Spotlight: World Baseball Classic.(BASEBALL)

RED SOX C Jason Varitek takes great pride in knowing the strengths and weaknesses of his pitching staff, but his duty in the WBC will force him to cram to have a full scouting report on all of the Red Sox's pitchers by the start of the season. Expect him to compensate by putting in extra time before and after his work for Team USA. ... ORIOLES C Ramon Hernandez, who is known for his ability to call games, will have only two weeks to learn his new pitching staff before joining the Venezuelan team at the WBC. Hernandez expects to take crash courses in spring training from C Javy Lopez and pitching coach Leo Mazzone. He might have to finish the adjustment process in the early part of the regular season. ... METS LHP Billy Wagner doesn't expect to have much difficulty getting on the same page as new C Paul Lo Duca, even though Wagner will play for the U.S. team. Wagner says he'll talk to Lo Duca before he leaves for the tournament and work with him a few times after he returns. ... MARLINS LHP Dontrelle Willis, Team USA's No. 2 starter, has been throwing three bullpen sessions a week since early January and is pretty close to being ready for the WBC. Given his all-out style, there is a fear he will overdo it in the WBC, but he pitches that way in exhibition games, too. ... The INDIANS are concerned about ace LHP C.C. Sabathia pitching for the U.S. squad because of the extra toll it will take on his arm. Sabathia sees the WBC as an opportunity to pitch in meaningful games before April, a month in which his team has struggled the past few seasons. He'll only pitch as a starter. ... BLUE JAYS CF Vernon Wells, who probably will play left or right field for Team USA, generally struggles in April, but the WBC's competitive environment might help him avoid another slow start. That could be important for the Jays; they have 17 games against division opponents in the first month. ... The RANGERS would rather have SS Michael Young, who could play shortstop and second for Team USA, in camp and working with rookie 2B Ian Kinsler and 1F Mark DeRosa. Young helped matters by going to camp early. He also says he won't start playing second until ...