Team USA fielding top squad for qualifier

Mississippi Braves catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was one of 10 former National Team members selected on Monday to represent USA Baseball at the 2006 COPABE Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Havana, Cuba from Aug. 25-Sept. 5.

Saltalamacchia, who also competed on the 2001 youth squad, the 2002 junior team and the 2005 CONCEBE Olympic qualifying tournament, brings a wealth of international experience to the 24-player unit assembled to help the United States make the field for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

"Guys that have international experience can tell us what it's like to have USA on your chest and represent the country," said Kevin Slowey, a New Britain pitcher named to the team for the first time. "I'm sure we'll rely very heavily on them."

Slowey, 4-3 with a 3.19 ERA for the Double-A Rock Cats this season, expects to start picking up insight when the team gathers for practices this month in Florida.

The roster consists entirely of professional non-25-man roster players from the 30 Major League Baseball organizations.

Saltalamacchia and Slowey will be joined by Mike Kinkade of Triple-A Albuquerque, who won a gold medal with the 2000 Olympic team. Other former National Team members named to the squad include Triple-A Omaha outfielder Chad Allen (1996 Olympic bronze medalist); Double-A Wichita outfielder Billy Butler, Carolina pitcher Nic Ungs and Arkansas infielder Brandon Wood ('05 Olympic qualifier); Class A Advanced Inland Empire infielder Bryan LaHair ('05 World Cup); Double-A Trenton pitcher J.B. Cox ('04 National team); Triple-A Portland infielder Bobby Hill ('98 National team) and Double-A Reading pitcher Zach Segovia ('00-'01 Junior team).

Team USA manager Davey Johnson also will have 14 players making their international debuts at his disposal during the 12-team tournament, which will send the top-two finishers into the 2008 Summer Games and the third- and fourth-place teams on to a secondary Olympic qualifying event in spring 2008.

The newcomers include: Pitchers Nick Adenhart (Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga), pitcher Mike Bacsik (Triple-A Tucson), outfielder Michael Bourn (Triple-A Scranton), pitcher Jeff Farnsworth (Triple-A Charlotte), pitcher Lee Gronkiewicz (Triple-A Syracuse), pitcher Henry Owens (Double-A Binghamton), pitcher Heath Phillips (Triple-A Charlotte), infielder Mark Reynolds (Double-A Tennessee), pitcher Jeff Ridgway (Triple-A Durham), outfielder Jared Schumaker (Triple-A Memphis), pitcher Greg Smith (Double-A Tennessee) and catchers Kurt Suzuki (Double-A Midland) and Matt Tupman (Triple-A Omaha).

"It's such a rare opportunity that it's not even something that you dream of," said Slowey. "You see Major League players every day, but playing for your country in a qualifying tournament is something special. Being in the big leagues is your ultimate goal, but this is one of those things that ranks right up there."

Johnson's staff will consist of Reggie Smith (hitting coach), Kirk Champion (pitching) and Rick Eckstein (bench). Team USA also named Dick Cooks of Davidson College and Rolando DeArmas of the Philadelphia Phillies as auxiliary coaches. John Fierro will serve as head trainer, and Dr. Fred Dicke and Dr. Angel Mattalino will be the team physicians.

"For me, I've been excited," said Eckstein, who will take a leave from his role as hitting coach for Triple-A New Orleans. "I've had an awful lot of fun. I've learned a lot. (Zephyrs manager) Tim (Foli) has given me a lot of responsibility and has challenged me as a coach."

Bob Watson will be the general manager and Eric Campbell will serve as team delegate.

The countries competing against the United States in Cuba are Aruba, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

"Our goal going in there is to win," Slowey said. "We'll probably be disappointed with anything less than that. This might be the last time baseball is in the Olympics for a long time. We want to let everybody know what USA Baseball is all about."

This will be the eighth time USA Baseball has utilized Major League-affiliated professional players for international competition since the 1999 Pan Am Games.