CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -New York Mets ace Johan Santana will not be pitching for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.
The Venezuelan Baseball Federation announced Friday the two-time Cy Young winner will miss the tournament that begins next month.
Federation president Edwin Zerpa said organizers of the tournament, World Baseball Classic Inc., are not willing to pay the high insurance premium required for the Mets to clear Santana after he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
“It puts him in a high-risk category,” Zerpa said.
Santana tested his knee this week for the first time since having surgery on Oct. 1 to repair torn cartilage. He threw 18 pitches and participated in conditioning drills without reporting any discomfort.
The Mets had expressed concerns regarding Santana’s potential risk of injury following surgery, but Zerpa said the club was willing to allow Santana to participate in the tournament if he felt good physically.
Venezuela’s first game is March 7 against Italy in Toronto.
all classic in 2006.
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