News

A-Rod on Dominican Roster For WBC
Jan. 17, 2006

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Alex Rodriguez was among 60 players on the Dominican Republic's preliminary roster for the World Baseball Classic but it wasn't immediately clear whether he would play.

The AL MVP, eligible to play for the United States and the Dominican Republic, said last month that he intended to play for the Dominican team, then said he wouldn't play at all because he didn't want to offend either country. His agent, Scott Boras, said last week that Rodriguez had not made a decision. Gene Orza, the No. 2 official of the players' association, said he would attempt to persuade A-Rod to participate.

After submitting the roster Monday, Dominican general manager Stan Javier said he was unsure whether the New York Yankees third baseman would play. Final 30-man rosters for the 16-team tournament, scheduled for March 3-20, are due five days before each team's opener.

Provisional rosters of up to 60 players for each country are due at 5 p.m. ET Tuesday, and the final 30-man rosters for the tournament will be chosen from those 60-player pools.

After the Dominican announcement, U.S. general manager Bob Watson said he will inquire whether Rodriguez also could be included on his team's preliminary roster.

"I don't know what the rules are, but we'll be checking on those," Watson said Tuesday during a telephone conference call. "If we have the capability to add him to ours, we definitely will do that."

Any player not on a provisional roster Tuesday cannot participate in the event, so Rodriguez was running out of time to decide which country to play for -- or whether to play at all.

Team USA manager Buck Martinez said Monday night he still had no feel for what Rodriguez planned to do.

"I think it's a tough decision for him and we understand that. I don't envy him having to choose," Martinez said during a phone interview. "He's torn."

The Dominican roster includes pitcher Pedro Martinez (Mets), first baseman Albert Pujols (Cardinals), designated hitter David Ortiz (Red Sox), left fielder Manny Ramirez (Red Sox), outfielder Vladimir Guerrero (Angels), shortstop Miguel Tejada (Orioles), pitcher Bartolo Colon (Angels), second baseman Alfonso Soriano (Nationals), third baseman Adrian Beltre (Mariners) and infielder Aramis Ramirez (Cubs).

Free agent outfielder Sammy Sosa is on the Dominican roster but hasn't said whether he intends to play.