OXON HILL, Md. – The Braves say they’re “all in” on the World Baseball Classic, while also admitting at least some consternation about Julio Teheran pitching in the March event.
Teheran will compete for his native Colombia in the international tournament, one of 24 major league All-Stars who were among 30 players announced as confirmed participants by the WBC this week, and the only Brave on the list. The Braves said that Freddie Freeman might play for Canada but that was still being discussed.
When asked how the Braves felt about Teheran pitching in the event, which takes place during spring training, Atlanta general manager John Coppolella said, “It’s a great event and we fully support MLB. But you worry about guys getting hurt. I mean, just being honest.”
Braves president of baseball operations John Hart said, “We support it, we’re in. But you ask a great question. I think if you poll every general manager, every guy is a little worried about their pitching. Not so much their position players; a guy can get hurt in spring training just as easily as he can in the WBC. But you just worry a little more about your frontline starters.”
White Sox All-Star Jose Quintana will also pitch for Colombia. The United States has commitments from six players so far: Nolan Arenado, Buster Posey, Adam Jones, Andrew McCutchen and pitchers Max Scherzer and Chris Archer.
Braves who’ve participated in past World Baseball Classics included Chipper Jones, Brian McCann and, in the most recent tournament in 2013, Craig Kimbrel and Andrelton Simmons.
The event is operated by Major League Baseball in conjunction with the players’ union, and if a player wishes to participate his major league team can’t stop him and isn’t supposed to dissuade him. But that doesn’t mean teams necessarily wish to see their players participate, particularly pitchers.
“I don’t want to speak for the Braves or John Hart, but I would rather not have (Teheran) pitch in it,” Coppolella said. “In spring training (pitchers are just) kind of getting your work in. (In the WBC) you’re pitching for your country, so there’s higher stakes and there’s going to be a little more pressure. You tend to do more with more pressure…. It isn’t for the Grapefruit League championship, it’s for the place where you grew up.
“Look, it’s a great event, and we stand by MLB. But in a vacuum would I want to put anybody at a risk, whether it’s in the WBC or whatever it is? No. I want them to pitch for the Braves and to be at as little injury risk as possible.”
Teheran’s Colombia team opens pool play in Miami March 10 vs. the United States and plays Canada on March 11. Teheran will spend time with the Colombia team in its training camp before the event. If Colombia doesn’t advance out of pool play, he could be back in Braves camp for the last two weeks of Grapefruit League games.
Hart said it shouldn’t be a problem. WBC pitching coaches will be careful not to overwork pitchers, especially early.
“I think for a pitcher, if you give him his program and you give him his marching orders, what he can and can’t do…. Julio’s a veteran; he knows what to do,” Hart said. “He’ll kind of be with us back and forth (between Miami and Braves camp near Orlando). But at the end of it, it’s not as tough for a pitcher as far as sort of missing time in camp, if you’ve got a pitching coach down there who knows when Julio’s supposed to do, his side (sessions) and workout between (starts).
“The only real problem is these guys have to ramp up to go more innings than how we bring them along. That’s the only issue. But when else can you play (the WBC) if you’re going to have it? But that’s the only trick, how far can they go, and get ramped up, and does that affect them at all during the year? That’s the only question.”
