Guerrero denies Dominican claim he'll play in WBC

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/worldclassic2006/news/story?id=2361345

The Dominican Republic might still be holding out hope that Vladimir Guerrero joins the team for the World Baseball Classic, but the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim star isn't planning to suit up.

A top executive of the Dominican delegation told ESPNdeportes.com early Thursday that Guerrero would fly from Arizona to Florida on Thursday night and could be cleared to play by Friday, when Dominican Republic faces Australia in the final game of the first round.

"Guerrero will play for the Dominican Republic from Friday till the end of the Classic. We don't want to make an official announcement yet because we want to wait for the player to get here," said a Dominican official.

Guerrero, however, denied later in the day he would join the team and said he was surprised to hear of the report.

"I told them from the beginning I'm not playing, and there's no change in the original plans," Guerrero told ESPN's Jose Mota by phone Thursday night from the Phoenix area.

Guerrero told ESPN he never had any intention to return to the Dominican team.