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An In-Depth Look at the USA Baseball 18U Team
07/01/2010, 6:16pm (EDT)
By Steve Sidoti
Last season's USA Baseball 18U team was one of the most prominent 18U teams that USA Baseball has put together in quite some time. That is saying something, considering that the 18U team has included the likes of former big league stars such as Albert Belle, John Smoltz, Mike Mussina, and Shawn Green to name a few. Some of the current major league stars that are now alumni include the likes of Alex Rodriguez, Matt Holliday, Brian Wilson, Andrew McCutchen, Billy Butler, Justin Upton, and Clayton Kershaw among many others. But despite the big names and success that these players have had playing professional baseball, none were able to bring home a gold medal to the 18U team.
So, Long Island native Rick Riccobono took it upon himself to not only assemble the best talent possible, but to put together a group of players who understand the value of a team.
Bryce Harper
In his first season as general manager, he did just that and brought home the COPABE Pan American AAA/18U Championship to team USA for the first time in the clubs history.
According to Riccobono, “The bigger challenge for us over the years has not been the talent, but I think the chemistry, the idea of buying into the team concept and putting 'team' and in this case 'the country' before some of your own ambitions. This is a group that obviously was very talented and the draft showed it. But, they really bought into what the staff was telling them they needed to do from a chemistry perspective and accepting the role given to them. It was a very unique group in that respect.”
You could also say that this group was unique in the sense that the roster included all of the top three selections in this year’s MLB First-Year Player Draft in Bryce Harper, Jameson Taillon, and Manny Machado, as well as the No. 9 overall pick, Karsten Whitson. In reference to the team aspect, Kevin Gausman is also a big-name player who bought into the concept as he accepted a closer role despite tremendous success as a starting pitcher. His willingness to put the team first, ultimately led him to close out the gold medal game against Cuba.
The star of that final game was hard throwing right-hander, Jameson Taillon. The Texas high schooler, who was recently drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates (# 2 overall), was awarded the win after striking out 16 Cuban batters in 7.2 innings pitched, with no runs allowed and one walk.
His outing and his “stuff” was so spectacular, that his opponents knew that they were witnessing something special. So much so, that the Cuban players took pictures and asked for autographs following the game in which they were absolutely dominated by the 6'7 superstar.
For the 2010 season, General Manager Rick Riccobono's goal will be to try and put together a team as talented as the group that brought home the gold medal last season. He and his staff have a ton of work ahead of them.
Manny Machado
The identification process for choosing players begins at “The Tournament of Stars.” This invitation only event is held at the teams' National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., and will last from June 23rd-27th. Throughout the week, 120 players will compete on eight different teams, all with the ultimate goal of playing for USA baseball. At the end of the week, it is down to 36 players who will advance to the next step, the 18U team trials.
The trials will take place for one week beginning June 29th. During the trials, these 36 players will participate in Red vs. Blue inter-squad scrimmages, which will help Riccobono's staff make some pretty tough decisions. At the conclusion of the trials, the final 20 man roster will be selected, and on July 4th, the 2010 roster will be announced.
Once this roster is set, the 18U National Team will then go and train together in anticipation for the World Championships, which will take place later this year in Thunder Bay, Canada. Their training includes a stop playing in Washington D.C., where the players will learn what it truly means to wear the “U.S.A.” across their chests. They then will head to New York City for the Greater New York Sandlot Baseball Classic Tournament.
The New York City trip includes a five game series throughout the metropolitan area, where they will face the Greater New York Sandlot Athletic Alliance (GNYSAA) 2010 All-Star team. Off the field the team will enjoy a full tour of the city, made possible by the GNYSAA organization.
“We think it's going to be a tremendous experience for these kids,” said Rick Riccobono of the tour. “I think I take it for granted a little bit because I grew up on Long Island, but a lot of these guys have never been to New York City. When you see the Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero, it is one of those things that hits home, reminds you of who we are representing and what wearing a USA jersey truly means.”
After New York, it will be on to Minnesota, where the 2010 team will play some semi-pro clubs, as well as international opponents including Team Canada and Chinese Taipei.
From there, the team will make their way North to Thunder Bay, Canada for the World Championships, where they will see some of the world's best.
The activities that Team USA participates in, helps the players better understand who they are representing and allows them to appreciate the gift that they have, playing the game of baseball at such a high level. Last season, the team joined up with the Miracle League and played baseball with handicapped and disabled children. The team also visited Fort Bragg where the players spent time with some of the wounded warriors who were back from the Middle East.
The players have so much to gain by playing for team USA, from the experiences off the field, to the unbelievable experiences they face on the diamond. In the end, they become better players and individuals, showing talent evaluators even more about themselves.
When thinking about players who have truly impressed both on and off the field, Riccobono remembers witnessing first-hand the growth of a very talented pitcher. “Jameson Taillon is a great example,” said the one-time Boston Red Sox draftee. “He's a guy who I think a club can look at and say, 'you know what, this kid has pitched in as much as a pressure situation as you are ever going to pitch in against Cuba for a gold medal, in a game that the United States has never won and in Venezuela.' I think there is a lot of value in that. Our guys grow and mature not only on the field but definitely off of it as well. The experiences you have and the things that you have to overcome, the adversity you have to get through, it's extremely unique and our players are better for it on the back end.”
When Rick Riccobono is out making his sales pitch to high school ballplayers and their parents, he wants to make sure they truly understand how great the opportunity really is.
“With players, ultimately our job is to educate, and let them know what 'it' is all about,” said Riccobono. “It is no cost at all for the players who participate with us. We educate them on what the opportunity entails and what it really means. At the end of the day, I think it is something that the player inherently aspires to be a part of it or he does not. If a player really wants to represent his country, he is going to take the opportunity.”
One thing is certain though, the Team USA 18U general manager will stick to his formula.“We say this a lot. It's about choosing the right guys, not necessarily the best guys. And that's a big part of what we do.”
Photo Captions
- 2009 USA Baseball 18U National Team COPABE “AAA”/18U Pan American Champions
- First round 2010 MLB Draft picks, Bryce Harper (Washington Nationals) up to bat, Manny Machado (Baltimore Orioles) throwing.
Photos by Rob Goldberg / Provided by USA Baseball
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