Leyland, Torre have eyes on Classic title

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Joe Torre has vivid memories of a sinking feeling after the United States team he managed lost back-to-back games in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, falling short of a trip to the championship round. He’s working to help the next Team USA manager, Jim Leyland, get a ride all the way to the finals next March.

While Classic rosters remain a work in progress, Leyland suggests one major change in approach this time around.

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The United States is strongly considering a plan to increase its supply of starting pitchers, which would allow Leyland to use two pitchers who are accustomed to starting per game early in the event, when conditioning and pitch limits restrict them from going deep into games.

“It could be one of those situations where [a starter goes] 3 2/3, 4 2/3 innings and then you get an out with a relief pitcher, so a starter can pitch the way he’s programmed,” Leyland said. “These are possibilities, not etched in stone. But I can assure all the teams we’re going to take care of their players to the best of our abilities.”

National League Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, the Rays’ Chris Archer, the Blue Jays’ Marcus Stroman and the Royals’ Danny Duffy have committed to participate. Leyland also spoke with Justin Verlander, the ace for his Tigers teams before Leyland retired in 2013, on Monday about possibly participating.

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Team USA has advanced to the championship round only once in the three previous WBCs, compiling a 10-10 record. Those teams generally had four starting pitchers on the roster, with as many as 10 relievers.

Torre believes the quality of the staff can be improved by getting more innings from starting pitchers, using them in tandem to get a game into …

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