Jun

25

Surprise Omissions from Team USA Roster

Posted by Dave | Filed Under News | 6 Comments

Team USA posted their roster yesterday.   I feel there are some very surprising omissions.   Their roster includes the following players:

COLON, Christian
DAVIS, Kentrai
DEN DEKKER, Matt
DIETRICH, Derek
FELLHAUER, Josh
GIBBS, Micah
GIBSON, Kyle
GRIFFIN, A.J.
HERNANDEZ, Chris
JACKSON, Ryan
LEAKE, Mike
LIPKIN, Ryan
LYONS, Tyler
MINOR, Mike
MORRIS, Hunter
OLIVER, Andy
RHODERICK, Kevin
SMITH, Blake
STRASBURG, Steve
VOLZ, Kendal

There must be some very happy Cape League General Managers and coaches because of some names that are not on the USA roster.   To me, there were some stunning omissions.   Ryan Berry (Bourne), Dustin Ackley (Harwich) and Josh Phegley (Wareham) are players who I felt certain would be on Team USA.

The Bourne Braves roster could be greatly strengthened if Berry, Drew Pomeranz and Dusty Coleman come to the Cape.   Coleman is presently on the Braves roster.   Berry and Pomeranz were on their preseason roster.

Dustin Ackley would be a presence in the middle of Harwich’s lineup.   Tommy Medica should help to solidify the Mariners catcher position.

The Chatham A’s will be hoping that Kyle Seager returns for another summer.   A middle infield of Seager and Grant Green should be very good.   Justin Marks did not make Team USA.   If Marks comes to Chatham he, along with UNC pitchers Alex White, Matt Harvey and Adam Warren, could provide the A’s with the boost that they need to overcome their early season doldrums.   We could see the impressive pitching staff that we hoped to see on the Cape this summer.

Wareham is off to a 2-6 start but their outlook could be brightened if Phegley and Rick Hague find their way to Spillane Field soon.

Ryan Ortiz (Y-D) and Brian Fletcher (Falmouth) are a couple other talented players who would be welcome additions to their teams.

It looks like the Braves, Gatemen, Mariners and A’s are the teams that stand to gain the most.   All of this is tempered by the fact that Team USA will soon be adding two more players to their roster.   Who will they be? My guess ? Berry and Ackley. Your thoughts?

Comments

6 Responses to “Surprise Omissions from Team USA Roster”

  1. The Wicker Man on June 25th, 2008 11:03 am

    Berry not making the team is a stunner, same goes for Ackley. Great to see a handful of Cape League benefitting from Team USA cuts this year.

  2. CapeMan on June 25th, 2008 11:45 am

    Someone earlier had mentioned the influence that Coach Fox seems to have with his players coming to the Cape instead of the national team. Perhaps Ackley, although not a pitcher, has been convinced to come to the Cape.

    Also…interesting news on the Wareham site. Their “news” section was updated to include Team USA information and it appears that Ricky Hague is hurt and not coming to the Cape OR playing for USA. (he is no longer on the Wareham roster) Josh Phegley, as it is reported, is going to have an MRI back in Indiana.

  3. Fresh on June 25th, 2008 1:16 pm

    There are certain players that made the USA final roster but declined to play. They will get more AB within the cape division versus spending half the time traveling overseas with USA and the competiveness and quality of players is strong in the CAPe. With many declining to play with USA, the CAPE will consist of some great players (medica, ackley, berry).

  4. Brian Foley on June 25th, 2008 7:45 pm

    Hague is having shoulder surgery and will not playing any baseball until the fall.

  5. Joseph F. Cavanaugh III on June 27th, 2008 10:46 pm

    It seems that Harwich has an extra roster spot with the loss of Andrew Giobbi who was struck in the face by a pitch in Orleans this past week. Giobbi is apparently back in Maine with a broken cheek-bone and broken nose. Ouch. Word is that he is done for the season.

  6. Fresh on July 9th, 2008 12:59 pm

    From Cape Cod site:

    Team USA’s Loss Is Harwich Mariners’ Gain
    As Two High-Quality Replacements Arrive

    HARWICH, Mass. — The Harwich Mariners have lost a few key players to injuries this season, but fortunately for the team, two replacement players have arrived to help take up the slack. Outfielder Dustin Ackley (North Carolina) and catcher Tommy Medica (Santa Clara) both turned down Team USA in order to play in the Cape Cod Baseball League.

    Both Ackley and Medica signed with the Mariners a year ago for this season, and Manager Steve Englert said the risk of losing them to Team USA was worth taking because of the skill level of the two players.

    “They’re among the best in the country,” Englert said. “I took a chance, rolled the dice, and it came up seven. I tried to sell them on the benefits, work them over. I’m happy they chose to come up here.”

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