The 2009 World Baseball Classic kicks off its schedule on Thursday at 10.30am CET (4.30am ET) with the opener between the defending champion Japan and underdog China. It is the first match in Pool A at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. You can follow the game live on ESPN America (in Europe), MLB.tv and ESPN 2. Korea and Taiwan (meet on Friday) are also in this group. The first round is being played in a double elimination format. The first two teams, which lose twice, get eliminated. The other twelve countries begin the tournament on Saturday and Sunday.
Manager Tatsunori Hara announced on Wednesday that 22-year-old phenomenon Yu Darvish will start for Japan in the opener. The young right-hander had a 16-4 record with an ERA of 1.88 for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan last season. He will probably be opposed by right-hander Jiangang Lu, who is 30 years old and was the first Chinese baseball player from the mainland to sign with a Japanese professional team in 1999. He didn’t make it to the top level in Japan. Last summer in the Beijing Olympics Lu had a 1-1 record and an ERA of 3.86.
2009 WBC Schedule for Thursday, March 5th:
10.30am CET China versus Japan (ESPN America, ESPN 2, MLB.tv)
Complete World Baseball Classic Schedule
Some other notes around the 2009 World Baseball Classic:
Team USA:
Manager Davey Johnson and his coaching staff had to replace a few players on the final roster the past few days due to injuries. Pitchers Heath Bell, Joel Hanrahan, John Grabow and LaTroy Hawkins replace B.J. Ryan, Brian Fuentes and Joe Nathan on the staff. Fuentes could join the team later in the tournament. Outfielders Adam Dunn and Shane Victorino substitute Grady Sizemore and Brad Hawpe on Team USA.
Dominican Republic:
Alex Rodriguez could be forced to skip the World Baseball Classic. He flew to Vail, Colorado on Wednesday to see a hip specialist, after being diagnosed last Saturday with a cyst on his hip. Yankees manager Joe Girardi acknowledged today that Rodriguez already had problems with a stiff hip last season and they want to check it out for precautionary reasons. The third baseman played on Tuesday in an exhibition against the Florida Marlins, doubled and scored from second. However the team from New York now has the right to veto the participation due to the injury.
At least manager Felipe Alou was able to convince closer Carlos Marmol and infielder Miguel Tejada to play for the Dominicans in the WBC after all, as both were quoted last week to withdraw from the roster. Relievers Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras, who are still on the final roster, will definitely not play. The same goes for third baseman Adrian Beltre. The Mariners didn’t allow him to leave Spring Training because of injury concerns.
Price Money:
Right in time for the start of the World Baseball Classic, the organizers announced the prize pool of the event. They will pay out $15 million in the next couple of weeks. The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) receives $1 million to invest in game development globally. $14 million will be awarded to the 16 participating teams.
Quote:
Awards for each participating team will be distributed based on advancement in the tournament. Teams are guaranteed a minimum of $300,000 for participating, while the 2009 World Baseball Classic Champion will receive a minimum of $2.7 million. Guaranteed awards by round are as follows:
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Tournament Champion $2.7 million
Tournament Runner-Up $1.7 million
Eliminated in Semi-Finals (Two Teams) $1.2 million
Eliminated Round Two (Four Teams) $700,000
Eliminated Round One (Eight Teams) $300,000
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In addition, the four teams that win the pool championship games, the final games of each pool of Round One, will receive an additional $300,000 bonus and first place seeding for Round Two. The two teams that win the pool championship games, the final games of each pool of Round Two, will receive a $400,000 bonus and first place seeding in the two Semi-Final games.
Anti-Doping:
Players in the World Baseball Classic will be tested according to the standards of the World Anti-Doping Agency through urine tests. However there will be no blood tests, which mean they will not be tested for human growth hormone (HGH). The testing already started a few weeks ago. IBAF president Dr. Harvey Schiller said in an email to NY Newsday on Tuesday that players will be tested on all substances on the WADA list.
Panama:
Closer Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees might not pitch for his home country in the 2009 WBC. However he is going to travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico on Saturday to carry the Panamanian flag in the opening ceremony.
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