Another missed one

When listing players on World Baseball Classic rosters, always figure that I missed one. Like, oh, I don't know...Matt Thornton ('98, '99, '00) for Team USA.

The former Grand Valley State standout is ready to play for his country.

"I'm real excited about this opportunity and think this will be a great experience for me," said Thornton, 32, who is his fourth season as a middle reliever with the Chicago White Sox. Last season, Thornton was 5-3 with an ERA of 2.67 and one save.

The 6-foot-5 left-hander spent his first two seasons with the Seattle Mariners.

"There's no break in the major league season for the Summer Olympics, which would allow MLB players to play for their countries, and to me this (the World Baseball Classic) will be baseball's Olympics."

Then, there is this:

Thornton is one of six players in the classic with ties to West Michigan.

Catcher Andrew Graham, who played for the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2004 and '05, will is on Australia's roster. Ramon Hernandez, a Whitecaps catcher in 1996, will play for Venezuela and join Detroit Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez, who had a one-game rehab stint with West Michigan last season.

A.) You're thinking: "That's only four." B.) You're thinking the Ordonez connection is a bit of a stretch. C.) You ain't seen nothing yet.

Team USA includes shortstop Derek Jeter, who played at Kalamazoo Central High School, and Tigers outfielder Curtis Granderson, who had a three-game rehab stint with the Whitecaps last season.

I think I pulled somthing reading that bit about Jeter.