Why Webb, González aren't participating in WBC
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. >> Despite both at one point expressing their intentions of playing in the World Baseball Classic, neither Logan Webb nor Luis González were on their countries' respective rosters when they were released last week.
Webb, who initially declined to answer WBC questions at fan fest, explained that the decision to back out was all his, after coming to the realization that his presence was needed with the Giants, rather than competing with his country, which would mean leaving camp for a few weeks.
“The No. 1 goal for me here is to win a World Series,”
Webb said Thursday. “Being at fan fest and being around so many new faces, I just thought it's important for me to be here with these guys. … I keep saying change the culture and, well, if you want to do that, I've got to be in here doing that with these guys.”
While Webb's decision was up to him, González found out he wouldn't be participating about 2 hours before the roster announcement.
González received a phone call from the manager of Team Mexico, Benji Gil, who informed him that if González wanted to participate, he'd have to find his own insurance. The policy provided by the Giants wouldn't cover him in the
event that he got hurt because he ended 2022 on the injured list.
“Very disappointing,” said González, who would
have played for Team Mexico, in the same group as Webb's would-be Team USA squad. “I considered it, but when it was like pay out of your pocket, I'm like, dude, I'm trying to make the team over here.”
Webb, 26, hopes to have more opportunities to pitch for his country.
“It would've been really cool to represent the country and play with a lot of those guys,” Webb said. “The main thing for me was to be here with these guys. We've got big goals this year and I want to be a part of that effort. Just being here was important to me.”
Without González or Webb, the Giants were left with two major leaguers and two minor leaguers who will participate — Joc Pederson (Israel), Camilo Doval (Dominican Republic), Joey Marciano (Italy) and Jonathan Bermudez (Puerto Rico) — the second-fewest of any organization, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
With Israel and the Dominican Republic competing in Miami, Pederson said he planned to depart camp on March 11, just in time to play in the games, while Doval could leave a little earlier. Pederson wanted to stay in Scottsdale longer to continue his work at first base, he said, because he expects to primarily play the outfield in the tournament.
As for the prospect of facing Doval, who will be competing in the same group, Pederson wasn't too enthusiastic about the possibility.
“Not really,” Pederson exclaimed. “He (expletive) throws 104!”