MLB.com’s Tom Singer tries to project the roster of team USA at the World Baseball Classic 2009 next March. The Americans had a disappointing finish in the inaugural version of the tournament and their stars are poised to make a run for the title in 2009. In difference to three years ago, nearly all of the asked players, who are eligible to participate for the United States, already mentioned that they would be available to play. Only Rays’ reliever Dan Wheeler and the prime of Major League Baseball free agency Mark Teixeira leaned to reject partaking in the WBC, when asked in a poll.
However the selection of the roster has not started yet, as US Baseball is currently seeking a manager. Davey Johnson, who headed Team USA during the past big tournaments, including the Baseball World Cup 2007 and the Olympics this summer, apparently got an offer and thinks about it. He also has raised interest from Major League teams, which would like to hire the former second baseman as a coach. An announcement about the American skipper isn’t expected before the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas next month. Team USA is playing in pool C at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. They are facing host Canada, Venezuela and the one of the two European teams, Italy.