Mexico City, San Juan, Tokyo and Toronto were selected Monday to host first-round games at the second World Baseball Classic in 2009.
The 16-nation tournament will switch from a round-robin to a double-elimination format during the first two rounds. Japan won the inaugural WBC in 2006, defeating Cuba 10-6 in the final at San Diego.
Sites for the later rounds have not been announced. Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles is the leading candidate to host the semifinals and final.
"The 2009 World Baseball Classic will further demonstrate the remarkable global growth of our game," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said. "There has been incredible demand to host the games of the second World Baseball Classic."
-China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan will play in Group A at the Tokyo Dome from March 5-9.
-Australia, Cuba, Mexico and South Africa will play in Group B at Mexico City's Foro Sol Stadium from March 8-12.
-Canada, Italy, United States and Venezuela will play in Group C at Toronto's Rogers Centre from March 8-12.
-Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Panama and Puerto Rico will play in Group D at San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium from March 7-11.
Unlike 2006, teams that advance from the second round will cross over for the semifinals and face opponents from the other side of the bracket.
It looks like the United States got the easiest bracket. We do not have to play Japan, Cuba, Pureto Rico, or the Dominican Republic.
