Posted on 01/20/2006 8:13:00 PM PST by doug from upland
01/14/2006 10:06 PM ET
Garciaparra to suit up for Mexico
Dodgers' new acquisition also working on learning first base
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
LOS ANGELES -- New Dodgers first baseman Nomar Garciaparra, a native of Whittier, Calif., but the son of Mexican parents, will play for Mexico in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. "He's honored to be asked and to participate," general manager Ned Colletti said of Garciaparra.
Colletti said that Garciaparra will report to Spring Training on Feb. 14 with the pitchers and catchers, and will work with new hitting coach Eddie Murray on making the transition to first base before he leaves for training camp in Arizona with the Mexican national team.
Colletti expressed no reluctance over Garciaparra's desire to participate, even if it takes him away from training camp while learning a new defensive position.
"He's called me every step of the way," Colletti said. "He didn't want it to distract from his learning curve during the spring."
Mexico is in Group B of the world tournament, playing against the United States, Canada and South Africa. The Aztec team includes pitchers Oliver Perez of Pittsburgh, Rodrigo Lopez of Baltimore and Luis Ayala of Washington.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
As for Nomar, could he have even MADE the US team? He's no Derek Jeter, afterall.
The US roster currently has 50 players on it, so I'm guessing that they would have had a spot for Nomar. But considering that no ML team is interested in him at short, I'm not sure what that spot would have been.
BTW, Kaz Matsui did not make the Japanese team.
"U RACIST bastard."
Please define the word "racist".
"No that makes u a stupid racist."
Really? How distressing.
They were disqualified for illegal use of a bat.
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