World preparing to turn eyes on Classic

A little more than three years ago, in the weeks and months leading up to its debut, the World Baseball Classic was still being viewed by many with skeptical eyes.

An international baseball tournament? In March? Using Major Leaguers? Did you say China and South Africa? What in the world ...?

Then March 2006 arrived, and the world -- the baseball world, at least -- changed forever. It changed, the believers and most of the skeptics would say in unison, for the better.

Going in, not even the players on the field knew what was in store for them. But the inaugural Classic quickly became an instant classic.

"Once you got there and you started to play, you realized how special it was," said Team USA shortstop Derek Jeter, among those determined to bring America's team to the top this time around in this showcase of its national pastime.

It's about to get special again. This week, it's time for World Baseball Classic 2.0.

With Pool A, led by defending champion Japan and 2008 Olympics champion Korea, getting a jump on things in Tokyo with games that begin early Thursday morning U.S. time, the 16-team global village of baseball is back. It's back with the same set of teams, a few new rules and one big difference: People now know to expect some top-flight baseball competition and a March dose of electricity normally reserved for October.

The element of pleasant surprise might be gone, in a sense. But the element of international intrigue remains. So does the basic fact that this tourney features some of the top talent on the planet, playing with national pride and passion that simply can't be found in other international baseball competitions.

All the evidence you need on the final point is summed up in a conversation catcher Carlos Ruiz, one of the heroes on the defending World Series champion Phillies, had when he received a phone call from Panama last week.

The voice on the other end of the line belonged to President Martin Torrijos, who wanted to know why Ruiz had passed on the chance to play for the Panamanian team.

"This year is very important for me," Ruiz explained.

"I understand, but we don't have any catchers," Torrijos replied. "You're our guy."

Suffice to say, Ruiz is reporting with the rest of the Panama squad to camp on Monday.

With stops in Japan, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico in the first round and then San Diego and Miami for the second round March 14-19, this year's Classic will finish off with semifinals and finals March 21-23 at Dodger Stadium, fittingly.

Home to the organization that integrated baseball with the signing of Jackie Robinson back in its Brooklyn days, the venerable ballpark has been emblematic of the melting pot that baseball has become in recent decades. It was from Dodger Stadium that baseball saw Fernandomania emerge, members of the early waves of players from the Dominican blossom and Hideo Nomo bring a different wave from Japan to the U.S.

"We're very honored to host a great event, a marquee event for baseball," Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said. "It's a way to bring the world together to enjoy the game. We've always been participants in bringing the game of baseball to other parts of the world, and now we get to host the world at Dodger Stadium. It's [kind of] cool." 

First, the world has to earn a chance to play at Dodger Stadium. That begins with the Pool A games in Tokyo, being played earlier than the rest so the two teams that advance to the second round can acclimate to the time-zone difference between Japan and the U.S. They'll hold brief camps in Arizona before traveling to San Diego to meet the top two teams from Pool B, featuring perennial amateur power Cuba and local first-round favorite Mexico.

Team USA is among the squads gathering in Florida and Arizona starting Monday for short camps that will set up the pools being held in the Western Hemisphere. The U.S. and the rest will play exhibitions against Major League teams throughout this week leading up to the tournament.

Pool C, featuring the U.S. and Venezuela, will begin in Toronto on Saturday, the same day Pool D, featuring potential powerhouse Dominican Republic and host Puerto Rico, begins in San Juan. Pool B will begin in Mexico City on Sunday, with Mexico and Panama the favorites to advance.

The inaugural World Baseball Classic made a global impression, and it was clear that baseball's innovative gathering of professional and amateur stars from all over the planet was an idea with staying power.

It was Team USA's tradition and superstars, Japan's deep pool of professional talent and Cuba's amazing amateur tradition. It was South Africa playing Canada at Scottsdale Stadium -- in baseball. It was Korea and Japan squaring off in Anaheim with enough electricity and fervor to light up the Main Street Electrical Parade across the freeway at Disneyland.

And, in the end, it was Japanese closer Akinori Otsuka punching out a victorious yell at PETCO Park.

For baseball, it was a revelation not only for the surprising level of competition for a month usually reserved for exhibitions, but also for the chord it struck with fans of all nationalities and descents.

The chord it struck in the U.S. might have been a more of a warning bell.

USA manager Davey Johnson doesn't need a whole lot of pep talks stored up for his squad, which by all accounts disappointed by winning just one of three games in the second round and missing out on the semifinal round, which instead featured Japan, runner-up Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic.

"Everybody I've talked to, some guys like the first-timers, they're real pumped up because they saw what happened a couple of years ago, and they don't want that to happen again," said Johnson. "Nobody wants to go back early."

Of course not. Everybody wants to be on top of the world, and once again teams from six continents have that chance.

It's an opportunity like none other to strut their baseball stuff in front of the world.

"This is going to be a great experience to be representing my country," said Korean outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, who made a splash in the Major Leagues last season with the Indians. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

Or, actually, twice in a lifetime now for the baseball world anticipating World Baseball Classic 2.0.

Courtesy of Mlb.com and John Schlegel

A-Rod meets with MLB officials

Investigators speak with slugger for two hours, say he was cooperative

TAMPA, Fla. -- Alex Rodriguez left the Yankees on Sunday afternoon, and only the eventual outcome of the World Baseball Classic will dictate the date of his return. But before he suits up for the Dominican Republic, Rodriguez had a brief detour. A-Rod met with officials from Major League Baseball's Department of Investigations and Labor Relations Department after he left Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla.

The Associated Press reported that Rodriguez had two lawyers, Jay Reisinger and James E. Sharp, with him at the meeting in Tampa, Fla. Also present, according to The AP, were union general counsel Michael Weiner, MLB vice president of investigations Dan Mullin, MLB executive vice president for labor relations Rob Manfred, and senior vice president and general counsel for labor Dan Halem.

Speaking with reporters during the Yankees' 13-11 Grapefruit League loss to the Cincinnati Reds, Rodriguez repeatedly declined to confirm that a meeting was set.

"I've still got to pack a little bit," said Rodriguez, who is switching teams for the 2009 Classic after playing for the United States in '06. "Opportunity of a lifetime, playing in the WBC. I'm excited about that."

MLB wanted to speak with Rodriguez about security issues and his past involvement with performance-enhancing drugs. Rodriguez said that he would be in position to attend a team meeting with Dominican Republic manager Felipe Alou on Monday morning.

"I'm not sure what I'm doing," Rodriguez said. "But I will be in Jupiter, [Fla.], tonight."

Receiving a mixed reception from the crowd of 6,345 on Sunday, Rodriguez finished the afternoon 2-for-3. He doubled off the left-field wall in the first inning off Cincinnati starter Aaron Harang and stroked another two-base hit in the fifth inning off Arthur Rhodes, driving in two runs before leaving for a pinch-runner.

After speaking to reporters, Rodriguez left the stadium in a Maybach luxury vehicle, accompanied by teammates Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira. Cano is also on the Dominican Republic roster, while Teixeira is remaining in camp with the Yankees.

"I get to see my family tonight," Rodriguez said. "I'm excited about that. My two beautiful girls."

Rodriguez's meeting with MLB was intended to be non-disciplinary in nature. The New York Times reported on its Web site early Sunday morning that officials wanted to know who provided Rodriguez with performance-enhancing drugs and whether that person had access to Major League clubhouses.

Officials also had questions about Rodriguez's relationships with Angel Presinal, a trainer banned from big league clubhouses, and his cousin, Yuri Sucart. A-Rod said Sucart repeatedly injected him with a banned substance known as "boli" that was brought into the United States from the Dominican Republic.

Sucart was spotted after an exhibition game on Wednesday in Dunedin, Fla., picking up Rodriguez in a sport utility vehicle. After that incident, the Yankees informed Rodriguez that Sucart was no longer welcome at ballparks during Spring Training and the regular season.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Sunday that he believes Rodriguez is handling the continuing situation.

"I think he's come through it really well," Girardi said. "I see him more relaxed every day. Really, the last five or six days, I don't think he's changed a bit. He's been pretty much the same relaxed guy. The first couple days, you could tell it was weighing heavily on his mind, and I'm sure it's still weighing on his mind, but time helps everything. He probably understands how to approach it better now that he has time to go through it. I think he has done very well."

A-Rod said that he anticipates he will receive a positive reception from fans upon reporting to the Dominican roster. He expects the same from his teammates.

"One-hundred percent, they've been extremely supportive," Rodriguez said. "The one thing about players is they understand that we're human and we make mistakes."

Nats general manager Bowden resigns

Longtime baseball exec denies allegations of wrongdoing

Jim Bowden resigned as general manager of the Nationals on Sunday morning. His replacement has not been named. Though he was under fire for his possible, though denied, connection to the alleged skimming of bonuses of Latin American players, he has maintained his innocence.

Bowden started the day by holding a team meeting in the locker room, which was silent the entire five minutes he talked. He said he was leaving the team because he didn't want to be a distraction. Bowden was emotional during the meeting.

"I wasn't shocked because of all the speculation that was swirling. You hope it was done for all the right reasons," right-hander Shawn Hill said. "I still don't know what to make of it yet. I don't know what's going to happen from here. Hopefully it will turn out for the best."

About 10 minutes later, in an emotional news conference, with team president Stan Kasten at his side and assistant general managers Bob Boone and Mike Rizzo in the background, Bowden announced his departure and maintained that he is innocent of any wrongdoing.

"I'm today resigning my position as the senior vice president, general manager of the Washington Nationals," Bowden said. "It's an emotional decision. It saddens me, but I feel it's in the best interest of two of the things I love the most: That's the Washington Nationals and baseball.

"I have become a distraction. Unless you are Manny Ramirez, there is no place for distraction in baseball. I want to be able to turn the page and I want this franchise to be able to have everybody, from the media to the fans, focus on what the game is about. It's about players. It's about what happens on the field."

Bowden is the second person to leave the organization in less than a week. The team recently dismissed Jose Rijo, Bowden's special assistant. Rijo has been linked to Carlos Alvarez David Lugo, who previously called himself Esmailyn Gonzalez. The shortstop, who received a $1.4 million signing bonus from the Nationals in 2006, allegedly falsified his name and age. In Washington's 2008 media guide, Lugo is listed as 19, but is really 23. Major League Baseball's Department of Investigations is looking into the matter.

Bowden was with the Nationals from 2004-09. The team never finished over .500 during his tenure. Their best season was in 2005, when they went 81-81.

Bowden was always working on a limited budget on the Major League side, forcing him to take some chances. Last year, for example, he signed free agents Paul LoDuca, Johnny Estrada and Rob Mackowiak, and all three were released before the season ended.

However, Bowden was given the money to rebuild the farm system and did an admirable job by drafting players such as third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, outfielder Chris Marrero and right-hander Jordan Zimmermann.

Bowden showed a good heart by acquiring reclamation projects such as Dmitri Young and Elijah Dukes. Young rewarded Bowden by winning the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2007.

Young was emotional when talking about the man who gave him a chance to return to baseball when no other GM gave him the time of day. After the 2006 season, a lot of people thought Young's career was over when he was sentenced to a year's probation for assaulting his girlfriend. Not Bowden.

"He is that type of guy to give you a chance," Young said. "Jim forgets what happened in the past. He allows you to play ball and gives you every opportunity in the world. That's what he did for me. I saw him do it for Pete Harnisch, Ronnie Gant ... the list goes on and on."

Bowden had his share of controversy besides the current investigation. In 2006, he acquired outfielder Austin Kearns, infielder Felipe Lopez and reliever Ryan Wagner for five players, including right-hander Gary Majewski and shortstop Royce Clayton. It turned out that Majewski had a sore shoulder, and the Reds filed a grievance, which would be dropped last year.

That same year, Bowden was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and not passing a sobriety test.

In May of 2008, Bowden announced to a radio station that Chad Cordero would be non-tendered after the season. Such announcements are typically not made until the offseason. Cordero, who was on the disabled list with a shoulder injury at the time, was upset about Bowden's gaffe. Cordero vowed never to return to Washington.

Kasten said it will be several days before someone is named to replace Bowden.

"Today, I just want to talk about Jim and all he accomplished," Kasten said. "I can tell you that we are not missing a beat. Our staff has a meeting tomorrow morning -- first thing. I'm not going to say anything to you about the next steps for a while. There is a reason for that. It would be unwise to speculate or guess what's going on. I have some things I'm working on and things I have to think about.

"I assure you, we will not be missing a beat. We have a really deep staff here." 

Courtesy of Bill Ladson and Mlb.com

Blink-and-you'll-miss-it start for Beckett

Right-hander takes Twins six up, six down in Sunday's outing
That was all? It isn't that Josh Beckett minds going six up and six down, but the Red Sox's ace could have used a little more competition to whet his appetite in Sunday's exhibition start against the Twins, his first against a Major League team. That changeup Beckett is trying to rediscover this spring? He didn't even get a chance to use it in this one.

"I wanted to throw some changeups, but we just never really got in any counts where we had discussed throwing them," Beckett said. "You go out there to get six outs and you only face six guys, that's pretty good."

Beckett was somewhat surprised that he threw roughly 30 pitches in the outing. In fact, when he walked off the mound, he wasn't even sure he topped the 22 he threw against Boston College on Wednesday.

"I asked [manager Terry Francona] how many pitches it was. I was just going to make sure it was over 22," Beckett said. "I think it was 31, that was what he told me. Obviously you don't want to go backwards, but I think it just seemed quicker, because it was ground balls and one flyout."

Beckett had no strikeouts in the outing. All in all, however, it was a success, despite the briefness.

"I think he wanted to stay out there, but again, he has six more starts down here," Francona said. "That's OK. There will be some innings where he has to work. It never fails. He'll get to where he needs to be by the time we get out of here."

Because of the World Baseball Classic, Spring Training is roughly a week longer this year. In other words, Beckett is in no rush either.

"Next time I'll go three innings -- we have a couple of extra starts this year," said Beckett.

The right-hander will face the Marlins on Friday at 1:05 p.m. ET at City of Palms Park in his next start.

Courtesy of Ian Browne and Mlb.com

Healthy Chavez pivotal to A's success

Unselfish leader hopes to re-establish Oakland as playoff contender


When third baseman Eric Chavez was given the biggest contract in A's history during Spring Training 2004, he was one of the most consistent run producers in the American League and on the way to winning the third of six consecutive Gold Gloves. The six-year, $66 million deal that Chavez signed served as a beacon of hope for Oakland fans, who had grown accustomed to -- and frustrated by -- the team's top homegrown talent bolting town for free-agent riches almost immediately after blossoming into superstars.

But the A's did with Chavez, who made his big league debut as a 20-year-old in 1998, what they did not do with Jason Giambi and Miguel Tejada, who left Oakland as free agents shortly after turning in MVP seasons.

Heading into Spring Training 2006, the decision to lock in Chavez for the long haul looked like a masterstroke. He was coming off a five-season stretch during which he averaged more than 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, and at 28 years old, he appeared headed for the prime years of a potential Hall of Fame career.

The next three years, however, put any Cooperstown talk on hold.

From 2006-2008, Chavez was a shell of his former self at the plate. Ravaged by a variety of injuries that either limited him severely or shelved him altogether, he averaged 83 games, 13 homers and 44 RBIs.

Four surgeries later, including two on his right shoulder and a major procedure on his lower back, Chavez entered Spring Training 2009 feeling as good about his body as he has in years. And for the A's to mount a serious challenge to the Angels' supremacy in the AL West, they'll need Chavez to re-establish himself as the best all-around third baseman this side of Alex Rodriguez.

"We added Jason [Giambi] and we added [Matt] Holliday, so obviously our offense is going to be better," says Oakland manager Bob Geren, whose 2008 team scored the fewest runs in the league with Chavez limited to 23 games.

"But if Eric's healthy, it's like adding three superstars instead of two."

Chavez, 31, isn't all that interested in being considered a superstar. He's too busy doting over his toddler son, Diego, his infant daughter, Dolce, and his wife, Alex, who is due to deliver the couple's third child in six months or so.

Being a good family man is what matters most to Chavez, so he'll leave any discussion of his legacy to others. But given what he's already accomplished, at the very least he'll go down as one of the greatest players to wear the white spikes of Oakland.

Mention greatness to Chavez, however, and he pauses. He doesn't seem so sure he'll be mentioned as one of the all-time Athletics. For a variety of reasons, he feels that what he's done thus far hasn't been enough, so he wants to do more.

"If the circumstances are right and I stay healthy and get hot for a whole summer," he says, "I do think I can be that guy -- that 40-homer, 130-RBIs guy that people seem to expect me to be."

At the same time, Chavez is not the least bit consumed with trying to be "that guy." And because he's one of the most honest athletes you'll ever encounter, you have to believe him when he says he couldn't care less about his eventual place in history.

That attitude has, over the years, occasionally rubbed some A's fans the wrong way. But former A's manager Ken Macha, now with the Brewers, says that any implication that Chavez isn't passionate about the game is profoundly unfair.

Macha points to the 2006 season, when Chavez gutted his way through a season-long battle with myriad ailments, including a torn hamstring and tendinitis in both forearms. The constant pain limited his offensive production to the point that he asked Macha to bat him ninth.

"Most guys would have shut it down halfway through the year," Macha says. "But Eric knew how important his defense was to the team, so he sucked it up and went out there to do what he could to help us win games. It was one of the most unselfish things I've ever seen a player do."

While his offensive numbers were down in 2006, Chavez was never out. The A's used the disabled list 15 times last season, but never on him, and he helped Oakland get to the AL Championship Series.

"Everybody wants to be contributing, and if I'm on the DL, I'm not contributing," Chavez says. "Even when I'm clueless at the plate, I know what I'm doing out there on defense, and that's my way of contributing."

Chavez admits to frequently wondering if he was doing the right thing by continuing to play, but along the way he cemented his status where it matters most to him: in the clubhouse.

"Doing what he did ... that's the best kind of example you can set," says second baseman Mark Ellis, who has been playing with Chavez longer than any current Athletics player. "Chavvy's quiet, but he doesn't need to be a vocal guy because he's always gone about his business the right way. Fans don't see everything he does [as a leader], but everyone in this room does, and everyone has a ton of respect for him."

Macha, the unofficial president of the Eric Chavez Fan Club during his years with the A's, often was painted as stoic and robotic as a manager. But get him talking about Chavez as a leader and he's animated and agitated.

"I can relate to Chavvy's situation because we're both guys who have been killed for supposedly lacking passion," Macha says. "I guess fans want to see someone yelling and screaming and throwing stuff around the dugout. They think that's leadership, but it's not. A lot of times, that's selfish. Or it's an act. Leadership, in its most pure form, is doing things the right way, leading by example.

"You want a guy who leads by example? There's nobody who personifies that more, in my opinion, than Eric does."

Chavez's most recent surgery -- on his right shoulder -- came last August, and his recovery has gone well. The A's are bringing him along slowly this spring, though, and he hasn't yet played defense in a Cactus League game. He's tentatively scheduled to do that Tuesday, hopeful that it's another step toward fulfilling his goal of playing in 140 games.

If he reaches that goal, history suggests that the A's stand a strong chance of snapping their two-year playoff drought. Chavez has played in more than 125 games six times in his 10 full seasons with the team, and Oakland made the postseason in five of those years.

"I take a lot of pride in having been in the middle of it all," Chavez says. "Not the centerpiece, but a pretty big part of it. And if I go out and hit 45 homers and put a [captain's] 'C' on my chest and we're 25 games below .500, what does that do?

"Do you want players who win games, or do you want players who put up huge numbers? I'd rather have a winner. I'd rather be a winner."