Reason players (Bonds, Garciaparra, etc.) are bailing in the WBC?

[MyDogSparty]

I wonder if this factored into their decision? From ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/worldc...ry?id=2321075)...

Eighty players to be tested randomly before tourney.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- Two players from each team will be tested for banned drugs after each game of the World Baseball Classic.

The International Baseball Federation also said Monday it will have 80 players tested at random before the tournament, to be played from March 3-20.

Testing will be done under World Anti-Doping Agency rules, which covers more substances than the drug-testing agreement between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association.

An initial positive test to IBAF testing would most likely result in a two-year suspension from international competition, but players would not be subject to discipline by the commissioner's office under the major-league drug agreement.

In addition, the IBAF agreed to make Dentsu its marketing agent though 2013.

[digglahhh]

There are so many legitimate reasons why one would not want to play. People will see what they want to when making (uninformed) interpretations about the motivations for specific players. With that said, I'd be willing to wager somebody is stupid enough to get caught anyway.

Now, I'm not going to say that anybody is deciding not to partake because they take steroids. However, I will say that for the players who are playing with a steroid cloud over their heads playing here and getting tested would be a good way to begin alleviating the concerns of fans without having to oppose wishes of their union or fellow players.

[KingJ]

Is Nomar on the steroids that cause season-ending hangnails?

[wamby]

I think it is mainly because this thing is a meaningless exhibition with absolutely no history behind it and they don't want to risk injury in it. The WBC is getting very little in the US and I wouldn't be surprised if these players felt that Spring Training would be a better use of their time

[stlkev70]

I think it is mainly because this thing is a meaningless exhibition with absolutely no history behind it and they don't want to risk injury in it. The WBC is getting very little in the US and I wouldn't be surprised if these players felt that Spring Training would be a better use of their time

Exactly! Why would any major leaguer consider doing this, its totally meaningless!

[west coast orange and black]

sparty, it was reported at least as early as july 2005 that wada testing would be utilized for classic play.

this is not news.

as digglahhhsaid, there are lots of reasons why players either did not sign up to begin with or might withdraw.

[Mattingly]

Mariano Rivera won't be competing in the WBC, but Johnny Damon will. This despite Torre's not being too enthused about Damon's decision.

Mo remains a no for WBC
Rivera says he won't be ready to compete in tournament

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Torre's perfect World, Damon wouldn't play

[west coast orange and black]

angel chavez left the panama world classic squad last week in hopes to get in more licks in during cactus league play. he is fighting for the backup spot on the giants roster.

[NickG]

Wcoab is right - players knew there would be tests when they originally agreed to play. Linking the last-minute refusals to steroids is just silly.

[ReignInBlood]

Maybe some big name players were ordered by MLB to announce they would be playing in the WBC late last year, so the hype would build up and many people would be interested. Then when the WBC is near they would just bail out of it.

[Dravecky43]

Maybe some big name players were ordered by MLB to announce they would be playing in the WBC late last year, so the hype would build up and many people would be interested. Then when the WBC is near they would just bail out of it.

I'd call that plausible. And I certainly wouldn't say that Bud WOULDN'T do something like that.

[Tram2Lou]

It's obvious why they're backing out

*cough* steroids *cough*

[AYEKAYE47]

*cough* steroids *cough*

*cough* IGNORANCE *cough*

[Tram2Lou]

*cough* IGNORANCE *cough*

I was poking fun at everybody jumping to the conclusion that steroids were the real reason that these guys are dropping out. It seems to me that guys like Bonds, Nomar, Gagne etc. were injured last year, and do not want to risk losing more playing time by playing competetive baseball in early March.

[Cubsfan97]

Is Nomar on the steroids that cause season-ending hangnails?

Dude he had a gorin injury. That is deffinently more than just a hangnail injury.