Ian Kinsler is a two-time MLB all-star and is looking to defend an AL pennant this year.
But he's already thinking ahead to 2013 and the next World Baseball Classic, the new-ish version of the baseball Olympics with professional players that goes every four years and was last played in 2009, when Ichiro led Japan to the title.
Players get invites to play in the classic, and Kinsler has a couple of options.
Recently in an interview, Kinsler said if he's not chosen to play for Team USA that he would consider playing for Israel.
The tournament is expanding from 16 to 28 countries, which would give a baseball tradition-starved country like Israel a chance to qualify for the tournament.
WBC rules, which are pretty shaky at best, say that there are several big leaguers who are eligible to play for Israel (keep in mind, former Ranger great David Delucci and Mike Piazza played for Italy), including Kinsler, Kevin Youkilis, Ryan Braun and Rangers pitcher Scott Feldman.
Not a bad team for a country that doesn't even have a professional league.
