Baseball Canada today announced Ernie Whitt as manager and Justin Morneau as the first player on Team Canada for the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
Ernie Whitt was the manager for Team Canada at the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006. He led the team to a 2-1 record which put Canada in a three-way tie with the United States and Mexico at the top of Pool B, however Canada was eliminated in the first round due to tie-breaker rules. This will mark the sixth time that Whitt will manage Baseball Canada's Senior National Team, which includes a fourth place finish at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece and a bronze medal at the 1999 Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Justin Morneau, a member of Team Canada in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, will again be handling the starting duties at first base. Morneau hit .308 in the inaugural tournament, with three doubles and two RBI in three games.
Media members may take part in a question and answer period with Whitt and Morneau, along with Baseball Canada Director of National Teams Greg Hamilton, on Thursday, December 18 at 4 pm (ET)/1 pm (PT) by dialing 1-877-579-4178, passcode 596041. Participants and questions will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. The conference call will also be broadcast live and on-demand at MLB.com and WorldBaseballClassic.com.
