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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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Rodney said he will pitch in the WBC

Posted Jan 14, 2013 by Roger Mooney

Updated Jan 14, 2013 at 06:34 PM

ROGER MOONEY
Rays closer Fernando Rodney told the Dominican newspaper El Caribe that he plans to pitch for the Dominican Republic during the 2013 World Baseball Classic, which will be held in March.

“I want to represent the country,” Rodney told the newspaper. “It will be a pleasure to be there in the Dominican uniform.”

Rodney, who set a club record with 48 saves in 2012 and set a major league record for lowest ERA for a pitcher with at least 50 innings pitched at 0.60, said he did not seek permission from the Rays before accepting the invitation to pitch for his country.

“You don’t have to ask permission to represent your country,” Rodney told El Caribe.

The Rays stopped former pitcher Scott Kazmir from pitching for Team USA in the 2009 WBC, claiming the extra workload could prevent a health risk since Kazmir missed the start of the 2008 season because of an elbow injury suffered during spring training.