Japan lose Dragons fire for WBC defense

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan coach Tatsunori Hara has suffered a blow ahead of next year's World Baseball Classic (WBC) following a run-in with the Chunichi Dragons.

The defending champions will be unable to call on any Dragons players after pitcher Hitoki Iwase and infielder Masahiko Morino pulled out of the March tournament.

"Several players who have declined to play -- from one club in particular," Hara told Japanese media on Saturday, refusing to mention the Central League team by name.

"We cannot count on the cooperation of even one player from that club. Even after I asked them again they said 'no' which is sad. But we will add a few players and be even stronger than we were last time."

Hanshin Tigers infielder Takahiro Arai, who played at the Beijing Olympics earlier this year, has also withdrawn because of a back injury.

However, Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka has committed to playing while Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners is also expected to play.

Neither played at the Beijing Games in August when Japan failed to win a medal under Senichi Hoshino after losing to the eventual gold medalists South Korea in the semi-finals.

A preliminary roster of around 45 players is scheduled to be named next month before being cut to 28 by February.

Hara was unveiled as coach earlier this month under the banner "Samurai Japan" after several candidates had pulled out of the running.

Sadaharu Oh led Japan to a surprise triumph in 2006 but the 68-year-old turned down the opportunity to take the job again for health reasons.

(Reporting by Alastair Himmer; Editing by John O'Brien)