NOTE: SINCE THIS WAS PUT UP THIS MORNING MORE NEWS HAS COME OUT. GO TO THE FRONT PAGE FOR THE LATEST.

 

Lots more news on the World Baseball Classic:

• The bullpen of Team USA is starting to shape up. Middle-reliever Glen Perkins, one of the few bright spots for the Minnesota Twins last season, has confirmed he’s been called by Joe Torre and accepted an invite. So, into possibly/likely he goes. Joe Nathan of the Rangers, meanwhile, has said he’s considering an invite that Joe Torre has given him.
• Adam Ottavino, an Italian-American who pitched for Italia in the past, will be passing this year.
• Miguel Gonzalez, part of the Oriole pitching staff last season, has been invited to play for Mexico. He’s checking with the Orioles first, though. Therefore, I’m putting him in possibly/likely for now, mainly because I don’t have a “checking with the club” sub-list.
• By the way, apparently a large amount of the Canadian team will be revealed later today, as I mentioned a few days ago.

The full list is below the jump:

IN (OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED BY THE WBC):

Ryan Rowland-Smith– Australia

Luke Hughes– Australia

Yan Gomes– Brazil

Andre Rienzo– Brazil

Justin Morneau– Canada

Brett Lawrie– Canada

Chien-Ming Wang– Chinese Taipei

Hong-Chih Kuo– Chinese Taipei

Ray Chang– China

Wei Wang- China

Yuliesky Gourriel- Cuba

Freddy Asiel Alvarez- Cuba

Robinson Cano– Dominican

Jose Reyes– Dominican

Alex Liddi– Italy

Jason Grilli– Italy

Shinnosuke Abe– Japan

Masahiro Tanaka– Japan

(And 28 of the 34 players on the provisional roster of Japan, presumably)

Seung Yeop Lee- Korea

Dae Ho Lee- Korea

(And possibly everybody on this list for Korea.)

Adrian Gonzalez– Mexico

Jaime Garcia– Mexico (could depend on health)

Andruw Jones– Netherlands

Roger Bernadina– Netherlands

Carlos Beltran– Puerto Rico

Yadier Molina– Puerto Rico

Engel Beltre– Spain

Francisco Figueroa- Spain

David Wright– USA

Joe Mauer– USA

Miguel Cabrera– Venezuela

Pablo Sandoval– Venezuela

POSSIBLY/LIKELY (not officially confirmed by WBC Inc, but said by other sources):

Carlos Zambrano– Venezuela

Felix Hernandez– Venezuela

Elvis Andrus– Venezuela

Melvin Mora– Venezuela

Luis Jimenez– Venzuela

Martin Prado– Venezuela

Miguel Montero– Venezuela

Asdrubal Cabrera– Venezuela

Carlos Gonzalez– Venezuela

Anibal Sanchez– Venezuela

Felix Doubront– Venezuela

Jhoulys Chacin– Venzuela

Salvador Perez– Venezuela

Dustin Pedroia– USA (will depend on recovery from finger surgery)

Ryan Vogelsong– USA (was at WBC News Conference when details for 2013 edition were first announced)

Craig Kimbrel– USA

Brandon Phillips– USA (has been invited, is considering but a tweet of his implied he had accepted)

Shane Victorino– USA

Kris Medlen– USA

Ryan Braun– USA

Troy Tulowitzki– USA (There is injury concern that may keep him out)

Jimmy Rollins– USA

Jonathan Lucroy– USA

Adam Jones– USA

Glen Perkins- USA

Edwin Encarnacion– Dominican

Wilin Rosario– Dominican

Octavio Dotel– Dominican

Starling Marte– Dominican

Carlos Santana– Dominican

Ervin Santana– Dominican

Edinson Volquez– Dominican

Carlos Gomez– Dominican

Albert Pujols– Dominican

Pedro Strop– Dominican

Hanley Ramirez– Dominican

Johnny Cueto– Dominican

Adrian Beltre– Dominican

Nelson Cruz– Dominican

Wladimr Balentien- Netherlands

Javier Vazquez– Puerto Rico (coming out retirement to do it!)

Angel Pagan– Puerto Rico

Alex Rios– Puerto Rico

Mike Aviles– Puerto Rico

Hector Santiago– Puerto Rico

Pedro Feliciano– Puerto Rico

Joey Votto– Canada (see this) (Apparently will depend on how his knee is doing)

Russell Martin– Canada

Chris Robinson– Canada (per Roch Kubatko)

Dustin Molleken– Canada

Andrew Albers– Canada

James Avery– Canada

Taylor Green– Canada

Tim Smith– Canada

Phillippe Aumont– Canada

Jonathan Malo– Canada

John Axford– Canada

Jim Henderson– Canada

Allan De San Miguel- Australia (per Roch Kubatko)

Travis Blackley– Australia (per Australian Baseball Digest)

Rich Thompson– Australia (also mentioned at Australian Baseball Digest)

Alfredo Aceves– Mexico

Yovani Gallardo– Mexico

Marco Estrada– Mexico

Miguel Gonzalez- Mexico

Gabriel Suarez- Spain

Alex Maestri– Italy

Martin Maldonado– Puerto Rico
Probably? (were on initial list- possibly a first draft- put out by WBC but not in the second one they tweeted):

Grant Balfour– Australia (the Australian Baseball Digest says he is going to play)

Sergio Romo– Mexico

Luis Cruz– Mexico

Edgar Gonzalez– Mexico

Gerardo Parra– Venezuela (One site says he is interested in playing, but another site tweeted that he wasn’t going to play)

UNDER CONSIDERATION (Haven’t said either way, but are definitely either interested, considering it, or under consideration by a team for an invite):

Mike Trout– USA

Clayton Kershaw– USA (but unlikely given his injury last season)

Giancarlo Stanton -USA

Paul Konerko– USA

Buster Posey– USA (Bruce Bochy has said he would prefer he doesn’t, but won’t stop him if he wants to.)

Justin Verlander– USA (“Justin Verlander is a good bet to be the ace of Team USA.”)

R.A. Dickey– USA

Andy Pettitte– USA

Mark Teixeira– USA

Jay Bruce– USA

Joe Nathan- USA (has definitely received an invitation, but hasn’t decided yet)

Freddie Freeman– USA or Canada

Starlin Castro– Dominican Republic

Juan Francisco– Dominican Republic

Jose Constanza– Dominican Republic

Didi Gregorius– Netherlands

Andrelton SImmons- Netherlands

Miguel Gonzalez– Mexico

Everybody on this list for Mexico

Ryan Dempster– Canada

Tyson Gillies– Canada

Bruce Chen– China

Edward Salcedo– Spain

Omar Infante– Venezuela

Jeanmar Gomez– Venezuela

PROBABLY OUT (has officially been asked but probably won’t, although there isn’t a firm no yet):

Wei-Yin Chen– Taipei (had said he wouldn’t because of his newborn child, but apparently isn’t officially out yet)

Pedro Alvarez– Dominican Republic

Jose Bautista– Dominican Republic (Blue Jays probably won’t let him, given his injuries last season)

OUT:

David Price

Alex Rodriguez (Injured)

Derek Jeter (injured)

Evan Longoria (injured)

Matt Kemp (coming off injury)

Chris Sale and Jake Peavy (reportedly not on early but unreleased provisional roster)

Most Japanese MLB players (most are free agents)

Shin-Soo Choo

Johan Santana (injured)

Joakim Soria (with new team and recovering from injuries)

Victor Martinez (coming off of a injury)

Liam Hendriks– Australia (note that he was on the original list for Australia, but apparently he’s had some off-season elbow trouble and won’t be able to take part)

Chase Headley (not asked, per Bill Shaikin)

Yonder Alonso– Had been approached by Spain

Bryce Harper (per Scott Boras)

Alex Avila (had been inexplicably claimed by Spain, said no because he isn’t Spanish)