First intrasquad will have international intrigue

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Who says Royals manager Ned Yost can't have some fun?

Yost has inserted some competitive flair into the Royals' first intrasquad game scheduled for 12:30 p.m. MT on Tuesday. A la the All-Star Futures Game, it's the World vs. the USA.

The World team is made up of the foreign-born players on the Spring Training roster and the USA team is American made.

"I feel bad for the other team," said World starting pitcher Bruce Chen, born in Panama.

The World starting lineup: Luis Durango, CF, Panama; Alcides Escobar, SS, Venezuela; Miguel Tejada, 3B, Dominican Republic; Salvador Perez, C, Venezuela; Max Ramirez, 1B, Venezuela; Endy Chavez, RF, Venezuela; Irving Falu, 2B, Puerto Rico; Willy Taveras, LF, Dominican Republic, and Julio Rodriguez, DH, Dominican Republic.

Behind Chen, the pitchers will be Luis Mendoza, Mexico; Kelvin Herrera, Dominican Republic; Francisley Bueno and Noel Arguelles, Cuba, and Sugar Ray Marimon, Colombia,

"It just shows you how much diversity we have here," Chen said. "How many teams say they can have a World team and a USA team? We legitimately have enough pitchers and position players to fill every single position -- on both sides."

Nate Adcock of Elizabethtown, Ky., is listed as the first USA pitcher, followed by Tim Collins, Michael Mariot, Chris Dwyer, Blaine Boyer and Donnie Joseph. Each pitcher is scheduled to throw one inning or 20 pitches in the 6 1/2-inning game.

The USA starting lineup: Alex Gordon, LF; Chris Getz, 2B; Eric Hosmer, 1B; Mike Moustakas, 3B; Jeff Francoeur, RF; Jarrod Dyson, CF; Elliot Johnson, SS; Brett Hayes, C, and Adam Moore, DH.

Nitpickers might spot some discrepancies in the substitutions, however. George Kottaras, scheduled to be the second USA catcher, was born in Canada. Minor League outfielder Chad Tracy, born in Illinois, is listed as a World backup.

There will also be an intrasquad game on Wednesday. No word yet on any geographical divisions.

None of the Royals' front four starting pitchers are scheduled to pitch in the intrasquad games. James Shields, Jeremy Guthrie, Ervin Santana and Wade Davis did, however, pitch batting practice on Monday.

"It was top-notch," Yost said. "It was exciting to watch their focus and concentration."