Teixeira to represent Yankees and Team USA in World Baseball Classic

Added by Gina Sorce on January 17, 2013.

Mark Teixeira will represent Team USA in the World Baseball Classic this year.

Team USA announced their star-studded roster for the 2013 World Baseball Classic on Thursday. The 28-man roster, including 13 position players and 15 pitchers, will be managed by Joe Torre along with general manager Joe Garagiola Jr.

Mark Teixeira was the only Yankee named to the roster composed of several All-Stars and talented players of Major League Baseball. Teixeira will play alongside Brandon Phillips of the Cincinnati Reds, Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies, David Wright of the New York Mets, and Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins, to name a few.

“I’m just so excited to be part of this year’s team,” Teixeira said of his selection, as reported by Bryan Bloom of MLB.com. Teixeira was previously part of Team USA in the first Classic in 2006 when he was a member of the Texas Rangers.

Although Team USA has been filled with big name athletes over the years, the U.S. has yet to reach the finals. In 2006, Team USA lost in the second round, and in 2009, the team was defeated in the semifinals.

Joe Torre has decided to come out of retirement to manage Team USA. Torre retired after the end of the 2010 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Before the Dodgers, Torre spent 12 years managing the Yankees from 1996-2007, leading the team to four World Series victories.

According to MLB.com, Torre will be joined by a legendary coaching staff, including Larry Bowa as the bench coach, Willie Randolph as the third-base coach, Dale Murphy as the first-base coach, Gerald Perry as the hitting coach, and Greg Maddux and Marcel Lachemann coaching the pitchers.

The World Baseball Classic will begin on Saturday, March 2, 2013, when Team Japan will take on Brazil. Team USA will play their first game on Saturday, March 9, 2013 against Italy at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.