Has it really been three years since the last World Baseball Classic? As we approach the second-ever World Baseball Classic odds, it is never too soon to start examining the power players. Keep in mind that after this WBC, they will only come once every four years. Here’s the four major players in the upcoming 2009 WBC:

United States +150

The Yankees underachieved in the 2006 World Baseball Classic and you can be assured that they will make some concerted effort to right the ship. They boasted a fairly talented roster but neglected starting pitching, which was eventually the difference. As far as World Baseball Classics lines go, look for the U.S. team to be a real underdog heading into the 2009 tournament – they might be worth a bet to win it all if the price is right.

Dominican Republic +175

Go ahead, argue with a team that has Albert Pujols, Alfonso Soriano, Jose Reyes and David Ortiz. The sportsbooks certainly won’t be debating it. Interestingly enough, this team doesn’t have as much starting pitching as you might think and if the US team brings some good starters, they should be able to beat this team. Bartolo Colon and Francisco Liriano led this starting rotation in 2006. They have some work to do but they can clearly outhit anyone.

Japan +800

This is a pretty penny for a team that won the entire tournament in 2006. They are worth a flier here because keep in mind, for the most part, the Japanese team is an unknown commodity. A lot of people are making assumptions and although the public perceives they are more flukey, than good, the reality is that this is a stellar team. We’re starting to get a taste with Ichiro, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Akinori Otsuka, but they are more than capable of winning it all again. Definitely a team to consider when you bet on the World Baseball Classic.

Cuba +1000

Speaking of great unknowns, it doesn’t get much more mysterious than the Cuban team. This team lost in the finals to Japan in 2006, disappointing sportsbook diehards everywhere. The Cubans have a squad full of potential MLB All-Stars. Last time around, the team was worried that a number of them might defect, even though that that never turned out to be the case. In baseball, being an unknown team helps you because you become harder to scout and harder to prepare for. Take a chance with the Cubans again. They take this tournament very seriously.