On March 3rd, 2006 sixteen countries will be represented in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, a two and a half week tournament featuring over 800 world-class and professional baseball players competing for their home countries in what should become the world’s premier international baseball tournament.

The World Baseball Classic, established by Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), consists of the following sixteen countries: China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea, Canada, Mexico, South Africa, USA, Cuba, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico, Australia, Dominican Republic, Italy, and Venezuela. The games will be played at seven different sites in three countries (Japan, USA, and Puerto Rico), including four sites in the United States (Phoenix, AZ; Orlando, FL; Anaheim, CA; San Diego, CA).

The first round of the tournament will be played in a round robin format, with four pools comprised of four teams. Each team will play the other three teams in their respective pool, and the two teams with the best records from each pool will advance to the knockout round of the tournament, making up an eight-team play-off that will culminate in the finals at PETCO Park in San Diego, California (Sat., March 18th and Mon., March 20th).

With over 400 MLB players participating in the event, the World Baseball Classic will surely be played at the highest levels of competition and skill. The Baseball Factory and Team One Baseball are proud to announce that seven of their former players will be participating in the international competition, with eight players from the United States and one each from the Venezuelan, Italian, Canadian, and Puerto Rican national teams.

Mark Teixeira, a first baseman for the United States team, is a member of the Texas Rangers in the American League. In 2005, Teixeira was a member of the AL All-Star team and finished the season with a .301 batting average, 43 homeruns and 144 RBI’s. Teixeira played in the Team One National showcase in 1997, where his talents earned him a scholarship to Georgia Tech University and eventually a spot on the Texas Rangers.

Huston Street is another notable member of the United States team that is a Team One Baseball alum. Street, a right-handed pitcher for the Oakland Athletics, went 5-1 with a 1.72 ERA and 23 saves in his rookie season of 2005, and was named AL Rookie of the Year. Street was also an outstanding player at the University of Texas; he was named Most Outstanding Player in the 2002 College World Series as a freshman when he saved four games, including the championship game against South Carolina. Street played in the 2000 Team One West showcase and was drafted by the Oakland A’s in the 2004 draft.

Felipe Lopez is one of the four international stars that have come through the Team One Baseball program. Lopez, a shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds, is representing his home country of Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. In 2005 he hit .291 with 85 RBI and a total of 169 hits, and was selected to his first all-star game. Lopez played in the 1997 Team One National showcase, alongside Mark Teixeira and C.C. Sabathia, a member of the Cleveland Indians who just recently removed himself from the US team. 

Other major leaguers who will be participating in the World Baseball Classic and are alums of the Baseball Factory and Team One Baseball programs are: Michael Barrett (USA) – C; Guillermo Quiroz (Venezuela) – C; Tony Giarratano (Italy) – SS; Chris Reitsma (Canada) – P.