Well Quincy, it just shows ta go ya, that when the opportunities are opened up to more than a very closed pool of people, its pretty easy to see that there’s no one group or country that’s really any more able than another. I think this Olympic has shown that more than any before it.
Heck, I laughed out loud at the absurdity of other countries even trying to compare themselves to us when the 1st 2 medal races in BMX were run. After all, BMX started in SoCal, less than 40 years ago. Well, I wasn’t laughing at the end of either the men’s or women’s races.
The whole thing boils down to it being considerably easier for a baseball player to advance when he’s competing with maybe 10,000 other players, than if his competition is 10 times greater than that.
Posts: 162 | Location: California | Registered: July 23, 2008
Considering that we probably have as many talented enough players to dominate the game as these nations have population, it is absurd that we are not waltzing away with gold.
Team sports , unlike individual events, are the arena where not only talent is exhibited, but also tactics and intelligence. The best example would be the 1980 USA hockey team.
We have shown that we are the lesser in talent, tactics and intelligence as it pertains to the American national pasttime.
Posts: 1644 | Location: Tampa | Registered: August 06, 2005
Originally posted by Quincy: Considering that we probably have as many talented enough players to dominate the game as these nations have population, it is absurd that we are not waltzing away with gold.
Team sports , unlike individual events, are the arena where not only talent is exhibited, but also tactics and intelligence. The best example would be the 1980 USA hockey team.
We have shown that we are the lesser in talent, tactics and intelligence as it pertains to the American national pasttime.
The thing no one can get around is, only 9 players can be in the field at any one time, and only one can be batting, so it doesn’t really matter how many talented enough players we have, its how well those that are playing execute in comparison to the other team.
On the other hand, is it at all possible that all of these great talent evaluators we’ve come to believe are so infallible, plus all the coaches we’ve been led to believe are so wise, just aren’t a good as they’ve been made out to be?
Posts: 162 | Location: California | Registered: July 23, 2008
I saw a brief report somewhere that an American player had suffered a "gruesome injury" earlier, but I have never seen who it was or what happened. Can anyone provide the details?
Posts: 2425 | Location: Virginia | Registered: February 01, 2006
I am disappointed, Does this mean our top prospects in the MiLB can't compete with the world? Are those players supposed to be the future of MLB????
Midlo Dad: The incident happened during the game against China. We got something a 9 to 0 lead. And one of our guy try to score from 2nd on a hit to the out field. The Chinese OF didn't even try to throw him out, the Chinese catcher stand there didn't try to catch and tag because the ball was way off the line, the ball was almost half way in between 3rd and home. But interestingly, the bomb head player for some reason, didn't even slide to the home plate, he knocked the Chinese Catcher out with a tackle you can only see in a football game (I guess he must be a football player before he join our Olympic baseball team). Then, you know what happened, the Chinese pitcher threw a fastball blew right on our next hitter's head. (Talk about accuracy). Our player suffered a mild concussion. End of the story.
JMO, but who were our MILB professionals competing against? The best of those countries players? I am not sure if the USA players represented the best of our best baseball players in the US, most of them are busy right now with their MLB teams.
Now if our basketball team doesn't walk away with teh gold I would be disappointed.
Posts: 10719 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
In regard to kbat's comment on Olympic spirit, howzabout Cuba's "in your face" behavior in the semis vs. USA. When Cuba's Bell jacked that 3-run homer, the lead runner waved his finger in the USA 3rd baseman's face as he rounded the bases, and Bell stood watching (read gloating) at home plate until the umpire urged him to make his way down the baseline. Disgusting display. Completely unsportsmanlike. "Non-professional" is one thing, but "unprofessional" is another. I'm rooting for Korea tomorrow.
Posts: 121 | Location: VA | Registered: July 23, 2005
According to one the USA player's Dad (an attorney in Philadephia) Lefebvre, ought to be taken out back to the shed. Lefebvre was controversial when he played, controversial when he managed in the USA, and now he remains controversial after he directed his Chinese pitcher to go head hunting against Matt LaPorta, a promising MLB propect. As far as many around here are concerned, Lefebvre, you are NOT welcomed in the USA.
Posts: 1511 | Location: Fairland, Maryland USA | Registered: December 26, 2002
I don't think Japan send their best players to the Olympic games either. They also got their own pro league going on right now. And some of their best players are still playing in the MLB.
I have one question: Did we send our BEST PROSPECTS in the MiLB to compete in these Olympic games?
It looks like they are not even AA players. Maybe I was wrong here, does anyone know all the Team USA players' profiles?
Posts: 168 | Location: us | Registered: March 01, 2008
We have played the Australian, China, Japan and Korea National High School teams for 25 years.
My son and I have trained with the China team, produced clinics in Japan, China and Australia.
Our American Team alumni includes the following. We only won in 1983 and 1984. Rob Ritchie, Tigers 1983 Brad Brink, Phillies 1983 Alex Sanchez, Blue Jays 1983-84 Matt Williams, Giants 1983 Greg Jefferies, Phillies 1984 John Wetteland, Rangers 1984 Paul McCellan, Giants 1984 Brian Keyser, White Sox 1984 Fernando Vina, Brewers 1987 Greg Pirkl, Mariners 1987 Mike Kelly, Mets 1987 Marty Cordova, Blue Jays 1987 Donnie Osborne, Cardinals 1987 James Mouton, Padres 1987 Jim Edmonds, Cardinals 1987 Tim Laker, Pirates 1987 Ed Giovanola, Padres 1987 Erik Plankenberg, Devil Rays 1987 Tyler Houston, Indians 1988 Steve Whitaker, Giants 1988 Derek Wallace, Mets 1988 Jim Converse, Royals 1988 Todd Steverson, Padres 1988 David McCarthy, Red Sox 1988 Bo Dodson, Red Sox 1988 Chris Prichett, Phillies 1988 Mike Lieberthal, Phillies 1989 Dimitri Young, Tigers 1989-90 Kurt Miller, Cubs 1989 Micah Franklin, Cubs 1989 Nick Johnson, Nationals 1989 Ryan McGuire, Mets 1989-90 Adam Melhouse. A’s 1990 Antonne Williamson, Brewers 1990 Tim Kubinski, A’s 1990 Jacob Cruz, Rockies 1990 Benji Gill, Angels 1990 Dante Powell, Cardinals 1991 Jason Kendall, A’s 1991 Nomar Garciaparra, Dodgers 1991 Geoff Jenkins, Brewers 1991 Derrek Lee, Cubs 1992 Torii Hunter, Twins 1992 Mark Redman, Pirates 1992 Mickey Callaway, Angels 1992 Buddy Carlyle, Padres 1992 Jeff D’Amico, A’s 1992 David Lamb, Mets 1992 Chad Hermansen, Pirates 1994 Randy Knoor, Phillies 1994 Eric Valent, Mets 1994 Ryan Mills, Twins 1994 Steve Colyer, Dodgers 1994 Dave Coggin, Phillies 1994 Nick Johnson, Nationals 1994 Mike Rose, Dodgers 1994 Eric Chavez, A’s 1994 Jason Marquis, Cubs 1995 Joey Dillon, Marlins 1996 Jayson Werth, Dodgers 1996 Matt Wise, Brewers 1996 Jason Young, Rockies 1996 Jimmy Rollins, Phillies 1996 Nick Bierbrodt, Diamondbacks 1996 Aaron Miles, Cards 1996 Bud Smith, Cards 1996 Nick Garcia, Mets 1996 Steve Colyer, Dodgers 1996 Cesar Crespo, Padres 1996 Gerald Laird, Rangers 1997 Aaron Hill, Blue Jays 1998 James Shields, Devil Rays 1999 Shane Costa, Royals 1999 Connor Jackson, Diamondbacks 1999 Sergio Santos, Blue Jays 1999 David Espinosa, Reds 1999 Corey Smith, Indians 1999 Sam Fuld, Cubs 1999 Jason Kubal, Twins 1999 Andre Ethier, Dodgers 1999 Abe Alvarez, Red Sox 1999 Adrian Gonzalez, Rangers 1999 Carlos Quenton, Diamondbacks 1999 Jereme Bondeman, Tigers 1999 Delmon Young, Tampa Bay 1999-2003 Adam La Roche, Pirates 1996-97-98 Bobby Jenks, White Sox 1999 Andy La Roche, Dodgers 1997-98 Jason Vargas, Marlins 2000 Scott Kazmir, Tampa Bay 2000 Mike Jones, Brewers 2000 Mike Pelfrey, Mets 2000 Daric Barton, A’s 2002
Questions: How to prepare our USA players for International competition?
First it begins with the Coaches and the mind set of the players [pros or amateur]
In 1996, Tommy Lasorda spoke to our team after 3 losses to Japan and Korea. His words cannot be related. However, our players played with courage and loss to Japan in final inning 2-1.
We will again travel to Australia in December and play the "best" players. The Australians will execute on defense and offense.
Bob Williams Goodwill Series Inc.
Posts: 378 | Location: Santa Rosa, California | Registered: February 23, 2005
In 1988 when we played the National Teams of Korea and Japan. During the Korea/American game at a 40,000 seat stadium on Osaka, the Korean outfielder made an error. He was immediately taken from the game.
Later the catcher had a passed ball. He was taken from the game. I asked the group leader, Mr Kim "how many catchers do you have on your team"?
"He said all 18 players can catch"! Our players in high school need to be prepared in defense and fundamentals.
Later at SSU as a hitting coach, I applied this system to hitters who did not move runners from 2b to 3b with less than 2 outs. "It worked"!
Bob <rwilliams@goodwillseries.org>
Posts: 378 | Location: Santa Rosa, California | Registered: February 23, 2005
