They are dropping like flies. Talking here about Japanese players in the major leagues who have decided they will not play in the World Baseball Classic in March. Yu Darvish, Hisashi Iwakuma, Norichika Aoki, Ichiro Suzuki and Hiroki Kuroda, members of their country's championship teams in 2006 and 2009, will not be wearing the Samurai uniform when "WBC 3" opens at Yahoo Dome in Fukuoka March 2.

The reason given for their not playing is they would like to concentrate on preparing for the coming season with their respective MLB clubs, and they want to be in training camp with their National or American League teammates.

It is also doubtful two other World Baseball Classic veterans, free agents heading for the majors for the first time, will play for Japan next spring. Infielder Hiroyuki Nakajima and pitcher Kyuji Fujikawa will likely want to be with their clubs for the entire pre-season period so as to get acclimated to their new surroundings.