United States national baseball team

Infobox National baseball team

Name = United States National Baseball team
Country = flag|United States of America
Federation = USA Baseball
Confederation = COPABE
Manager =
Olympic apps = 3
Olympic first = 1992
Olympic best = 1
WBC apps = 1
WBC first = 2006
WBC best = 8
WC apps =
WC first =
WC best =
IC apps =
IC first =
IC best =
PAG apps =
PAG first =
PAG best = The United States National Baseball team is the national baseball team for United States. The team is controlled by USA Baseball.

2006 World Baseball Classic

In June of 2005, Major League Baseball announced the formation of the World Baseball Classic, a 16 nation international competition to be held in March of 2006 for the first time. A month after this announcement, the IOC voted to eliminate baseball from the 2012 London Olympic games, leaving the WBC as the only international tournament to feature American professionals.

On January 17, 2006, the United States announced its provisional 60 man roster (52 players in all), and whittled down the star-studded squad to just 30 players on February 14, 2006. A roster mixed with youth and experience, all teams participating in the tournament needed to have at least three catchers and thirteen pitchers. Sixteen of the thirty Major League clubs were represented on the 2006 squad, including multiple representatives from the New York Yankees (4), Houston Astros (3), Washington Nationals (3), Atlanta Braves (2), Boston Red Sox (2), Chicago Cubs (2), Colorado Rockies (2), Houston Astros (2), and Texas Rangers (2). The fact that four Yankees were selected irked Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who has been against the WBC being held in the middle of spring training to the point where at his team's complex in Tampa, Florida, he posted a sign apologizing for their absence and mocking the tournament in the process. Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig promptly ordered him to take down the sign the next day.

Manager Buck Martinez brought his 17 years of professional experience as a major league catcher, and 1+ seasons as Toronto Blue Jays' (2001-2002) skipper to Team USA. Former big league managers Davey Johnson and Marcel Lachemann served as hitting coach and pitching coach, respectively. Rounding out the coaching staff for Team USA were Reggie Smith (hitting), Ken Griffey, Sr. (first base), and John McLaren (third base). A number of former players helped including Rick Sutcliffe, Rick Eckstein (bullpen coach), Tony Dello (left-handed batting practice), and James Grady (bullpen catcher and right-handed batting practice). Dave Tumbas and Greg Keuter served as trainers.

The front office staff comprised Bob Watson, Paul Seiler, Eric Campbell, Ray Darwin, Dave Fanucchi, Rob Butcher, Evan Howard (WBC Team Coordinator), Reggie Younger (Travel Director), Phyllis Merhige (Senior VP, Club Relations), and Tyson Steele and Matt Weiss (Equipment Managers).

chedule

Team USA (host) was in Pool B of the four pool round-robin tournament. Along with fellow North American rivals Canada and Mexico, the pool also had Team South Africa. Round One games were held at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona and Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona. The top two teams to emerge from Pool B advanced to Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, California to play the top two teams from Pool A (Japan, Korea, China and Chinese Taipei).

Exhibition

*March 5
** (Split Squad) 5

Round One

*March 7
**Mexico 0 (Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ)
*March 8
**USA 6 (Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ)
*March 10
**South Africa 0 (stopped in 5th inning due to Mercy Rule) at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Round Two

*March 12
**Japan 3 (Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA)
*March 13
**USA 3 (Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA)
*March 15
**Mexico 2 (Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA) The United States is eliminated from the competition.

Olympic Games

*1992 - 4th
*1996 - 3rd
*2000 - 1st
*2004 - Did not qualify
*2008 - 3rd

2008 Olympic Games

The United States qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics by winning the American Qualifying Tournament.

ROSTER

General Manager: Bob Watson
Manager: Davey Johnson [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080716&content_id=3142921&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb] accessed July 21, 2008] [http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Team/9990593.shtml Baseball Team Profile] . Beijing 2008 website, accessed August 7, 2008]
Coaches: Marcel Lachemann - Pitching Coach, Reggie Smith - Hitting Coach, Rick Eckstein - 3rd Base Coach, Dick Cooke - Auxiliary Coach, Rolando de Armas - Auxiliary Coach.

ee also

* USA Baseball
* USA Baseball National Training Complex

Notes