Create your 09 WBC team roster

[Sweet_Bokke]

My South Africa Roster

Starting Pitchers
1. Barry Armitage
2. Carl Michaels
3. Robert Verschuren
4. Jacobus Mostert

Bullpen
5. Matthew Dancer
6. Jared Elario
7. Kalin Dreyer
8. Gary Maree
9. Tyrone Lamont
10. Shadley Sasman
11. Darryn Smith
12. Garth Terry
13. Kevin Townsend
14. Gavin Jeffries

Infielders
15. Anthony Phillips
16. Jonathan Phillips
17. Paul Bell
18. Brett Willemburg
19. Greg Liebenberg
20. Nick Dempsey
21. Patrick Naude

Outfielders
22. Moegamat-Zaid Hendricks
23. Gavin Ray
24. Jason Cook
25. Dylan Haynes
26. Ian Butcher
27. Shannon Ekermans

Catchers
28. Kyle Botha
39. Bradley Erasmus
30. Karl Weitz

[Americanoutlaw2.0]

Team Netherlands

Starting Pitchers
1-Rick VandenHurk
2-Shairon Martis
3-Diegomar Markwell
4-Jair Jurrjens

Bullpen-

-David Bergman
Robin van Doornspeek
-Rob Cordemans
-Leon Boyd
-Diego Markwell
-Alexander Smit
-Tom Stuifbergen
-Loek van Mil
-Kenny Berkenbosch



Catchers
-Matijn Meeuwis
-Sidney de Jong
-Tjerk Smeets



Infielders-
-Gregory Halman
-Yurendell de Caster
-Raily Legito
-Vince Rooi
-Hainley Statia,
-Michael Duursma
-Roel Koolen



Outfielders-
-Andruw Jones
-Roger Bernadina
-Bryan Engelhardt
-Gregory Halman
-Eugene Kingsale
-Yurendell de Caster

Manager
any ideas??

[Rally Monkey]

If you followed the 2006 WBC, you will know that Yankees only let the USA players participate the games to strength up the team. Matsui couldn't play for Japan, Rivera couldn't play for Panama etc.

Yeah, I followed the 2006 WBC closely, and this is false.

[Canadutch]

Team Netherlands

Starting Pitchers
1-Rick VandenHurk
2-Shairon Martis
3-Diegomar Markwell
4-David Bergman

Bullpen-
Jair Jurrjens
-Ivanon Coffie
-Rob Cordemans
-Leon Boyd
-Diego Markwell
-Alexander Smit
-Tom Stuifbergen
-Loek van Mil
-Kenny Berkenbosch



Catchers
-Johnny Balentina
-Sidney de Jong
-Tjerk Smeets



Infielders-
-Gregory Halman
-Yurendell de Caster
-Raily Legito
-Vince Rooi
-Hainley Statia,
-Dwayne Kemp
-Rien Vernooij



Outfielders-
-Andruw Jones
-Roger Bernadina
-Bryan Engelhardt
-Gregory Halman
-Eugene Kingsale
-Yurendell de Caster

First off, I'll help you get our positions straight, Coffie is a 3rd baseman, Halman is an outfielder. Also, news for all of us, Johnny Balentina is no longer on the national team, he's living in Curacao, so go with Matijn Meeuwis. He's an up and coming catcher/outfielder (like Balentina) performed decent in the World cup, and was a finalist for MVP of the Dutch league last season.

How is Jurrjens not a starter? He''s in the Braves rotation, and faring quite well right now. Vandenhurk will be, and Martis earned his start for the next few WBC's doing what he did in 2006, not sure about the other two.

Kemp and Vernooij need to prove something in low-A first to get a shot I believe. Other then that you're pretty close, except for yours truly, I like to think I can start a game in that tourny, but who knows.

Where's Duursma and Koolen in the infield? The best defensive 2nd baseman, I've ever seen. They have been battling for the position since European championships.

[Americanoutlaw2.0]

thax you for your help

First off, I'll help you get our positions straight, Coffie is a 3rd baseman, Halman is an outfielder. Also, news for all of us, Johnny Balentina is no longer on the national team, he's living in Curacao, so go with Matijn Meeuwis. He's an up and coming catcher/outfielder (like Balentina) performed decent in the World cup, and was a finalist for MVP of the Dutch league last season.

How is Jurrjens not a starter? He''s in the Braves rotation, and faring quite well right now. Vandenhurk will be, and Martis earned his start for the next few WBC's doing what he did in 2006, not sure about the other two.

Kemp and Vernooij need to prove something in low-A first to get a shot I believe. Other then that you're pretty close, except for yours truly, I like to think I can start a game in that tourny, but who knows.

Where's Duursma and Koolen in the infield? The best defensive 2nd baseman, I've ever seen. They have been battling for the position since European championships.

[Americanoutlaw2.0]

Team Canada
1-Erik Bedard
2-Rich Harden
3-Jeff Francis
4-Adam Loewen


Bullpen
Jesse Crain
Ryan Braun
Scott Mathieson
Shawn Hill
Ryan Dempster
Aaron Myette
Phillipe Aumont
Eric Gagne
Eric Cyr
Chris Begg


Catchers
Russell Martin
Pete Laforest
George Kottaras

Infielders
Justin Morneau
Joey Votto
Scott Thorman
Danny Klassen
Kevin Nicholson
Todd Betts
Pete Orr

Outfielders
Jason Bay
Matt Stairs
Mark Teahan
Jeff Guiel
Adam Stern
Aaron Guiel

Manager-Ernie Whitt

[Ichiro51]

Yeah, I followed the 2006 WBC closely, and this is false.

Yankees did not openly said this but everyone knows this, they asked the players to withdrew their name from their countries' preliminary roster and use the reasons of "concentrate on the upcoming 2006 season", "I have injury", or "I am honored but I am already representing my country by playing in MLB" as excuses to not play.

Do you think guys like Wang, Matsui, Rivera, or even Cano are not good enough to get a roster spot? They simply did their owner (Steinbrenner) a favor by not playing in the tournament. Think what you will, but do a google research and you will find numerous articles about the Yankees conspiracy.

[Rally Monkey]

Do you think guys like Wang, Matsui, Rivera, or even Cano are not good enough to get a roster spot? They simply did their owner (Steinbrenner) a favor by not playing in the tournament. Think what you will, but do a google research and you will find numerous articles about the Yankees conspiracy.

No, I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way. If you make sensational accusations about a Yankees conspiracy, YOU back it up with research and with links to these "numerous articles". That's not my job.

Everything I read at the time in the mainstream media said this: Steinbrenner didn't like the World Baseball Classic, and he made his feelings well known to anybody who asked. He even abstained from the owners' vote on the tournament. But it was Rivera, Matsui and Wang (who was just starting his fitst full season with the Yankees) who wanted to stay with their club and not play in the tournament. No one told them to do it. And that was that.

You'll have to prove me wrong.

[jalbright]

No, I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way. If you make sensational accusations about a Yankees conspiracy, YOU back it up with research and with links to these "numerous articles". That's not my job.

Everything I read at the time in the mainstream media said this: Steinbrenner didn't like the World Baseball Classic, and he made his feelings well known to anybody who asked. He even abstained from the owners' vote on the tournament. But it was Rivera, Matsui and Wang (who was just starting his fitst full season with the Yankees) who wanted to stay with their club and not play in the tournament. No one told them to do it. And that was that.

You'll have to prove me wrong.

I don't know if we can prove a conspiracy, as old George S. did backtrack and allowed some players who wanted to play in the WBC to do so. However, it is quite clear he didn't like it, and said so publicly. This, from the New York Times makes that point in talking about a sign at the Yanks spring training facility:

Steinbrenner has said publicly that he would rather his players focus on preparing for the season, and he praised Hideki Matsui last week for staying with the Yankees instead of playing for Japan. Whether or not he posted the sign, the wording was consistent with Steinbrenner's feelings.

Under the heading ''World Baseball Classic,'' the sign read: ''Thank you for expressing your concerns. We are sorry that certain players will not be present for portions of Spring Training. These players have elected to participate in The World Baseball Classic. The World Baseball Classic is an event sanctioned by The Commissioner of Major League Baseball and The Major League Baseball Players Association.''

The sign went on, misspelling the team's nickname: ''The New York Yankess did not vote to support this event. Any comments you have regarding the World Baseball Classic should be directed to either The Commissioner of Major League Baseball or The Major League Baseball Players Assoc.''

Steinbrenner said early in spring training that players were ''risking a lot'' by playing. He also agreed when a reporter suggested that fans would miss seeing the star players in spring training games.

Source is here: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...50C0A9609C8B63

Also, see this article by Baseball Prospectus: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...articleid=4756

I'd say there's at least some evidence to support the charge. You could probably get to a jury with that, but not win the case. Maybe somebody else wants to do some more digging.

[Ichiro51]

No, I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way. If you make sensational accusations about a Yankees conspiracy, YOU back it up with research and with links to these "numerous articles". That's not my job.

Everything I read at the time in the mainstream media said this: Steinbrenner didn't like the World Baseball Classic, and he made his feelings well known to anybody who asked. He even abstained from the owners' vote on the tournament. But it was Rivera, Matsui and Wang (who was just starting his fitst full season with the Yankees) who wanted to stay with their club and not play in the tournament. No one told them to do it. And that was that.

You'll have to prove me wrong.

So if Steinbrenner had a close door meeting with the players and asked them nicely of not participate in the WBC? Then someone like myself, reporter, columnist etc must have a sound recording to prove it is in fact he indeed not want them to play?

Get a grip man...believe what you want to believe in.

[Rally Monkey]

So if Steinbrenner had a close door meeting with the players and asked them nicely of not participate in the WBC? Then someone like myself, reporter, columnist etc must have a sound recording to prove it is in fact he indeed not want them to play?

See, now you're moving the goalposts. You invited me and everyone else to research your charges because, well, you see, it was SO well reported back in the day. Well, guess what? It wasn't. Because it didn't happen.

Enough with the dishonest arguments and unsupported conspiracy theories. Wang and Matsui will play in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Why? Because there's absolutely no reason to believe that they won't.

[jalbright]

Let's keep this from being personal, and, frankly, the use of the word "dishonest" in the above post is darned close to (if not in fact over) the line of what is permissible here. Let's not go any further down the road of talking about the person making the post as opposed to the points they raise.

[Rally Monkey]

Let's keep this from being personal, and, frankly, the use of the word "dishonest" in the above post is darned close to (if not in fact over) the line of what is permissible here. Let's not go any further down the road of talking about the person making the post as opposed to the points they raise.

Point well taken. Calling an argument dishonest isn't necessarily the same as calling a person dishonest. But it's close enough. Sorry.

Let me try it this way: Until someone actually provides evidence that the Yankees blocked its international players from playing in the 2006 WBC, I'll assume it didn't happen. It's pretty serious to charge that the World Baseball Classic was gamed in favor of Team USA last time around. And I haven't seen anything which even hints that that's what happened.

[Ichiro51]

Matsui might play for Japan, but Wang will not be pitching for Taiwan, even people in Taiwan who don't watch baseball know Wang will not be suiting up for the National Team ever again because he is pitching for the Yankees.

Like I said, believe what you want to believe in, even if I have press articles, links, etc...you will still not going to believe them, because they are, just an article. You are asking for hard evidence such as a voice mail left on the players' cell phone from Steinbrenner of requesting not to play in the WBC otherwise it would not be genuine to you.

I am sure OJ is innocent to you as well, if the glove don't fit, you must acquit. Right?

[jalbright]

Point well taken. Calling an argument dishonest isn't necessarily the same as calling a person dishonest. But it's close enough. Sorry.

Let me try it this way: Until someone actually provides evidence that the Yankees blocked its international players from playing in the 2006 WBC, I'll assume it didn't happen. It's pretty serious to charge that the World Baseball Classic was gamed in favor of Team USA last time around. And I haven't seen anything which even hints that that's what happened.

Fair enough. There's certainly sufficient evidence to indicate the Yankees tried to persuade their players not to participate. It's unclear how far they went in the effort to persuade, especially when it became a PR black eye for them. We do know Yankees played in the 2006 WBC. Make of the situation what you will.

[Rally Monkey]

I am sure OJ is innocent to you as well, if the glove don't fit, you must acquit. Right?

No, he did it.

[Americanoutlaw2.0]

you guys mind helping me edited my rosters??

[NewEnglandAmazins]

Eight rosters down eight to go. We just need:

Mexico
Panama
South Korea
China
Cuba
Puerto Rico
Italy
Australia

[Ichiro51]

No, he did it.

But you have no evidence. Johnny Cochran said the ties to his client of his wife and her friend's killing to OJ are just dishonest arguments and unsupported conspiracy theories...like what you trying to said about the Steinbrenner VS. WBC.

NEA - China and Cuba's WBC roster is likely the same from 2006 beside maybe a player or two changes. China and Cuba's National Team practice throughout the years and hardly change who is on the team unless someone retired/defected/or a new stud teenager are too good to leave off the team.

[Cubano100%]

Some names to consider for a Cuban roster. I see a lot of new faces here and there won't be any Cuban defectors joining this team again. In the land of Pancho Villa and the Mariachis bands, Mexico, we will display our brand of baseball. It is about time Japan, Puerto Rico and the USA do not host any rounds. No more free pass! The finals should be held in the Coloso del Cerro, Latinoamericano stadium, under the sounds of Conga Oriental.


Giorvis Duvergel CF
Yohenis Cespedez CF
Yuliesky Gourriel 3B
Michel Enriquez 3B
Alexei Bell RF
Yoandry Urgelles RF
Alexander Mayeta 1B
Jose Julio Ruiz 1B
Joan Carlos Pedroso 1B
Yosvany Peraza C
Osvaldo Arias C
Ariel Pestano C
Frederich Cepeda LF
Alfredo Despaigne LF
Hector Olivera 2B
Yoilan Cerce 2B
Eduardo Paret SS
Yadiel Mujica SS
Adonis Garcia super utility
Leonis Martin Super Utility


Pedro L. Lazo
Yuniesky Maya
Yuliesky Gonzalez
Jonder Martinez
Norge L. Vera
Aroldis "el Ciclon" Chapman
Vladimir "la Bala" Garcia
Sergio Espinosa
Ian Rendon
Miguel Lahera
Jose A. Garcia
Yadier Pedroso
Elier Sanchez
Vladimir Banos
Ismel Jimenez
Gerardo Miranda
Ricardo Estevez
Yadel Marti
Reinier "la nueva pistola" Roibal
Yaumier Sanchez

[Rally Monkey]

But you have no evidence. Johnny Cochran said the ties to his client of his wife and her friend's killing to OJ are just dishonest arguments and unsupported conspiracy theories...like what you trying to said about the Steinbrenner VS. WBC.

Sheesh. Too bad this site isn't moderated for silliness. So why don't we all just move on?

Back to the subject at hand: The 2006 World Baseball Classic teams only carried three legitimate starting pitchers. The rosters that folks have posted here have four starters. I don't see any reason for that. 2009 won't have any more games than 2006; in fact, with double-elimination, there will be fewer total games. So I'll go with three starters.

And, with that, here're my guesses for a few of the starting staffs for the 2009 squads:

USA: Smoltz, Peavy, B. Webb
(Note: There are so many awesome American pitchers, it's hard to choose! Maybe another veteran like Roy Halladay. And Cole Hamels or another young stud like that would be a great pick too. An embarassment of riches.)

Japan: Matsuzaka, Kuroda, Darvish
(Koji Uehara is an unrestricted free agent this year, so I'd bet that--like Wang and Matsui did last time--he'll stick with whatever major league club he signs with instead of playing for Team Japan.)

Venezuela: Santana, C. Zambrano, Felix Hernandez
(What can you say? Breathtaking.)

Dominican Republic: Loriano, F. Carmona, Johnny Cueta?
(Cueta is probably too young, but he's exciting to watch. I think Bartolo Colon is done. But maybe he should get a shot to represent his country one last time? Could do worse.)

Netherlands: VandenHurk, Martis, Jurrjens
(That one's easy.)

Canada: Bedard, Francis, Loewen
(This is easy too. There's no way, I think, that Rich Harden endangers his fragile arm in international play.)

I'm running out of steam here, so I'll think about Mexico and Puerto Rico later.

[Cubano100%]

NEA - China and Cuba's WBC roster is likely the same from 2006 beside maybe a player or two changes. China and Cuba's National Team practice throughout the years and hardly change who is on the team unless someone retired/defected/or a new stud teenager are too good to leave off the team.

Many players from Chinese Taipei, Japan and Korea have competed several times for their national team.

Even with Wang presence, Chinese Taipei won't win. Where is the depth? Chinese Taipei have not been able to beat Japan, Korea, Cuba, etc in international tournaments. They may have won once or twice against these countries but I am not so sure.

[Rally Monkey]

Even with Wang presence, Chinese Taipei won't win. Where is the depth? Chinese Taipei have not been able to beat Japan, Korea, Cuba, etc in international tournaments. They may have won once or twice against these countries but I am not so sure.

I don't think anyone honestly thinks Taiwan is a contender to win, place, or show at the 2009 WBC. But with Wang on the starting staff, they could have a shot--not a great one, to be sure--of advancing out of the regional pool. I mean, if Chan Ho Park hadn't had MVP stuff in the 2006 tournament, who knows how far Korea would have gotten? And who knows how a weaker Team Korea would match up against a Wang-led Taiwanese squad?

[Cubano100%]

Korea has been fighting Japan in all kind of tournaments. They have lost several games by one run. I still think even with Wang, Korea and Japan should advance.

[Rally Monkey]

Korea has been fighting Japan in all kind of tournaments. They have lost several games by one run. I still think even with Wang, Korea and Japan should advance.

Yeah, that's probably right.

Anyone care to speculate who Korea's starting pitchers will be? All of the MLB prospects I've followed have been busts (except, of course, that kid pitching low A ball for the Cubs).