Rondon will get opportunity in Tigers’ bullpen

DETROIT — Omar Vizquel is interested in adding Bruce Rondon to his bullpen for Team Venezuela in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. But he wants to see Rondon motivated for the opportunity.

“I think we will judge the decision on the condition that the player is in,” Vizquel, who will manage the team, said during the Winter Meetings. “If you’re ready to play and be considered, you’re going to be on the team. If we find a guy that we think is going to do a better job, then we’re going to have to pick that guy. Because it’s not the Detroit Tigers. It’s not the Marlins. It’s not Minnesota. It’s Venezuela. And we have a coaching staff that is ready and prepared to make decisions too along with the manager and the committee of the team.”

If that sounds familiar, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus had similar remarks a day later when asked where Rondon fits into his bullpen.

“After the end of 2015, he did a nice job of coming in and working hard, kind of reestablished himself as a very able back-end bullpen type pitcher,” Ausmus said, “but he’s got to keep doing it. You can’t just do it for two-thirds of a season at a Major League level. You think you’ve proved to everyone that you are what you are supposed to be, and now you have to keep doing it.

“He has to keep doing the same thing from Day 1 next year. He needs to come in in shape and stay in shape like he did last year, and the bottom line is performance in the game. He’s going to have to pitch.”

If there …

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