World Baseball Classic 2013 MEGA THREAD

[Kuzzy Powers]

FFS I dont want the Dick to participate in this shit.

[Goober]

R.A. Dickey
Andy Pettitte
Ryan Vogelsong

in USAs rotation

This is terrible. There better be two names in front of these guys to complete the rotation.

[SuperKevin]

Why would you have a knuckleballer in your rotation for this? Not every catcher is comfortable with that kind of pitcher

[Guest]

Why would you have a knuckleballer in your rotation for this? Not every catcher is comfortable with that kind of pitcher

They've got Matt Wieters behind the plate, or they most likely will, so I'm sure he can handle it.

[Goober]

They've got Matt Wieters behind the plate, or they most likely will, so I'm sure he can handle it.

Mauer and Lucroy are already on the roster. I doubt they add a third catcher.

[Warner2BruceTD]

You guys are way over analyzing this shit.

[Goober]

You guys are way over analyzing this shit.

Says the guy who couldn't stop talking about this a year ago...

Nothing else going on in sports, what are we supposed to talk about?

[Youk]

Says the guy who couldn't stop talking about this a year ago...

Nothing else going on in sports, what are we supposed to talk about?

[Warner2BruceTD]

Says the guy who couldn't stop talking about this a year ago...

Nothing else going on in sports, what are we supposed to talk about?

Not what I mean you geek, i'm talking about over analyzing selecting the pitchers based on the catchers being able to handle them and shit like that.

These teams are made up of largely whoever feels like playing. It's not like Justin Verlander got snubbed for Vogelsong.

[MVPete]

Mauer and Lucroy are already on the roster. I doubt they add a third catcher.

[Guest]

Texas Rangers pitcher Matt Harrison said he has declined an invitation to participate in the World Baseball Classic.

Harrison, 27, was 18-11 with a 3.29 ERA in 32 starts last season. That included 213⅓ innings, a career high.

He made his first All-Star squad and is in discussions with the Rangers about a long-term contract extension.

"It was truly an honor to be asked to be a part of a team that represents our country, but at the same time I didn't want to risk injury after throwing a career high in innings," Harrison texted Tuesday.

More Texas Rangers coverage
For more news, notes and analysis of the Rangers, check out ESPN Dallas' Rangers Report. Blog

Harrison said he's focused on getting prepared for the season. That includes working on a slider, a pitch he hasn't used often.

"It's my fourth pitch right now and I want to get that better," Harrison said Friday at the Texas Rangers Fan Fest in Arlington. "I need to use my off-speed more to the arm side and make it a backdoor pitch to righties. It wasn't there consistently enough and I want to work on that this offseason and at spring training."

http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/...sic-invitation

[NAHSTE]

Official USA roster:

Jeremy Affeldt - San Francisco Giants - LHP
J.P. Arencibia - Toronto Blue Jays - C
Heath Bell - Arizona Diamondbacks - RHP
Willie Bloomquist - Arizona Diamondbacks - UTL
Mitchell Boggs - St. Louis Cardinals - RHP
Ryan Braun - Milwaukee Brewers - OF
Steve Cishek - Miami Marlins - RHP
Tim Collins - Kansas City Royals - LHP
R.A. Dickey - Toronto Blue Jays - RHP
Luke Gregerson - San Diego Padres - RHP
Derek Holland - Texas Rangers - LHP
Adam Jones - Baltimore Orioles - OF
Craig Kimbrel - Atlanta Braves - RHP
Jonathan Lucroy - Milwaukee Brewers - C
Joe Mauer - Minnesota Twins - C
Kris Medlen - Atlanta Braves - RHP
Chris Perez - Cleveland Indians - RHP
Glen Perkins - Minnesota Twins - LHP
Vinnie Pestano - Cleveland Indians - RHP
Brandon Phillips - Cincinnati Reds - IF
Jimmy Rollins - Philadelphia Phillies - IF
Giancarlo Stanton - Miami Marlins - OF
Mark Teixeira - New York Yankees - IF
Shane Victorino - Boston Red Sox - OF
Ryan Vogelsong - San Francisco Giants - RHP
David Wright - New York Mets - IF
Ben Zobrist - Tampa Bay Rays - UTL

[SuperKevin]

Ok I'm not a huge stats guy or in depth guy like the rest of you but that roster looks pretty underwhelming to me. Specifically the pitching

[NAHSTE]

Rosters for every team are up on the official site now. DR and Venezuela look pretty stacked with position players but their pitching looks even thinner than Team USA does.

http://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/wbc/2013/teams/index.jsp?team=ven&team_id=944

http://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/wbc/2013/teams/index.jsp?team=dom&team_id=805

[Rudi]

Ok I'm not a huge stats guy or in depth guy like the rest of you but that roster looks pretty underwhelming to me. Specifically the pitching

Considering a lot of players do not partake in the WBC the USA roster is THAT bad. Medlen/Dickey as a 1-2 punch is solid, and our outfield will produce. Not to mention :notanallstar: gunna ball out