On the Road With Team USA - Final Update, August 7
7/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Day 31
Cuba 4, USA 3 (10) - Gold Medal Game
FINAL UPDATE
Well it is with a broken heart that I write on the last day from
Japan. However, there are two songs that I would like all of you
to fire up on your Ipods: "I'm Proud to be and American"
and "Born in the USA", two verses that I will say over and over
after today's game. There are a few things that I have
learned in my life, but today is another lesson.
The Gold Medal Game:
The first seven innings of the game was a pitching duel with
Gonzales from Cuba a RHP 6'5" long loose 94-96 with a 84-85 mph
slider and an 82 mph split and they are all for strikes vs. Gerritt
Cole 94-99 with an 85 mph change and 84-88 mph slider. Gonzales
goes 10.0 innings, Cole goes 7.0 innings and at the end of the
seventh it was 0-0. With two outs and two strikes Drew Maggi hits a
fastball out of the park to right field to give USA a 1-0 lead.
Cuba answers with a solo home run from its star Depagnes to tie
the game 1-1. Then in the bottom of the ninth Cuba loads the bases
with no outs and Nick Ramirez gets a 1-2-3 double play and then a
6-3 ground ball. Here comes the international tie breaker.
(Gulp.)
Runners at first and second and no outs, Jackie Bradley bunts,
George Springer beats out a double play with a diving reaching
slide at first base, Nick Ramirez singles and the Americans lead
3-1. Bottom of the 10th and we are three outs from the gold medal.
First hitter for Cuba hits a fly ball and Jackie Bradley makes a
Willie Mays catch in center and we are in business. Wow!
Despanes hits a 1-1 change up out of the park for a 4-3 Cuba
victory. The game is one pitch at a time, and one of the greatest
games I have ever been a part of. I am so proud of our American
kids, men, players, superstars, competitors. We played our hearts
out against one of the most physical teams I have ever seen. I have
given my life to the game and at times it has taken my heart and
broke it in half.
Well, it was a great summer, great experience and we are so proud
to represent the United States of America. One pitch at a time
boys.
Glad to be coming home!!
Go Dons!!
Coach G
Day 30
USA 4, Japan 2 - Semifinals
Tokyo, Japan
The day we have all been working so very hard for, our chance to
face Japan in Tokyo in front of 12-15,000 fans, finally arrived.
Well watch what you wish for because we faced the Japanese Baseball
Hero (Saito). This guy is a RHP that is the most recognized
young baseball player in Japan. The first inning they scored one,
we go out and draw a walk by the two-hole hitter, a base hit by
Jackie Bradley Jr. and a HBP by Ryan Wright and then came the shot
heard around the world. A grand slam by George Springer off the
Japanese hero in the first.
USA leads 4-1 in the first. Japan scored in the second to make it
4-2 and that's all the scoring for the game. Team USA wins in Japan
to advance to the Gold Medal Game vs. Cuba. I am so very proud of
how our players continued to push through some very bad calls. A
missed call at third in the second, double play call missed in
fourth and about 15 pitches that could have gone our way.
It was a day that we grew as a country and a as a team. This is a
very difficult place to win, and now we get our wish to play one of
the best teams I have ever seen in Cuba. These are professional
players, and the American players also will someday be professional
players. Sonny Gray and George Springerwill be drafted in the first
round. Gerritt Cole may be the first player taken in the draft and
he will get his chance to beat the Cubans.
We have a day off tomorrow, and then six months of planning and
work will be realized in the Gold Medal round.
Go Dons!
Coach G.
Day 28
Tokyo, Japan
We were up early and on our way to play China in a No. 1 vs. No.
4 matchup. We won 11-0 vs. a China team that is not very good. We
have a day off tomorrow and we will play the winners of Japan and
Taipei. It is hard to believe that a year of work will come to a
close in three days. The selection process, trials, games, and now
the medal round will dictate our fate. We need some rest and off we
go to make more adults out of great kids. This is the proving
ground for any great youth of America.
Go Dons
Coach G.
Day 27
Tokyo, Japan
The days are moving fast and it has been difficult to sit down
and write the blog. Sorry for the two day gathering. However it has
been a quick turnaround. Today we were up early and in search of
the Mizuno store on the sixth floor. It was a good thing that Tosh
our interpreter is with us to help navigate the trains, streets,
and directions from the many people. It was a fun and very hot walk
for about an hour to rifle through six floors of shoes, clothes,
gloves, and any other Mizuno related article.
Nico wants a glove, shoes, batting gloves, bat, wrist bands. Sure
wish I knew Matsuda Mizuno and then he could cut Nico a deal. Maybe
we could have Matsui or Hiro put in a call for us, hahaha!
Well, we had to rush back to make it for our 2:15 departure for our game against Canada. The stadiums are awesome, turf, 25,000 seats in the three pro stadiums – Jingu, Yokahama, and the Toyko Dome. Today we are in Yokahama to play the Canadians for the first seed in our pool play.
Team USA won 9-1 and it was not a very close game. Team USA is starting to hit, play defense, and really pitch. Matt Barnes from UConn was marvelous in a two-hit performance against the Canadian team. Well we're 4-0 in our pool and will play China at 12 tomorrow. It's a quick turnaround for the one seed. Everything is set up to benefit the Japanese and draw a good crowd.
Pool A
Pool B
Cuba 4-0
USA 4-0
Japan 3-1
Chinese Taipei 2-2
Korea 1-3
Canada 2-2
China
0-4
Sri Lanka 0-4
The medal round looks like this
USA vs. China
Cuba vs. Sri Lanka
Japan vs. Taipei
Korea vs. Canada
The way it is shaking out we will need to beat Japan in front of
its home crowd and defeat Cuba to win the gold. The Cuban Team is
about as good as there is in baseball. We will really need to play
to our best of our ability.
Go Dons!
Coach G.
Day 26
Tokyo, Japan
It is really hard to believe that it has been a month since my departure from the halls of War Memorial Gym and the friendly confines of Benedetti Diamond. Only seven days left and the second tour of duty with America's Team will be in the books. It has been a wonderful experience representing our country once again in a baseball uniform.
Japan has also been great. The discipline these people have is amazing. The streets are clean, safe, and very friendly. The people have a way about them, how they eat, speak, work, and adhere to a code that makes them very special. I know know why Coach Nakamura is the way he is. (Great.)
On to Baseball and game two of the FISU tournament. The opponent was a familiar one in Chinese-Taipei and the game was nothing short of spectacular! Garrett Cole was the starter for us and, on a side note, throws three pitches at 100 mph. They scored first to take a 1-0 lead, Drew Maggi answers back with a two out RBI in the second and we go up 2-1 and they tie it at 2-2. We play even for 5.0 innings and then it gets crazy. I try to send a guy in the sixth with two outs on a ball that rattles in the right field corner and he is thrown out at the plate.
Taipei answers with two runs in the sixth to take a 4-2 lead.
Team USA bounces back with three in the sixth for a 5-4 lead.
Taipei ties it 5-5 and extend it to a 6-5 lead in the seventh. Ryan
Wright hits a solo homerun in the ninth to tie it 6-6 with one out.
International play calls for runners at 1st and 2nd and no outs in
the 10th (CRAZY).
Taipei scores one in the 10th and so does Team USA. In the 11th we
hold them and score on a single to right center field by Nick
Ramirez. Team USA WINS in a four hour extra-innings game, and one
of the greatest battles of the summer.
Go Dons
Coach G.
Day 24
Tokyo, Japan
The opening day of the FISU World Baseball Classic started off with a 15-0 beating of Sri Lanka and it was a mismatch from the beginning. It was the worst baseball team that I have ever witnessed as a coach or player. The positive side of the lesson was their intense love for the game and their enthusiasm for the little things: a catch, a strike, an out, a ball fouled off, a ball hit into play. These are all the things that we as Americans forget in our pursuit of excellence.
The enthusiasm of the Sri Lankan team never wavered for the three innings that we beat the heck out of them. All our hits, steals, and 14 out of 15 strike outs could not take their spirit from them. Day one was a great gift, as Cuba beat Korea 18-0 and put our Team in the right frame of mind for the gold.
On the travel front we made it to the Imperial Palace and it was something that words could not express!! Fabulous.
Go Dons
Coach G
Day 23
Narita, Japan
Day 22
Taipei City, Taiwan
Today is our last day in Taiwan and we took a visit to the
Temple and saw a very interesting observation of faith, belief,
ritual and beauty. It is so very interesting to see the different
belief system of Buddhism and the wonders of belief. Brenda,
Bianca, and I traveled by train to the temple and asked questions,
picked up our seven long incense sticks and proceeded to follow the
seven stations and deliver our sticks in each of the of the seven
areas of reflection.
From what I can gather, there is a waterfall to cleanse your
thoughts in the beginning, stage two they bless their food or bring
gifts of nourishment to Buddha, 3,4 5,6,7 are all different
stations to pray. We tried to look as transparent as one can as an
American Catholic in a Buddhist temple. I'm sure our prayers
were heard. It was a great experience to see how they could be
given so little and believe so much. This is a subject I will
research in time.
Now, on to baseball, the USA won 9-1 on 12 hits, can you dig it?
Twelve hits are a big deal and possibly the right time to break out
before the beginning of a world championship. Today is a travel day
from Taipei to Tokyo – a three hour flight and a few bus
rides. We are leaving at 5:30, on our way to the bus and on to
experience Japan.
This will be our first time there and we are very excited to see
how Hiro Aoyama (former USF baseball trainer) has lived in his
country. We are hoping the red, white, blue hit well, play defense
and above all pitch!
Go Dons
Coach G.
Day 21
Taipei City, Taiwan
Coach G saved his job for at least a few more days as the USA Baseball Team bounced back to put up a 6-3 victory over Chinese Taipei. After a few days of not executing at the plate, we found a way to put up six and held on for the victory. The Chinese sure do know how to play defense and their effort is tremendous. It is amazing to travel outside of the USA and see the passion and love for the game is everywhere.
One more game tonight and then it is on to Japan for the FISU College World Games. We need to get it going offensively. It is execution - of the bunt, hit and run, scoring runners - that wins all baseball games. Fundamentals are important even with the best players in the world.
Speaking of such a small world, we are walking to Starbucks in Taipei City and Brenda walks right into Yurie Hashiguchi a freshmen tennis player at USF. Four million people, over six thousand miles and we walk the same path as a Don. The world never stops in the amazing form of how small it really is. It was great to see her and catch up on normal USF information.
Hope all the Dons baseball players are staying up with their workouts for the summer. It's going to be a great 2011.
Go Dons!
Coach "Kept his job for another day" G.
Day 20
Taipei City, Taiwan
Up early and out to embrace Taipei City. The Giarratano family is off to learn all about the city and culture of China. We are off to the subway with six of the players to see one of the tallest building in the world, The 101. It looks like six Chinese carry out boxes stacked as high as it can go. Sorry Naks for the description, but you know what I mean.
Two train rides at about 100 mph later and we are at The 101. Bianca and I are deathly afraid of anything over six feet, but Nico and Brenda are daredevils. The building is very beautiful. It is $12 to shoot up an elevator 90 floors in 40 seconds and I held on with my toe nails for the next 25 minutes. It was a great experience to see Bianca sit down in the middle of the room and then embrace her fear by walking outside and looking down. The players were very helpful in getting her to the edge, and no one could hear my knees knocking in all the confusion.
Nico and Brenda were laughing, hanging at the window and having a blast watching us sweat. It is something you all need to see, just Google it if you have some time. Then it was off to the mall and lunch at the Macaroni Grill, first real meal in three days. Yep, we are back at the Italian portion of the blog.
This trip has really changed my outlook on the environment, what a great day and so many nice people that don't speak the same language we do.
On to the game at Singwang Stadium, it was scoreless through eight innings. We made an error in the ninth, Noe Ramirez strikes a guy out on three nasty sliders with a runner at third an one out. Then with two strikes and two outs he leaves a change up and base hit! We lose again 1-0. It's a crazy game. The USA is not Superman right now. It is hard to believe, but we have now lost two in a row and are not hitting. I say fire the hitting coach and bring on the Japanese. Well I guess its time to earn my keep and start to help these kids for the rest of their lives. Lesson number one: Don't panic, believe in yourself and take it day by day.
On to the night market to shop with Bianca until 1:30 am. The best thing about her shopping skills is she never panics, she always believes in herself, and she never wants to fire the coach!
GO DONS!
Coach G.
Day 19
Taipei City, Taiwan
We're getting ready to play and trying to transition to a normal lifestyle without the comforts of home. Things I miss most: mostly iced tea, breakfast and eggs. The smell of the fish is not what we San Franciscans call sugo (past sauce) for all you non-Italians. Julie you're with me right? Anthony or G-Rev knows a good red sauce when they smell one.
Well, quick turn around for a 7 p.m. game. After18 hours of travel and several different countries it is time for a few hours of sleep before game time. The team experienced different food, I could not find iced tea, but everyone knew it was game time by looking up in the sky. You guessed it: rain and more rain. It has been one of those summers. Man it's hot here in China. The field is absolutely flooded and we are working on it for at least an hour, with no Diamond Dry or Naks to fix the field.
There is a cart with two young Chinese boys sitting in the back with a rake!! Haha. Now we take over and line rake the field to get it playable by 9 p.m. for the start.
We are ahead 1-0 in the 7th and then we make an error, give up a hit and all of the sudden we are down 2-1 for the first time this year, on the road a long way from home and very tired. You guessed it, we fail to score a runner from third in the 8th with one out and lose for the first time in two tours 3-1. Very rough way to start the trip! Well beaten and tired it is back to the hotel to re-group for day two in Taiwan.
GO DONS!
Coach G.
Day 18
Somewhere in the friendly skies
We're on our way to Taipei. The team is up at 8 a.m. in Omaha and off to the airport to head to Minnesota and then to Tokyo and on to Taipei City. It was a long one for the group. First a one-hour flight to Minneapolis and then a three-hour layover, then 12 hours to Tokyo, a one hour layover there, and then three hours to Taipei City. Once we landed, it was a one-hour bus ride to the hotel and here we are in Taipei City.
It was a rough day of sleeping and wearing down the travel. I'm not sure what day or time it is and trying to get used to all the different times, foods and weather is a shock to the system. The time change is crazy. It is 9 a.m. in the morning here and 6 p.m. in San Francisco. It is great to have the family here to experience this trip. You need to see it to believe it. To put it into perspective, take San Francisco and add three million people on mopeds and that's what we are dealing with here.
GO DONS!
Coach G.
July 21
Rosenblatt Stadium - Omaha, NE
The day we had all been waiting for: USA vs. Japan in Rosenblatt Stadium, Omaha Neb., home of the College World Series. Rewind to the start of the day: Lunch at QWEST center, hosted by the Omaha Sports Commission.
It was a great opportunity to share lunch with the Japanese Team, meet the Mayor and rub elbows with ESPN analyst Kyle Peterson, former Stanford pitcher and native of Omaha. Lunch was great. Tiger, the starting Japanese catcher, was extremely funny. It is remarkable that baseball is the most amazing way to communicate between two different countries.
Off to the field and the ride to Rosenblatt!! Brings back the many great memories of the 1998 run to the National Championship when I was at Arizona State. The walk into the locker room, batting practice on the field, the crowd and the many great college players to play on that field.
Well, a lot of that was overshadowed by watching Nico take ground balls, and hit with the team. It was such a great feeling to watch all the players prepare for today's game. The game was great - a 4-1 win by USA - and it was amazing how many fans cheered USA. What a great day! I wish we could do it like this everyday. We also hope the Dons play here in Omaha at the new site of the CWS.
Go Dons
Coach G.
July 20, 2010
Papillion, NE
Well, sorry for the delay in blog. Day 15 was a busy one, after being in six states in one day, we had some rain. A lot of rain. I can't believe how much rain there is outside of San Francisco in the summer. We are very lucky to have the cool fog in the afternoon summer. These folks had three inches in one night. Well that sure had an effect on the field - Fricke Field in Papillion Neb.
It was a little wet to say the least and we were very worried someone would be injured. Luckily we made it through the exhibition with an 8-4 win. It was a very sloppy game and one that we needed to get us on track for the road trip to Taipei.
Today I welcomed the rest of the family to the trip. Brenda, Bianca and Nico, along with my parents, my wife's parents, and my brother-in-law, Rodney and his boy Stratton. It is always a great energizer to see folks on the road. It also helps to put this whole thing in perspective.
I'm around all these superstar college players everyday and when people show up and are excited to meet the CWS Player of the Year Jackie Bradley Jr., it helps you to understand how much fun it is!
Go Dons!
Coach G.
July 19, 2010
Kansas City, MO
Folks, Day 15 was by far one the greatest baseball experiences of my life. That's a lot of baseball and this goes down as one of the top-five for a baseball junkie like me.
It stared out at 4:45 a.m. with a bus ride to the Durham Airport to catch a 6:00 a.m. flight to Nashville, connect to Kansas City, bus to Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Chiefs (I'm a Bronco fan) change and tour their practice facility (120-yard indoors, pools, outdoor grass field, weight room, equipment, locker room, front office). Then we bussed to Royals Stadium about 600 yards away where we stretched, took batting practice on the field along with infield-outfield for the entire front office and coaching staff.
After bp, we got a workout in their facility at the field. Then we bussed back to shower and change, head back to Stadium and the former USA players, coaches and now Major Leaguers from both teams (Royals and Toronto Blue Jays) came by to speak to the team.
Team USA Alumni:
Willie Bloomquist - Royals, Arizona State, USA
Ricky Romero - Blue Jays, Cal State Fullerton, USA
Luke Hochevar - Royals, Tennessee, USA
Eddie Rodriguez - Royals 3rd base coach, Team USA Coach.
It was amazing for our kids to hear them talk of wearing the uniform and the pride of representing Team USA and the entire country! Powerful stuff about becoming a team, handling adversity, playing with pride, enjoying the relationships!
Then it was on to batting practice and standing at the cage and talking hitting with Royals Hitting Coach Kevin Seitzer and interacting with the players (wow)! Then it was off to the bullpen box: dinner, ribs, chicken, pizza, salad, cookies, steak, tea, and tea, tea and tea! Did I mention fresh brewed tea!
Next, College World Series Player of the Year, Jackie Bradley Jr. threw out the first pitch and G. Cole caught it. In the third they showed highlights of all the players on the Jumbo Crown, showed reactions from the box live and everyone in the house wished us luck on our quest for Gold. Now that is a great day for a baseball coach.
Did I mention my nephew had a healthy baby boy Lucca Giarratano? Now that's a legit home run.
Go Dons
Coach G
July 18, 2010
Cary, NC
It is evident that time flies and we cannot ever slow it down. It has been two weeks here in Cary and the surrounding North Carolina area. Wow how fast when you are busy and working toward something great. Today is our last day here at the wonderful confines of USA Baseball and the Embassy Suites.
We won again today to push our record to 6-0 with a rain delayed 5-3 victory. Yes I did say rain delay for the fifth-straight day!!! We pitched great, played great defense, and had some timely hits. Jackie Bradley made a diving catch to double off the Koreans in the third, Brian Johnson made a chicken in the fifth and Noe Ramirez caught a ball behind his back in the seventh, should all be on web gems tonight.
Well, it's off to Kansas City in the morning with a workout at Royals Stadium and a tour, workout and meeting of the players from both teams. Really looking forward to the day. It's a 4:45 a.m. bus ride and 6 a.m. flight. See you all in KC!
Go Dons
Coach G
July 17, 2010
Durham, NC
It is so hard to believe that it will be two weeks since I left the 52 degree weather of San Francisco. I miss opening the window and getting some legit fresh air! The air conditioner has not had a break in my room for one minute. (See ya soon 52...) Stef Gartrell update from yesterday: we spoke and he had a great night 3-for-4 with a home run and two singles. We had seven hits tonight and two were infield singles. You go Stef!!
Today was a normal day, had a little time to work out and search for some tea and Mexican Food? Anyone that knows me well (players, family, friends, parents, bloggers) knows for certain that I run on Mexican and iced tea. Moe's Mexican was the first in two weeks. I'm just trying to condition myself for Japan. George Lujan knows how much I like Mexican food.
Baseball: Tonight's game was a very good one. We beat Korea 1-0 and scored on a one- out triple by Ryan Wright in the eighth inning. G Cole pitched the eighth and ninth and was great - 97-98 and sharp. The crowd was awesome and so is the Ballpark in Durham. The only people missing were Susan Sarandon and Kevin Costner, but what was really missing was the home run Ryan Lipkin hit in his first game with Team USA.
Hope everyone is well.
Go Dons
Coach G
July 16, 2010 Fort Mill, SC
USA wins again to go to 4-0 on the year. The most exciting part of the night was the walking into the AAA Clubhouse at the Fort Mill, SC Knights Stadium, home of the Chicago White Sox and Stefan Gartrell. Talk about a proud moment to see that name in the locker and tell everyone on the USA team that's a Don, and a very good Don. Good luck to Stef.
As far as the game, we go down 1-0 in the fifth on a solo home run, then we hit a solo homer to tie from Nick Ramirez at 1-1. Then comes a walk to Alex Dickerson and a two run homer by Pete O Brien - about 450 out of the stadium in left - puts us up 3-1. Brad Miller hit a leadoff homer in the sixth and that was it.
We pitched great again, hit three home runs on four hits, but we struck out 14 times... not happy about that!! However, the Korean team can really pitch. On to the bus and a three hour ride home. The life of a baseball player. I LOVE IT!
Go Dons Coach G
July 15, 2010
Cary, NC
Today was a great day to coaching Team USA.
Gerritt Cole pitched today vs. Korea and there were about 4,000 people in the stands of our home stadium in Cary, NC. The Chamber of Commerce supported the event with food, music, games and autographs from the US Team. There was only one problem: someone needed to check with Mother Nature. You guessed it rain, rain and more rain. The field crew tarps the diamond and the game was pushed back to 8 p.m. Tarp off, rain, tarp on.
At this time we need to shut down Cole, and Johnson is the starter at 9:20 p.m. The 4000 is down to about 40 - it looked like an Indian's game from the `60s . Korea jumps into the lead 1-0 through 5 and then we score 3 in the 6th, one in 7 and 4 in the 8th. 8-1 final and the USA wins.
Like I said in beginning, it was a great day to be an American.
See you soon.
Coach G
July 14, 2010
Cary, NC
There is some really great news and some really bad news.
We always start with the good news. USA Baseball starts the season off with a 3-0 win over Korea. Three pitchers combined for an opening day NO HITTER. Sonny Grey, Kyle Winkler and Noe Ramirez struck out 12 and gave up no hits. We managed nine hits against some really good pitching, scoring early and then added two runs late for a great victory.
Now the bad news: We lost The National Collegiate Player of the Year Anthony Rendon from Rice when he broke his right ankle and tibia in the first inning of the game. Anthony was projected as our everyday third basemen and three- or four-hole player, not to mention he is projected as the first position player selected in the 2011 draft. My heart goes out to him and his family. Life is full of challenges.
On a positive note, I had a friend from 20 years ago at the game today. Chris Heier and his son drove from Florida for the game. It was great to see him and realize how special this experience is for me.
Good luck Anthony, thanks Chris and Go Dons.
Coach G
Cary, NC
We have really tried hard to get our season under way for the past 48 hours and the rain continues to swirl around North Carolina. However, we loaded the bus this morning and had three hitters for early work and then down to Fayetteville for a 7 p.m. game.
We won today 7-3 in a rain shortened 8-inning game. We were pretty good offensively with 13 hits. The three errors weren't very good, but with pitching like we have, things are safe. We only gave up three hits.
From a coaching perspective we need to play a whole lot better. From a tour perspective it was good to play game one with our team. We will improve in all areas. On the bus now and the rain is really hitting us as well as some severe lightning.
See you all tomorrow.
Coach G
Go Dons!!!!!!!!
July 12, 2010
Gastonia, NC
The Team was picked and the gear was checked out. The gear was passed out - shoes (cleats/turfs), uniforms (blue, grey), polo, shorts, sweat pants, sweat top, Nike dry-fits (red, blue), pullover jacket, tee shirts, hats (game, mesh, practice) - that's a lot of gear!! Very well deserved with being named as one of the top 22 players in the country.
Now it was on the bus and a four hour ride to Gastonia, NC for game number one. The bus pulls up to a pharmacy in Gastonia - yes I did say a pharmacy/diner/t-shirt shop. Then some fans show up for autographs and pictures. They were very excited to get the autograph of one of their heroes, me (haha not). They were lined up for Jackie Bradley Jr., the College World Series champion and CWS Player of the Year, and of course Garrett Cole.
Now, it's onto the game, bp and 20 minutes of fan appreciation and pictures of Jackie (by the way he has handled himself great)!
Now here comes the rain, rain, rain about two inches in about 20 minutes and the dugout floods and no chance for game one! Back on the bus and home by 12 p.m. Very disappointed about not being able to play. Oh well. There is always tomorrow at Fayetteville.
See you then.
Coach G.
Cary, NC
The final roster of 22 for the 2010 Team USA has been finalized. What an amazing learning opportunity to make 22 players as happy as they could possibly be and 13 about as sad as they can be.
We selected 11 pitchers. Garrett Cole pitched today from 95-98 with an 87-90 slider. It was amazing to see the ball come out of his hand from the third base box. Along with Cole (UCLA) is Sonny Grey (Vanderbilt), Matt Barnes (UConn). Both guys were 94-97. Then we go to Brett Mooneyham (Stanford, LHP) 89-92 with a great change, Scott Mcgough (Oregon) 90-94, Tyler Anderson (Oregon) 89-92, Sean Gilmartin (Florida State) 85-88 with Tom Glavine-like stuff, Kyle Winkler (TCU) 90-94 with a slider at 84, and two from Cal State Fullerton - Noe Ramirez 87-92 with power sink and a change up and Nick Ramirez 87-90 with a plus change - round out the staff.
There were some outstanding kids, people, players that we had to let go. My wish for them is that this wonderful experience is one that really helps them.
We selected two catchers - Peter Obrien (Bethune-Cookman), probably the smallest school in the group and Steve Rodriquez (UCLA). An interesting fact is that Steve and Mason Morioka of the USF Dons grew up and played together. Steve and Mason split time growing up as players and the Moriokas once again spread their unbelievable, gracious behavior on Steve. Small tidbit: Mason has been doing 100 push-ups and sit-ups since he was young, that's why he is so stacked! And the Moriokas have been spoiling us with their wonderful food for a long time. Thanks folks.
Please see the complete team release here: USA Baseball CNT Release
Well off to Gastonia for game one tomorrow. God bless the kids on their way out and please watch over the ones that will be expected to win the gold.
Coach
July 10, 2010
Cary, NC
How fast can the days really pass? Well, when you are up early and try to use each and every second to get better as a team, it flies by in a second.
Wonderful lesson in life is how important each and every day is in the life of a hopeful USA player. The coaches meet everyday on who will be the lucky and very deserving 22 players to represent the United States in the 2010 world FISU games in Japan. Some days you're in and the next they are out. Then a hit, strikeout, dive, hustle play, pop-up and all of a sudden, their entire summer changes.
Tomorrow we will name the 22 best for the summer, and yes, we will make some mistakes just like all the coaches before us. Just google all the players in the MLB that played in college and did not get invited or were cut from Team USA. Maybe the greatest story came in 1999 when one Ryan Howard was sent home, and the starter that year is our very own Tagg Bozied! Great for Tagg and he was very deserving after the 30 home runs he hit.
Only time will tell and we have grinded out every detail. My heart goes out to the ones that do not make it. They will all be great people and players. Stay tuned for the roster announcement tomorrow night the kids have given all they have.
Go Dons!
Coach G.
July 9, 2010
Cary, NC
Well, I found my bag and now I know I'm on the 6th floor and now I can get back to coaching baseball and working on helping young players reach their full potential. It has been a very great experience for me to be an assistant coach here with Team USA. Many thanks to Naks for all the charts and help in my organizing of practice, bp (batting practice), line-up charts, offensive approach charts, and practice plans. Also thanks for your "Nakamura Dictionary" on heat index (chonies) really Naks?! Lol.
Thanks to G-Rev for all the camp work, watching after Nico and helping to make the Junior Dons stars. Anthony, thanks for the inside edge, video, travel budget. Coach Hobbs, recruiting, recruiting, recruiting, and getting married. Mrs G. - thanks as well for raising the family while I play baseball coach.
Seriously though, this assistant thing is hard and it humbles me as to how much my staff has spoiled, suppported and made me look good. There is so much work behind the scenes that I have always known and seen and now I feel you dog! I sure have learned and now can really appreciate all the people that have helped us get there tonight.
Hope the team gets some sleep and plays well tomorrow.
Thanks,
Coach G
July 8, 2010
Cary, NC
Too many hotels? Or too many years? You take your pick.
Well this is how the story goes: please understand that the heat index could cause loss of memory, dizziness or just plain mixed up. The bus brings us back from the field to the hotel at 2 p.m. and we are to go back for the game at 4 p.m. Great. Two hours to return emails, call my wife, make the line-ups, check stats, shower, get ice tea and then change for the game or take a much needed nap.
Well I get off the elevator and can't get into room 632 so I leave my bag with my whole life outside my door and head back to the front desk of the Cary Embassy Suites - which by the way is a great place. I get the key and get off on the sixth floor and no bag. OMG! My passports, wallet, recruiting material, game charts, line-ups, practice plans gone. So I think the players from Cal State Fullerton are playing a prank or maybe the guys in 605 or 606.
So, I give it 20 minutes and then I'm in a panic going door to door and no bag. I call Brenda and tell her, now I need a new license, passport in 10 days to make the trip. An hour and 20 passes and Coach Serrano calls for the bp sheet and I say there is a problem: I can't find my bag. He says "Well there was a bag in front of 532 about 2 hours ago".
You can do the math! Got off on the fifth floor and my key didn't work... duh???? Go to the front and off on the sixth no bag, panic, freak out, look out window every five minutes, accuse everyone!
Well luckily I found it and had a great laugh. My wife texted and said to pay attention to your surroundings old man!!! Wow payback is rough.
Baseball was great after that. The boys are starting to hit, 17 last night and some stolen bases. Two days left and we pick the team. Some really tough decisions.
See you all soon if I get off on the right floor.
Go Dons
Coach G - Room 632
July 7, 2010
Cary, NC
Hello to any and all of my wonderful friends, family, and any bloggers. Two things for certain on day two: it's hot and yes, Mrs. G has already gotten the message and she was smokin' like the heat index of 106 today.
It was another great day at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, NC. Today we were on field three for some short game execution, hit and run and some bunt defense. We moved on to some early bp and the guys really started to settle in on becoming the 2010 Team USA.
The game brought on some stars again Sonny Grey from Vandy, a 5-9 RHP tossing it up there at 92-96 with a real good slider and Sean Gilmartin from Florida State, a crafty LHP that carved the offense up. The night ended in 5-5 tie and belonged to Drew Maggi from ASU who had three hits and four stolen bases on the night. WOW! What an effort and what a player.
Saturday is cut day and things are getting tight as we prepare to pick the team that will defend the gold from the 2008 FISU games. Time for some rest. It is 1:30 NC time and we will be on the field at 9 for day three.
Thanks for following.
Coach
July 6, 2010
Cary, NC
Hello to all! I'm very excited to continue my blog for the second tour of duty with Team USA 2010.
The names of the past have already come close to Star recognition. The 2008 Team has made a great splash in the world of Major League Baseball. Mike Leake is 6-1 with the Reds, Steven Strasburg is off the map with the Nationals, Andrew Oliver is already in the MLB, Minor moves to AAA in Atlanta. Wow goodbye to the 08 team and time to make some history with this group of young stars.
Day one was a long and very fun day at the Cary complex. It starts with a 96 degree day with a heat index of 106. What the heck is a heat index to a guy that has lived in San Francisco for the last 12 years? I thought a heat index was when I did not need to wear my fleece inside or outside for 20 minutes. Or maybe when my wife was using the credit card. Oops kind of early to start out that way.
Anyhow at the field at 9:30 and that is 6:30 SF time, my internal clock is a mess! Practice from 10-12, lunch, scrimmage from 1-6:30 and back to the hotel to meet and evaluate the 38 players in camp and find out how to get to 22 by Friday.
Pitching today was very good 90-97 for the entire game. Offense struggles and I still have a job for the summer. The stars for the day Anthony Rendon - Rice 3b, Obrien - Bethune Cookman Catcher (home run) Barnes 94-97 from UConn, Noe Ramirez - Cal State Fullerton and Jackie Bradley Jr. - South Carolina.
Thanks for engaging and stay tuned as I educate myself on the heat index.
GO DONS!
Coach Giarratano
