MLB, MLBPA Announce World Baseball Classic Final To Be Held March 19 At AT&T Park

MLB and the MLBPA yesterday announced the final of the '13 World Baseball Classic will be held March 19 at AT&T Park in S.F. The venue was previously known, as were planned WBC competition sites in Phoenix and Miami. However, game dates have now been finalized, as well as individual tournament pools and the addition of Taichung, Taiwan, as a host city. Tokyo and San Juan will return as WBC competition cities. Play for the full WBC tournament will begin March 2, following the completion this fall of a new qualifying round. The WBC next year also will be recognized for the first time by the IBAF as the official national team world championship, with the tournament winner crowned IBAF World Champion. "We're extremely bullish on what this event is going to do for the city of San Francisco and baseball at large," said Giants President & CEO Larry Baer.