MILWAUKEE -- The Dominican Republic's Jonathan Villar and Wily Peralta top a list of nine Brewers players on rosters for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
Besides Villar and Peralta, three other members of Milwaukee's 40-man roster are in line to participate in the event: Starting pitcher Jorge Lopez (Puerto Rico), infielder Hernan Perez (Venezuela) and reliever Carlos Torres (Mexico). Brewers Minor Leaguers Andrew Barbosa and Hiram Burgos (Puerto Rico), catcher/first baseman Cody Decker (Israel) and Wei-Chung Wang (Chinese Taipei) are also on rosters for the tournament.
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Barbosa, Peralta and Wang are each in a special category, the designated pitcher pool (DPP), which works like this: A team can use up to 10 designated pitchers but can't have more than two on its active roster at a time. Those "active" DPs can be replaced at the beginning of each of the next two rounds, but only by another DP. Once a DP has been replaced, he cannot return to the active roster for a subsequent round. Using Team USA as an example, Danny Duffy and Tanner Roark are the active DPs for the first round of pool play, so they can be replaced on the roster before the second round or the championship round, but only by one of the team's other DPs. And if a DP joins for the second round, he can be replaced for the championship round, but only by another DP.
:: 2017 World Baseball Classic ::
The World Baseball Classic runs from March 6-22. In the U.S., games will air live exclusively in English on MLB Network and on an authenticated basis via MLBNetwork.com/watch, while ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN will provide the exclusive Spanish-language coverage. MLB.TV Premium subscribers in the U.S. will have access to watch every tournament game live on any of the streaming service's 400-plus supported devices. Internationally, the tournament will be distributed across all forms of television, internet, mobile and radio in territories excluding the U.S., Puerto Rico and Japan. Get tickets for games at Marlins Park, Tokyo Dome, Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, Estadio Charros de Jalisco in Mexico, Petco Park, as well as the Championship Round at Dodger Stadium, while complete coverage -- including schedules, video, stats and gear -- is available at WorldBaseballClassic.com.
The Brewers also placed a member of their front office on a Classic roster. Pete Orr, a former infielder who played in Milwaukee's Minor League system in 2014-15 and recently was hired by the organization as a pro scout, is on Team Canada. Orr also played in the three previous World Baseball Classics in 2006, '09 and '13.
Villar, slated to be the Brewers' starting second baseman, and Peralta, the team's Opening Day starter last year, are Milwaukee's two highest profile players in the tournament. Both tuned up -- with the Brewers' blessing -- during the Dominican Winter League.
The Dominicans won the most recent World Baseball Classic in 2013 and have a star-studded roster for '17. Besides Villar, who led the Majors with 62 stolen bases last season, infielders on the team include Adrian Beltre of the Rangers, Robinson Cano of the Mariners, Manny Machado of the Orioles, Hanley Ramirez of the Red Sox and Jose Reyes of the Mets.
Of the Brewers' players on Classic rosters, only Burgos has previous experience in the tournament. He helped Puerto Rico finish as runner-up to the Dominican Republic in 2013, allowing one run in three relief appearances that spanned 13 innings.
The Brewers called Burgos up to the Major Leagues that April, and he made six starts before he was sidelined by a shoulder injury. He is still trying to work his way back to the big leagues from that setback.