United States national baseball team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (April 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
| United States national baseball team | |
| Country |  United States of America |
|---|---|
| Federation | USA Baseball |
| Confederation | COPABE |
| Olympics | |
| Appearances | 3 (First in 1992) |
| Best result | 1 |
| World Baseball Classic | |
| Appearances | 1 (First in 2006) |
| Best result | 8 |
The United States national baseball team is the national baseball team for United States. The team is controlled by USA Baseball.
Contents |
[edit] 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 are represented on the current 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 will bring 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 serve as hitting coach and pitching coach, respectively. Rounding out the coaching staff for Team USA are 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).
[edit] Schedule
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).
[edit] Exhibition
- March 5
USA 11, San Francisco Giants (Split Squad) 5
[edit] Round One
- March 7
- USA 2,
Mexico 0 (Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ)
- March 8
Canada 8, USA 6 (Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ)
- March 10
- USA 17 vs.
South Africa 0 (stopped in 5th inning due to Mercy Rule) at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona.
[edit] Round Two
- March 12
- USA 4,
Japan 3 (Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA)
- March 13
Korea 7, USA 3 (Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA)
- March 15
- USA 1, Mexico 2 (Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA) The United States is eliminated from the competition.
[edit] References
[edit] See also
|
|||||||||||
|
National sports teams of the United States
|
||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||||||||||
