WBC: Posey ‘interested’ in being on U.S. team
If Buster Posey wants to participate in the World Baseball Classic in spring training next year, the Giants wouldn’t stand in his way.
“I could envision him being one of the catchers on the U.S. team. I would think he would view it as an honor,” said team president Larry Baer, who would have had a different opinion if the tournament were this past spring, when Posey was rehabbing his ankle.
Baer and Mayor Ed Lee joined international baseball honchos at China Basin Park on Tuesday to promote the Giants-hosted WBC, which will conclude with the semifinals and final at their ballpark March 17-19.
Organizers unveiled four brackets including three teams apiece and a qualifier to be determined. The U.S. will be in Pool D, which also
“It’s … definitely an honor. … If they ask me, I don’t think I have a decision made in my mind yet.’’
Buster Posey
includes Mexico and Italy. Provisional rosters will be announced Dec. 3. First-round games are March 7-10 in Arizona, and the second round is March 12-16 in Miami.
The players’ union has surveyed its membership on who would be open to playing in the WBC, and Posey responded favorably.
“I said I was interested,” the MVP candidate said.
Still, it’s far from a done deal.
“It’s something that’s definitely an honor. You have to be asked first,” Posey said. “If they ask me, I don’t think I have a decision made in my mind yet, especially coming off the injury. That’s going to play a little bit of a factor as well.”
Baer said the Giants “would strongly encourage” any player to play in the WBC, including pitchers, who sometimes are skeptical about joining the WBC if it means getting in game shape earlier than normal and risking possible injury.
“It’s their call. They’ll be treated differently,” said Baer, adding the team would be comfortable putting his pitchers in the hands of Joe Torre, the U.S. manager.
During a news conference, Giants pitcher Ryan Vogelsong — who has played in Japan and Venezuela — said he’d love to pitch in the WBC, if asked.
“What a great place to have it here in San Francisco,” said Vogelsong, citing the Giants’ passionate, sold-out crowds. “I don’t see why it won’t be like that in March.”
Baer said WBC tickets would be made available to the 28,300 seasonticket holders. The Giants’ bids for the previous WBC finals fell short. They were held at Petco Park in 2006 and Dodger Stadium in 2009, both won by Japan.
Unlike in previous WBCs, next year’s winner would be considered the world champion, according to Riccardo Fraccari, president of the International Baseball Federation, because the tournament includes four qualifiers from 16 nations to accompany the top 12 finishers in 2009.
In recent days, Canada and Spain earned berths, and two more qualifiers will be added in November.
WBC participants would be subject to World Anti-Doping Agency drug testing, according to Paul Archey, WBC president and MLB’s senior VP of international business operations.
Asked if MLB has a rooting interest in the U.S. reaching the finals, Archey said, “It would help us to be in the final game, which we haven’t had yet.”
Lee projected an economic impact in San Francisco of $110 million.