So we've all heard by now that ba-Dunc-a-dunc ($850K with $500K incentives) and Wellemeyer ($4.05 million) have agreed to one-year deals with the Cardinals, and now we're all waiting on pins and needles to hear how discussions go with Thompson, Ankiel, and Ludwick.
In the meantime, I'm anxious for the World Baseball Classic. MLB.com released the list of players on their respective 45-man rosters. (Apparently, no one can be added after today, and the list will be whittled down to 28 before February 24.)
From the Cardinals (and I assume those of you more familiar with the minors will have a better idea who some of these guys are):
García, Isa (PAN)
Hawksworth, Blake (CAN)
Ludwick, Ryan (USA)
Molina, Yadier (PUR)
Nieto, Arquimedes (PAN)
Ottavino, Adam (ITA)
Piñeiro, Joel (PUR)
Pujols, Albert (DOM)
Smith, Curt (NED)
I could've sworn that I'd heard mention of Ankiel playing for team USA, but no Ankiel.
p.s. - Sounds like Albert won't be playing after all.
Anyway, Puerto Rico's team looks like this:
PITCHERS
Alvarado, Giancarlo
Baéz, Federico
Cabrera, Fernando
Calero, Enrique ("Kiko")
Feliciano, Pedro
Figueroa, Nelson
Gutiérrez, Carlos
López, Javier
Maldonado, Iván
Matos, Josué
Padilla, Juan
Piñeiro, Joel
Rivera, Saúl ("Monaguillo")
Roman, Orlando
Romero, J.C.
Sánchez, Jonathan
Santiago, José ("Iche")
Santiago, Tomás
Snell, Ian
Vázquez, Javier
CATCHERS
Casanova, Raúl
Molina, Bengie
Molina, Yadier
Rodríguez, Iván
Soto, Geovany
Valentín, Javier
INFIELDERS
Avilés, Mike
Cora, Alex
De Jesús, Iván
Delgado, Carlos
Figueroa, Luis ("Wicho")
González, Andy
López, Felipe
Lowell, Mike
Valentín, José ("Tony")
Vázquez, Ramón
OUTFIELDERS
Beltrán, Carlos
Bocachica, Hiram
Feliciano, Jesús ("Motorita")
Matos, Luis
Montañez, Lou
Padilla, Jorge
Ríos, Alex
Torres, Andrés
Williams, Bernie
MANAGER
Oquendo, José ("Cheíto")
Pool A gets us started March 5 (with China and Japan). USA and Puerto Rico each have their first game March 7 (versus Canada and Panamá, repectively).
