IBAF president wants World Cup to serve as qualifier for World Baseball Classic

IBAF wants World Cup to be qualifier for WBC

HAVANA — The head of baseball’s world governing body wants its World Cup to serve as a qualifying tournament for the World Baseball Classic, which was created by Major League Baseball and its players’ union.

Riccardo Fraccari, the new president of the International Baseball Federation, said Wednesday at the Cuban Sports Institute that he wants to discuss such a plan with MLB officials.

The World Baseball Classic and the World Cup, which doesn’t include big leaguers, are considered the game’s two championships for national teams. The WBC has been played by invitation, with the next one set for 2013. Japan won the first two.