NEW YORK -- Next year's World Classic will have the same 16-team field that competed in the initial baseball tournament in 2006.
The tournament organization, which is controlled by Major League Baseball and the players' association, on Tuesday invited the eight teams that failed to advance past the first round two years ago: Australia, Canada, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Panama, South Africa and Taiwan.
Last April, organizers invited the eight teams that made it to the second round: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the United States and Venezuela.
Organizers said they plan to establish qualifying rounds for the 2013 tournament. Japan won the initial tournament two years ago.
