JRS to host the WBC

JRS will play host to World Baseball Classic.

 Dolphin Stadium and the Marlins will play host to second-round games of the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Six games will be played here March 14-19. The four teams that will compete will be the winners and second-place finishers from the opening rounds in Toronto, which will host Canada, Italy, United States and Venezuela, and in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which is hosting the Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Panama and Puerto Rico.

Major League Baseball President Bob DuPuy said Dolphin Stadium was chosen because it has experience hosting major events, including two World Series and four Super Bowls, and because of South Florida's Latin influence. 

He said the decision was made when the Marlins were completing their deal for a new ballpark, before the plan ran into recent delays.

"It was in part a show of good faith that we would consider Miami for significant jewel events given the imminent construction of a ballpark and that an agreement had been reached," DuPuy said.

I'm not exactly sure that allowing JRS to host the event will change anyone's mind about a new stadium for the Marlins.  However, it is good for the community and should be fun to watch.  If you are big fan of Italy or the Netherlands, I don't think they will be making the trip to South Florida.  But you never know.