World Baseball Classic Schedule

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Puerto Rico doesn't look that bad, with Pudge, Delgado, and Beltran. Javi Vasquez should be on the team also, and maybe Roberto Hernandez. If only Roberto Alomar was still an active player.

Jose Vidro's a better second baseman at this point anyway. The big problem with the Puerto Rican team is pitching. Vazquez and Joel Pineiro are the only Puerto Rican pitchers to make starts this season. The site lists Jorge Sosa, but he was born in the Dominican Republic, so that may be a misprint.

[Celtic Guardian 0]

Cuba's been denied entry into the country by the U.S. government for the World Baseball Classic. MLB and its players union will both appeal the decision.

 

I'm as anti-Castro as anyone else but this denial just seems stupid and serves no useful purpose.

 

AP via Yahoo.

 

Cuba won't be allowed to send a team to next year's inaugural World Baseball Classic, the U.S. government told event organizers Wednesday.

 

The decision by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control was conveyed to Major League Baseball on Wednesday, according to Pat Courtney, a spokesman for the commissioner's office.

 

A permit from OFAC is necessary because of U.S. laws governing certain commercial transactions with Fidel Castro's communist island nation.

Edited December 15, 2005 by Celtic Guardian

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Floridian politicians have suggested a team of Cuban-Americans. Just for fun, let's see what that team would look like...

 

C- Brayan Pena

1B- Rafael Palmeiro

2B- Yobal Duenas

SS- Yuniesky Betancourt

3B- Kendry Morales

LF- Eli Marrero

CF- Alex Sanchez

RF- Carlos Rodriguez

DH- Jose Canseco

 

SP- Livan Hernandez

SP- Jose Contreras

SP- Orlando Hernandez

SP- Ariel Prieto

SP- Hansel Izquierdo

CL- Danys Baez

 

What a great team. Michael Tejera gives the club FIVE pitchers good enough for the majors. We've got three steroid users, a AA second baseman, a minor league bench, and a right fielder who posted a .641 OPS in the Texas League. This is exactly the team that will bring the honor to the World Baseball Classic that Cuba just couldn't provide.

[Vern Gagne 0]

I think Castro knew this could happen. So he can know claim the US is afraid to face Cuba. When in reality, he never wanted to risk more players defecting to the US.

[Bored 0]

Preliminary U.S. roster has been anounced, it currently has 42 players but will be trimmed to 30. It's not really that different from the original sign up lists that were released last month.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article...t=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

Also there will be max pitch counts as expected as starters won't be able to throw 100+ pitches in early March.

 

1st Round: 60 pitches

2nd Round: 75 pitches

3rd Round: 90 pitches

[Guest Princess Leena]

It seems like Al hates Jorge Sosa, because he mentions him a lot.

 

I want to go to one of these games. Since I don't think this format is going to last long. One star player gets injured, and many a people will be bitching.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

I had to sell a stereo to the Cuban Soccer team when they didn't speak a word of English and I don't speak a word of Spanish, I think they went to play a game with the local MLS team, I think they can let the Cuban baseball team

[The Czech Republic 0]

I had to sell a stereo to the Cuban Soccer team when they didn't speak a word of English and I don't speak a word of Spanish, I think they went to play a game with the local MLS team, I think they can let the Cuban baseball team

...the hell

[Vern Gagne 0]

Keep the Cubans away from Best Buy.

 

I saw the US roster and there's something like six catchers on the roster.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Keep the Cubans away from Best Buy.

 

I saw the US roster and there's something like six catchers on the roster.

Too late, they bought a Sony stereo from me

[Celtic Guardian 0]

The U.S. Treasury Dept. decision has been reversed. Cuba is back in the WBC

 

AP via ESPN.com

NEW YORK -- Cuba will be allowed to play in the World Baseball Classic, after all.

 

The U.S. Treasury Department issued a license Friday allowing the Cubans to participate in the 16-team tournament.

 

Major League Baseball's first application was denied in mid-December by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, but the commissioner's office and the players' association reapplied after Cuba said it would donate any profits it receives to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

 

U.S. laws aimed at punishing Fidel Castro's communist government prohibit certain commercial transactions with Cuba, generally attempting to deny money.

 

"Working closely with World Baseball Classic Inc. and the State Department, we were able to reach a licensable agreement that upholds both the legal scope and the spirit of the sanctions," Treasury spokeswoman Molly Millerwise said.

 

"This agreement ensures that no funding will make its way into the hands of the Castro regime. The Treasury is pleased to now be able to issue this license and looks forward to seeing all of the teams showcase their talents on the international stage."

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Preliminary rosters are out, and apparently Danny Haren, Mark Mulder and Shea Hillenbrand are Dutch. Add Sidney Ponson to the mix, and 3/5ths of the Cardinals rotation is representing the Netherlands.

[Guest]

So, are they going to be called Danny Haaren and Shea Hillenbraand?

[Shooting Star 0]

I still can't believe they are gonna be playing games in Puerto Rico and not here in Dominican Republic...

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I ran a rudementary simulation of the WBC. Even without their best players, the U.S. is an easy favorite. Their advantage is their depth. While the Dominicans lack a catcher, and the Venezuelans lack a strong first baseman and center fielder, the Americans have no weaknesses.

 

The Venezuelans and Dominicans are almost dead even. The Dominicans are slight favorites, but it's so close that I couldn't begin to make a call on a single game. They'll likely end up playing three games head-to-head, and I'm guessing the Venezuelans will have a stronger pitcher in the semifinal.

 

I used MLB players for the Cuban and Japanese teams. I have no idea what the Cubans will do in the tournament, except that they'll reach the second round. The Japanese are routinely defeated in postseason exhibitions, so I doubt they'll pose a serious threat.

 

The only tricky thing is the semifinals. It's a one game playoff, and an upset could easily leave us with a non-USA matchup.