Two-time defending champion Japan, which will face Cuba, China and one of the four qualified teams in the first round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic, is seeing its MLB stars dropping out of the tournament even before the rosters have been announced.
After Yu Darvish (Texas Rangers) started with the withdrawal announcement, Hisashi Iwakuma (Seattle Mariners), Norichika Aoki (Milwaukee Brewers), Ichiro Suzuki (free agent) and Hiroki Kuroda (New York Yankees) followed in the last couple of days.
With “Team Samurai” sweeping a two-game set against Cuba last weekend, they are still among the favorites of next March’s international tournament. But for the reputation of the event it’s not good that so many big-name players are opting for a non-disruptive Spring Training instead of participate in the Baseball World Champion crowning event.