Per espn

 

Should be ready to play friday.

 

 

vlad,pujols.tejada,ortiz is a lineup that might be the best middle of the order ever assembled (aside from the all star game)

It would be better with Manny too.

with the way ortiz is playing thats a nasty lineup

I guess he's not playing.

Guerrero denies Dominican claim he'll play in WBC

The Dominican Republic might still be holding out hope that Vladimir Guerrero joins the team for the World Baseball Classic, but the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim star isn't planning to suit up.

 

  A top executive of the Dominican delegation told ESPNdeportes.com early Thursday that Guerrero would fly from Arizona to Florida on Thursday night and could be cleared to play by Friday, when the Dominican Republic faces Australia in the final game of the first round.

 

"Guerrero will play for the Dominican Republic from Friday till the end of the Classic. We don't want to make an official announcement yet because we want to wait for the player to get here," said a Dominican official.

 

Guerrero, however, denied he would join the team and said he was surprised to hear of the report.

 

"I told them from the beginning I'm not playing, and there's no change in the original plans," Guerrero told ESPN's Jose Mota by phone Thursday night from the Phoenix area.

 

Guerrero told ESPN he never had any intention to return to the Dominican team.

 

Guerrero, the American League's Most Valuable Player in 2004, obtained a mourning permit from Major League Baseball after the death of three cousins during a car accident; he had until the end of the second round (March 12-15 in Puerto Rico) to rejoin his country's team.

 

"I have kept in touch with Vlad these last few days to tell him that he has all of our support, and it is probable that he will be here soon," said pitcher Bartolo Colon, an Angels teammate.

 

Guerrero was supposed to play right field and bat fifth for the Dominicans, but the tragedy kept him out of the first games of the Classic.

 

"We are 100 percent behind Vladimir, and we will support any decision he makes," said Dominican manager Manny Acta.

 

ESPNdeportes.com writer Enrique Rojas contributed to this report.