WBC PARTICIPANTS FROM INDEPENDENT RANKS SWELLS BY ANOTHER EIGHT

Eight additional names from the Independent ranks can be added to the World Baseball Classic after further examination of rosters by yours truly and others today. This includes Italy's head coach, Tom Trebelhorn. This San Francisco minor league field boss managed at Tri-City in the Western League way back in 1995.

Hoffman Wolff eagle-eyed that current Winnipeg (American Association) infielder Yurendell de Caster is on the Netherlands roster. He had played for Fargo, ND before the RedHawks moved from the Northern League to the American Association. First baseman Curt Smith (Lincoln, NE, American Association) is on that team and another infielder is Hainley Statia, from Milwaukee's Triple-A roster in Nashville. He was once ticketed for Lancaster, PA (Atlantic League), but did not actually play for the Barnstormers.

Spain Independent contingent has swelled to 11 players with the addition of catcher Salomon Manriquez, infielder Yunesky Sanchez and outfielder Rafael Alvarez to those we mentioned yesterday. (See previous post.) Manriquez has played all over the Independent map from York and Lancaster, PA and Newark, NJ, all of the Atlantic League, to Lincoln and Wichita, KS of the American Association. Sanchez has been with Laredo, TX in the Association and Alvarez with Lincoln plus earlier stops at Pensacola, FL and Elmira, NY, the latter in the Can-Am League.

We also had missed LHP Steven Kent with Australia. He has experience with Kansas City, KS of the American Association.

The total pool of players is up to 25 so far.

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