There are seven candidates on the Reds' 40-man roster, and the most significant candidates are pitchers Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, both for the Dominican Republic, and first baseman Joey Votto (Canada).

"Yes, I'm going," Volquez said.

"Maybe. I'm not sure yet," Cueto said.

Votto declined last year. Also on provisional rosters are Jerry Hairston Jr. (Mexico), Wilkin Castillo (Dominican Republic), Wily Taveras (Dominican Republic) and Ramon Hernandez (Venezuela).

Francisco Cordero was going to play, but now says no because he still is rehabilitating a sore ankle.

"The WBC is taking a lot of players, but that also is going to give a lot of opportunities to other players in camp," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "There will be a lot of exhibition innings available."

Training begins March 2 and the tournament is March 5 and lasts for the final two teams until March 23.

Staying off mound

Cordero, David Weathers and Bill Bray did not throw off a mound the first two days with the other pitchers.

All three ran and participated in drills and Cordero's ankle passed the drills test.

Running overrated

Pitcher Bronson Arroyo was shaking his head after a morning session in which he had to run a mile on the elliptical machine in less than 7 minutes and 30 seconds.

"They're trying to kill me," he said. "I did it in seven minutes, but my back will lock up for a week.

"Running for pitchers is the most overrated thing in Baseball," he added. "The only time we run is from first to third and we don't even have to do that in the American League."

Heating it up

During PFP (pitchers fielding practice), pitchers normally lob the ball to the catcher before they sprint to cover first base.

Pedro Viola's first pitch to coach Mark Berry came at warp speed and Berry said, "Geez, I'm not even awake yet and he throws one at me 98 miles an hour. He thinks he's Bob Veale (former Pittsburgh flamethrower)."

Veteran Weathers laughed and said, "You didn't know Frank Viola threw that hard, did you?" Viola was a soft-thrower who won the American League Cy Young with Minnesota in 1988.

Quote of the day

Berry gave up his uniform No. 55 to new catcher Hernandez and when asked what Hernandez gave him, Berry said, "A pair of black shoestrings. But I'm wearing 41 now and that number worked pretty well for Joe Nuxhall, Lou Piniella and Tom Seaver."