USA Selects Roster for 2008

USA Selects Roster for 2008 Smog Olympics

Adam Cancryn discusses the Major League organizations that will be represented in Beijing in August.

Fourteen Major League organizations will be represented when Team USA travels to the Beijing Olympics in August. Manager Davey Johnson announced the roster yesterday, which includes power hitter Matt LaPorta, the key player in the Brewers' swap for CC Sabathia.

LaPorta went to the Cleveland Indians along with two others in exchange for the ace pitcher, and is considered a top first base prospect. Joining him as representatives from the Indians will be pitcher Jeff Stevens.

Another notable inclusion is San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg turned heads when he struck out 23 batters in a game on April 11, and will be the only college player on the team.

The rest of the roster is made up of 14 Triple-A and seven Double-A players, with Baltimore pitcher Jake Arrieta the lone Class A participant.

Team USA is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2003-04, in which they failed to qualify after losing to Mexico in prelims. It was a far cry from the dominant, gold-medal winning team led by Tommy Lasorda in 2000.

With Baseball shelved as an Olympic sport for at least the 2012 Olympics, the USA will look to recapture its title and hold onto it until at least 2016. Team workouts will begin sometime later this month.

There is one spot yet to be filled, but here is the roster for the Beijing Olympics:

• Cleveland Indians- 1B Matt La Porta, P Jeff Stevens
• Oakland- P Brett Anderson, P Trevor Cahill
• St. Louis- OF Colby Rasmus, IF Brian Barden
• LA Angels- IF Matthew Brown, P Kevin Jepsen
• Philadelphia- IF Jason Donald, C Louis Marson
• Colorado- OF Dexter Fowler, P Casey Weathers
• Detroit- IF Mike Hessman, P Blaine Neal
• LA Dodgers- P Mike Koplove, IF Terry Tiffee
• Baltimore- P Jake Arrieta
• San Francisco- P Gino Espineli
• Florida- John Gall
• NY Mets- P Brandon Knight
• Chicago White Sox- P Clayton Richard
• Texas- C Taylor Teagarden