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TOKYO (AP) - Bobby Valentine calls the plan for the World Baseball Classic misguided and insulting. Major League Baseball and its players' association have approved the 16-nation tournament, a World Cup-style event that would be played in March 2006. But the former New York Mets manager, who is currently managing in Japan, is not sold on the idea and thinks Japan should not take part.
"I'm all in favor of doing anything to help promote baseball internationally," Valentine said Monday. "But this idea is misguided. As a manager, there is no way I'd want one of my players to take part in a tournament like this before the start of the season."
Officials of MLB and its union traveled to Japan this month and set an end-of-the-month deadline for an agreement with the Japanese owners and players. MLB has been planning an announcement of the World Baseball Classic for July 11, the day before the All-Star game in Detroit.
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