Create your 09 WBC team roster

**SDL** · 10-26-2008, 01:18 AM

Most may not know it, but Mauer has the most international experience. He's played for the USA in tournaments going back to the 16 and under team up to the 2003 Olympic Qualifier. Whether he's a starter for the USA or not un the WBC, he has to be on that team!

**Rally Monkey** · 10-26-2008, 10:45 PM

According to this Univision story, Aramis Ramirez is in for the DR. You'll remember that he skipped the 2006 WBC because he was recovering from a strained quad.

So who starts at third, Ramirez or Beltre? Skipper Felipe Alou will have to do some juggling here. Not a bad problem to have, though...

UPDATE: Oh, and for all of you Italian baseball fans out there (or, I suppose, Italian-American baseball fans), the excellent Baseball Italia website is reporting that Frank Catalanotto and Jason Grilli are likely to suit up once again for Team Italy. Forza Azzurri!

**NewEnglandAmazins** · 10-29-2008, 06:51 AM

Yomiuri Giants Skipper led his team to the Central league title:
http://www.ibaf.org/archives/news/448

**Richard** · 10-29-2008, 11:57 AM

I've never understood why Americans of Italian descent are allowed to play for Italy. If they can't field an ITALIAN team, then maybe they should earn it playing in a 2013 in pre-WBC tournament to qualify similiar to the Baseball World Cup. I've also never understood why countries like Colombia and Nicaragua cannot compete knowing that these countries have produced major league baseball players of high quality and are actually baseball countries.

**Unit312J** · 10-29-2008, 09:33 PM

I just booked a trip to Panama for the 1st week of January, but its only the big high school event down there. My next trip will be to Mexico City for the first round there. I think of all the sites the top two are almost guaranteed there, but I pray that Cuba will stumble somewhere. I don't like them much anymore after watching the live in Taiwan and Beijing. They are just too good to lose to an Australia, and of course South Africa will provide no resistance for Mexico or Cuba. Still, I've seen games in all three other sites so that just leaves Mexico City.

**Rally Monkey** · 10-29-2008, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by Unit312J

I just booked a trip to Panama for the 1st week of January, but its only the big high school event down there. My next trip will be to Mexico City for the first round there. I think of all the sites the top two are almost guaranteed there, but I pray that Cuba will stumble somewhere. I don't like them much anymore after watching the live in Taiwan and Beijing. They are just too good to lose to an Australia, and of course South Africa will provide no resistance for Mexico or Cuba. Still, I've seen games in all three other sites so that just leaves Mexico City.

What don't you like about them?

**Unit312J** · 10-30-2008, 10:47 AM

I don't like their arrogance. There is a difference between passion and arrogance. I know they have passion for the game. Broadcasting those games from Taiwan you could see them do their little stall tactics, fake injuries, the like when things weren't going their way. And I talked about Beijing before from Beijing. Spikes up, show boating in the box, just a general bad attitude that rubbed me the wrong way. They are good, very good, but I just don't like their arrogance, and now that I've seen them play a lot the novelty is gone and I just don't like them. I sure hope the message gets passed to whatever US team faces Cuba next, and Alexei Bell better wear one in the ribs his first time up . That display in the batters box of that semi-final game still irks me.

**Rally Monkey** · 10-30-2008, 01:16 PM

They're used to winning. That attitude should change now that these international tournaments actually include the best players from their respective countries. It's easy to be a bully when your opponents are college kids and true amateurs.

If the Koreans and Japanese play like they're capable of, I don't see the Cubans getting out of the round-of-eight at the WBC. If they hadn't lucked out with such an easy field in Mexico City (Australia? South Africa?), Cuba might not have even advanced from the first round.

**cuba_ball** · 11-03-2008, 11:10 AM

that is our baseball style We just enjoy the game Albert Pujols said one time in the last WBC that Cubans play a happy baseball just that

Cuba WBC 09 Champs

**SDL** · 11-03-2008, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by cuba_ball

that is our baseball style We just enjoy the game Albert Pujols said one time in the last WBC that Cubans play a happy baseball just that

Cuba WBC 09 Champs

Then Alfredo Despaigne is one of the happiest players around!

I LOVE that kid!

**Unit312J** · 11-04-2008, 08:44 PM

I didn't see happy I saw dirty. Again passion and arrogance are different. Wish they had a tougher first round, but looking forward to Korea kicking their rear end again in San Diego!

**Americanoutlaw2.0** · 11-13-2008, 01:16 PM

do Taiwan have any power hitters???

**chendd** · 12-02-2008, 12:54 AM

Originally Posted by Americanoutlaw2.0

do Taiwan have any power hitters???

Chin-Feng Chen
But he may not play due to La New Bears not allowing their players to attend WBC 2009.

**Mischa** · 12-02-2008, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Richard

I've never understood why Americans of Italian descent are allowed to play for Italy. If they can't field an ITALIAN team, then maybe they should earn it playing in a 2013 in pre-WBC tournament to qualify similiar to the Baseball World Cup.

According to Italian law, those Americans or Latino players like Giovanni Carrarra are citizens of Italy due to their Italian ancestors. They've been using Italian-Americans to supplement their roster in international events like European Championships and Baseball World Cups since the 1970s at least.

Using players born in Italy, they could still field a team with guys like Giuseppe Mazzanti, Alex Liddi, Mario Chiarini, Luca Panerati, Alessandro Maestri which would still be superior to South Africa and possibly China.

I've also never understood why countries like Colombia and Nicaragua cannot compete knowing that these countries have produced major league baseball players of high quality and are actually baseball countries.

Just as in the Olympics, Baseball World Cup or Intercontinental Cup, an effort is made to represent all continents. Therefore, you have teams like Sweden, Thailand or Belgium show up sometimes in a World Cup even though everyone knows they're not as good as Nicaragua. I think it's good for global development of baseball. Colombia didn't even qualify for the 2009 World Cup, so I don't see why they should play in the more prestigious WBC.

FWIW, Italy has been at least as competitive as Colombia in international tournaments over the past few decades.

**SDL** · 12-02-2008, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Mischa

According to Italian law, those Americans or Latino players like Giovanni Carrarra are citizens of Italy due to their Italian ancestors. They've been using Italian-Americans to supplement their roster in international events like European Championships and Baseball World Cups since the 1970s at least.

Using players born in Italy, they could still field a team with guys like Giuseppe Mazzanti, Alex Liddi, Mario Chiarini, Luca Panerati, Alessandro Maestri which would still be superior to South Africa and possibly China.

Just as in the Olympics, Baseball World Cup or Intercontinental Cup, an effort is made to represent all continents. Therefore, you have teams like Sweden, Thailand or Belgium show up sometimes in a World Cup even though everyone knows they're not as good as Nicaragua. I think it's good for global development of baseball. Colombia didn't even qualify for the 2009 World Cup, so I don't see why they should play in the more prestigious WBC.

FWIW, Italy has been at least as competitive as Colombia in international tournaments over the past few decades.

Quite a few Italian-Americans are glad for the chance to play for Italy. Last ST, I was chatting with Val Pascucci. He tells me he was hoping to play for Italy again in the WBC..his dad is from Italy.

**NewEnglandAmazins** · 12-03-2008, 11:14 AM

Taiwan:

Manager Yeh is unhappy with how some MLB teams are not letting their Taiwanese players participate in the winter training session and potentially the WBC (ie HC Kuo, CL Hu, CH Lin, WY Lin, and CH Chiang). Yeh said that if these teams do not cooperate for the WBC, he'll consider getting the military bureau to void these players' military waiver that they were given.

http://taiwanbaseball.blogspot.com/2.../121-news.html

**chendd** · 12-09-2008, 06:43 AM

Pitcher (30):
Tony Armas
Mauro Zarate
Juan Carlos Gutierrez
Carlos Carrasco
Romulo Sanchez
Jose Ascanio
Franklin Morales
Armando Galarraga
Jorge Julio Tapia
Johan Santana
Freddy Garcia
Yusmeiro Petit
Victor Zambrano
Anibal Sanchez
Ramon Ramirez
Angel Guzman
Cesar Jimenez
Felix Hernandez
Juan Rincon
Carlos Silva
Rafael Betancourt
Renyel Pinto
Carlos Zambrano
Francisco Rodriguez
Enrique Gonzalez
Gerardo Casadiego
Jose Mijares
Jesus Delgado
Francisco Butto
Henry Rodriguez

Infielder (25):
Marco Scutaro
Gregorio Petit
Omar Vizquel
Alex Cabrera
Jesus Guzman
Jose Castillo
Melvin Mora
Luis Rivas
Edgardo Alfonzo
Ivan Ochoa
Jose Lopez
Cesar Izturis
Luis Valbuena
Tomas Perez
Asdrubal Cabrera
Luis Rodriguez
Miguel Cabrera
Martin Prado
Ronny Cedeno
Luis Maza
Jorge Velandia
Luis Hernandez
Oscar Salazar
Maicer Izturis
Alberto Callaspo

Outfielder (12):
Bob Abreu
Franklin Gutierrez
Juan Rivera
Carlos Guillen
Endy Chavez
Richard Hidalgo
Magglio Ordonez
Carlos Gonzalez
Gregor Blanco
Alex Romero
Franklin Diaz
Hernan Iribarren

Catcher (13):
Jesus Flores
Pablo Sandoval
Ramon Hernandez
Yorvit Torrealba
Henry Blanco
Humberto Quintero
Guillermo Quiroz
Edwin Bellorin
Maximiliano Ramirez
Dioner Navarro
Miguel Montero
Eliezer Alfonzo
Guillermo Rodriguez

Luis Sojo (Manager)
Andres Galarraga (Bench coach)
Antonio Armas (Batting coach)
Omar Malave (Third base coach)
Oscar Escobar (First base coach)
Luis Dorante (Bullpen coach)
Roberto Espinoza (Pitching coach)
Rafael Alvarez (Physical trainer)
Rafael Caldera (Trainer)
Toas Vera (Trainer)

**Ichiro51** · 12-10-2008, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Ichiro51

Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)

Starting Pitchers
1- Hong-Chih Kuo (MLB)
2- En-Yu Lin (NPB)
3- Ying-Chieh Lin (NPB)
4- Chien-Ming Chiang (NPB)

Bullpen-
- Chien-Fu Yang (CPBL)
- Ni-Fu Te (CPBL)
- Kevin Huang (CPBL)
- Kai-Wen Cheng (Amateur)
- Chia-Jen Lo (Amateur)
- Lung-Hao Hsieh (Amateur)
- Sung-Wei Tseng (US Minor League)
- Wei-Lun Pan (CPBL)
- Chih-Lung Huang (Amateur)
- Chin-Hui Tsao (MLB)

Catchers
- Chih-Kang Kao (CPBL)
- Feng-Min Chen (CPBL)
- Chun-Chang Yeh (CPBL)

Infielders-
- Kuo-Ching Kao (CPBL)
- Cheng-Min Peng (CPBL)
- Chin-Lung Hu (MLB)
- Yung-Chi Chen (US Minor League)
- Tai-Shan Chang (CPBL)
- Chun-Shou Yang (NPB)
- Sen Yang (CPBL)

Outfielders-
- Chin-Feng Chen (CPBL)
- Che-Hsuan Lin (US Minor League)
- Kuo-Huo Lo (US Minor League)
- Wei-Chu Lin (NPB)
- Chien-Ming Chang (CPBL)
- Chia-Hsien Hsieh (CPBL)

DH
- Chin-Feng Chen
- Tai-Shan Chang
- Chia-Hsien Hsieh

Manager
I-Chung Hong (CPBL)

Making some change since a few players' stock went down like the American economy the past few months (Chien-Ming Chiang), while some players are either hurt (Yung-Chi Chen) or CPBL teams (Bears/Bulls) won't let them play at all.

Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)

Starting Pitchers
1- Hong-Chih Kuo (MLB)
2- En-Yu Lin (NPB)
3- Ying-Chieh Lin (NPB)
4- Wei-Lun Pan (CPBL)

Bullpen-
- Hung-Wen Chen (US Minor League)
- Fu-Te Ni (CPBL)
- Yu-Cheng Liao (CPBL)
- Kai-Wen Cheng (Amateur)
- Chia-Jen Lo (Amateur)
- Lung-Hao Hsieh (Amateur)
- Sung-Wei Tseng (US Minor League)
- Yueh-Ping Lin (CPBL)
- Chih-Lung Huang (Amateur)
- Chin-Hui Tsao (Free Agent)

Catchers
- Chih-Kang Kao (CPBL)
- Chun-Hsiu Chen (US Minor League)
- Kun-Sheng Lin (Amateur)

Infielders-
- Kuo-Ching Kao (CPBL)
- Cheng-Min Peng (CPBL)
- Chin-Lung Hu (MLB)
- Yen-Wen Kuo (US Minor League)
- Sheng-Wei Wang (CPBL)
- Chun-Shou Yang (NPB)
- Sen Yang (CPBL)

Outfielders-
- Chih-Yuan Chen (CPBL)
- Che-Hsuan Lin (US Minor League)
- Kuo-Huo Lo (US Minor League)
- Wei-Chu Lin (NPB)
- Wu-Hsiung Pan (CPBL)
- Chia-Hsien Hsieh (CPBL)

DH
- Chih-Yuan Chen
- Cheng-Min Peng
- Chia-Hsien Hsieh

Manager
Chih-Hsien Yeh (CPBL)

**cutchemist42** · 12-10-2008, 11:58 AM

How come those two CPBL teams aren't letting their players play? I would have thought they would love to help their national team as much as possible? So the whole "not being able to block players from playing" only applies to MLB teams then?

**Mischa** · 12-10-2008, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by cutchemist42

How come those two CPBL teams aren't letting their players play? I would have thought they would love to help their national team as much as possible? So the whole "not being able to block players from playing" only applies to MLB teams then?

The concern was due to fatigue from players who were "worn down" after the 2007 Asian Championship, 2007 Baseball World Cup and 2008 Olympics. I doubt an extra 10 games per year really hurt any of the players much. I doubt Sinon is going to compete despite resting their stars another week in the off-season. The top two teams from the 2008 CPBL didn't need to look for such excuses, so let their players play in the WBC.

**Unit312J** · 12-11-2008, 06:05 PM

The odds of them playing more than two games anyway are slim...I don't know why they are worried about fatigue..

**NewEnglandAmazins** · 12-13-2008, 06:17 AM

Terry Collins in the running for manager's job -- in China
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/spor...s-in-runn.html

**Mischa** · 12-15-2008, 06:16 AM

Japan joined Italy, South Korea and Venezuela in publishing a preliminary roster. See

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bu...Rosters)#Japan

**USA09** · 12-15-2008, 05:02 PM

Dustin Pedroia has commited to playing for the USA in the WBC.

www.redsox.mlb.com

**Ichiro51** · 12-18-2008, 05:58 AM

Taiwan's roster.

Sub - Lung-Hao Hsieh (Amateur)
Add - Chen Chang Lee (US Minor League)

Hsieh's arm is severely damaged from throwing too many innings in HS and Lee should have no problem making the team as long the Cleveland Indians give him the green light to participate.