"Well, it's going to be the first time doing this, so we'll see how it works. But I think it's nice for players to represent their country and people get to follow what's going on. It's not all about just the business, but it's about pride and I'm pretty sure a lot of players are going to be pretty into it."
-- Red Sox DH David Ortiz (Dominican Republic)
"We might not have the depth a lot of teams have, but that's the beauty of this tournament. You don't have to beat the U.S., Mexico or the Dominican nine out of 10 times to qualify. You have to beat them once or twice. You get a little bit of luck and then all of a sudden you move on. With the starters we could field, I think we could have a shot."
-- Pirates OF Jason Bay (Canada)
"Officially, it hasn't been answered (whether Japan is participating), so it's hard for me to say anything right now at this point. I don't know if we're going to even play, so it's hard to say right now. ... but if there is going to be a World Cup, I hope it's going to be a good tournament."
-- Mariners OF Ichiro Suzuki (Japan)
"I think it's great. I think it's great for baseball, and hopefully we have a good success with it. Yeah, I'd play. I think I'd play. As of right now, you never know what's going to happen in eight more months. Hopefully, I can stay healthy and represent my country."
-- Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols (Dominican Republic)
"I think it can be a great venue for our game, a great showcase. At the same time, injuries are a concern of mine. For the most part, I think it's a positive thing."
-- Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez (USA)
"I'll be ready to help Venezuela. We're going to win."
-- Marlins OF Miguel Cabrera (Venezuela)
"Any time you want to promote the game of baseball, it's a great idea. We're trying to make our sport better, so hopefully this will be a step in the right direction. It sounds like a great idea."
-- Cardinals OF Jim Edmonds
"I did it in the Junior Olympics when I was 18 years old, and I thought it was the greatest thing in the world to be able to play for your country. There's something special about that."
-- Braves P John Smoltz (USA)
"It's just nice to get invited to that kind of tournament. We're already winners."
-- Brewers OF Carlos Lee (Panama)
