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Tigers watching World Cup, but only 1 player has home country in tourney

CHICAGO -- There are plenty of soccer fans on the Detroit Tigers, so the clubhouse television will be tuned to the World Cup for much of the next month.

But perhaps surprisingly for a sport as diverse as baseball, only one Tiger has a direct rooting interest in the tournament.

Relief pitcher Warwick Saupold, a native of Perth, Australia, seemed just as surprised as anyone that he was the only Tiger whose country was participating in the World Cup.

"Do they play soccer in the Dominican Republic?" he wondered.

(Yes, but usually not very well.