D-backs to host 2013 World Baseball Classic

Chase Field and Salt River Fields at Talking Stick will
play
host to the first round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic
next March, the Arizona Diamondbacks announced Wednesday.

“We are thrilled to be selected once again to host the
preeminent international baseball tournament in the world
at
both Chase Field and Salt River Fields,” D-backs President
&
CEO Derrick Hall said in a statement. “Phoenix is a world-
class
city with an international fan base that showed
tremendous support during the 2011 All-Star Game, so we’re
excited to bring the World Baseball Classic to the Valley
and continue to showcase two of the best venues in all of
sports to a global audience.”

The World Baseball Classic was previously held in the
Valley
during the inaugural event in 2006. Chase Field and
Scottsdale Stadium served as venues for first round
action in Pool B, which featured the United States,
Mexico,
Canada and South Africa.

The 2013 World Baseball Classic semifinals and finals will
be played at AT&T Park
in San Francisco, while second round games will be staged
at
Marlins Park in Miami.

Japan, who defeated South Korea in the 2009 World Baseball
Classic final, enters the 2013 event as the defending
champion.

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