Long Beach State University Athletics
Espinosa Named to National Team
6/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Off to the Summer Leagues the Dirtbags Go LONG BEACH, CA-- The Dirtbags will send 18 players off to various summer baseball leagues, highlighted by shortstop Danny Espinosa to Team USA to play for Head Coach Mike Weathers. The trio of OF Chris Nelson (Harwich), UT Shane Peterson (Hyanis) and RHP Bryan Shaw (Chatham) will head to the Cape Cod League. "I'm really excited to get out there again. It's a great honor to play for USA Baseball, and I am looking forward to playing with a lot of other good players," said Danny Espinosa, who was a second team All-Big West selection in 2007. "It feels great to put on the USA jersey. Nothing can explain playing for your country. Until you put on that jersey, you don't realize how much of an honor it is and how much pride you have behind you." DIRTBAGS IN VARIOUS SUMMER LEAGUES www.northwoodsleague.com – main site www.bybombers.com – Kip Masuda www.ducanvilledeputies.com – Dustin Rasco www.wccbl.com – main site www.necbl.com – main site www.ciclbaseball.com – main site www.palmspringspowerbaseball.com – Trevor Johnson Espinosa will be the 10th Dirtbag to play for the U.S., joining Chris Gomez (1990-91), Jason Giambi (1991-92), Rocky Biddle (1995), Bobby Crosby (2000), Jeremy Reed (2001), Abe Alvarez (2002), Jered Weaver (2003), Cesar Ramos (2004) and Troy Tulowitzki (2004). Espinosa will play for the Americans for the second time, having previously played on the 2003 USA Youth National Team. The National team is made up of 20 initial underclassmen (and 22 total). The 2007 USA Baseball National Team will open its season in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) on June 19 in preparation for four international series and two international events this summer. Team USA will play in the Pan Am Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the World Port Tournament in The Netherlands. The USA Baseball National Team will also host the 36th Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate Championship Series and an Inaugural Friendship Series versus the Chinese National Team. "The Pan Am Games are just below the Olympic Games in terms of international competition and feel," Head Coach Mike Weathers said. "You have the Pan Am Village which all the countries live in together. It's a tremendous experience, and you're playing for medals – gold, silver and bronze – not just playing for a championship of a tournament. So the competition is as stern as it can be." The USA Baseball National Team will be led by Long Beach State Head Coach Mike Weathers who will be making his second coaching tour with the USA Baseball National Team. In his previous USA Baseball coaching assignment, Weathers was an assistant on the 2003 USA Baseball National Team which captured a silver medal at the 2003 Pan Am Games. Assisting Weathers on the 2007 USA Baseball National Team coaching staff will be Rob Cooper (Head Coach, Wright State), Bill Kinneberg (Head Coach, University of Utah), and Mark Scalf (Head Coach, UNC Wilmington). In addition, current Long Beach State University Baseball SID Niall Adler will serve as the 2007 USA Baseball National Team Press Officer. Media requests can be forwarded to nadler@csulb.edu. NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER: Pedro Alvarez IF So. Vanderbilt New York, NY Ryan Berry RHP Fr. Rice Humble, TX Jordan Danks OF So. Texas Round Rock, TX Danny Espinosa IF So. Long Beach State Santa Ana, CA Ryan Flaherty IF/OF So. Vanderbilt Portland, ME Logan Forsythe IF/OF So. Arkansas Memphis, TN Brett Hunter RHP So. Pepperdine Moorpark, CA Roger Kieschnick OF So. Texas Tech Rockwall, TX Lance Lynn RHP So. Ole Miss Brownsburg, IN Brian Matusz LHP So. University of San Diego Cave Creek, AZ Tommy Medica C Fr. Santa Clara San Jose, CA Jordy Mercer RHP/IF So. Oklahoma State Taloga, OK Preston Paramore C So. Arizona State Allen, TX Josh Romanski LHP/OF So. University of San Diego Corona, CA Tyson Ross RHP So. California Oakland, CA Cody Satterwhite RHP So. Ole Miss Jackson, MS Justin Smoak IF So. South Carolina Goose Creek, SC Jacob Thompson RHP So. Virgina Danville, VA Brett Wallace IF/OF So. Arizona State Sonoma, CA Jemile Weeks IF So. Miami FL Altamonte Springs, FL Baseball National Team Minimized Schedule July 14-19, Pan American Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
