The Kansas City Royals rebuilt their rotation this offseason, leaving Bruce Chen to compete for a spot in order to continue being a starter for the team.  On Tuesday, Chen removed himself from the rotation.  Not for the Royals, but for the team being fielded by China for the World Baseball Classic.

Many players have expressed interest in playing for their respective national teams during this year’s exhibition of top players from around the world.  Bruce Chen was excited to announce that he would join team China for the March tournament.

Chen has pitched in past WBC tournaments for his native country, Panama, who failed to qualify for this year’s competition.  Chen, who was born in Panama, is the grandchild of two Chinese immigrants who moved to Panama to work on the Panama Canal, eventually settling into permanent residence in the country that became the birthplace of the Royals’ pitcher.

During a January interview, Chen expressed what an honor he considered it to be represent China:

“It would be a great way for me to represent my ancestry. Everyone knows I’m of Asian descent and it would be a tribute to my grandparents and a tribute to my ancestry.”

There was some question on whether or not Chen could pitch for China since he had previously expressed interest to pitch for the Panama team until they were eliminated in pool play.  The process proved to be a long and drawn out affair that threatened Chen’s own preparation for the upcoming season.

On Tuesday, Chen shared with Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star that he had waited long enough and would withdraw his request.  Dutton shared the news via his Twitter account:

#Royals LHP Bruce Chen days he still hasn't been certified to pitch for China in WBC. Says he's waited long enough. Won't participate.

February 12, 2013 11:25 am via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@Royals_Report

Bob Dutton

It would seem that Chen either grew tired of the process or identified his need to be in camp with the Royals throughout Spring Training to ensure his spot in the rotation.  With the overhauled look of the rotation this year, which will feature new comers Wade Davis, James Shields, and Ervin Santana as well as returning Jeremy Guthrie, Chen will be left to compete for the final spot in the rotation.

It appears he is taking that competition seriously and will give the Royals a long look at him going into 2013.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.

Showing your pride in your team can take many different forms.

Some people find ways to wear team clothing on a regular basis.  Offices organize days that the entirety of the work force can show their support.

A visit to a local shopping mall will provide you with all of the apparel, decorations, and merchandise you could every dream of to ensure that your team is every where you look.

The problem is, I am (and many of you are) a self professed “geek”.  My love of my team, my game, and everything that is baseball has taken a very cyber turn as of late.  From the amazing calendar desktops produced by the designer of this very site over at D-Two to a massive collection of pictures, art, logos and e-books/magazines, my laptop screen is as much a tribute to the World Champions as anything else in my life.

Combining the ability to keep up with your team with the beauty of displaying your pride for them is the new line of browser plugins recently introduced by MLB and design group Brand Thunder.  All 30 teams are represented and the plugin, which I have been using for more than a week now, gives you direct links to your teams website, scoreboard, facebook page, twitter stream, ticket site, MLB.com and the ability to search your team’s website.  In addition, the most recent news stories for your team are tucked away nicely and a click away from opening in your browser.

It’s non-obtrusive, available for all the major browsers, and gives the top of your screen a Go Team kind of feel to it.

Best of all, it is all FREE.

Below you can find links to the plugins for the two teams here at I-70, the Royals and the Cardinals, just click the logo of your choice and you will be taken directly to the download page.

Give them a download, install them, and let us know what you think of them in the comments below.

In 1971, the St. Louis Cardinals made a change in game day operations. For the first time in team history, they hired an organ player for the ballpark. The familiar noises that would encourage fans to yell “charge”, clap their hands, and sing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” would begin to echo through the park at Busch Memorial Stadium.

Over the course of the next 40 years, Ernie Hays would continue to entertain the fans, encourage the support of the team, and punctuate the on field events with humorous and poignant sounds. His perch inside the stadium would be sought out by reporters, fans, and casual observers. He would join the organization in 1971 as a feature to the ballpark and ballgame that crowds would see as new and exciting. In 2010, he was a part of the organization that showed their dedication to the past and tradition. Many teams have gone to recorded music in today’s digital age, but the Cardinals continued to feature an organist at the park, even after building a new home and moving into it in 2006.

In 2011, fans will be treated to something new that still pays tribute to the past. Ernie Hays has played his final note in Busch Stadium, retiring from the organization as the only organ player they have ever known. Now that the opportunity has presented itself for the Cardinals to move forward into the technological world with the music at the ballpark, the team will replace Hays with a new organist and keep the traditional sound booming through the old ballpark.

Hays himself has not ruled out a guest appearance or two in the future, as the itch to do what he loves and surround himself with the environment he craves may be too much to bare at times.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

As if it were written in the stars, George Steinbrenner entered this world on the only American holiday as large as the life he would go on live…the Fourth of July. And as if “The Boss” himself authored his own final chapter, he would leave it on the day of baseball’s most celebrated holiday…the Midsummer Classic.

Steinbrenner personified the industrial era that allowed him to accumulate great wealth, parlaying that success into 7 championship titles and perhaps the most recognizable sports brand in the world. He insisted that his players represent the organization with blue-collar vigor, while exuding white-collar grace.

His gruff demeanor was somehow endearing, as he demanded perfection from everyone around him. Often his antics were debatable. Sometimes they were merely controversial. Others times, they were flat-out impermissible. However, his commitment to winning was as omnipresent as the unconvincing scowl etched upon this deceptively warm-natured man’s face.

For many reasons, the All-Star game has come to represent something much more ambiguous. No longer purebred exhibition, recent contests have lacked the passion of bloodthirsty competition. Whether “it counts” or not, gone are the days when a Pete Rose would barrel over a Ray Fosse in the 12^th. In their place, tie-games are called in the 11^th.

From the ceremonial first pitch, a seed on the black of the plate thrown by Angels’ legend Rod Carew, the energy of the 2010 All-Star game was different. What was at first curious, Colorado Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez pouring on the gas high and tight to Derek Jeter, became abundantly clear when leftfielder Ryan Braun laid himself out to take extra bases away from Josh Hamilton in the bottom of the fourth.

A rejuvenated Scott Rolen left no doubt as to his desire, running like a man possessed to snatch an extra base in the seventh. This small but profound act, enabled by a Matt Holliday single and followed by a 2-out, full-count walk by Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd, led to the play of the game, as Atlanta backstop Brian McCann would stroke a double into right that would plate all three base runners.

In classic Chicago Cubs style, Marlon Byrd would challenge the group’s resolve by striking out smiling at the plate. But shortly after, he would atone with a heads-up play to force out Boston’s David Ortiz at second on a fly ball off the bat of Blue Jay John Buck in the ninth.

Adam Wainwright would state after the first NL victory in 13 years, “Enough was enough”. If you didn’t feel the Cardinal starter’s heart and soul as he pumped his fist after striking out Vladimir Guerrero, then it is possible you were watching the game with George.

The American League failed. New York’s skipper, the ever classy Joe Girardi was outdueled by Philadelphia’s Charlie Manuel. Young Yankees’ hurler Phil Hughes even took the loss. Still, it is hard to imagine the ghost of the mercurial owner not smiling down at this historic National League victory.

OK, that may be a stretch, but he would have respected it. And to earn respect is a victory in and of itself.