Never one short on quotes, Daily News' Shakespeare of Sports, Bill Conlin, was at it again, raising his game above mere Spring Training level, spot on regarding the disadvantage of Team USA against the top contenders:

As currently constructed and at the time of year it is played - the worst possible time - a triple fortnight when pitchers are being cultivated like hothouse orchids, the WBC is a baseball equivalent of the Daytona 500, which now bills itself as the Great American Race. Imagine NASCAR ordering the drivers to run the race on a half-tank of gas.

And have no fear, unlike Cuba's tournament-weathered pitchers and Japan's pain-oblivious hurlers, no Team USA pitchers will be served beyond pitch counts pinned to the lads' shirts by their anxious clubs.

While it's certainly the truth, neither the Cuban pitchers nor Japan's pain-oblivious hurlers have million dollar price tags attached to their arms. In fact, the two most recent Japanese pitching imports are sitting it out.