US opens vs. Mexico in World Baseball Classic

Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera is going to play for Venezuela in next March's World Baseball Classic.

Cabrera was among the first 32 players - 12 major leaguers - to commit to playing in the tournament that begins March 2 with games hosted by two-time defending champion Japan and Taiwan.

The Mets' David Wright and Minnesota's Joe Mauer will play for the United States. The team managed by Joe Torre has been placed in Pool D for the first round with Italy, Mexico, and Canada. The U.S. plays its first game March 8 against Mexico at Chase Field in Phoenix.

The schedule was announced Monday by World Baseball Classic Inc. The top two teams in each of the four pools advance to the second round.