SURPRISE, Ariz. _ Third baseman Adrian Beltre said on Saturday that he has not ruled himself out for the first round of the World Baseball Classic even though a Texas Rangers press release stated that he was not going to play because of a strained left calf.
Beltre seemed taken aback by the release. He maintained that if his calf feels 100 percent by the week of March 6 that he will play for the Dominican Republic, whose first game is March 9.
He again said that he won't play if the calf continues to bother him.
"If I'm 100 percent I'm going to take a crack at it," Beltre said.
Beltre played catch and hit in the cages Friday, his first day in camp, and is expected to do the same for at least another week. He said he got through both with no issues. Running and moving defensively are the issues.
The Rangers said that it will take two or three weeks for Beltre to be ready after the Grade 1 strain. The club said that the first round is in question.
Beltre is working as if he will be out two weeks.
"I'm not out yet," Beltre said. "I don't want to say 100 percent I'm out. I'm definitely not out. The main thing is going to be moving around and playing defense. I'm not going to try that yet."
