Clemens, A-Rod, Jeter feature in US team (World Baseball Classic roster announced)

Reuters ^ | 2/14/06 | Larry Fine

[presidio9]

Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter are among the headliners on the 30-man U.S. team roster announced on Tuesday for next month's inaugural World Baseball Classic.

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The 16-nation tournament will feature the world's best players competing for their home countries staged over three weeks.

Clemens, 43, winner of a record seven Cy Young Awards for major league pitching excellence, will be joined by fellow-starters Dontrelle Willis, Jake Peavy and C.C. Sabathia on a pitching staff that will be stacked with 10 relievers.

"I'm excited to be a part of it," Clemens, a free agent after going 13-8 with a major league-best 1.87 ERA last year with Houston. said in a teleconference call on Tuesday. "Obviously. this is a good group of guys. We'll be ready to go."

Third baseman Rodriguez and shortstop Jeter, New York Yankee team mates, will man the left side of the infield. Other infielders named include Chipper Jones, Michael Young, Chase Utley and slugging first basemen Derrek Lee and Mark Teixeira.

Jason Varitek is one of three catchers and outfielders named who include Johnny Damon, Vernon Wells and Ken Griffey Jr.

Stoppers Billy Wagner, Joe Nathan and Brad Lidge top the relief corps, which U.S. manager Buck Martinez said was the key to the pitching staff.

"The strength of the team is in the closing staff, with the power of the closers," Martinez said about the pre-season competition that will have starting pitchers limited by strict pitch counts to protect their arms.

"They have a tendency to get ready early. They have the tendency to throw strikes. I think the relievers will be a little more advanced than the starters. We have a lot of depth in that bullpen from guys who can give us innings and get us through this thing."

Wagner said he looked forward to playing for his country.

"I'm honored to be a part of this," he said. "I believe with the talent we have and the pride, it's going to be like playing in the Olympics."

The U.S. are in Pool B along with Mexico, Canada and South Africa and will play their first-round matches in Phoenix, Arizona. Their first game will be against Mexico on March 7.

The two winners in the Arizona pool advance to Anaheim, California, to compete against the two finalists among Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan.

The semi-finals are March 18 at San Diego, with the finals two days later at the same site.

The other pools include powerful teams representing the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Cuba.

[presidio9]

Or Gary Sheffield, but I get your point. Still, you can't have nine Jeters in your lineup.

[GraniteStateConservative]

In case you have a NYY ping list. This is hilarious (it comes on the heels of Oakland's Dan Haren being placed on the Netherlands roster-- he has never even been in the country and his father is 100% Irish and his mother 100% Mexican, despite the country of origin some genealogist at MLB thought his surname was).

Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the players' association, persuaded Mike Piazza to play for Italy. He tried to get Mike Mussina, too.

"I told him I'm not Italian and nobody in my family is Italian," Mussina said.

I wished he would have said after that, "Not that there's anything wrong with that!"

[GraniteStateConservative]

For the record, The New York "Yankess" did not vote to support this event.

Gotta love that Yankess professionalism...

[SE Mom]

No surprise there, eh?

[raccoonradio]

>>The New York Yankess (sic) did not vote to support this

YANKESS SUCK! :)

Now that Damon's in New York, now what's that old Broadway expression to wish good luck? Oh, I remember. Break a leg,
Johnny! :)