DeRosa Commits to Team USA

On Monday Mark DeRosa became the latest Cub to accept an invitation to play for his country in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

According to a report from Cubs.com, citing Fox Sports as its source, Mark DeRosa "is expected to join Team USA for its workouts March 2nd in Clearwater, Florida." The second World Baseball Classic is scheduled to begin on March 5th, with Team USA's first game scheduled for March 7th against Team Canada.

Ryan Dempster is expected to play for Team Canada and a report last Friday mentioned Rich Harden could also pitch for Team Canada in the tournament. Reports have also indicated Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Marmol could play for the Dominican Republic while Kosuke Fukudome is expected to play for Team Japan.

Derrek Lee (USA) and Geovany Soto (Puerto Rico) could participate as well but the report from Cubs.com on Monday stated Soto could sit out the games due to participation by Ivan Rodriguez and Yadier Molina.

Carlos Zambrano indicated in November that he would skip the second WBC after playing in the first tournament in 2006. However, during the Winter Meetings a report suggested Zambrano might have changed his stance. Monday's report on Cubs.com mentioned Zambrano could still pitch for Team Venezuela.

Stay Tuned....

Baron

Jim Hendry should prohibit Rich Harden from pitching in the WBC... This guy is SUPER FRAGILE.... and extra work is the last thing he needs.

paul k

Really? That is not a very thought out statement. How would you fit that into the schedule and not have the WS end in the middle of November? How is playing meaningless games in the olympics safer than WBC?

Besides, what player wouldn't just take that time off as a vacation in the middle of the year? Fans would be crying for their teams' players to stay away to rest up for the stretch run. Olympics is not an option. Maybe if they held the WBC after the World Series (finding a true world champion) in a warm climate would be better. This would give players some time to heal if they do get hurt.

Joe S. (San Diego)

Actually it is a very thought out statement--which is probably why several people agreed with it.

You don't have the World Series end in the middle of November. Thats why I said the players and MLB would have to figure out how to take a "Summer Break". The players union and MLB would have to sit and work something out to trim games off the schedule. I'm sure they could add a few days at the beginning of the season and a few days at the end as well as trim an off day or two throughout the schedule to minimize the number of games lost off the schedule.

I never said it was safer, in fact my exact words were "I still don't like the potential risk of injury". And playing in the Olympics wouldnt be meaningless as playing in the WBC is.

As for what player wouldn't just take time off as a vacation. Well, the same players who are so eager to represent their country in the WBC games. You don't think it would be much more meaningful to play in the Olympics for a Gold Medal than the WBC for bragging rights??? I'm certain more players would want to do it just because it was the Olympics.

Olympics is certainly an option. Part of the reason baseball was eliminated from the Olympics was because we refused to send the best of the best to the games. The NHL takes a break during their season for the winter olympics...why can't baseball do it for the summer olympics?

As for the fans, some are going to cry no matter what. Some of us will cry because the do it in Spring Training....some would cry if they do it at all....some would cry if its the Olympics....so that really doesnt matter.

However, all that being said if they insist on the WBC holding it in a warm climate after the World Series as you suggest would certainly be a much better option than Spring Training.

nick

Couldn't have said it better myself Joe, I agree with you all. I don't like the WBC at all.

Mark

Fellas you are 100% right in my mind too. Well said SD!

Joe S. (San Diego)

I completely hate this WBC crap. Risking the health of a key player for what amounts to "exhibition" play is ridiculous.

Players that have had health issues in the past have NO business going if invited. (i.e Zambrano and Soriano and Harden)

What does it do to players...especially pitchers.....do start that much earlier in the season and be playing at full tilt in "meaningful" competetive games as opposed to "practice" spring games.

Not to mention, spring training is a time to gel with the new players around you and work towards team chemistry. It's horrible in all aspects.

If baseball and it's players are so keen on the "international" aspect of growing interest in baseball, then step up to the big stage and figure out how to take a summer break for the actual olympics so that MLB players can represent the country just as the NBA players do in basketball and the NHL players do for hockey. I still don't like the aspect of potential injury, but it wouldnt be during spring training when players are just getting back into shape, and teams are trying to get ready for the season. Also, it wouldnt last as long as the WBC does.