Boston's American League MVP Dustin Pedroia will form a double-play combo with Derek Jeter of the Yankees, while Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka reunite for champions Japan at the second World Baseball Classic. The final rosters of the 16 teams participating in next month's WBC were announced on Tuesday and they included many of Major League Baseball's leading performers, playing for national pride in the international tournament. "There is not one experience in baseball in the big leagues that is bigger than playing for your country," New York Mets centerfielder Carlos Beltran said. The 2006 Puerto Rican team did not make it out of a hotly contested second round, losing out to Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Boston's David Ortiz returns for the Dominican Republic, who have added Florida's Hanley Ramirez and Yankees' slugger Alex Rodriguez, a representative for the United States in the last tournament. Team Canada boasts Red Sox outfielder Jason Bay and Twins' first baseman Justin Morneau. Venezuela has Seattle pitcher Felix Hernandez, the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano and Mets' relief ace Francisco Rodriguez along with Tiger slugger Miguel Cabrera. The same countries are competing in this second WBC but at some new venues. The tournament begins March 5 and ends in Los Angeles with a March 23 championship game at Dodger Stadium. The field includes Australia, Canada, China, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Taiwan, the United States and Venezuela. Cuba, who have reached international tournament finals 38 times in a row, return with a highly-regarded national team. First-round games are slated for the Tokyo Dome from March 5-8, Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 7-11, and Toronto's Rogers Centre and Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City from March 8-12. The second round will be held at San Diego's PETCO Park and Dolphin Stadium in Miami, from March 14-19. Dodger Stadium will host the semi-finals and finals from March 21-23. PETCO was home to the semis and finals in 2006, when Japan defeated Cuba to take home the first WBC title.
