WBC forces Braves to cut Georgia, Tech from spring schedule

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — The Braves usually start their exhibition schedule with a game against Georgia or Georgia Tech, and most other major league teams also typically open against a college opponent.

But most of the college games were scrubbed this year so that players participating in the WBC could get at-bats against major-league competition before reporting to their WBC training camps this weekend.

In 2006, some U.S. team players played only a couple of exhibition games before WBC play began. The U.S. team failed to advance to the tourney semifinals.

Five Braves will compete for WBC teams –Chipper Jones and Brian McCann for the United States; starting pitchers Javier Vazquez for Puerto Rico and Jorge Campillo for Mexico; and Manny Acosta for Panama.

Jones and McCann will report Sunday to the U.S. camp in Clearwater, Fla., and could miss up to 3-1/2 weeks if the team advances to the March 24 WBC championship game.

Manager Bobby Cox said that, selfishly, he would like to have his starting catcher in camp all spring working with the Braves’ new pitchers. But he reiterated that he supported the WBC and respected the players’ decision to participate.