The Cubs Should Be Angry With The Provisional WBC Rosters

When you are paying millions of dollars for top caliber athletes, the last thing you want to do is expose players to extended workloads -- especially if they are already injury prone.

Rich Harden, who has a history of injury and is currently rehabbing a "minor labrum tear" that often warrants surgery to repair, was listed as a provisional player on the Canadian roster. Harden also threw 110 innings over what he did in 2007. All flags point to GM Jim Hendry pulling Harden from the WBC as an injury risk.

Alfonso Soriano, who has had leg injuries each of the last two years that have kept him out of a cumulative 65+ games, is slated to play for the Dominican Republic.

Carlos Marmol, who played in over one-half of the Cubs games last year (82 games, 87 innings), is also slated to pitch for the Dominican Republic.

Then there is Carlos Zambrano, whose career of heavy workload put him on the DL in late August/September, is set to throw for Venezuela.

Ted Lilly is set to pitch for the USA, despite throwing career highs in innings each of the last two years.

Finally, there is Geovany Soto (Puerto Rico), who needs to work with the pitching staff during spring training (not the WBC team)

All in all, you have guys with heavy workloads and looming injuries slated to add to their 162-game long season. That's just a recipe for disaster. Recall Peavy's 2006 season; the added workload from the WBC ultimately tired him out enough to add a full run and a half to his end of season ERA.