Cano out; Pettitte unlikely to play in WBC

[Rex Grossman 8]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>NEW YORK -- Robinson Cano has decided not to participate in the World Baseball Classic, and Andy Pettitte appears to be leaning that way as well. The two players, who were in Manhattan on Tuesday night as honorees at the Thurman Munson Awards Dinner, revealed their intentions before the event. Cano cited the presence of fellow second basemen Alfonso Soriano and Luis Castillo on the Dominican Republic's team as his primary reason for sitting out, saying he would rather use the time to play exhibition games with the Yankees than to sit on the bench with the Dominican team. "I don't think I'm going to play," Cano said. "Maybe they'd use me once in a while, but I want to win a world championship. If I go there, I'll be sitting on the bench, and I want to get ready for the season." The Yankees second baseman acknowledged that the people in the Dominican are excited about the World Baseball Classic, and he believes the event will be a success. "People want to see all of the Dominican players together on one team, and the same with Venezuela and the United States," Cano said. "I think it's going to be a great [event]." Cano is returning to the Dominican on Wednesday, at which time he plans to inform the team that he will not participate in the 16-country tournament. Cano, who already informed Yankees officials about his intention not to play for the Dominican team, plans to travel to Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 10 to begin workouts at the team's Minor League complex. "They were happy," Cano said. "They want me to be there and get ready for the season." Pettitte was not quite as decisive as Cano that he would skip the WBC, though the left-hander certainly sounded as though he had made up his mind. Unlike previous years, Pettitte has not thrown at all this winter, taking time off to let his arm rest less than 18 months after undergoing elbow surgery. Pettitte said he recently spoke with Team USA manager Buck Martinez, informing him that he was unlikely to participate. "Buck knows that I'm probably not going to pitch," Pettitte said. "It's not for sure, but when I get to Spring Training, I'll see how I feel. Since I'm starting late this year, it probably wouldn't be real smart. I'm obligated to the Astros, trying to help us win a championship. Today, I'm leaning toward not playing." Pettitte believes that pitching in WBC games would be much different from pitching in Spring Training games, when he doesn't concern himself with how many runs he allows. Instead of going to the mound in early-to-mid-March simply to get work, Pettitte believes he would put more stress on his arm by trying to get hitters out as if it were a regular-season game. "There would be some concerns," he said. "When I get to Spring Training, I'm pretty much ready; I've thrown all my pitches by then and been up on the mound a lot, but this has been a different year."</div>http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article...t=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

[AdropOFvenom]

I cant say I really blame Cano, I would rather be getting ready for the regular season then sitting on the bench watching Soriano play, and when hes not in watching Luis Castillo play. Being the third 2B on the roster he was unlikely to make the final team anyway.

 

[Brooksie5]

Cano can go...I'd rather have Castillo heathly and Cano done for his career.

 

[Nebkreb]

Cano is the shit! hopefully this will allow him to blossom in to a great major leaguer next year (tho he was amazing last eyar, and if he had palyed all last eyar, he woulda gotten ROY easy. He came up in June.

 

[laxkid23]

when i first saw the topic title, I thought that the yanks were gonna trade cano for pettite. Anyways, i thhink if hes gonna be third string, theres not much in taking the risk in getting hurt or something.