Then Major League Baseball called to say hello and ask a favor. MLB officials wanted Collins to manage Team China in the World Baseball Classic, which takes place next month.

Retired or not, when the game beckons, how can you say no?

"It's a big honor to have the game call you to do this, and especially when you're one of only two former big-league managers getting to do this (the other is Team USA manager Davey Johnson)," Collins says.

Now Collins is preparing Team China at the Detroit Tigers' spring training facility in Lakeland, Fla. While there, he gets to spend time and swap stories with his good friend, Tigers manager Jim Leyland. It was Leyland who gave Collins a big-league break in 1992, promoting Collins to bullpen coach when the Tigers' skipper managed the Pittsburgh Pirates.

That appointment served as a springboard for Collins' managing stints with the Houston Astros (1994-1996) and the Anaheim Angels (1997-1999). Collins also was the Los Angeles Dodgers' Director of Player Personnel in 2006 when he successfully lobbied the franchise to form an affiliation with the Great Lakes Loons in his native MIdland.

He managed in Japan for the 2007 season and part of 2008 before deciding to retire from the game and relax at his St. Petersburg, Fla., home. He says experience he gained from communicating to players through interpreters is paying off now.

"I learned to talk slow and make sure I'm getting across what I'm trying to say," Collins says.

Collins might get to see some familiar faces from the Japan League when the World Baseball Classic gets under way on Thursday, March 5. Team China plays defending champion Japan in the WBC's first game, scheduled for the Tokyo Dome. ESPN2 will telecast the game live at 4:30 a.m. Eastern time.

"There will be 60,000 people there," Collins predicts.

Including one guy who nine months ago never thought he'd be one of them.

Classic rosters

Several players in Tigers camp are on the provisional rosters for the World Baseball Classic, but second baseman Placido Polanco no longer is among them. Polanco decided last week not to play for the Dominican Republic and instead focus on preparing for the upcoming season.

Final rosters for WBC teams are due on Tuesday. Other Tigers on provisional rosters include: Miguel Cabrera, Armando Gallarraga, Carlos Guillen, Juan Rincon and Magglio Ordonez for Venezuela; Curtis Granderson and Justin Verlander for USA; Fernando Rodney for D.R.; Andrew Graham and Brendan Wise for Australia; Max St. Pierre and Cale Iorg, Canada; and Fue-Te Ni, Chinese Tapai.

One former Tiger still without a big-league team has a WBC team. Pudge Rodriguez is on Puerto Rico's roster, but remains an unclaimed free agent in the majors.

Classic format

Sixteen teams divided into four four-team pools or brackets play in Round 1 between March 5-11. Team USA is grouped with Canada, Italy and Venezuela. The top two teams from each pool advance to Round 2, with games taking place at two sites - Petco Park in San Diego and Dolphin Stadium in Miami. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for Saturday, March 21, through Monday, March 23, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

The MLB Network, ESPN2 and ESPN are combining to televise all of the WBC games, with ESPN carrying the title game at 9:30 p.m. EST.