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With general managers gathered for their annual meetings, one topic relate to World Baseball Classic is under discussion.
During annual meeting of big league general managers, Players’ eligibility rule of World Baseball Classic will be discussed by the Commissioner’s office and Major League Baseball Players Association, and it is considering adopting wide eligibility rules which means Mike Piazza would be eligible to catch for Italy.
For Soccer’s World Cup, players must be a citizen of a country and hold a passport for that country to participate. However, baseball will likely apply the broadest rules of any participating country to all teams in the 16-nation event.
While rules have not been finalized, among the ways players could be eligible for a team would be if they hold a passport, were born in the country, have a parent who was born in that country or they had residency in that country.
Under these rules, like Alex Rodriguez, who born in the Dominican Republic who is United States citizens still would be eligible to be on the Dominican team. And MLB hopes to announce at the winter meetings in December about players who commit to participate.
“Eligibility rules are still being discussed. It will be similar to the IBAF rules,” said Paul Archey, senior vice president of Major League Baseball International, referring to the International Baseball Federation.
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