The Twins and the World Baseball Classic
Posted on January 20th, 2009 – 11:33 AMBy La Velle
Provisional rosters for the 2009 World Baseball Classic were released last night. I glanced at them right away and looked at them more closely today. Many Twins players - including a couple I’ve never heard of - could play in the WBC. Roster will be paired down before the tournament begins on Mar. 5.
(Reporter’s disclaimer: I love international competitions. I’m the guy who watches Olympic curling. I love the World Cup. I was ticked off at USA Basketball when it took tournaments lightly a few years ago. I even watched some of the hockey World Juniors a few weeks ago. So, heck yes, I’m pro-WBC).
Let’s take a look at Twins players and the WBC:
Australia
Potential Twins players: Liam Hendricks, RHP; Bradley Tippett, RHP; Matthew Williams, RHP; Allan De San Miguel, C; Kames Beresford, INF; Luke Hughes, INF; Daniel Berg, OF.
Overview: Twins fans will want to watch Hughes’ defense closely. That’s been the knock on him while he’s moved through the system. But he’s been able to drive the ball so far in his pro career. There’s a chance he’ll be needed during the regular season. The Twins are one the big players in Austraila, which is why they have so many players on the provisional roster.
Canada
Potential Twins players: Jesse Crain, RHP; Justin Morneau, 1B; Eric Gagne????
Overview: Heard a few days ago that Crain would wind up in the WBC, so it looks like he’s in. If they pick a captain, you have to wonder if Morneau is the logical choice. Also check out Brett Lawrie. The Twins looked hard at him but decided to take Aaron Hicks in last year’s draft. I don’t think anyone is complaining about that pick, but it’s still worth tracking Lawrie’s development.
Dominican Repulblic
Potential Twins players: Francisco Liriano, LHP.
Overview: It’s a little surprising that Alexi Casilla isn’t on this list - but look at infielders this team has! This could be a great jumping off point for Francisco Liriano, who, barring injury, will open the season in the Twins rotation and undoubtedly wants to establish himself as one of MLB’s top pitchers.
Italy
Potential Twins players: Nick Punto, SS; Mauro Schiavoni, RHP
Overview: What are the odds that Punto will be the first player in the tournament to dive into first base. Schiavoni actually is from Argentina and pitched for Jake Mauer for the Twins Gulf Coast League team last season.
The Netherlands
Potential Twins players: Tom Stuifbergen, RHP; Raynard Doran, OF.
Overview: Stuifbergen is coming off of surgery and won’t play. Doran is no longer with the organization. BTW, Loek Van Mil, the 7-foot-1 righthander, has a strained elbow ligament and will miss the tournament too.
Puerto Rico
Potential Twins players: Carlos Gutierrez, RHP; Luis Matos, OF.
Overview: I haven’t heard if Gutierrez is going to pitch. He’s on the verge of his first major league camp and is being converted into a starter, so my guess is that he’ll want to work out with the Twins. Matos was signed as a minor league free agent with an invite to camp. The Twins won’t stand in the way if a player wants to represent his country, but Matos might opt to come to camp and make a good impression instead of playing in the WBC,
South Africa
Potential Twins player: Robb Hein, LHP.
Overview: Who? He’s not in the media guide. Jim Rantz, the Twins director of minor leagues, said they do have some players in the systen who have yet to play a game as a pro. Hein was signed last year out of the European Baseball Academy.
USA
Potential Twins player: Joe Nathan
Overview: Nathan is the most accomplished closer on the roster but there are other options, too.
Venezuela
Potential Twins player: Jose Mijares
Overview: At first, I thought Mijares was set up to get a lot of work during the WBC. But lefties Cesar Jimenez and Reynel Pinto have more MLB experience.
Other observations:
Dennys Reyes is listed with the Twins but that is not true.
Eddie Guardado is listed on Mexico’s roster, which I think is funny because he speaks little Spanish.
There are A LOT of former Twins on these rosters, from Johan Santana to Grant Balfour to David Ortiz to J. C. Romero to Sidney Ponson to A.J. to Michael Nakamura…..
A few years ago, we were looking at Lapchick’s study of race in baseball and Ian Snell was listed as African-American. “Ian Snell is a black man?” I thought to myself. Now I see he’s on Puerto Rico roster. I know there are some stretches when placing players on these rosters but I still think it’s funny.
Japan still has to be considered the favorite. Can’t wait to see Yu Darvish pitch. Hopefully the USA steps up this time. Hopefully they’ll have more lefties in the bullpen than Brian Fuentes or they will lose to Canada again and everyone will have to endure Justin Morneau’s needling again.
23 Responses to "The Twins and the World Baseball Classic"
“Eddie Guardado is listed on Mexico’s roster, which I think is funny because he speaks little Spanish.”
How much Italian do you hear Punto speaking?
Good stuff Len3 I never knew the Twins had so many aussies in there system. It’s too bad that most of the best american players chose not to play it makes the games less intersting for me.
Rincon with the Tiggers. Wish him the best, but that’s good news for us.
Anyone think Reyes is regretting passing up arbitration?
Any word yet on how Mr. No handled his two arbitration players? Deadline is noon, correct?
Eddie Guardado is listed on Mexico’s roster, which I think is funny because he speaks little Spanish.
And I doubt that A-Rod has spent a day of his life down in the Dominican…
Rincon with the Tiggers.
First Everett…now Rincon? Do they have any need for a utility infielder?
Rincon and Everett with the Tigers will be the gift that just keeps on giving this year. It will be like when I was going to school in Chicago, and all the Cubs fans were super-excited for the Latroy Hawkins as closer era. I just smiled every time.
I am greatly saddened to hear Loek Van Mil, the 7-foot-1 righthander, has a strained elbow ligament and will miss the tournament passing up a chance to uphold the tradition of lanky right handers from the Nethterlands that Ric Aalbert Blyleven from Zeist, Netherlands started.
MudCat Grant would be disappointed to not see African countries represented. In recent years, Grant has dedicated himself to studying and promoting the history of African-Americans in baseball. Grant pays tribute to the thirteen black pitchers (including himself) who have won 20 games in a season in his book “The Black Aces”. They are: Vida Blue, Al Downing, Bob Gibson, Dwight Gooden, Grant, Ferguson Jenkins, Sad Sam Jones, Don Newcombe, Mike Norris, J. R. Richard, Dave Stewart, Dontrelle Willis, and Earl Wilson.
MudCat was born in Land-O-Lakes Florida and threw out the opening pitch at Progressive Field last April and was given the keys to the city of Cleveland to commemorate his 50th anniversary of breaking into the big leagues, so that’s pretty interesting.
I can’t wait to see Nathan throw at Punto in the 9th inning when it’s USA vs Italy. Wait…check that. I’m guessing the Italy manager will actually pinch hit for Punto in the 9th inning, because they will be in need for a rally and will need to score runs. Or maybe Punto won’t even make the starting line-up. Now that would be interesting, also.
Not a good idea to bean a member of the Italian team, AJ, IMHO.
So MLBTR either made a typo, or Bartlett and the Rays had one bizarre negotiation:
According to Marc Topkin, the Rays avoided arbitration with shortstop Jason Bartlett by signing him at $1.98125MM for ‘09.
Hopefully that gets straightened up before too long.
From the article -
“SS Jason Bartlett avoided arbitration by settling with the Rays on a one-year deal for $1,981,250.”
So - yeah, how did that go?
Rays: “We’ll give you 1.975″
Bart: “No, I want 1.9875″
Rays: “No, 1.9751″
Bart: “No, 1.9874″
…and so on.
Pi Press reporting that Twins have extended Kubel for 2 years at an unspecified amount.
For 2+ years the nitwit who posts as AJ Pesh has made every comment a slam on Punto.
Time to file for intellectual bankruptcy, pal. There is nothing in your cerebral vault.
I saw last night that Garza is on the Mexican roster, is that surprising to anyone else? I had no idea.
Why do you think they got rid of Garza? I don’t think too many people would call Bartlett a white person either.
Is Kyle Lohse on the indigenous people roster?
So the Rays MVP only gets 2 mil? what a steal.
Craig, I hate Punto. Deal with it. It’s a blog.
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