale was further boosted by winning second place in the Asian Baseball Championship a month later.

Although Baltimore Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen, currently the biggest Taiwanese star, will not participate, manager Chang-Heng Hsieh has brought in reinforcements, and familiar former Major League faces will lead the team in its efforts to advance in the competition.

Wang and Kuo will help minimize damage against the team in the games they pitch in. On the offensive front, Houston Astros prospect Che-Hsuan Lin will lead the charge, along with Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters outfielder Dai-Kang Yang.

Korea

Two big names are missing from the Korea squad, as Cincinnati Reds outfielder Shin-Soo Choo and Los Angeles Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu have both declined to play.

Despite the absence of those Major Leaguers, skipper Joong-Il Ryu has built an imposing lineup featuring 30-year-old infielder Dae-Ho Lee of Japan's professional Orix Buffaloes and 36-year-old first baseman Seung-Yuop Lee. Both players contributed significantly to Korea winning the gold medal in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

A member of the 2009 Classic squad, Dae-Ho Lee, enjoyed a spectacular 2012 season with Orix, batting .286 with 24 homers and leading Japan's Pacific League with 91 RBIs. When he played for Korea's Lotte Giants in '10, Lee finished the season as a leader in seven statistics, including batting average, homers and RBIs.

Seung-Yuop Lee is the Asian baseball single-season home run record holder, with 56 from his 2003 season with the domestic Samsung Lions. Known as "Lion King" to Korean fans for his stellar stint with the Samsung Lions, he helped his club secure the league title in '12 with a .307 batting average and 85 RBIs.

Another noteworthy player is 35-year-old right-hander Jae-Weong Seo, the only team member with Major League experience. He spent four years with New York Mets in the early 2000s and later played for Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Seo is now pitching for the domestic Kia Tigers.

The Netherlands

Ranked seventh in the world, the Dutch national team has been long established as a European baseball powerhouse that is sometimes unstoppable. It delighted fans in 2011 when it defeated Cuba, 2-1, in the final to become the champion in the now discontinued World Baseball Cup.

The Netherlands won only one game in the 2006 Classic, but the club managed to advance to the second round in the tournament in '09.

With several current and former Major League stars, the Netherlands has formed an impressive lineup. Jones, Washington Nationals outfielder Roger Bernadina, Atlanta Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons and Tokyo Yakult Swallows slugger Wladimir Balentien will almost certainly give opposing pitchers a hard time on the mound.

The Dutch roster of pitchers, however, suffers from the absence of several talents with U.S. experience, including Jair Jurrjens, Kenley Jansen and Rick van den Hurk. Major pitching responsibilities will probably be shared by Shairon Martis of Minnesota Twins organization and right-hander Robbie Cordemans, the winning hurler in the team's 2011 victory against Cuba.

The team is managed by Hensley Meulens, who is also the current batting coach for the San Francisco Giants.

Four from Pool A could emerge as Classic stars

By Jason Coskrey / Special to MLB.com | 2/28/2013 10:01 A.M. ET

The World Baseball Classic not only brings nations together to vie for supremacy on the diamond, it gives fans around the world a chance to get a look at players they wouldn't normally see.

This is especially true in Pool A, which pits Brazil, China, Cuba and Japan against each other.

The Japanese, the two-time Classic champions, are the most well-known to the world at large, having in the past produced many Major Leaguers and former Classic participants such as Ichiro Suzuki, Yu Darvish and Norichika Aoki, among others.

Cuba is a baseball power on a global level, but its players are lesser known to many fans in Asia and the United States, while Brazil and China continue to grow on the international stage.

Each of the Pool A teams is flush with players worth watching, but the following four deserve to have their talents spotlighted:

Rafael Fernandes, P, Brazil

Fernandes got the start and struck out two over six scoreless innings in Brazil's 1-0 upset of Panama in a qualifier-round game that secured his country the 16th and final spot in the Classic.

Pitching in Japan will be nothing new for Fernandes, who attended the Tokyo Yakult Swallows' Brazilian academy and was a developmental draft pick by that team in 2008.

Fernandes, likely the Brazilians' No. 2 starter, brings a cutter and a changeup to the table in addition to his fastball.

The right-hander has spent most of his time in Japan with the Swallows' farm team, where he has gone 8-8 with a 3.79 ERA over 135 1/3 innings since 2009. Fernandes is 1-0 with an 8.31 ERA over 13 innings in just career 10 appearances with the Swallows.

Pitching for Brazil should give Fernandes at least a brief opportunity to impress his employers, as he tries to help Brazil advance in its first Classic appearance.

Ray Chang, IF, China

Kansas City Royals pitcher Bruce Chen isn't suiting up for China, but infielder Ray Chang gives the experience-starved Chinese a somewhat seasoned player.

Chang, a native of Kansas City and a veteran of eight Minor League seasons, including five at the Triple-A level, is back in the Classic after a strong showing during China's brief stay in the 2009 edition of the tournament.

Chang was decent at the plate, fairly solid defensively at shortstop, and was easily China's best player in 2009, finishing 5-for-11 with a home run and two RBIs (accounting for half of China's total runs scored). He fueled the Chinese's lone win in '09, going 3-for-4 with a solo homer and an RBI double in a 4-1 victory over rival Taiwan.

Chang spent the past two seasons in the U.S. with the Rochester Red Wings, the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, and had a .252 average and 34 RBIs in 131 games over that span.

Not much is expected out of the Chinese, but Chang figures to be key to the nation's hopes of scoring another victory in the Classic.

Jose Abreu, IF, Cuba

Unlike the majority of the Cuban roster, who play almost in seclusion on the baseball-mad island, Abreu's reputation precedes him.

The 26-year-old first baseman has drawn attention for the monstrous, Barry Bonds-esque numbers he's put up in Cuba's Serie Nacional over the past few seasons.

Two years ago, Abreu hit an eye-popping .453 with 33 home runs and 93 RBIs for Cienfuegos. He followed that up with a .394 average, 35 home runs (one behind the single-season record set by Alfredo Despaigne that same year) and 99 RBIs in 2011-12.

Abreu was the subject of a feature by a major sports web site in February, which has served to create some of the same hype and intrigue that followed Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman and Japanese hurler Yu Darvish -- now with the Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers, respectively -- into the 2009 Classic.

Masahiro Tanaka, P, Japan

No Japanese player enters the Classic with as much expected of him as the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles right-hander.

Tanaka has already been branded Japan's ace -- and with good reason. The 24-year-old dealt with a few injuries this past season and still managed to finish 10-4 with a 1.87 ERA and 1.03 WHIP while leading Nippon Professional Baseball's Pacific League with 169 strikeouts over 173 innings.

Tanaka has been regarded as one of Japan's top pitchers for years despite sometimes being overshadowed by former teammate Hisashi Iwakuma (currently with the Mariners) and the former Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters star Darvish. However, Tanaka outdueled both for the 2011 Sawamura Award as the top starting pitcher, with a 14-6 record, 1.27 ERA and 226 strikeouts over 226 1/3 innings.

Armed with a fastball in the 90s and an above-average slider, "Ma-kun," as he's affectionately known by Japanese fans, has a prime opportunity to make a name for himself on the international stage in the same way Japanese pitchers Daisuke Matsuzaka, Darvish and Iwakuma did in past World Baseball Classics.