HUGE WBC update: Rosters for WBC released!!!

(Link: Team-By-Team listing of what players from what MLB teams are on preliminary 45-man rosters)

MLB has released the initial up-to-45 man rosters (i.e. not the final rosters) for the WBC. They don’t, alas, have a list of what organizations each player is with, so it is up to someone else to figure out where the non-MLB players are coming from.

Australia has such names as Grant Balfour, Ryan Rowland-Smith and Phil Stockman on the roster.

Canada has basically who you would expect to be on the Roster on the roster. Morneau, Bay and Rich Harden (should he participate) are the biggest names. Dempster isn’t on it.

China is, well, China. I think only two or three of the players on the team have played in North America or have been signed as ceremonial “Hey, look, we signed a Chinese guy!” minor leaguers.

Chinese Taipei has no “highlighted” (I.e. has a MLB.com page) players.

Cuba has their usual roster of “amateur” all-stars. The Yankees and Mets both are holding out hope that somebody will defect this time (unlike in 2006).

The Dominican is as good as you’d expect. The only position where they are weak is catcher.

Italy, it would seem, has a surprising number of actual Italians on it, alongside such ringers as Jason Grilli, Frank Catalanotto and Nick Punto.

Japan has Ichiro!, Dice-K, Yu Darvish, Aki Iwamura, Fukudome and more.

Korea will try to repeat it’s amazing run from the first WBC, but looking at that roster, I don’t see it.

Mexico put Matt Garza on the roster (even though he already said that he’d only pitch for America- although maybe the fact he wasn’t invited by USA will change that). When did the Hairston boys become Mexican?

The Netherlands is the dark horse of the Tournament, in my opinion. They don’t want Andruw Jones either—but they’ll take Sidney Ponson. Of all the things that have happened to Andruw, that might be what hurts the most.

Panama‘s mission this time around is not to get no-hit during the tourney.

Puerto Rico has suspect pitching, but is good elsewhere, and have enough catching to fill a division. And, yes, Bernie Williams is on the roster.

Of all the nations in the WBC, no country is bringing more of it’s star power than South Africa. A whole lot of good that will do it.

USA! USA! The United States has incredible depth, although I must ask whether Davey Johnson watched Justin Verlander last season (he won’t make the final roster, right?). The US will do well if the players play like they care. I think what is needed is a call from Barack Obama, or, better yet, a promise that he will make them exempt from any new taxes from his administration if they win it all. With such incentive, they’d be unstoppable.

Last but not least: Venezuela.

You stay classy, Planet Earth.