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Team Canada revealed their provisional roster of 23 players for the World Baseball Classic this afternoon at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. They include prominent big leaguers such as the Brett Lawrie, Russell Martin, John Axford, Michael Saunders, Jesse Crain, and Justin Morneau.
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Pitchers
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Club
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Infielders
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Club
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Andrew Albers
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LHP
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Twins (AA)
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Tyler Green
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2B
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Phillippe Aumont
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RHP
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Cale Iorg
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SS
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Tigers (AAA)
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John Axford
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RHP
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Brewers
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Brett Lawrie
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3B
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Blue Jays
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Jesse Crain
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RHP
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Jonathan Malo
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SS
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Quebec (Can Am)
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Jimmy Henderson
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RHP
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Brewers
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Justin Morneau
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1B
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Twins
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Shawn Hill
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RHP
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Tigers (AAA)
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Pete Orr
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2B
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Phillies
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Chris Leroux
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RHP
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Jimmy Van Ostrand
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1B
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Nationals (AA)
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Trystan Magnuson
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RHP
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Blue Jays (AA)
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Outfielders
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Scott Mathieson
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RHP
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Giants (NPB)
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Tyson Gillies
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OF
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Phillies (AA)
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Dustin Molleken
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RHP
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Fighters (NPB)
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Adam Loewen
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OF
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Blue Jays (minor league contract)
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Catchers
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Michael Saunders
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OF
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Russell Martin
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C
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Pirates
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Tim Smith
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OF
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Orioles (AA)
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Chris Robinson
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C
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Orioles (AAA)
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Missing from the roster areReds first baseman Joey Votto, Red Sox pitcher Ryan Dempster, and former Blue Jays pitcher Scott Richmond. There will be five more players added to the roster (hopefully at least one or two left handed pitchers!) before the tournament. According to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, Votto missed almost two months of the regular season in 2012 after injuring his left knee (torn cartilage), is expected to play for Team Canada but needs to deal with some "insurance issues." Dempster needs to wait to see "how his body feels" before seeing if he will participate, according to Sportsnet's Mike Cormack.
The team will be managed by former Blue Jays catcher and coach Ernie Whitt, who managed Team Canada in both the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics. His coaches include Denis Boucher (pitching), Stubby Clapp (coach), Greg Hamilton (coach / national team director), Tim Leiper (third-base), Paul Quantrill (bullpen / pitching), and Larry Walker (hitting / first-base)
Team Canada's Uniforms for the 2013 World Baseball Classic
Canada successfully advanced to Pool D of the main tournament after playing a three-game qualifier in Regensburg, Germany this past September where they beat Great Britain 11-1 in the preliminaries, Germany 16-7 in the semifinals, then 11-1 against Germany in the final qualifier.
Since Team Canada has failed to make it out of the elimination round in either of the previous tournaments, winning the advancing in Pool D of the round robin will be their goal. In their way will be the powerhouse United States along with Mexico and Italy.
Opening Day for Team Canada will be on March 8 against Italia, the team that unexpectedly beat Canada in 2009 at the Rogers Center in Toronto. The game will be played in Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona at 3 pm Eastern (1 pm local). The next two round robin games, both in Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, will be against Mexico on March 9 (2:30 pm Eastern, 12:30 pm local) and the United States on March 10 (4 pm Eastern, 1 pm local). Sportsnet will be broadcasting all Team Canada games in the World Baseball Classic.
The Toronto Blue Jays, represented by Duane Ward, used this occasion to donate $25,000 to Baseball Canada.