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The first World Cup of baseball will be held in March 2006


stecropper

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TOKYO -- The first World Cup of baseball will be held in March 2006, Japanese baseball officials told the Japan Times, following meetings involving American, Japanese and Korean officials.

Agreement was reportedly reached following a meeting here Friday that included Bob DuPuy, president and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball, Japanese commissioner Yasuchika Negoro and Park Yong Oh, commissioner of the Korean Baseball Organization.

No comment was forthcoming from DuPuy.

Major League Baseball had proposed holding the inaugural World Cup with 16 countries in March 2005, but Japan and South Korea wanted greater say in organizing the tournament and it was delayed.

The Americans later relented, according to the Japanese newspaper, and agreed to set up an organizing committee and let Japan play a leadership role in the Asian round of the tournament.

Working-level talks to organize the tournament will be held in New York in December, according to the paper, with an official announcement expected in the spring.

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My own opinions about what is needed for a succesful baseball world cup:

- Better 2005, or even 2007 than 2006 for the tournament: The main idea of this event should be to promote the sport in those lands where it's not very well appreciated, beside the fact to see your stars figting for their own countries. So an odd year is much better. Remember the football (soccer) world cup is in 2006, and that will be the sports event of the year. You like it or not, it will take all the attention.

- Better in october, right after the World Series. There is time enough to meet the selection bases with the eliminated teams, players are in good shape and the league and WS finalist shoud join their country's team later. Also there is some prize for those ones who supported a team that didn't make it in the league.

- MLB shoud not only support, but they shuld promote the event through those not very envolved countries. Also MLB should help countries that produce good players with some insurances and force their organizations to let them play in the tournament. This is determinat. Organizations are very selfish with the players once they are in the majors and forget about how they were formed. I/E: Minnesota administration told Johan Santana, when he asked for playing in Venezuela: You should better go to pitch snow balls in Mérida! (his birth state, where the is not a baseball team).

So this event should be very exiting for baseball fans, and for all the sports world, but under certain conditions.

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You guys do realize that the "World Cup", if it ever happens, will not have MLB players right?? ....for the same reason that players from the Majors don't represent the US in the Olympics..

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You guys do realize that the "World Cup", if it ever happens, will not have MLB players right?? ....for the same reason that players from the Majors don't represent the US in the Olympics..

which is dumb, but maybe MVP 2006 will have a playable world cup, like in NHL 2005

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The way I understand it, there is already a baseball World Cup for amatures. The Cup in 2006 would be professionals. If they had it during Spring Training it would be perfect because it would not affect teams as much as it would if the held the cup during the regular season. Most players stay in shape during the off season so that shouldn't be an issue. Plus, if MLB did things right, it would make for a great television event.

I think the USA and the Dominican Republic would enter the tournaments as co-favorites. My pick to win would be Venezuela. Their pitching would be very good: Santana, Garcia, Zambrano(two of them) with Ugee and F-Rod in the pen. Their lineup would have Mag Ordonez, who should be 100%, Mora, Victor Martinez, Hildago, Abreu and Miguel Cabrara of the Marlins, who could be best on the team by then.

Peace

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yes there can be MLB players in the workd cup. The reason they dont play for the US olympic team is because its in the middle of the season. Its not like they can leave there MLB team for the olympics. They can definatly compete. Yea teher should be a wold cup like in NHL 2005 except baseball would be better. And i have the perfect linup for the 2006 USA team this is great!!

RF-Ichiro

LF-Pujols

CF-Edmonds

3B-Chavez

SS-A-Rod

2B-Soriano

1B-Todd Helton

C-Pudge

PITCHERS

1- Curt Chilling

2- Randy Johnson

3- Johan Santana

4- Roger Clemens

5- Greg Maddux

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[RF-Ichiro

LF-Pujols

CF-Edmonds

3B-Chavez

SS-A-Rod

2B-Soriano

1B-Todd Helton

C-Pudge

PITCHERS

1- Curt Chilling

2- Randy Johnson

3- Johan Santana

4- Roger Clemens

5- Greg Maddux]

While This would be a fun linup to watch, in a international tournament, Ichiro, Pujols, Soriano, Pudge and Santana would repersent Japan, the Domincan Republic, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela respectivly.

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That's the interesting thing of this event. USA should have some sort of dream team with a great bullpen and the deepest bench. Dominican team would bring one of the strongest batting lineups. Maybe Venezuela could have a competitive team, but only if the "caballos" (it means horses, but here we call the money players this way) play. Japanese and korean team would bring something good too. Don't forget about México and Puerto Rico, of course. Other caribean cuntries like Colombia, Panama, Cuba (no pseudo-sporting politic opinions, please). And there are some few leagues in Europe that can see this event as a way to increase the attention in their own countries. Maybe you, who live in USA, haven't notieced it, but the NBA fever in the rest of the world exploded in 1991 with the true and unique dream team. I hope that's what MLB wants. meeting the highets of baseball talent in a tournament of nations would be a dream come true to me, no matter who wins (I dindn't believe this one myself :wink: )

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It would be a dream come true to me too. This tournament could be like the Soccer World Cup, every four years, in order to minimize the effect over the MLB regular season. Obviously USA have the players to prepare four, five dream teams at the same time, but only one can play...., D.R. and Venezuela are the other favorites.

This tournament will be succesfull only if all the MLB players can play.

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