World Baseball Classic/Spring Training

The World Baseball Classic has begun, with the first sets of games taking place in Asia. Today Korea beat Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) and Japan hammered China 18-2. Most of the other games don't begin until next week, and almost all outside the Asian round will be played in the US, with one round-robin group in Puerto Rico at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. For players not in the WBC, it's spring training time. Here're some shots from both the WBC and spring training (all from Yahoo! News/AP).

Redbird Albert Pujols finds his early groove

Manny Ramirez (Boston Red Sox) hits the field

Cleveland pitcher C. C. Sabathia on the mound

Florida Marlin Miguel Cabrera arriving at spring training

"Big Papi" David Ortiz of the Red Sox and Equipo Dominicano (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Detroit's Reggie Taylor congratulates teammate Curtis Granderson

Atlanta's Jorge Sosa hurls a breaking pitch

Derek Jeter (a/k/a Mr. Yankee) swings and grins (winces--grinces?)

Japan national teammate and Seattle Mariner Ichiro Suzuki (r) in a World Cup game against China

Toronto's Vernon Wells flashes a smile

Jermaine Dye of the World Champion Chi White Sox stretches

Chicago Cub Derrek Lee (a/k/a Talk Drink of Water) preps for batting

Mets and BORICUA [lo siento, borinqueños!] World Cup teammates Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltrán giggle about a joke

SF's Barry Bonds camps it up as Paula Abdul