Olympic Baseball Dream Team

[JPhillips]

I thought it would be fun to create a USA baseball dream team using current players. All of these guys are currently playing, although I may not be up to date on injuries. I stuck to the MLB 25 man roster even though Olympic teams are often much larger. I tried to stay away from one-year wonders, but you'll probably notice a couple. Let me know what you think and feel free to create your own. Anyone who wants to take the time to make a team for the Dominican Republic should be able to create a hell of a team.

Roster

P Jason Schmidt
P Randy Johnson
P Curt Schilling
P Roger Clemens
P Mark Mulder
P Dontrelle Willis
RP Troy Percival
RP John Smoltz
RP Joe Nathen
RP Keith Foulke

C Jason Varitek
C Paul LoDuca
1B Jim Thome
1B Todd Helton
1B Jason Giambi
2B Marcus Giles
3B Scott Rolen
3B Alex Rodriguez
SS Nomar Garciaparra
SS Derek Jeter
OF Steve Finley
OF Lance Berkman
OF Gary Sheffield
OF Barry Bonds
OF Jim Edmonds

I'm thinking a lineup of:

1 Derek Jeter SS
2 Nomar Garciaparra 2B
3 Alex Rodriguez 3B
4 Barry Bonds RF
5 Jim Thome 1B
6 Gary Sheffield LF
7 Jim Edmonds CF
8 Jason Varitek C


Let the debate begin!

[Easy Mac]

Thats a good team, but who would play defense?

[JPhillips]

I'm a Money ball guy. Less defense, more homeruns!

[Ksyrup]

Does Bonds have a better arm than Sheffield? Shouldn't they be switched to their current positions?

For the Olympics, I'd sit Nomar, move A-Rod to SS, move Jeter to 2nd, and put Rolen at 3rd. This ain't the Yankees, Jeter doesn't get his way to the detriment of the team.

[General Mike]

Thats a good team, but who would play defense?

Helton, Rolen and Edmonds are all gold glovers and Finley is pretty good. I don't know why you would take a 3rd 1B over a 2nd 2B or 3rd catcher tho.

[HornedFrog Purple]

I would put Pudge at catcher, Andrew Jones in CF, Vlad in RF and Ichiro in LF to shore up some of that defense. Definitely Gagne in the bullpen somewhere.

I don't think you need a 5-man rotation for Olympic baseball, but I could be wrong.

[Ksyrup]

I would put Pudge at catcher, Andrew Jones in CF, Vlad in RF and Ichiro in LF to shore up some of that defense. Definitely Gagne in the bullpen somewhere.

I don't think you need a 5-man rotation for Olympic baseball, but I could be wrong.
None of them are US citizens, though, are they? Or am I missing the joke?

[JimmyWint]

I would add Ben Sheets to the Pitching Staff....After all He already has Olympic Experience :-)

[HornedFrog Purple]

Well that joke got ruined in the span of 2 minutes. :D

[Ksyrup]

Sorry. :o

[JPhillips]

Mike: The last player(Giambi) was a tough choice for me. I see either Nomar or Jeter as being able to play 2B and couldn't find a really good second option at 2B. Boone is probably the best choice, but I liked Giambi's bat better.

KSyrup: Yeah, I'm not sure who has a better arm. They can be switched as needed. I'd be fine with Rolen and not Nomar. If this really happened I think the decision would be A-Rod's.

Hornedfrog: Yeah, none of those guys are US citizens.

[Swaggs]

I would take Jason Kendall over LoDuca or Varitek at catcher.

[samifan24]

I think a more interesting team would be an All-Star US team made up of players who played for Team USA at one point.

[Hammer755]

I'm OK with the roster, but would shuffle the starting lineup around a good bit. I'd leave Bonds in LF, and put Berkman in over Shef in RF. I'd also move ARod to SS and play Rolen at 3B. ARod & Rolen would be a dream left-side of the infield, both offensively and defensively. Get Jeter the heck out of there. I'd stick with Giles at 2B over Jeter.

I'm not sure if you're excluding guys who are hurt, but Piazza is easily the best American catcher in the league, and IMO the best offensive catcher of all-time.

Edit - I'd also get someone else in there instead of Finley. JD Drew, Adam Dunn, Brian Giles, Luis Gonzalez. There are a bunch more deserving candidates than Finley.

[Samdari]

Well that joke got ruined in the span of 2 minutes. :D

It took you that long to type it?

[Huckleberry]

Get Jeter the hell out of there. He is inferior offensively and defensively to Rodríguez.

Rodríguez at SS and Rolen at 3rd is vastly superior to Jeter at SS and Rodríguez at 3rd.

[Hammer755]

Just looking at the pitchers, and I would remove Willis and Percival from the team and replace them with Hudson and maybe a Tom Gordon or LaTroy Hawkins or Eddie Guardado if you needed a lefty in the pen (again assuming you're not discounting guys who are injured currently). I'd probably have to consider Kevin Brown for a pitching spot as well.

[GrantDawg]

Get Jeter the hell out of there. He is inferior offensively and defensively to Rodríguez.

Rodríguez at SS and Rolen at 3rd is vastly superior to Jeter at SS and Rodríguez at 3rd.
Agreed.

[mckerney]

C Jason Varitek
C Paul LoDuca
1B Jim Thome
1B Todd Helton
1B Jason Giambi
2B Marcus Giles
3B Scott Rolen
3B Alex Rodriguez
SS Nomar Garciaparra
SS Derek Jeter
OF Steve Finley
OF Lance Berkman
OF Gary Sheffield
OF Barry Bonds
OF Jim Edmonds

Well, if we're talking a possibly baseball World Cup, which could happen around 2006 supposedly, I'd put Mauer at one of the catcher spots. Plus replace one of the OFers with Manny Ramirez.

[Hammer755]

Well, if we're talking a possibly baseball World Cup, which could happen around 2006 supposedly, I'd put Mauer at one of the catcher spots. Plus replace one of the OFers with Manny Ramirez.
Good point. I'd forgotten that Manny recently became a US citizen.

[SteelerFan448]

Yeah, Kendall or Piazza at catcher. I also think you need more youth on the starting pitching staff. I know Clemens, Johnson and Schilling are great, but that is 3/5 of your staff that is nearing the end of their prime.

[ISiddiqui]

Add me to the group that says Jeter should take a seat and have A-Rod at Short and Rolen at 3B. I'd throw Eric Chavez on the team as a backup to Rolen as well and tell Giambi that we havge too many 1B on the team, sorry. And perhaps bring in Jeff Kent as a backup at 2B if Jeter doesn't want to play 2B.

[pennywisesb]

I would put Hudson in for Willis and replace Finley with Giles. Other than that, I really like the team you put together.