Three Mariners named to WBC rosters

12/05/2005
DALLAS -- The Mariners have made global baseball a priority for years, and their commitment to an international roster paid off again Monday when it was announced that four of their players have agreed to participate in the World Baseball Classic.
Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki already has agreed to play for Japan, whose roster was not among the announcements on Monday, third baseman Adrian Beltre has been tabbed for the Dominican Republic team, closer Eddie Guardado is set to play for the United States and Joel Pineiro is among those eligible for Puerto Rico.
Ichiro was the first of the three to commit, formally accepting an invitation from Japanese team manager Sadaharu Oh four days before the current Winter Meetings in Dallas.
"Mr. Oh extended a formal invitation and Ichiro accepted," Ichiro's agent, Tony Attanasio, told the Seattle Times. "For the longest time media people had been asking if he was going to play for Japan. But it was not that simple; Ichiro had to be a formal invitation.
"Now there has been an invitation, and Ichiro was delighted to accept. He really wants to play for his country."
Ichiro figures to lead off a powerful Japanese team that could include Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui, White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, Mets infielder Kazuo Matsui and new Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima.
Beltre, meanwhile, could start at third base for a potentially power-packed Dominican squad that could end up being the tournament favorite.
The Dominicans could field perennial All-Stars Vladimir Guerrero, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Miguel Tejada, Bartolo Colon and Pedro Martinez, just to name a few. It's possible that Beltre, who hit 48 homers for the Dodgers two years ago, could end up hitting seventh or lower in the lineup.
Meanwhile, Guardado and Pineiro will undoubtedly be pumped to represent their countries. The veteran left-hander Guardado is coming off a solid season -- a 2.72 ERA and 36 saves -- and is known for his energetic presence in the clubhouse. Pineiro went 7-11 with a 5.62 ERA in 30 starts for the Mariners in 2005.
Sixty-man rosters for the inaugural Classic must be submitted by Jan. 17, with the ultimate 30-man rosters finalized 24 hours prior to the start of the tournament. The final rosters must include a minimum of 13 pitchers and three catchers. Major League Baseball has committed to using 60 percent of Major League-affiliated players. All the players announced on Monday have the blessings of the players association and the MLB owners, who have collectively spent months in the initial culling process.
The 16-team tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), will take place March 3-20 and feature the world's best players competing for their home countries and territories for the first time. Fans will be able to follow all the games live exclusively online at MLB.com.
First-round action will be played at four sites. Pool A, consisting of Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei and China, will meet at the Tokyo Dome, March 3-5. Pool B, featuring USA, Canada, Mexico and South Africa will play at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Scottsdale Stadium, Spring Training home of the San Francisco Giants, March 7-10. Pool C is Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama and the Netherlands, and will play at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 7-10. Pool D, featuring the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Australia and Italy will play at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, March 7-10.
The top two teams from each pool will advance to the second round, which takes place March 12-15 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico and Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The semifinals and finals will be held at San Diego's PETCO Park, March 18-20.
Tickets go on sale Dec. 10 for games in Puerto Rico and December 12 for games in the United States. For more information, go to worldbaseballclassic.com.

Source: http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/