Apparently without consulting the Rays, Fernando Rodney will be pitching in the World Baseball Classic.

Rodney told Dominican newspaper El Caribe that he wants to represent his country in the tournament that begins in early March -- yes, during spring training.

"You don't have to ask permission to represent your country," Rodney told the newspaper. The Rays have not commente4 as of Monday.

For more from Tampa Bay Times reporter Rick Stroud on the story ht up THIS link.

The championship game of the WBC is March 19 in San Francisco.