Michael Barrett was selected as one of the three catchers on the 30-man roster for the U.S. team in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, leaving the Cubs with a Cactus League quandary.
With Henry Blanco set to catch for the Venezuelan team, Cubs pitchers will have to work with minor-league catchers for the bulk of the exhibition season in March.
Barrett was named to the provisional U.S. roster in December with five other catchers, and was chosen Tuesday over the New York Mets’ Paul Lo Duca, Minnesota’s Joe Mauer and Milwaukee’s Chad Moeller. He will join Boston catcher Jason Varitek and Washington’s Brian Schneider on the squad.
“We’re very happy Michael was chosen,” Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. “It was something he wanted to do, to play for his country, and obviously the [selection committee and manager] Buck Martinez thought he deserved it. I think this will be good for him in the long run. Henry is a credit to his country, too, and is looking forward to playing.
“It won’t be the same without them, but it will give [Jose Reyes and Geovany Soto] a chance to get a lot of work with the major-league staff, and that can only help them in the future.”
Soto, 23, hit .253 in 91 games at Triple-A Iowa last year and earned a September call-up, though he was given only one at-bat. He’s also on Puerto Rico’s provisional roster for the WBC as a backup to Detroit’s Ivan Rodriguez but isn’t likely to make the final cut.
Reyes, who turns 22 this month, hit .257 at Double-A West Tenn last year.
The two Cubs on the U.S. squad, Barrett and first baseman Derrek Lee, will begin spring training with the Cubs before reporting to the U.S. team on March 3, when they will have their first workout at Chase Field in Phoenix.
The opening game for Team USA will be against Mexico on March 7.
Leading the U.S. team is right-hander Roger Clemens, who said Tuesday he will decide whether he wants to return for another season at the end of the WBC. Clemens said several teams have contacted him about playing this season, though he declined to name them.
“I told them I was getting ready for the World Games, I’ll see how my body responds and make my decisions after that,” Clemens, 43, said. “My arm feels good, but my legs are taking a little bit longer to get in shape for this.”
The U.S. team will employ only four starters–Clemens, Florida’s Dontrelle Willis, San Diego’s Jake Peavy and Cleveland’s C.C. Sabathia–and 10 relievers. Peavy and Willis will work the first two games and all starting pitchers will be held to a pitch count.
Because some U.S. stars such as Barry Bonds and the White Sox’s Mark Buehrle have pulled out of the 16-team tournament, the perception exists in some quarters that the Americans aren’t really as interested in winning it as some other teams.
Peavy and Clemens said the notion U.S. players don’t care is erroneous.
Clemens: “The other countries are going to come after us very hard. If we don’t want to be embarrassed, we have to be ready.”
U.S. roster for World Baseball Classic
Team USA’s tentative 30-man roster. Official roster not due to tournament organizers until March 2.
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PLAYER P TEAM
Michael Barrett C CUBS
Roger Clemens P *
Chad Cordero P Wash
Johnny Damon OF NYY
Jeff Franceour OF Atl
Brian Fuentes P Col
Ken Griffey Jr. OF Cin
Matt Holliday OF Col
Derek Jeter SS NYY
Chipper Jones 3B Atl
Todd Jones P Det
Derrek Lee 1B CUBS
Brad Lidge P Hou
Joe Nathan P Min
Jake Peavy P SD
Alex Rodriguez 3B NYY
C.C. Sabathia P Cle
Brian Schneider C Wash
Scot Shields P LAA
Huston Street P Oak
Mark Teixeira 1B Tex
Mike Timlin P Bos
Chase Utley 2B Phi
Jason Varitek C Bos
Billy Wagner P NYM
Vernon Wells OF Tor
Dan Wheeler P Hou
Randy Winn OF SF
Dontrelle Willis P Fla
Michael Young SS Tex
*–unsigned
RESERVE PLAYERS
Lance Berkman OF Hou
Jeremy Bonderman P Det
Barry Bonds LF SF
Eric Chavez 3B Oak
Craig Counsell 2B Ari
Carl Crawford OF TB
Morgan Ensberg 3B Hou
Luis Gonzalez LF Ari
Bill Hall INF Mil
Roy Halladay P Tor
Dan Haren P Oak
Tim Hudson P Atl
Al Leiter P NYY
Paul Lo Duca C NYM
Gary Majewski P Wash
Joe Mauer C Min
Chad Moeller C Mil
Brett Myers P Phi
Andy Pettitte P Hou
Jimmy Rollins SS Phi
Ben Sheets P Mil
David Wright 3B NYM
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