TMCnet News
Baseball: Yankees' Matsui to sit out World Baseball Classic+(Japan Economic Newswire)TOKYO, Dec. 27_(Kyodo) _ New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui said Tuesday he has decided not to join Japan's squad and play at the World Baseball Classic next March. Matsui said he wants to sit out the inaugural 16-nation tournament to try and focus on helping his major league club become world champions. "I have decided not to join up with the national squad. I know that it would be ideal to play for both club and country and I understand that (Japan manager) Sadaharu Oh and the fans were hoping I would do that," said Matsui in a statement. "But the reason I decided to go to the United States was to try and become a world champion with the Yankees and I fear that chasing two goals might get in the way of that dream," he said. Oh expressed disappointment after he received a letter late Monday from Matsui explaining his decision. "He wrote saying how important it was to him to try and become a world champion at the Yankees next season," said Oh. "It's disappointing but I can understand." Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and Chicago White Sox infielder Tadahito Iguchi have already decided to join Japan-based star players in the country's roster at the WBC. Japan will face China, Taiwan and South Korea in the WBC's first round at Tokyo Dome on March 3-5. The top two teams will advance to the second round to be played in the United States. |