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• All ballparks set

  16Nov
  Categories: Pool D, WBC2006 Comments: 0

  Final venues of World Baseball Classic 2006 were settled, Cracker Jack Stadium at Disney Wide World of Sports in Orlando will be the ballpark of six first-round games of Pool D.

  The other first-round pools are scheduled to play at Tokyo Dome, Hiram Bithorn Stadium, and Chase Field and Scottsdale Stadium. The second round will play at Hiram Bithorn Stadium and Angel Stadium in Anaheim, with the semifinals and finals at San Diego’s PETCO Park from March 18-20.

  “The Orlando area is one of the nation’s top international tourist destinations, and we are very pleased that the World Baseball Classic will be a part of that landscape,” Commissioner Bud Selig said. “Baseball historically has been a major attraction in Florida each spring, and we are confident that Disney’s Wide World of Sports will serve as an excellent host for the World Baseball Classic.”

  “Our agreement with Disney to host the opening east coast round of the World Baseball Classic is another important step towards making these inaugural games the success we envision,” said Don Fehr, the union’s head. “It’s a great venue, which has played host to a number of world class events, and I know the fans, as well as the teams playing in the Disney round, will have a great experience.”

  Pool D includes the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Australia and Italy. The top two teams will meet the two winners from Pool C, which include Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama and Netherlands in the second round at San Juan.

  Cracker Jack Stadium, with a capacity of 9500, was opened in 1998, is the spring home of the Atlanta Braves.

  Orlando to host WBC first round
  Disney will host portion of Classic

• Liván Hernández could play for Puerto Rico

  16Nov
  Categories: Pool C, Puerto Rico, WBC2006 Comments: 0

  If he wants, Liván Hernández would be eligible to play for Puerto Rico in inaugural World Baseball Classic next spring.

  Based on Major League Baseball official, the Cuban pitcher and Washington Nationals ace, who has expressed interest in playing for Puerto Rico, telling local media in October “it would be a pleasure and something very important to me” to represent the U.S. Caribbean territory.

  Mike Teevan, a spokesman for Major League Baseball, said the rules allow Hernandez to request permission to play for a team other than his native Cuba. “If he wants to pitch for a country other than Cuba, he’ll have to make request explaining why he wants to pitch for another team and not his country of origin.”

  “I would represent Puerto Rico with much pleasure,” Hernandez said. Playing for Puerto Rico would “be a dream … because it’s a (place) where I live and feel a part of.” He said there would be no conflict if he faced Cuba. “I’m going to pitch against whoever I have to,” he said. “I’m going to try to win and give 100 per cent.”

  Puerto Rico will play in Group C with Cuba, Panama and Netherlands in the first round, scheduled for San Juan’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Cuba hasn’t said if it will participate in the World Baseball Classic.

  Hernandez defected from Cuba in 1995, is 15-10, 3.98 ERA in 35 starts last season, has a house in Puerto Rico and owns a local professional women’s volleyball team.

  If Hernandez played for Puerto Rico, he would be great advantage for a team who short on strong pitching but has powerful lineup like Carlos Delgado, Ivan Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran.

  Hernandez eligible to play for Puerto Rico?
  Liván Hernández would play for Puerto Rico
  Livan Hernandez can pitch for Puerto Rico in Classic
  Hernandez wants to play for Puerto Rico