Dodgers GM Colletti OK with Hanley Ramirez playing in World Baseball Classic

Ned Colletti insists he isn't worried about Hanley Ramirez's glove.

Yet.

Back in November, the Dodgers general manager insisted that Ramirez "has to be better" at shortstop after a rough transition back to his natural position, at which Ramirez made six errors over the final two months of 2012.

Having Ramirez at shortstop would allow Luis Cruz to play third base, where his .984 fielding percentage last year would have led all major-league third basemen had he qualified.

So it was met with some concern on Thursday when Ramirez was one of eight Dodgers listed on preliminary rosters for the World Baseball Classic.

Ramirez will play for the Dominican Republic and be joined by three other natural shortstops - Jose Reyes, Miguel Tejada and the Angels' Erick Aybar - and has no assurances of a position during the March tournament.

"I think it's great for him to be able to represent his country," Colletti said. "It's not like we're asking him to play a new position, being shortstop. He'll have plenty of time to be ready for the major league season. The combination of a typical major league spring training, combined with a chance - because the roster's not complete yet - to play for his country is always an honor. He'll be playing at a high level prior to Opening Day."

Ramirez was briefly sidelined by a shoulder injury in December and was primarily used as a designated hitter while playing in the Dominican Winter League.

If this offseason was to serve as Ramirez's defensive training ground, his opportunities to improve seem limited.

Is Colletti worried?

"No," he said. "We'll determine that when (Ramirez) arrives at spring training."

Other Dodgers listed on WBC rosters on Thursday included Cruz and Adrian Gonzalez (Mexico), Nick Punto (Italy), Paco Rodriguez (Spain) and Ronald Belisario (Venezuela). Teams do not need to submit their final rosters until Feb. 20.

Two other WBC players, Australian pitcher Peter Moylan and Mexican infielder Alfredo Amezaga, are not on the Dodgers' 40-man roster but have been invited to the team's major-league spring training on minor-league contracts.

Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp, who had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder in October, won't play for the United States as he uses the spring to recover. Neither will Clayton Kershaw, though Colletti said that the hip ailment that bothered the left-hander in September was not the primary reason.

"We didn't look at it that way as much as a combination of his wishes and our wishes being the same, and his health being a concern," Colletti said.

"As far as we know, he's healthy."

Dodgers reliever Kenley Jansen, a native of Cura ao, will not play in the WBC for the Dutch, whose roster includes several natives of the tiny Caribbean island, including former Dodgers outfielder Andruw Jones. Jansen had cardiac ablation surgery in October to repair a recurring heart arrhythmia.

"He had a winter that, conditioning-wise and throwing-wise, was adjusted due to the procedure, then being on the blood thinners for a period of time after," Colletti said. "He's behind schedule as far as being able to compete at a high level in the early part of the tournament.

"We'll see what kind of condition he is in when he arrives."

Dodgers broadcaster Fernando Valenzuela will be the pitching coach for Team Mexico at the WBC.

Pool play at the WBC begins March 2. The 16-team tournament is divided into four pools that will play in Japan, Taiwan, Puerto Rico or Scottsdale, Ariz. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in February.

Source: http://www.dailybreeze.com/sports/ci_22399786/dodgers-gm-colletti-ok-hanley-ramirez-playing-world?source=rss

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