Alvarez is Third Straight Dirtbag to Play For Team USA TUCSON, AZ-- For the third straight summer, the world will be invaded by the Dirtbags. Long Beach State LHP Abe Alvarez (Fontana, CA) earned one of 22 roster spots on this year’s USA Summer National Team, following in the footsteps of teammates Jeremy Reed (Summer of 2001) and Bobby Crosby (Summer of 2000).
Alvarez had a stellar sophomore campaign, going 12-3 with a 2.72 ERA, earning second team All-America status as well as Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year accolades. Alvarez clinched his spot with 4.0 innings of one run, six strikeout baseball in the team’s first exhibition game.
Both Reed and Crosby, like Alvarez were named to the team following their sophomore seasons. Reed and Crosby used their success with Team USA in the MLB Amatuer Draft the following year. Reed was a second round pick earlier this month, while Crosby was a first round selection following the 2001 season.
Team USA will play a total of 30 games this summer, including 17 on the domestic side of their Red, White and Blue Summer Tour. For a full schedule of dates, times and locations, along with ticket information, log on to www.usabaseball.com. In addition, USA Baseball announced today that a "real-time" game scoring webcast feature has been launced at www.usabaseball.com. All 30 USA Baseball National Team games will be shown by live play-by-play on our website in real-time, including tonight's opening game against the Santa Barbara Foresters at 7:00 pm PST, and all games that Team USA competes in at the first ever FISU Collegiate World Baseball Championships in Messina, Italy August 3-11. | 
