Spitfire to pitch for Mexico?

MEXICO CITY (AP)—Retired major-leaguer Vinny Castilla will coach Mexico at the World Baseball Classic.

He says he will look at bringing in both Mexican major league players as well as those with double nationality. He plans to first talk to Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza.

about 1 year ago RATW 28 comments 0 recs |

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i really didnt even realize that he was part mexican

viva la garza!

everything Rays,Marlins,Twins and Reds

by RaysOfHope on Nov 12, 2008 11:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Cool

I see no real downside to this

Blake
USF--Class of '09

by usfraysfan on Nov 13, 2008 12:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

how about he already pitched about 200 innings this year?

by walkoffwalk on Nov 13, 2008 4:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

doesn't this take place of spring training

or at least a portion of it?

Blake
USF--Class of '09

by usfraysfan on Nov 13, 2008 11:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yea, but i'd imagine you'd be pitching differently in spring training than "for your country"

by walkoffwalk on Nov 13, 2008 2:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

its only half his country

:-D

Blake
USF--Class of '09

by usfraysfan on Nov 13, 2008 10:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

How about that he'd be managed by Vinny CashSteala

That guy can kiss my ass.

by kericr on Nov 13, 2008 11:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

so will he teach them how to quit and still collect a paycheck?

that’s about as far as his coaching ability goes, in my book.

by raysfaninminnesota on Nov 13, 2008 12:29 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Vinny Cash-Steala!

Stay away from our players.

by floridaroar on Nov 13, 2008 6:16 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Jim Hickey will not allow this

He wants his pitchers to rest not pitch in a useless tournament.

by Tommy Rancel on Nov 13, 2008 8:29 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don’t know how many extra innings he’d rack up pitching in the WBC though. I’d count them towards the 2009 total, which, if you include potential postseason innings, could get up to 220-230 if he pitches in WBC.

His total IP(including postseason and time spent in minors) went up by about 30 between 2007 and 2008.

There were problems with Huston Street, if I remember correctly, that people were attributing to the WBC. I don’t want Garza to become a Livan Hernandez situation a few years down the road.

This.

by Blicks on Nov 13, 2008 9:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Garza is a horse, but I'd hate to use up any pitches/innings on a tourney that doesnt mean much.

by Tommy Rancel on Nov 13, 2008 9:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

This.

by Blicks on Nov 13, 2008 9:19 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Can Hickey override Garza?

Useless is a pretty strong word for what is probably MLB/baseball’s #1 marketing tool for growing the game internationally and after the positive reaction generated in Asia and Latin America in 2006.

I’m a huge proponent of this tournament and moreso now that Olympic baseball is no more. But having said that, the timing sucks and once again thanks to the inflexibly bloated length of the regular season, the timing will always suck. And now having one of our more important arms possibly throwing in this tournament after a very long season for all of our pitchers is concerning to say the least. I hope he doesn’t participate.

Will Balfour not pitch for Australia? Last year, he pitched 90 innings between the minors, majors and playoffs which is about 33% more than the previous year which came on the heels of 9 IP for all of 2005-06.

by RATW on Nov 14, 2008 12:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I might be wrong on this, but I think Hickey can override

Garza is under the team’s control. If team officials(ex. Hickey) believe that an activity will increase the chances of an injury or ineffectiveness, I’m pretty sure Hickey can override. But I may be wrong on this.

I think there was a provision in some pitcher’s (I think Zito, but that’s a guess) contract that said he could not surf anymore, because surfing increases the chances of injury (specifically shoulder injuries).

This.

by Blicks on Nov 14, 2008 12:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This story was released

A day or two after game 7 of the ALCS … Garza said he would consider playing for Mexico if he wasn’t invited to play for the USA team. Not sure I want any of the pitchers throwing useless pitches. He is too intergal a part of the rotation. Send Kazmirez instead.

by PewterPirate55 on Nov 13, 2008 12:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

No send Garez Glovar.

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navi Stroking, 2pitchers1cup, BJ to the Balls, Riggans Your Thingans
09: This one is for all the rings.

by SRQman on Nov 13, 2008 12:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jonny Gomez can be the Rays contribution to the WBC

by rays1234 on Nov 13, 2008 3:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jason Hamez.

This.

by Blicks on Nov 13, 2008 3:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wade Hendrickson.

by walkoffwalk on Nov 13, 2008 5:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hickey spoke on the pitchers offseason plans

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3687699&name=olney_buster

He doesn’t want them throwing, doesn’t want them running marathons, doesn’t want them to discover their inner triathlete. He wants them working very hard at resting.

“Spring training is only 12 weeks away,” Hickey mused on Thursday. “I want them to flat-out rest. I want a whole four or five or six weeks of nothing but healing and resting up. … Whether they know it or not, they’ll be a bit weary.”

by Tommy Rancel on Nov 13, 2008 1:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

only? ugh at least i get to rosterbate this offseason

1st offseason that i get to spend with my homies (you guys)

everything Rays,Marlins,Twins and Reds

by RaysOfHope on Nov 14, 2008 1:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Please make them do this.

let the only physical activity be to reproduce and not at an Elijah Dukes rate.

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navi Stroking, 2pitchers1cup, BJ to the Balls, Riggans Your Thingans
09: This one is for all the rings.

by SRQman on Nov 14, 2008 1:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

you dead dog...

everything Rays,Marlins,Twins and Reds

by RaysOfHope on Nov 14, 2008 11:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Count me as someone who loved the first WBC

If we send our top talent the way the rest of the world did in 2006, this will be a great tournament to watch. There was a LOT of passion in 2006. It made for a very fun March. But hey, I love baseball.

by RayFanNY on Nov 15, 2008 6:18 AM EST reply actions 0 recs