Valentine Slams WBC

Jim Allen (The Hot Corner) indicated that the owners would reluctantly go with it. As I stated in a different thread, I cannot see any advantage in Japan taking part. I also think that Valentine-kantoku is correct in what he says.

A problem with the whole concept is that world team championships are normally played by national teams. Baseball has always been a club game and this is where loyalties are focused. Even though the Olympics is an international baseball arena, most fans do not really follow that tournament and it is under threat as an Olympic sport. This lack of a real international aspect is a big hurdle.

A baseball World Cup can be created from scratch (rugby created one in the 1980s, but was able to base it on a previous history of international competition), but not under the auspices of the MLB. There would need to be a genuine independent international body. Furthermore you would also need a different set of ethics than those prevailing in MLB.

- A baseball World Cup can be created from scratch (rugby created one in the 1980s, but was able to base it on a previous history of international competition), but not under the auspices of the MLB. There would need to be a genuine independent international body. Furthermore you would also need a different set of ethics than those prevailing in MLB.

This already exists! As I mentioned here:

The International Baseball Association (IBA) already holds a baseball World Cup every other year (I think) in which Japan participates. Its structure puts MLB, NPB, KBO, CPBL, etc. all on the same level for decision making. The World Baseball Classic structure, on the other hand, puts MLB at the top. While input from other leagues is welcome, it is only at the will of MLB that anything will be decided. The other leagues are seen as participants in the event, but MLB is putting it on. With the IBA, all participants are equal. With the Classic, all serve MLB.

I would like to make some corrections to the above. It's the Internation Baseball Federation (IBAF), not "Association." My wrong translation from Japanese. Also, the World Cup does not appear to be held to any regular schedule.

The main thing that the IBAF lacks is MLB backing. And while the MLB has avoided participation all these many years, they're now trying to come in and essentially take over. This is just so wrong on so many levels (please see points made by the JPBPA in above thread) that I do hope that Japan takes a stand and just says "No."

The IBAF could possibly become such a body, but at the moment lacks legitimacy and clout. It cannot be classified as a real world body until both these factors are established. However, I think that it should be allowed to die away, and that attempts should be made to create a proper international governing body with participation of all baseball playing countries, with the power to enforce its decisions. Then and only then could a genuine world cup be created.

One important note regarding WBC is that it's got more in common with the Hockey World Cup than the football/soccer World Cup. This is because, like the NHL, most of the world's best talents are concentrated in MLB. So, inevitably, whether MLB (and NHL in case of hockey) releases its players for the competition will have great bearing on the success of the competition. Hence the leverage MLB/NHL have in organizing these competitions.

It's unfortunate because Olympic hockey, with the wide rinks, international rules, and top flight talent is the best of the best, but the World Cup went with NHL rules and rinks (reducing European ones in size temporarily).

Barring full fledged involvement of MLB in the Olympics, where MLB will have less leverage against IBAF (very unlikely), WBC is the best we can do. Even though it is geared towards MLB making money, it's better than nothing.

I would question whether involvement in a tournament meant to promote MLB is better than nothing. It is certainly not the best we can do, but is, in fact, possibly the worst that can happen. Revenue allocation is obscenely skewed towards MLB as is scheduling. No consideration has been paid to the thoughts of the NPB or their players. MLB has just assumed that they will do as they are told. Ironically U.S. baseball would benefit much more from a genuine world tournament than this MLB organised affair.

Bobby V. is probably right.

However, his team is starting to fade like a wax job on a car because of the summer sun. He burns bridges, yet he'll probably need them to cross back.

There are some ideas about the World Cup which need more work on them, especially the time of year. But Bobby should leave his comments out until all real facts are on the table. If I were the owners of Lotte, I would tell him to manage Lotte, not the World Cup.

The IOC in Singapore, Friday (July 8th), have said Baseball and Softball will be removed from the Olympic program starting with the 2012 Olypmics in London. [Full Story - MSNBC]

Equality would be nice in theory, but if MLB doesn't allow its players to play, then what would be the point? Of course, I agree that they should have been more deferrential to the Japanese league. But, basically, since most of the top players in the world, including the top Japanese players, play for MLB, then it is only inevitable that the locus of power resides there.

If there was a "fair" tournament that ignored the differences between national leagues, and MLB didn't allow its top players to participate, the fan interest would be limited. OTOH, a lot of people in baseball countires would be interested in watching a national team that featured all their top stars. Therefore, since it is MLB stars (of each country) that will be the big fan magnets, then it seems inevitable that it would be MLB that would get most of the revenue arising therefrom.

(If you doubt any of this, then look at the sports papers in Japan and how often Ichiro or Matsui is on the front page. If either homers or has a particularly noteworthy game, you can bet it will be featured on the front of the evening sports papers. Also, NHK seems to broadcast more MLB games than NPB games.)

So, it may be that 60 to 70% for MLB is entirely reasonable, since they have 60 to 70% or more of the "star power" or "capacity to draw fan interest."

- Equality would be nice in theory, but if MLB doesn't allow its players to play, then what would be the point?

Any professional league can not allow their players to play if they don't want to. If MLB, NPB, KBO, and CPBL don't want their players to play then they don't have to.

- But, basically, since most of the top players in the world, including the top Japanese players, play for MLB, then it is only inevitable that the locus of power resides there.

Right now, there are few major Japanese stars in the majors, just Ichiro, Hideki Matsui, Kaz Matsui, Nomo, Ohka, Taguchi, and a few relievers. The idea that a lot of the biggest Japanese players play in the majors is misunderstood.

- So, it may be that 60 to 70% for MLB is entirely reasonable, since they have 60 to 70% or more of the "star power" or "capacity to draw fan interest."

I can't find that it would be reasonable for the WBC to succeed that MLB needs 60-70% of the revenue from the tournament and the majority of seats on the WBC steering committee. What I find is that it's truly outrageous that MLB demands 60-70% of the revenue, control the majority of the seats on the WBC steering committee, and that the fact the WBC is steered in favor of MLB and them alone.

- Also, NHK seems to broadcast more MLB games than NPB games.

So what? I basically agree with the rest of what you said, but I think it's important to note that it's only NHK's BS1 satellite channel that broadcasts the MLB games. The general NHK channels don't usually cover baseball games, MLB or otherwise. Furthermore, on any given day you can see at least four or five (sometimes all) of the six domestic games broadcast on the various free to air commercial channels and the cable networks, which is fairly good coverage. So I'm not sure what your point was.

- If you doubt any of this, then look at the sports papers in Japan and how often Ichiro or Matsui is on the front page.

Not very often in my experience. Most sports papers go with the NPB team they follow and Matsui and Ichiro tend to be placed after the NPB games. To be honest, the interest in MLB in Japan is much exagerated. Matsui and Ichiro are followed because they personally are very popular, but fans do not really care about the teams they play for.

- Also, NHK seems to broadcast more MLB games than NPB games.

You have to remember that NPB games are divided up between the TV stations (admittedly this is mostly who is playing the Giants), but NHK broadcasts a lot of NPB games on its BS (Broadcast Satalite) service.

- [...] then look at the sports papers in Japan and how often Ichiro or Matsui is on the front page.

It is a myth that MLB gets more coverage in the Japanese press than NPB. Here are my totals for coverage in Nikkan Sports for the month of June:

 Day   Page 1    NPB    MLB
 1 We  Soccer  2-4       5
 2 Th  ???     5-8       ?
 3 Fr  ???     5-8       8
 4 Sa  NPB     1-6       4    NPB 1   - 0 MLB
 5 Su  ???     6-9       8
 6 Mo  Soccer  2-6      6-7
 7 Tu  ???     4-5       3
 8 We  ???     4-7       6
 9 Th  ???     8-10,12   ?
10 Fr  ???     4-6,8     7
11 Sa  Soccer  2-6       4
12 Su  Soccer  2-4,6     5
13 Mo  NPB     1-4,6    4-5   NPB 2   - 0 MLB
14 Tu  ???     4-6       3
15 We  NPB     1-6       4    NPB 3   - 0 MLB
16 Th  NPB     1,4-5    2-4   NPB 4   - 0 MLB
17 Fr  ???     4-7      3-4
18 Sa  MLB     2-5      1,4   NPB 4   - 1 MLB
19 Su  Soccer  2,4-6    2-3
20 Mo  WBC     2-6       6
21 Tu  ???     6-8       8
22 We  MLB     2-6      1,4   NPB 4   - 2 MLB
23 Th  MLB     2-5      1-2   NPB 4   - 3 MLB
24 Fr  ???     5-6,8-9   8
25 Sa  Horses  2-4      4-5
26 Su  Brazil  2-4       5
27 Mo  NPB     1-6       2    NPB 5   - 3 MLB
28 Tu  Yawara  2-4,6    4-5   NPB 5.5 - 3 MLB
29 We  NPB     2-4      4-5   NPB 6.5 - 3 MLB
30 Th  NPB     1-4,6    4-5   NPB 7.5 - 3 MLB

I only save the baseball sections of the newspaper, which is why there are so many "???" marks. When NPB and MLB pages overlap, they are included in both columns, otherwise the page is completely one or the other (sometimes sharing with soccer).

Note that at the beginning of the month was the soccer World Cup qualifying rounds, and soccer really dominated the front section of the newspaper for that period. That's the only time I can recall going as far back in the paper as page 10 for Pro Yakyu coverage.

MLB usually gets 3/4th of a page, but did get some two page articles when Nomo did something or other (I don't pay attention to MLB myself) or when both Ichiro and Godzilla did well on the same day.

While Nikkan Sports does a good job of covering a variety of sports and all of the teams fairly evenly, Sports Hochi (owned by the Yomiuri Group) focuses mainly on the Giants, so when the Giants do well, the Giants are on the front page.

Glancing at the Daily Sports on the train, it appears to have Hanshin Tigers from pages 1-5 daily, then a quick wrap up of the other teams on page 6. I don't know if they cover the MLB at all as all I've ever seen of it has been Hanshin news.

This whole myth that MLB gets more coverage than NPB intrigues me. From what source is this based? In 1995 (Nomo) and 2001 (Ichiro), this may have been true. But the spectacle wore off before Hideki Matsui went over, and he didn't beat out NPB coverage, in Nikkan Sports anyway.

- Also, NHK seems to broadcast more MLB games than NPB games.

Looking at the NHK BS-1 schedule, I'd have to agree that MLB gets more attention than Pro Yakyu. But Pro Yakyu is not neglected in any way. Furthermore, if you're going to bring in satallite broadcasts, then you have to factor in J-Sports 1, 2, and 3, GAORA, Sky A, G+, Sports-Ai, Fuji TV 739 (CS), JNN Newsbird, and other broadcast-tied CS channels that carry non-Giants' games (or "top and relay" before and after their broadcast brothers) which bring virtually every NPB game to the airwaves. Depending on the CS or cable package one subscribes to, it's possible to have every NPB game in full for most days.

And none of those channels bother with MLB. Even Yomiuri-own G+, with Yomiuri's deal with the Yankees. While their broadcast channel is showing Matsui highlights, G+ shows the Tokyo Dome crowd because they don't have rights to show MLB scenes.

Please stop the mis-information that because NHK's BS channel broadcasts more MLB games than NPB that MLB must therefore be more popular. That simply isn't a valid supposition.

Michael:

I've got a related question. Do you have any data about the viewership of the non-NHK satellite/cable games? I've seen reports that BS-1 MLB casts attract a million and a half viewers on average, and I've seen reports that NHK's terrestial casts of MLB playoff and World Series games have as much as 16 million viewers. Telecasts of Giants' games on terrestial TV, as we all know, have traditionally drawn the highest ratings of NPB games, although they have been declining. The 13% for the game where Nagashima visited the Tokyo Dome the other day amounts to over 15 million viewers if you calculate with the standard formula that 1% means 1.5 million viewers, which is about half of what they used to get, but still more than casts of other NPB games on those rare occasions when they are shown nationwide on the networks.

But I've yet to see any stats on, say, the Lotte or Rakuten or Softbank casts on the satellite/cable channels that you mentioned like Gaora, Sky A, J-Sports, etc. Is the audience in the hundreds of thousands for an average game? More? Have you got any figures you can throw out?

Thanks.

Correction: 1% should represent 1.2 million, not 1.5.

This is data that many people are interested in, but I have yet to see. I'm just one person who has given up broadcast Giants games (except when the play the BayStars) in favor of the greater variety of NPB offered by cable. I don't watch MLB at all. There probably aren't that many other people who will watch 2+ games (one in the afternoon, the end of another afternoon game, plus one in the evening) on weekends when they can. Am I considered 2.5 people on those days?

One thing I heard from a former NHK employee is that this year several Yomiuri affiliates have dropped Giants games in their areas in favor of the Fighters (in Hokkaido) and the Eagles (in the Tohoku region). Local support for these teams have reached a level that the local channels would rather show them than Giants' games.

All I can say is that change is happening. There are more alternatives available, but how many people are turning to them? I really wish I had numbers to say for sure that the alternatives are having an effect. And I'm sure that such numbers will one day be released.

Thanks. I'll follow this up and let you know what I find out, if anything.

Sorry, I don't mean to misrepresent or exaggerate, but the basic point is that on a per capita basis at least individual Japanese MLB players tend to get more coverage in the Japanese media than individual NPB players. The cream of the NPB crop tend to want to go try their luck in the MLB, but not the other way around. Nori Nakamura gave up a huge contract for just a chance. On NHK tonight I just watched Johjima give a news conference in which he suggested he would like to go to the majors next year.

BTW, I rarely buy a sports shimbun, although I occasionally will pick up one left on a train (I commute to Tokyo every day, like a normal salaryman). Specifically, at the baitens they have little fliers in front of the newspapers with the top headlines, and with the evening editions in particular, every time Matsui hits a homer, or either has a particularly good day, it'll be a headline on one or more of those fliers. Morning editions would probably tend to feature NPB more often than evening editions simply because of the timing.

Can't write any more now because of family matters; will check in later.

- BTW, I rarely buy a sports shimbun, although I occasionally will pick up one left on a train (I commute to Tokyo every day, like a normal salaryman). Specifically, at the baitens they have little fliers in front of the newspapers with the top headlines, and with the evening editions in particular, every time Matsui hits a homer, or either has a particularly good day, it'll be a headline on one or more of those fliers. Morning editions would probably tend to feature NPB more often than evening editions simply because of the timing.

But of course you've got to remember that Tokyo is not Japan. I'm in Kansai, and the sports shimbun tend to give the Tigers more prominence than Matsui. As for individual players, well I haven't seen the papers this morning, but I dare say there's a big photo of Imaoka hitting his three-run homer last night. Individual NPB players are featured in the sports shimbun. Kanemoto, Imaoka, Igawa, Akahoshi, and Fujimoto are just three Hanshin players who make it regularly to the front pages - and probably more often than either Ichiro or Matsui.

I think the point that Japanese MLB players get more press is valid if one considers the mainstream news, not the specialized sports newspapers. The same is true for NHK sports coverage on its 7PM and 10 PM news broadcasts. While NHK sports certainly covers NPB games (with perhaps more on-air time), it ends to cover the Japanese players in the majors (often times ignoring the game they were playing in, i.e. not giving any score).

I doubt that on a per capita basis this is the case. Each sports daily focuses on its team's stars to the exclusion of others, and MLB are well down the list. Evening papers have to print something new, hence the interest in Matsui and Ichiro. However, it is the players, not MLB teams, that are the interest. In Japan Kiyohara is more prevalent than Matsui, though. NHK has a Matsui/MLB obsession which is not the case for the other TV channels. So it is difficult to judge by NHK standards.

- Nori Nakamura gave up a huge contract for just a chance.

Though, I wonder how much Nakamura would have wanted go to the majors if Orix and Kintetsu didn't merge last year. Nakamura walked away from a big contract not to play with the new merged Orix/Kintetsu team, which, if I'm not mistaken, Nakamura was unhappy with the outcome of the merger and didn't want to play with the new Orix Buffaloes team and then asked to be posted.

How would posters here divide up the WBC revenue? What would you consider fair?

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/wbc/index.jsp
MLB officially announces the group pools (or maybe they were announced already) and more details about the tournament.

Pool A
China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea
Pool B
Canada, Mexico, South Africa, United States
Pool C
Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama, Netherlands
Pool D
Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Australia, Italy

I suppose the weak and possibly unnecesary teams here are China, Netherlands, Italy, and South Africa. But MLB's trying to open up the Chinese market, so they're in (Australia could've been the fourth Asian/Pacific Rim group team, which would've been great for Japan as rematch of last year's Olympics). Other teams are just included to make 13 teams 16? (MLB can't be as serious about the European and African markets, from their recent behaviour).

Still, I would have preferred a smaller 12 team tournament with less predictable lopsided games.

Some very interesting National Team - NPB/MLB exhibition games will be scheduled too, looking forward to that.

And the US mainstream media is blissfully unaware of NPB talent, so that should make a nice surprise when Japan progresses to the second round, as expected. And the Japanese mainstream media usually equate MLB = USA, so the strength of Latin American teams, especially Dominican, should surprise mainstream Japanese. Good awareness building tournament.

"China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea"

From what I'm aware these games will be played in the Tokyo Dome.

"Canada, Mexico, South Africa, United States"

I'm kind of wondering of how South Africa is in this Pool. I would put them in Pool D and put the Dominican Republic in Pool B.

"But MLB's trying to open up the Chinese market"

MLB is helping with coaching for the 2008 Olympic Team, former MLB pitcher Bruce Hurst is helping China prepare for them. Also, numerous Japanese teams have signed partnership deals with teams in China. I hope baseball succeeds in China.

"MLB can't be as serious about the European and African markets, from their recent behaviour"

I think MLB put Italy and the Netherlands in the tournament because of their baseball leagues in the respective countries there.

South Africa has some players according to this article

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/wbc/south_africa.jsp

"Some very interesting National Team - NPB/MLB exhibition games will be scheduled too, looking forward to that."

If this is true, I'm hoping that the games will staged on TV in the United States.

"And the US mainstream media is blissfully unaware of NPB talent, so that should make a nice surprise when Japan progresses to the second round, as expected"

Hopefully, the mainstream in the US will be educated about the level of play in the NPB. As so far, it has been terrible in the American press.

Good points about Beijing 2008 and the pro leagues in Italy and Netherlands.

I reckon SA is in the US pool to balance out each pool. Clearly, China, SA, Italy, and Netherlands are the four weakest teams, so they're placed in different pools for competitive balance, a la World Cup.

A 12 team tournament without China, SA, Italy, and Netherlands would've made a much tighter tournament with a lot less predictable blowouts and wins (Hockey World Cup did that by holding an 8 team tournament because there's only 7 top flight hockey nations). But then again, maybe, just maybe, WBC would increase interest in the sport in those four countries.. I hope so.

It's surprising how Matsuzaka's name has hardly been mentioned in the US media regarding WBC because he was very visible in the last two Olympics, and is always mentioned by the scouts. Ah well, it is difficult to write up about 16 nations where 40% of the roster are non-MLB contracted players.

There was a very interesting interview with Bobby Valentine on the WBC in today's Japan Times. He is very much against the event on timing, fairness and the whole concept. In fact he has nothing good to say about it at all and suggests a World Series kind of tournament but does not really like the nationalism inherent in national All Star teams. I also read that Gary Sheffield is not going to take part (was he a possible selection?) - will there be others?

I also read that Gary Sheffield is not going to take part (was he a possible selection?) - will there be others?

I just heard the same thing. Sheff apparently said he only plays when he's getting paid, and that he wasn't the only player who felt this way about the WBC.

"I also read that Gary Sheffield is not going to take part (was he a possible selection?) - will there be others?"

This is a typical attitude of Gary Sheffield in the US, hopefully he isn't on the US team anyway. The team would be better off without his attitude. Whoever a MLB team doesn't want playing in the WBC won't play in it.

Rosters also apparently won't be announced until next year, when the games are played in March, from the 4th until the 20th.

This FAQ answers a lot of questions on the WBC.

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/wbc/faq.jsp

This Daily Yomiuri article said most of the 12 owners are in favor the WBC, but some want the JBPBA to decline to play in the WBC, and blame the JBPBA.

This is downright pathetic by a group of selective owners.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20050713TDY24001.htm

Can we take this discussion on another tangent? Which Japanese players would you like to see on the national team? What would be the Japanese dream team?

Look through this topic for some of the teams recommended here by some of the users here.

http://www.japanesebaseball.com/forum/thread.jsp?forum=1&thread=10599

My recommended roster for Japan is:

C- Kenji Johjima, Atsuya Furuta
1B- Nobuhiko Matsunaka, Kazuhiro Kioyhara
2B- Tadahito Iguchi, Makoto Imaoka
3B- Akinori Iwamura, Norihiro Nakamura
SS- Shinya Miyamota, Kaz Matsui
OF- Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, Kosuke Fukudome, Tomoaki Kanemoto, Kazuhiro Wada
SP- Koji Uehara, Daisuke Matsunaka, Kei Igawa, Hisashi Iwakuma, Kenshin Kawakami
RP- Hirotoshi Ishii, Akinori Otsuka, Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Keiichi Yabu
CP-Kiyoshi Toyoda

Other possible teams in the WBC:


Dominican

1st Pujols
2nd Soriano
SS Tejada
3rd Arod
DH Ortiz
RF Vlad
LF Manny

Aramis Ramirez..

Pedro, Colon..





US Team

1st Tex / Lee / Dunn / Sexon / Hafner
2nd Roberts / Kent / Giles / Utley
SS Jeter / Young / Nomar
3rd Chavez/ Hank B/ Glaus / Ensberg
C Varitek / Piazza / Kendall
OF - Bonds, Damon, Hunter, Anderson, Giles, Edmonds, Bradley, Griffey
Clemens, RJ,Haliday,Oswalt, Peavy,Willis, Prior, Hudson, Mulder,Wood, Buherle,Clement, Lidge, Schmidt, BJ Ryan

Venezuela

C - Victor Martinez
1B - ?
2B - Izturis
SS - Carlos Guillen
3rd - Mora
LF - Cabrera
RF - Abreu
CF - Endy Chavez
DH- M. Ordonez

Santana, C. Zambrano, F. Garcia, Felix Hernandez, K Escobar, Julio, Urbina, Bentacourt, Giovanni Carrara, F. Rodriguez


Backups - Ramon Hernandez, Vizquel, O Infante, E. Alfonzo, R Hidalgo




Canada
C - Cody McKay
1st - Morneau
2b - Danny Klassen
3b - Koskie
SS ?
LF - Jason Bay
CF - ?
RF - Larry Walker
DH - Matt Stairs

Adam LoRoche, Chris Reitsma

P- R. Harden, Bedard, Dempster, Francis, Cormier, Crain, Quantrill, Gagne



Mexico

1b - Durazo
2b - Cantu
3b - Castilla
SS - Alfredo Amezaga
C - G. Gil
OF - K. Garcia
OF - ?
OF - ?

P - Oliver Perez, Loliza, Rodrigo, Jorge de la Rosa, Dessens, Osuna, D Reyes, Rincon, Villareal, Acevedo




Puerto Rico

C - Irod, Javy
1b - Delgado
2b - Vidro
SS - Cintron
3rb - Lowell, Valentin
LF - Sierra
CF - Beltran
RF - Juan Gone

Vasquez

The only above problem is A-Rod considers himself American, was born in New York, lived in Miami, and is of Cuban hertiage. There is no way Alex Rodriguez would be on no team except the American team.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/rodrial01.shtml

Anyway out of the US team you had there I would choose some and change a lot of them:

C-Jason Varitek, Joe Mauer
1B-Derrek Lee, Mark Teixiera
2B-Brian Roberts, Jeff Kent
SS-Mike Young, David Eckstein
3B-Hank Blalock, Alex Rodriguez
OF-Jim Edmonds, Carl Crawford, Torii Hunter, Adam Dunn, Scott Podsednik
SP-Roger Clemens, Chris Carpenter, Jon Garland, Mark Buehrele, Dontrelle Willis
RP-Scott Sheilds, Brendan Donnedly, Ray King
CP-B.J. Ryan, Jason Isringhausen

If I'm not mistaken, Alex Rodriguez is an American citizen of Dominican descent, not Cuban descent.

Also, another poster had Adam LaRoche on the Canadian team. LaRoche is as American as apple pie, not Canadian. I think you had him confused with Pete Orr of the Braves who is Canadian.

"If I'm not mistaken, Alex Rodriguez is an American citizen of Dominican descent, not Cuban descent."

I think it all comes from Rodriguez growing up in Miami, he was born to Dominican parents, grew up in a Cuban neighborhood, and is a American citizen. It will be interesting listening to whether Alex Rodriguez plays for the Dominican Republic or the US.

With Alex Rodriguez on the Dominican Republic along with Miguel Tejada, the Dominican Republic or the United States will probably face Japan in the finals.

Yeah, ok WBC is not a real international competition if commissioner Bud gets to decide which country Arod will represent.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2107979

In international sports, dual citizens often have the choice to represent one of his countries. In some sports, once he has represented one country, he can't represent his other country (though there are some clauses in these rules to allow this over time.)

Here are some other examples I would do of some other teams:

Puerto Rico
C-Ivan Rodriguez, Javy Lopez, Jorge Posada
1B-Carlos Delgado, Wil Cordero
2B-Jose Vidro, Carlos Baerga
SS-Alex Cintron, Alex Cora
3B-Felipe Lopez, Mike Lowell, Jose Hernandez
OF-Carlos Beltran, Luis Matos, Bernie Williams, Jose Cruz Jr.
SP-Javier Vazquez, Joel Pinero, Fernando Cabrera(CLE-AAA)
RP-J.C. Romero, Kiko Calero, Pedro Felicano(Softbank)
CP-Roberto Hernandez, Juan Padilla(AAA)
Man-Sandy Alomar Sr.

Dominican Republic

C-Benito Santiago, Miguel Olivo
1B-Albert Pujols, David Ortiz
2B-Alfonso Soriano, Luis Castillo
SS-Miguel Tejada, Carlos Guillen
3B-Adrian Beltre, Andy Marte
OF-Vladmir Guerrero, Jose Guillen, Manny Ramirez, Sammy Sosa, Moises Alou
SP-Pedro Martinez, Bartolo Colon, Daniel Cabrera, Ezequiel Astacio(I had to fill out the rotation, he was great in AAA, also a top prospect)
RP-Julio Mateo, Julian Tavarez, Damaso Marte, Hector Carrasco
CP-Francisco Cordero, Jose Mesa
Man-Felipe Alou

Venezuela
C-Ramon Hernandez, Victor Martinez
1B-Alex Cabrera, Roberto Petagine
2B-Miguel Cairo,Marco Scutaro
SS-Omar Vizquel, Carlos Guillen
3B-Melvin Mora, Edgardo Alfonzo
OF-Bobby Abreu, Miguel Cabrera, Richard Hildago, Magglio Ordonez, Endy Chavez
SP-Johan Santana, Freddy Garcia, Carlos Zambrano, Carlos Silva, Victor Zambrano
RP-Juan Rincon, Luis Ayala, Jorge Julio
CP-Francisco Rodriguez, Ugueth Urbina
Man-Ozzie Guillen

Canada
C-Pete LaForest, Andy Stewart
1B-Justin Morneau, Matt Stairs
2B-Pete Orr
SS-Danny Klassen, Kevin Nicholson
3B-Corey Koskie, Stubby Clapp
OF-Jayson Bay, Larry Walker, Adam Stern, Rob Ducey, Aaron Guiel
SP-Erik Bedard, Rick Harden, Adam Loewen, Jeff Francis, Jason Dickson
RP-Jesse Crain, Rheal Cormier, Paul Quantrill
CP-Eric Gagne, Ryan Dempster
Man-Ernie Whitt

I'm a bit surprised that no one has mentioned neither Ogasawara nor Kokubo for Japan. I know they have an off year, but they should still be considered. In addition, there is no doubt in my mind that Tamura for YBS should be the short stop, Kaz Matsui is finished. And as a Carp fan I'm a bit offended that no one has mentioned Kuroda as a SP in addition to Maeda in OF and Arai as a possible 3B. And even though I hate the Giants, Abe should be considered a possible catcher.


But here is my lineup for Japan:

1. Ichiro RF
2. Tamura SS
3. Matsui LF
4. Matsunaka 1B
5. Jojima C
6. Ogasawara DH
7. Maeda CF
8. Kokubo 3B
9. Iguchi 2B

SP: Sugiuchi

The U.S. newspaper media again continues to be unaware of the talent level of NPB. It seems most of the newspaper press wouldn't know talent if it fell on top of them.

This is a excerpt Bob Matthews, a writer for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle:

"Twelve of the 16 nations have no chance (Australia, Canada, China, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan); two have a slim chance (Cuba and Venezuela); and two figure to play for the championship (Dominican Republic and United States)."

Here we go again with the constant ingorant level of the baseball press in the US. The baseball newspaper press has disgusted me in the last few years, it has got worse and worse. As a American, most sportwriters seems to have no clue was so ever at all. We see this year in and year out, with the HOF voting.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050717/SPT0401/507170353/1072/SPT

The NPBPA decided not to participate in the World Baseball Classic on the grounds of its parochialism and timing. Their reasons were cogent and well founded. I suspect that despite their agreement to the contest the owners are very pleased as well. However, without Japan and Cuba the WBC is valueless as a world tournament.

Players Union rep Atsuya Furuta brought many points here that describe why the WBC concept is flawed.

Union representative Atsuya Furuta said:

"The WBC represents an effort to build a tournanment like soccer's World Cup, but in it's current form it has too many problematic isssues for us. As a result, we will not take part.

Furuta went on to continue:

"Since the Olympics have unfortunately decided not to continue baseball, this idea for a world tournament like soccer's World Cup is very important."

"The owners have agreed to participate, but we cannot."

Furuta went onto to say the problem with the WBC isn't the concept, but the unilateral nature of the touranment's organization and a March timeframe. Both of these points are ones I strongly agree with Furuta on.

Furuta went onto say about the problem of the WBC:

"If you look at soccer's World Cup you see a tournament that gets everyone excited, We have to think of promoting along these lines. Something for the whole baseball world."

Also, Furuta said "But as we see it, this touranment principally serves the long interests of major leagues. They are organizing with their future in mind."

About the March timeline Furuta said: "It's not just Japanese players who are troubled by this, It will be a problem for the players in the majors to prepare as well."

"A lot of MLB players are justifably concerned about hurting their teams chances in the season with an injury in March."

"Perhaps, having the qualifying round would be OK, if we could have the main event in July or August after soccer's World Cup in June. That would be attractive."

About the success of the WBC, Furuta said:

"Don't get us wrong. We believe an international touranment is vital. But if you're aren't going to make something good, then it has no meaning."

"This isn't just about Japanese players but about our concerns about the touranment. We have high hopes for it. We just can't take part in it as it stands now."

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20050723TDY24002.htm