FOUR INDY PLAYERS ON TEAM CANADA WITH MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS LATER THIS WEEK

It is our understanding preliminary rosters for the third World Baseball Classic will be revealed on Thursday, but news is already coming out on various teams.

We know that Canada will have at least four players with Independent experience, three of whom were in non-affiliated leagues last summer. It appears right-hander Shawn Hill (York, PA, Atlantic League) and southpaw Andrew Albers (Quebec, Can-Am League, 2010) are among the likely starting pitchers. Third baseman Jimmy Van Ostrand (Sugar Land, TX, Atlantic) and 2012 Quebec outfielder Jonathan Malo are among the position players. Hill is a spring training invitee of the Detroit Tigers while Albers is in the Minnesota farm system and Van Ostrand belongs to Washington. Stubby Clapp, a former member of the Canadian team as well as a Northern League infielder at Edmonton, is a coach for Canada. His regular job is as a minor league coach for Toronto.

We fully expect the Italy, Spain and Australian teams will have Independent players of past or present.

STU POMERANZ BACK WITH O'S; PAXTON, ROARK GET SPRING TRAINING INVITES

Stu Pomeranz, the onetime Can-Am League pitcher (New Jersey Jackals), is once again in the Baltimore organization with a new contract. We expect him to get some spring training innings whether he is an official invitee or not.

Meanwhile, add hot pitching prospect James Paxton (Grand Prairie, TX, American Association) and 26-year-old catcher Tanner Roark (Southern Illinois, Frontier League) to those now officially invited to major league camps. Paxton is rated the No. 4 Seattle prospect by Baseball America. Roark is with Washington.

YORK HURLER GETS ANOTHER AFFILIATED DEAL

Lefty Ryan Feierabend, who won eight of 13 decisions for the York Revolution in the Atlantic League last season before getting a look from Cincinnati's Triple-A Louisville, KY club (1-4, 6.75 in seven starts), has just signed with Texas. This former Seattle hurler will not turn 28 until August.

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