Prospect Insider - Team USA Shaping Up

Team USA Shaping Up

By Jason A. Churchill

By 12-25-2008

This winter's World Baseball Classic is coming fast, and Team USA is coming together pretty quickly.

Manager Davey Johnson is putting together another good roster, led by Cleveland Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore, New York Mets third baseman David Wright and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun.

The '06 roster consisted of Alex Rodriguez, who plans to play for the Dominican Republic this time around, Chase Utley and Mark Teixeria, but was shy on elite starting pitching, quality catching and outfielders.

The first roster boasted Jake Peavy, but the rotation took a slide from that point down to Dontrelle Willis, Roger Clemens and Al Leiter, who was 40 years of age at the time.

The '06 team was sprinkled with players that weren't necessarily the best to represent the U.S., though that will happen every time around - even this season, since Derek Jeter is on the roster for 2009.

But he'll be joined by the likes of Brian McCann and Joe Mauer, a huge upgrade at catcher, Jimmy Rollins, Chipper Jones, Dustin Pedroia and John Lackey, with more invitations awaiting acceptance.

Josh Beckett, Ryan Howard, Lidge and Brandon Webb have already turned down invitations to participate, and others, such as reigning NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, are on the fence as of Christmas, though Lincecum's initial response was to decline.

But if the United States want to win the tournament in March, they'll have to convince better starting pitchers to sign up, and they'll need better defense at shortstop than Jeter can provide - Rollins should get most of the playing time in close games - and a better relief corps will be necessary.

In '06, Mike Timlin, Todd Jones, Chad Cordero and Gary Majewski and Dan Wheeler probably didn't belong on an all-star roster of any kind, let alone one representing the entire country.

A bullpen of Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon (probably won't play), Brian Fuentes, B.J. Ryan, Jonathan Broxton and George Sherrill joining starters Lackey, Lester, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay (has declined thus far), Chad Billingsley, John Danks and Matt Cain, would certainly have a chance to not only win the tournament, but dominate.

The problem in '06 wasn't that there wasn't enough talent, however, it was that there wasn't enough of the right kind of talent. The roster lacked enough outfield and shortstop defense, speed, starting pitchers and a passion that matched their counterparts in Venezuela, Dominican Republic and the eventual champion Japan.

Not enough of the best American players are passionate about international baseball, which is one reason I lack the very same thing, and thus the WBC will always be what it is to far too many people - a flashy exhibition with no real meaning.

But it's still interesting to watch the roster unfold.

If you've read about any additional players accepting invites that were not mentioned above, please list those and post the link or links to confirm.

team-usa-shaping-up

Comments
The following 10 comment(s) for this article are shown below:

1. By: rocketdawg31 on 12-25-2008 02:28:43
I hope the USA wins, of course. But even if the U.S. had every single premium player on their squad, they'd be hard-pressed to beat the Cubans,Dominicans, South Koreans or Japanese.

I just hope that South Korea doesn't get screwed by this system like they did last time. I realize all teams knew it could happen, but it just isn't right to me that you can beat a team TWICE, and then have to face them in the final game. That's what happened between South Korea and Japan last time.

To me, it was bothersome to see the team that played the best in the tourney (South Korea) wind up losing due to the system in place. If you lose twice in any tournament to the same team, there's no way you should be able to be back in the championship bracket against that team.

Japan got the trophy, but you'd have to be certifiable to think they were the best.

2. By: Jason A. Churchill on 12-25-2008 03:27:03
I don't think there is any doubt that the very best American's are every bit as good as the very best Japan, Venezuela or the Dominican's have to offer.

The difference is, and probably always will be, that those countries care about the WBC and all international competition, much more than do those from the US.

Therefore, the best players are more likely to play, and play with passion and desire.

3. By: DAMellen on 12-25-2008 04:55:20
Is Ichiro playing?

4. By: Jason A. Churchill on 12-25-2008 10:24:11
Yes, and so is Johjima.

5. By: Slack on 12-26-2008 09:55:24
Why don't Americans care about international competition as much. I think we should.

6. By: safecochatter on 12-26-2008 12:58:01
money
give the winning team 20 mill to split up and the roster would change.

7. By: griggs on 12-26-2008 16:58:28
Who is going to supply the money?

8. By: bedir on 12-26-2008 21:02:42
Notable, is that the USA might not advance, as we are truly in the toughest bracket, largely due to Toronto hosting Canada, USA, Venezuela and Italy in opening Group play.

I do like the change to having five different nations host the tournament.

9. By: Jason A. Churchill on 12-26-2008 22:28:44
If Team USA plays hard, takes it seriously and is prepared, the only team in the opening group that can beat them is Venezuela, mostly due to their pitching, that could include Johan and Felix, among others.

10. By: Lonnie on 01-21-2009 11:15:21
It sucks that the players lack national pride. I'd love to see the best we have to offer throw their hats in the ring, but it looks like that just isn't going to happen.

On the other hand, a team USA loaded up with the absolute best available would dominate the series to such an extent that some countries may chose not to participate in the future. I would be much more interested in seeing teams from South Africa, Australia, China, and all of the European countries effectively compete than see one country dominate it each and every time. That, would be just too boring for words.

Lonnie

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