NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez ended weeks of speculation late Tuesday night and has agreed to play for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
That decision ended a hectic day, during which Rodriguez, the Yankees' All-Star third baseman, couldn't seem to decide whether he was in or out. Now he's in.
"I reached the conclusion that if I played in the Classic, I would play for the United States and honor my American citizenship," he said on his Web site, AROD.com, which is produced by MLB.com. "The World Baseball Classic offers baseball and its fans an exciting new forum and I look forward, if selected, to representing the United States in what will be baseball's greatest international competition."
Even without hearing that statement, Team USA made its final 10 additions to the provisional roster on Tuesday night. Reversing field from earlier in the day, USA Baseball officials decided to place the two-time American League Most Valuable Player on the list.
Rodriguez had told the players association that he wouldn't be playing in the tournament. And after the message was relayed from Gene Orza, the union's chief operating officer, to Buck Martinez, who will manage the U.S. squad in the 16-team field, Rodriguez apparently was going to be left off. But that all changed just before the roster was submitted.
"I haven't spoken to A-Rod yet, but we really have nothing to lose," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball's executive director and chief executive, late Tuesday night. "If A-Rod calls us and tells us he wants to play for Team USA, we better have a spot for him. It's a no-brainer."
The U.S has tabbed 52 players, eight short of the maximum, leaving plenty of room for A-Rod. He was also listed on the Dominican Republic roster as per the tournament rules. According to MLB, a player with a dual participation opportunity can be listed on two provisional rosters. From that point, it is up to the player to decide with which team he ultimately plays. Rodriguez, who captured the American League's MVP award this past season, is a native of the U.S., but has Dominican roots through his parents.
After much consultation, the Yankees' third baseman decided to go with the U.S.
"Following discussion with my family and agent, the Commissioner, and the Major League Baseball Players Association, I have decided to participate in the World Baseball Classic," Rodriguez said. "In recent weeks, following dialogue with caring friends and players, both Dominican and American, I reached the conclusion that I would play for the U.S."
Rodriguez first said last month he would compete for the Dominican and then opted out completely. He had several conversations, though, with MLB and player association officials this past week and those officials were hopeful he would indeed play for Team USA.
Rodriguez now joins Yankees teammates Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon and Al Leiter on the U.S. roster.
"He's one of the best players in the game," Seiler said. "We'll be thrilled to have him on our team."
Aside from A-Rod, Eric Chavez, Luis Gonzalez and 2000 Olympic gold medal hero Ben Sheets swell a squad already chocked with the likes of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Ken Griffey Jr., plus a bevy of relievers, featuring Brad Lidge, Huston Street and Billy Wagner.
The World Baseball Classic is the first international tournament to boast Major League players and is currently scheduled for March 3-20 in the U.S., Japan and Puerto Rico. Major League Baseball officials have been waiting since Dec. 22 for the U.S. Treasury Department to review its earlier decision and allow Cuba to play in the tournament.
That decision is still pending. With the International Baseball Federation threatening to remove its sanction if Cuba isn't allowed to play, MLB officials could face some serious decisions. Games involving Cuba could be moved from San Juan to Canada or the tournament could be pushed back a year while the Cuba issue is negotiated with the U.S. government.
Tickets have yet to be sold for the two rounds in San Juan, where last month Puerto Rican baseball officials told the IBAF that they would not host the games if Cuba was blocked from playing. Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Netherlands and Panama are scheduled to open the first round on March 7 in Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
The 60-man rosters of all 16 teams had to be filed with the IBAF by the Tuesday deadline so players can begin random drug testing under international rules 45 days out from the start of the tournament. Teams don't have to go to a full 60, but no player can join a roster after the deadline.
"We're kind of thinking out of the box here," Martinez, the former Toronto Blue Jays skipper, told MLB.com on Tuesday about how the squad was selected. "We don't have to turn in our (final) roster until March 2, five days before our first game against Mexico. It's challenging because there's so much talent in the group we had already announced and we've added to that pool since then."
Only half of each 60-man roster will be in uniform when the games begin in Japan's Tokyo Dome on March 3. The U.S. opens camp in Arizona at newly christened Chase Field on the same day, and plays the first round in the Phoenix area against Mexico, Canada and South Africa from March 7-10. The two finalists move on to Anaheim and play the winners of the Asian pool (Japan, China, Chinese Taipei and Korea) from March 12-16 at Angel Stadium.
The semifinals and finals are currently slated for March 18 and 20 at San Diego's two-year-old PETCO Park.
All told, the U.S. team includes 23 pitchers, six catchers, 13 infielders and 10 outfielders.
By virtue of the players announced this week, Martinez could field a starting position team that would include Derrek Lee at first base; Chase Utley at second base; Jeter at shortstop; Rodriguez at third base; Jason Varitek behind the plate; Griffey, Damon and Vernon Wells in the outfield; and Bonds as the designated hitter.
But Martinez will also have the option of fielding a lineup that could include Chavez, Chipper Jones, Michael Young, Mark Teixeira, Lance Berkman, Carl Crawford and Paul Lo Duca.
The starting pitching staff includes Clemens, Dontrelle Willis, Jake Peavy and Andy Pettitte. Sheets and Dan Haren were among the pitchers added on Tuesday. With pitch-count limitations as the tournament goes on -- from 60 to 80 to 95 pitches -- everyone named to the 13-man staff is going to participate.
It's a gargantuan task for Martinez, who's only managerial tenure -- in Toronto -- lasted barely more than a season, ending 53 games into 2002 with the former big league catcher having compiled a 100-115 record. Martinez had a 17-year career playing for Kansas City, Milwaukee and Toronto, where he was a teammate of Ernie Witt, the Team Canada manager.
"This is a lot of responsibility," Martinez said. "It was a lot of responsibility managing the Blue Jays, but there's even more responsibility managing Team USA and dealing with the superstars of the game. This is a unique situation and I really want to make sure this thing works."
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/...t_id=1297289&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
That decision ended a hectic day, during which Rodriguez, the Yankees' All-Star third baseman, couldn't seem to decide whether he was in or out. Now he's in.
"I reached the conclusion that if I played in the Classic, I would play for the United States and honor my American citizenship," he said on his Web site, AROD.com, which is produced by MLB.com. "The World Baseball Classic offers baseball and its fans an exciting new forum and I look forward, if selected, to representing the United States in what will be baseball's greatest international competition."
Even without hearing that statement, Team USA made its final 10 additions to the provisional roster on Tuesday night. Reversing field from earlier in the day, USA Baseball officials decided to place the two-time American League Most Valuable Player on the list.
Rodriguez had told the players association that he wouldn't be playing in the tournament. And after the message was relayed from Gene Orza, the union's chief operating officer, to Buck Martinez, who will manage the U.S. squad in the 16-team field, Rodriguez apparently was going to be left off. But that all changed just before the roster was submitted.
"I haven't spoken to A-Rod yet, but we really have nothing to lose," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball's executive director and chief executive, late Tuesday night. "If A-Rod calls us and tells us he wants to play for Team USA, we better have a spot for him. It's a no-brainer."
The U.S has tabbed 52 players, eight short of the maximum, leaving plenty of room for A-Rod. He was also listed on the Dominican Republic roster as per the tournament rules. According to MLB, a player with a dual participation opportunity can be listed on two provisional rosters. From that point, it is up to the player to decide with which team he ultimately plays. Rodriguez, who captured the American League's MVP award this past season, is a native of the U.S., but has Dominican roots through his parents.
After much consultation, the Yankees' third baseman decided to go with the U.S.
"Following discussion with my family and agent, the Commissioner, and the Major League Baseball Players Association, I have decided to participate in the World Baseball Classic," Rodriguez said. "In recent weeks, following dialogue with caring friends and players, both Dominican and American, I reached the conclusion that I would play for the U.S."
Rodriguez first said last month he would compete for the Dominican and then opted out completely. He had several conversations, though, with MLB and player association officials this past week and those officials were hopeful he would indeed play for Team USA.
Rodriguez now joins Yankees teammates Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon and Al Leiter on the U.S. roster.
"He's one of the best players in the game," Seiler said. "We'll be thrilled to have him on our team."
Aside from A-Rod, Eric Chavez, Luis Gonzalez and 2000 Olympic gold medal hero Ben Sheets swell a squad already chocked with the likes of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Ken Griffey Jr., plus a bevy of relievers, featuring Brad Lidge, Huston Street and Billy Wagner.
The World Baseball Classic is the first international tournament to boast Major League players and is currently scheduled for March 3-20 in the U.S., Japan and Puerto Rico. Major League Baseball officials have been waiting since Dec. 22 for the U.S. Treasury Department to review its earlier decision and allow Cuba to play in the tournament.
That decision is still pending. With the International Baseball Federation threatening to remove its sanction if Cuba isn't allowed to play, MLB officials could face some serious decisions. Games involving Cuba could be moved from San Juan to Canada or the tournament could be pushed back a year while the Cuba issue is negotiated with the U.S. government.
Tickets have yet to be sold for the two rounds in San Juan, where last month Puerto Rican baseball officials told the IBAF that they would not host the games if Cuba was blocked from playing. Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Netherlands and Panama are scheduled to open the first round on March 7 in Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
The 60-man rosters of all 16 teams had to be filed with the IBAF by the Tuesday deadline so players can begin random drug testing under international rules 45 days out from the start of the tournament. Teams don't have to go to a full 60, but no player can join a roster after the deadline.
"We're kind of thinking out of the box here," Martinez, the former Toronto Blue Jays skipper, told MLB.com on Tuesday about how the squad was selected. "We don't have to turn in our (final) roster until March 2, five days before our first game against Mexico. It's challenging because there's so much talent in the group we had already announced and we've added to that pool since then."
Only half of each 60-man roster will be in uniform when the games begin in Japan's Tokyo Dome on March 3. The U.S. opens camp in Arizona at newly christened Chase Field on the same day, and plays the first round in the Phoenix area against Mexico, Canada and South Africa from March 7-10. The two finalists move on to Anaheim and play the winners of the Asian pool (Japan, China, Chinese Taipei and Korea) from March 12-16 at Angel Stadium.
The semifinals and finals are currently slated for March 18 and 20 at San Diego's two-year-old PETCO Park.
All told, the U.S. team includes 23 pitchers, six catchers, 13 infielders and 10 outfielders.
By virtue of the players announced this week, Martinez could field a starting position team that would include Derrek Lee at first base; Chase Utley at second base; Jeter at shortstop; Rodriguez at third base; Jason Varitek behind the plate; Griffey, Damon and Vernon Wells in the outfield; and Bonds as the designated hitter.
But Martinez will also have the option of fielding a lineup that could include Chavez, Chipper Jones, Michael Young, Mark Teixeira, Lance Berkman, Carl Crawford and Paul Lo Duca.
The starting pitching staff includes Clemens, Dontrelle Willis, Jake Peavy and Andy Pettitte. Sheets and Dan Haren were among the pitchers added on Tuesday. With pitch-count limitations as the tournament goes on -- from 60 to 80 to 95 pitches -- everyone named to the 13-man staff is going to participate.
It's a gargantuan task for Martinez, who's only managerial tenure -- in Toronto -- lasted barely more than a season, ending 53 games into 2002 with the former big league catcher having compiled a 100-115 record. Martinez had a 17-year career playing for Kansas City, Milwaukee and Toronto, where he was a teammate of Ernie Witt, the Team Canada manager.
"This is a lot of responsibility," Martinez said. "It was a lot of responsibility managing the Blue Jays, but there's even more responsibility managing Team USA and dealing with the superstars of the game. This is a unique situation and I really want to make sure this thing works."
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/...t_id=1297289&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
