For those attending Spring Training in Florida this coming March, be aware that tickets for the World Baseball Classic are now on sale. Six second-round games will be played in Miami from March 14 through 18. (Full WBC schedules and tickets available here.)
In addition, as I noted in this earlier article outlining the details of the Cardinals spring training schedule, St. Louis is playing one exhibition against a WBC team in Jupiter on Thursday, March 5. Their opponent will not have to travel far, as they will also be training right in Jupiter.
Though the title of this entry gives already gives away the answer, I will disclose the answer is Felipe Alou’s Dominican Republic squad.
(Details on all Cardinals spring tickets are available though the spring ticket office at Roger Dean Stadium. Individual game tickets go on sale January 10, but package deals can be purchased now.)
Alou’s club is just one of 11 WBC entries running their camps in Florida this March. The others, the four Asian teams and Cuba are training at home. The Asian Round One pool is made up of defending champion Japan, Korea, China and Taipei.
Among the players who have reportedly expressed interest in competing for Jose Oquendo’s Puerto Rican team include Cardinals Yadier Molina and Joel Pineiro. For those who are game for a side trip over to the Commonwealth (passports not required), first round games for the pool including both Puerto Rico and the Dominican are being held in San Juan from March 7 through 11.
No offense intended to Jose and his club, but if you want to catch Team Puerto Rico, you had better either swing by their training camp in Fort Myers or travel to see their Round One games. I don’t think they are going to get past the Dominicans.
The 2009 Dominican Republic squad should be absolutely loaded. Infielders committed to play include Albert Pujols and Carlos Lee at first, Robinson Cano and former Cardinal Placido Polanco at second with Alex Rodriguez and Aramis Ramirez at third. For his shortstop, Alou is going to have to choose among Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes and Miguel Tejada. Big Papi is penciled in as the designated hitter, according to USAToday.
For those who would rather catch Derek Jeter and Team USA, training over on the west coast at Clearwater, they will play exhibitions against the Phillies in Clearwater on March 3 and 5, and the Blue Jays in Dunedin March 4. The USA begins its formal Round One play on March 7 in Toronto against a pool which also includes Canada, Venezuela and Italy.
That Dominican team looks more like an ALL STAR team. Even the back-ups are All-Stars. WOW!!! But who are their pitchers?
Rosters aren’t official yet. Supposed to be a max of 13 pitchers and 28 players total.
The Dominican pitchers are not as prominent, though Pedro used to be. Among other names I have heard tossed around are Ervin Santana, Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Ubaldo Jimenez, Daniel Cabrera, Fausto Carmona and Odalis Perez along with relievers Carlos Marmol, Fernando Rodney and Damaso Marte.
The Dominicans are really embarrassed about finishing fourth in 2006 and having been eliminated by Cuba made it even worse. Many fans in these countries take international competition very seriously.
The tourney should be fun.
I have to admit this entire WBC thing is growing on me. Man, that Dominican team looks good. Hope the USA gets their best players to participate.
Yeah, what’s even crazier is that in 2006, Japan was the team that won. Maybe it’s not always the best players…
Well with a very limited number of games played, luck certainly plays a large part. They aren’t exactly taking the field for a best of seven.