Venezuela Takes WBC Hit

WBC and Venezuela Take a Hit with Pitchers

Friday, February 13th, 2009 - World Baseball Classic

The Venezuelan team took a big hit when both Carlos Zambrano and Joann Santana bowed out of the WBC. The Mets seemed willing to allow Joann Santana to play if Hugo Chavez or the Venezuelan Baseball Association agreed to pay insurance for his salary in case of injury. The mouths were much larger than their pocketbooks and neither was willing to pony up to pay for the insurance. Zambrano is undergoing laser surgery for his right eye and also bowed out as a result. This makes a solid rotation of three number one starters Santana, Zambrano and Felix Hernandez now rather ordinary with only Hernandez as the ace.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays have also petitioned that Scott Kazmir not be allowed to pitch since he was on the disabled list for 44 days. There is a provision that allows major league teams to keep players from participating in the WBC if they were on the disabled list for 45 days or greater in 2008. Like horseshoes, the Devil Rays think the 44 days is close enough.