Baseball Canada announced, today, the addition of pitcher Vince Perkins to its World Baseball Classic team, leaving only one spot left to be filled on its 30-man roster.
The 24-year-old right-hander from Saanichton, B.C. went 7-7 with a 4.03 ERA in 2005 with the AA-New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League. Selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2000 MLB entry draft, the 6’4”, 225-pound Perkins was recognized by Baseball America, this year, as the Toronto Blue Jays’ No. 10 prospect.
A Little League team-mate of the Oakland Athletics’ Rich Harden, Perkins throws an extremely heavy fastball that clocks upwards of 96 MPH and has been described as having one of liveliest arms in the Jays’ system. He has also received high praise for his composure and mental make-up on the mound.
Perkins will be making his first-ever appearance with a Canadian national team.
Robinson to replace Martin behind the plate
University of Illinois standout Chris Robinson (Dorchester, Ont.) has been selected to replace catcher Russell Martin on Baseball Canada’s World Baseball Classic team.
Martin elected to withdraw from the inaugural tournament in order to better represent himself at the Los Angeles Dodgers’ training camp as he competes for a spot with the major league club.
Robinson hit .353 with eight homeruns, 11 doubles and three triples for the Fighting-Illini in 2005. He was just as solid defensively as he led the Big Ten with seven pick-offs and threw-out 40.4 percent of attempted base stealers, earning him All-Big Ten first team honours.
A third round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers and the highest Canadian selection in the 2005 MLB entry draft, Robinson has previously represented Canada at the 2002 World Junior Championships, 2003 World Cup Qualifier and 2003 World Cup.
2006 World Baseball Classic Roster
The World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic, a 16-team tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), will feature many of the best players in the world competing for their home countries and territories for the first time ever in March 2006.
The 16 teams invited to participate in the event have been divided into four pools of four teams for the first round of play. The four Round 1 pools will be played at venues in Japan (Tokyo Dome – Tokyo), Puerto Rico (Hiram Bithorn Stadium – San Juan) and the United States (Chase Field – Phoenix, Arizona; Scottsdale Stadium – Scottsdale, Arizona; Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex – Orlando, Florida).
Round 2 will feature two pools of four teams each and will be played in Puerto Rico (Hiram Bithorn Stadium) and the United States (Angel Stadium – Anaheim, California). The Semi-finals and final game will be played at PETCO Park in San Diego, California.
The WBC will feature a bracket-style format with the 16 teams competing in four groups: Pool A - China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea; Pool B - Canada, Mexico, South Africa, United States; Pool C – Cuba, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico; Pool D - Australia, Dominican Republic, Italy, Venezuela.
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