So, the Olympic roster has been announced. There are many familiar Bus League names on the list, but USA Baseball presents them in a very clinical way, as if these were guys they just found on the street with no other attachment to baseball. In fact, a player is one of four things on this roster: infielder, outfielder, catcher, or pitcher.
So, I’m going to re-announce the roster with all of the spaces colored in:
Brett Anderson, LHP, Midland Rockhounds (AA Texas League) – Oakland As
Jake Arrieta, RHP, Frederick Keys (Advanced A Carolina League) – Baltimore Orioles
Brian Barden, SS, Memphis Redbirds (AAA Pacific Coast League) – St. Louis Cardinals
Matthew Brown, 3B, Salt Lake Bees (AAA Pacific Coast League) – Anaheim Angels
Trevor Cahill, RHP, Midland Rock Hounds (AA Texas League) – Oakland As
Jason Donald, SS, Reading Phillies (AA Eastern League) – Philadelphia Phillies
Geno Espineli, LHP, Fresno Grizzlies (AAA Pacific Coast League) – San Francisco Giants
Dexter Fowler, CF, Tulsa Drillers (AA Texas League) – Colorado Rockies
John Gall, OF, Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA Pacific Coast League) – Florida Marlins
Mike Hessman, 3B, Toledo Mudhens (AAA International League) – Detroit Tigers
Kevin Jepsen, RHP, Salt Lake Bees (AAA Pacific Coast League) – Anaheim Angels
Brandon Knight, RHP, New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA Pacific Coast League) – New York Mets
Mike Koplove, RHP, Las Vegas 51s (AAA Pacific Coast League) – L.A. Dodgers
Matt LaPorta, OF, Akron Aeros (AA Eastern League) – Cleveland Indians
Lou Marson, C, Reading Phillies (AA Eastern League) – Philadelphia Phillies
Blaine Neal, RHP, Toledo Mudhens (AAA International League) – Detroit Tigers
Colby Rasmus, LF, Memphis Redbirds (AAA Pacific Coast League) – St. Louis Cardinals
Clayton Richard, LHP, Charlotte Knights (AAA International League) – Chicago White Sox
Jeff Stevens, RHP, Buffalo Bisons (AAA International League) – Cleveland Indians
Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State Aztecs
Taylor Teagarden, C, Oklahoma RedHawks (AAA International League) – Texas Rangers
Terry Tiffee, OF, Las Vegas 51s (AAA Pacific Coast League) – L.A. Dodgers
Casey Weathers, RHP, Tulsa Drillers (AA Texas League) – Colorado Rockies
Two big surprises here. First, Stephen Strasburg, the lone college player to make the squad, did so on the strength of a 23-strikeout performance on April 11th of this year. Second, Geno Espineli does not look like a member of Tony Soprano’s crew. Perhaps his middle name – Macalalag – would have tipped me off, had I known it in advance.
Another thing that jumps out at me on first perusal is a utility-minded approach to the infield positions. I see two guys who are used to playing 3B in the minors, and two who generally play shortstop. We know that Matt LaPorta, listed here as an outfielder, also plays a great deal of first base, so that may be part of the answer. Otherwise, it looks like some tweaks and adjustments will have to be made in a short amount of time.
So there you have them, folks. Your Team USA, drawn almost exclusively from the Bus Leagues. Good luck in Beijing, gentlemen!
Posted by Your U.S. Olympic baseball roster, with hard-to-find … | eNNvy on July 17, 2008 at 5:27 pm
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Posted by Mike White on July 17, 2008 at 10:42 pm
You’d think that, with the success of my team (UNC) turning me into a casual college baseball fan, I would recognize at least one of these names. But alas…I don’t. How many of these guys played college ball?
Posted by Extra P. on July 18, 2008 at 12:51 am
Mike –
If you click on the highlighted player names, those links take you to the MiLB profile of each player. That shows college attended, if any.
Posted by Joe Torre on July 18, 2008 at 1:13 am
good info. thanks.