From the Games to the Show
Following the leads of USA Basketball and Hockey, USA Baseball
will field a team of professionals--though not current major
leaguers--for the 2000 Games in Sydney. Led by former Dodgers
manager Tommy Lasorda, a team made up of professionals will
attempt to reverse the fortunes of the U.S., which has only one
bronze medal from the two Olympics in which baseball has been a
medal sport. In the meantime here's a Dream Team lineup of
Barcelona and Atlanta alumni now in the big leagues and thus not
available for the Summer Olympics. --David Sabino
POS. PLAYER, TEAM COLLEGE SKINNY
C Charles Johnson, Miami 1992 backstop having his
Orioles best offensive year with
.302 average and 20
homers through Sunday
1B Jason Giambi, Long Beach Amid monster year, is
A's State leading big leagues in walks,
with 79; also led '92 squad,
with nine
2B Warren Morris, LSU Shared team high with five
Pirates homers in '96 Games; had 15 as
Pirates rookie in '99, but only
two this year
SS Nomar Garciaparra, Georgia Tech Reigning American League
Red Sox batting champ beat odds when,
as freshman, he made '92 team
in tryout
3B Troy Glaus, UCLA Converted shortstop leads major
Angels league third baseman in homers
(28), walks (60) and steals
(10)
LF Michael Tucker, Longwood More a speedster at the
Reds (Va.) '92 Games with seven thefts,
he's slugging .552 for
Cincinnati in 2000
CF Jacque Jones, USC Big RBI man in '96 now paces
Twins Twins with 14 home runs and has
.487 slugging percentage
RF Jeffrey Hammonds, Stanford USA's best hitter in '92
Rockies hit .432; is batting .357 and
had 67 RBIs in 67 games
RHP Kris Benson, Clemson Yielded three home runs in '96
Pirates semifinal loss to Japan, but
now has 3.43 ERA
LHP Jim Parque, UCLA Allowed four runs in four
White Sox innings of relief in '96;
having breakout season (9-2,
3.88 ERA) in Chicago
Closer Billy Koch, Clemson Lost to Cuba in only start
Blue Jays in '96; now a closer, he has
52 career saves in 60
opportunities
COLOR PHOTO: DAMIAN STROHMEYER An Olympic walk-on in 1992, Garciaparra leaped to major league stardom.