Arizona Fall League 2010

If your not already aware, the 2010 season of the Arizona Fall League is in progress. This is my 16th year serving as the Medical Director of the AZ Fall league. The fall league games are a great way to enjoy the cooler weather and check out new talent in baseball.
Below is a article about Bryce Harper, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 First-Year Draft and Washington Nationals player. Bryce will be playing in the Arizona Fall League as a member of the Scottsdale Scorpions. Definitely a player to watch now and in the future of baseball.



Nats' Harper to play in Arizona Fall League


By Bill Ladson / MLB.com

The Nationals have decided that outfielder Bryce Harper, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 First-Year Draft, will play for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League. He will report on Tuesday.

Harper will be on the taxi squad, which means he will play twice per week. When he doesn't play, Harper will work on his swing and his skills in the outfield.

The news comes after Harper hit .319 with a .407 on-base percentage for the Nationals in the instructional league. He also led the team in several offensive categories, including hits, homers, RBIs and walks.

"He performed admirably in the instructional league," general manager Mike Rizzo said. "He got his feet on the ground and he was immersed in baseball, which he embraced greatly. He is what we call a baseball rat."

Rizzo said he thought about putting Harper in the AFL before the young slugger started playing in the instructional league, but he didn't make the decision until recently. Rizzo said Harper's performance on and off the field reinforced his decision.

"He's 17 years old and he doesn't even turn 18 until Saturday," Rizzo said. "He is very excited. What I had to decide on was: 'Is he going to be over his head in the AFL?' It's a very advanced league, but I think he is going to handle it. It's going to be very valuable to him."

The club did not want Harper to be idle for the next two months, so they believed it was better for him to continue playing baseball under Randy Knorr, who is managing the Scorpions. Knorr is considered one of the best teachers in the Nationals' organization.

Rizzo, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman, hitting coach Rick Eckstein and Phil Rizzo, a special advisor to the general manager, will also be in Arizona to help develop Harper.

"There is a high level of baseball going on," Mike Rizzo said. "Two months of this guy working out, practicing and playing will only benefit him. He is going to be fine in the [AFL]."

Harper is expected to begin the 2011 season at Class A.

"He is going to A-ball, make no mistake about it," Rizzo added. "He is not going to be a rushed guy. We are going to let his performance and development dictate where this guy goes."

Harper, after putting up monster numbers in high school, received a lot of publicity last year when Sports Illustrated referred to him as the "Chosen One," and baseball's version of LeBron James.

Shortly thereafter, he turned more heads when he received his high school equivalency in lieu of becoming a junior in high school, then headed to the College of Southern Nevada to join a junior-college program that plays in a wooden-bat conference.

Having been used primarily as a catcher in the past, Harper is currently playing right field. Rizzo believes that Harper will get to the big leagues faster if he plays somewhere other than behind the plate. He is considered an above-average outfielder with a great throwing arm and speed.

In addition to the physical tools, Harper had the stats to warrant being taken No. 1 overall. In 2008 as a freshman at Las Vegas High School, Harper had a .599 batting average with 11 home runs and 67 RBIs in 38 games. He followed that up with a .626 batting average, 14 home runs and 55 RBIs the next season.

Playing against a high level of competition and hitting with a wooden bat didn't present much of a challenge to Harper. The 17-year-old hit .442 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs during the 2010 regular season.



Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, All Nats All the time. He also can be reached on twitter -- @washingnats. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101013&content_id=15613880&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&partnerId=ed-4229999-55422965&source=ed-4229999-55422965

Dr. Mattalino's travels with USA Baseball in Puerto Rico, October 2010- Entry 9

Team USA defeated Cuba (one of their toughest opponents), 4-1. This win earned USA a spot in the semifinals and the #1 ranking so far in the tournament. The first game of the Semifinals was held on Oct. 12th, with the USA playing the Dominican Republic.
Team USA undefeated record in this tournament earned them a spot in the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, tentatively scheduled for next October. And a spot in the 2011 IBAF Baseball World Cup, date and location TBD.

*Highlights from the game are below

GOLDEN ARCHES: U.S. starter and Chicago Cubs 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year Chris Archer was dazzling Monday night, authoring six scoreless innings, allowing two hits, walking none and striking out 10. Archer kept the Cuban lineup off-balance all night, not allowing a runner past first base in his final four frames.


BARD HITTIN’: With an infield hit in the first inning, Brian Barden moved his hit streak to six games (8-22, .364). The veteran of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Baseball Team has played three positions for Team USA in the Pan American Qualifier, seeing time at left field, shortstop and second base.

OLD AQUAINTANCES: Kansas City Royals prospect Mike Moustakas was no stranger to Cuban starter Vladimir Garcia, having faced the righty just over four years ago in the quarterfinals of the COPABE Junior (18U) Pan American Championships. Moustakas played left field and batted clean-up for the 18U National Team, and finished the day 3-for-4 with two runs scored. As for Garcia, he came on in relief in the seventh inning and failed to record an out, allowing two earned runs on two hits. Moustakas slapped a two-run double down the left field line to get the U.S. on the board first Monday night, giving his team a lead it would not relinquish.

QUALITY QUALIFYING: By finishing in the top seven of the Pan Am Qualifier, the United States has punched its ticket to the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, tentatively scheduled for next October. Additionally, Team USA’s top-six finish guarantees it a spot in the 2011 IBAF Baseball World Cup, date and location TBD.

FAMILIAR FOES: Monday marked the ninth time a USA Baseball Professional Team and Cuba have met since 2000, including the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The U.S. moves to 6-3 in those games. Prior to Monday’s game, Team USA had most recently faced its intercontinental rival last September in Italy, as it took home gold from the 2009 IBAF Baseball World Cup.

SEMIFINAL BREAKDOWN: With the win, the U.S. is the No. 1 seed advancing from Round 2, while Cuba finishes the round as the No. 2. Earlier today, Venezuela defeated the Dominican Republic, 12-4, to finish third. Although both teams completed play with 4-3 records, Venezuela earned the tie-breaker with Monday’s win. Team USA will face the Dominican Republic in the 1 vs.4 game at 7:30 p.m. ET at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan on Tuesday night.



TODAY’S OTHER ACTION (Round 2 records):
2:00 p.m. ET (Ponce) – Panama 5 (3-4), Nicaragua 2 (0-7)
2:00 p.m. ET (San Juan) – Venezuela 12 (4-3)*, Dominican Republic 4 (4-3)**
7:30 p.m. ET (San Juan) – Canada (2-4), Puerto Rico (2-4) (Late)

Dr. Mattalino's travels with USA Baseball in Puerto Rico, October 2010- Entry 8

Team USA defeated Canada, 4-0, to Stay an Undefeated 8-0 in Pan Am Qualifying on October 10, 2010. The game was held at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

*Highlights from the game are below.

K MACHINE: With his two strikeouts in the fifth, starter Mike Montgomery finished with eight for the game, pushing his tournament total to a team-leading 14. The lefty overtook fellow Kansas City Royals prospect Everett Teaford (13).


HIT PARADE: By going 1-for-3 Sunday, Brian Barden has logged at least one base hit in each game he has played in the tournament (7-for-19 in five games). His .368 average is good for second on the team (Brett Jackson, .667). Barden is a two-time USA Baseball alum, having previously donned the red, white and blue for the bronze medal-winning 2008 U.S. Olympic Baseball Team.

MOOSE BREAKS LOOSE: Mike Moustakas, who entered Sunday’s tilt with a .200 average, despite being tied for the team lead with six RBIs, found his stride at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored to raise his average 50 points.

QUITE THE OPENING ACT: For the second day in a row, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim prospect led off the game with a home run. Sunday’s shot to left was the 19-year-old’s team-leading third of the tournament and came on an 0-1 count.

FAMILIAR FOES: Sunday marked the 14th time since 2008 that a USA Baseball Professional Team has faced Canada in international competition, including exhibitions. Team USA is 12-1-1 in those games.

UPCOMING OPPONENT PREVIEW: The U.S. will face intercontinental rival Cuba on Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET in Ponce’s Paquito Montaner Stadium to conclude Round 2 play. Cuba is 6-1, 4-1 heading into Sunday’s game against Puerto Rico, its lone loss coming Saturday night against the Dominican Republic, 9-6. Cuba and the U.S. have a long history of competition, with USA Baseball’s Professional Teams holding the advantage five games to three since 2000, including the Sydney Olympic Games. Most recently, Team USA defeated Cuba, 10-5, to take home the gold medal from the 2009 World Cup in Italy.

TODAY’S OTHER ACTION (Round 2 records):
1:00 p.m. ET (Ponce) – Venezuela (3-2), Panama (1-4)
5:00 p.m. ET (Ponce) – Dominican Republic (3-2), Nicaragua (0-5)
7:30 p.m. ET (San Juan) – Cuba (4-1), Puerto Rico (2-3)

Dr. Mattalino's travels with USA Baseball in Puerto Rico, October 2010- Entry 7

Team USA defeated Venezuela, 6-3, on October 9th in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This win meant that Team USA moved to 7 game wins - 0 losses in the Pan Am Qualifying games.

*Highlights from this game are below

FORMIDABLE OPPONENT: Team USA faced off against Venezuela today. Venezuela, the IBAF 9th ranked team in the world, is the last team to beat Team USA at the professional level when it outlasted the U.S., 13-9, in 11 innings on September 10, 2009 at the IBAF World Cup in Regensburg, Germany. Since then, Team USA professional teams have won 21 straight games in tournament play.


ANDRE THE GIANT: Milwaukee Brewers prospect Andre Lamontagne pitched three shutout innings in relief for Team USA. Lamontagne yielded just two hits while striking out four for the red, white and blue. Andre pitched at the Double-A level in Huntsville for the Brewers in 2009.

TROUT POWER: Mike Trout led off the game today for Team USA with his second home run of the tournament. Trout’s homer was a blast to centerfield that traveled approximately 415 feet. Trout, 19, hit 10 homers this season during stints in the Angels’ High and Low-A affiliates.

RAINING K’s: After a two-hour and two-minute rain delay, Team USA and Venezuela pitchers combined for 24 strikeouts with Venezuela striking out 13 U.S. hitters and the U.S. fanning 11.

TIEBREAKER RULE IN EFFECT: The international extra-inning tie-breaker rule, which was established by the IBAF in 2008, was put into play in the 12th inning of today’s game. The rule has each team start its half of the inning at any point in their lineup and with runners on first and second base. In the top half of the 12th, Team USA scored four runs, two coming on a Cord Phelps double, while Venezuela plated one in its half.

TODAY’S OTHER ACTION:
Canada 9 – Panama 5
Nicaragua vs. Puerto Rico – 7:30pm
Cuba vs. Dominican Republic – 4:00pm

Dr. Mattalino's travels with USA Baseball in Puerto Rico, October 2010- Entry 6

On October 8th, Team USA shutout Nicaragua with a final score of 5-0 in the opening game of Round 2 of the Pam Am Qualifying games. USA now holds 6 wins and zero losses in the tournament. The victory over Nicaragua qualified the USA team for 2011 Pan American games in October.

*Highlights from this game are below

PAN AM BOUND: With today’s victory the U.S. clinched a spot in the 2011 Pan American Games which will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico next October. The U.S. took silver at the 2007 Pan Am Games in Rio De Jainero, Brazil. Since 1951, with teams comprised mostly of collegiate level players, Team USA has won gold only once (1967), while winning the silver medal nine times (1951, 1955, 1963, 1971, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007) and the bronze three times (1959, 1983, 1991).


COACHES CORNER: Philadelphia Phillies Minor League Manager Roly de Armas is in his fifth stint as bullpen coach for Team USA. Roly, a member of the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies coaching staff that won the World Series, has been with team USA since 2006. de Armas has helped lead the U.S. to World Cup gold medals in both 2007 and 2009, a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and first place at the 2006 COPABE Olympic Qualifier in Havana, Cuba.

REDMOND DOMINANT: USA starter Todd Redmond moved to 2-0 in tournament play, pitching seven shutout innings while holding Nicaragua to just four hits and striking out six. Redmond, a member of the gold medal-winning 2009 World Cup squad moves his record to 5-0 with a 1.25 ERA in his two seasons with the Team USA.

ELECTRIC CORD: U.S. second baseman Cord Phelps went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored to lead Team USA to victory. Phelps, a prospect in the Cleveland Indians organization, played his college baseball at Stanford.

TODAY’S OTHER ACTION:
Dominican Republic 5 – Canada 2
Cuba 4 Panama 1 – 7th inning
Venezuela vs. Puerto Rico – 7:30pm

Dr. Mattalino's travels with USA Baseball in Puerto Rico, October 2010- Entry 5

On October 6th, Team USA finished 5-0 in Pan Am Qualifier Pool Play. USA defeated Panama in the final qualifying game with a final score of 10-2. With this win, Team USA advanced to round 2 of the Pan Am Qualifying games in Puerto Rico.

*Highlights of this game as well as the schedule for Round 2 are below.

DUFF’S ENOUGH: Left-hander Danny Duffy started for Team USA tonight and turned in five solid innings for the victory, giving up four hits and only a single run over that span. Duffy (1-0) pitched in Northwest Arkansas (AA) in the Kansas City Royals organization this season. Royals GM Dayton Moore was in attendance for the second night in a row.


COACHES CORNER: Chicago White Sox Minor League pitching coordinator Kirk Champion begins his fourth stint as pitching coach for Team USA. Champ, as he is known, won gold at the 2009 IBAF World Cup in Europe, took home silver at the 2001 World Cup in Taiwan, and he helped lead the U.S. pitching staff at the 2006 COPABE Olympic Qualifier in Havana, Cuba. Champ enjoys pretzels and Werthers caramel candies on team bus rides.

TROUT BREAKS OUT: USA center fielder and Angels farmhand Mike Trout continued his torrid hitting. Trout went 3-for-6 with a HR, 2 runs, 3 RBIs and a stolen base. In four games, Trout is 9-for-16 with six runs scored and four RBIs, good for a .563 average. The 19-year-old Trout, the Angels 2009 first round pick, hit .341 in 131 minor league games this year, stealing 56 bases and scoring 106 runs.

WHATTA RELIEF: Three U.S. relievers combined to pitch the final four innings. Bryan Henry (1 ER), Bruce Billings and Justin De Fratus scattered just three hits over the final four frames to lead the U.S. to its fifth straight victory and first place in its pool.

TODAY’S OTHER ACTION:
Canada 10 – Netherlands Antilles 1
Dominican Republic – Aruba – PPD
Argentina – Nicaragua – Late

ROUND 2 SCHEDULE SET FOR PAN AM QUALIFIER

Team USA to open against Nicaragua at 7:30 p.m. EDT in Ponce

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The local organizing committee for the 2010 COPABE Pan American Qualifier released the event schedule for Round 2 and the medal rounds, Thursday night. The schedule for Team USA is as follows for Oct. 8-13:

Round 2

Oct. 8 - Nicaragua, Paquito Montaner Stadium, Ponce, Puerto Rico, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Oct. 9 - at Venezuela, Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2:00 p.m. EDT
Oct. 10 - at Canada, Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2:00 p.m. EDT
Oct. 11 - Cuba, Paquito Montaner Stadium, Ponce, Puerto Rico, 7:30 p.m. EDT

Medal Rounds

Oct. 12 - TBD, Semifinals, Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Oct. 13 - TBD, Finals, Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico

The United States enters Round 2 action 3-0, as it brings with it only the victories against the other three advancing teams from its preliminary pool (Domincan Republic, Puerto Rico and Panama). The eight advancing teams (four from each of the two opening round pools) will take these three-game preliminary records and add them to their four-game records from the second round to create a new, seven-game record. From there, the teams are ranked 1-8. The top four advance to the medal rounds, Oct. 12-13. Additionally, the top seven finishing teams will join host Mexico in the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara.


Please visit www.USABaseball.com for more information. As a note, Internet availability is expected in Ponce and San Juan, and therefore live scoring for each game can be followed at www.USABaseball.com as well.

Dr. Mattalino's travels with USA Baseball in Puerto Rico, October 2010- Entry 4

Team USA beat the Dominican Republic tonight, October 5th, 8 - 3. This win means that Team USA is 4-0 in the 2010 Pan Am Qualifying Tournament. Key points to this win: USA beat Dominican former Major league pitcher Bartolo Colon. and our winning pitcher 1st Lieutenant Nick Hill is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. It was a proud day for all the members of Team USA.

Read below for highlights from tonight's game or visit www.usabaseball.com for more information.

Arch Ally: Team USA starter Chris Archer pitched four solid innings for Team USA, limiting the Dominican Republic to three runs on four hits while striking out five batters. Archer, a top prospect in the Chicago Cubs system, was named the organization’s pitcher of the year this past season and was presented with the award last month in Chicago.




COACHES CORNER: Former Major League Manager Carlos Tosca is making his Team USA debut as third base coach. After serving as the third base coach for the Toronto Blue Jays, Tosca was named manager and served in that capacity from 2002-2004. Tosca also held the job as bench coach for both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Florida Marlins.



CY NONE: 2005 American League Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon lasted just 2.1 innings tonight for the Dominican Republic. Colon gave up six runs on seven hits and walked a batter. Colon, now 37, was a two-time All-Star, winning 153 Major League games over a 13-year career that saw him pitch for five teams.



HILL ON THE HILL: Team USA pitcher Nick Hill (1-0) pitched three shutout innings in relief to record the victory. Hill, a graduate of West Point, scattered three hits and struck out three to earn the win. It was Hill’s second appearance in the tournament.



HOS STAYS HOT: USA first baseman and Kansas City Royals prospect Eric Hosmer went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Through the first four games of the tournament, Hosmer is hitting .455 with six walks, five runs scored and two RBIs.

TODAY’S OTHER ACTION:

Venezuela 3 – Nicaragua 2

Argentina 4 – Netherlands Antilles 3

Panama 12 – Aruba 4

Puerto Rico – Colombia – Late

Cuba vs. Canada – Late

Dr. Mattalino's travels with USA Baseball in Puerto Rico, October 2010- Entry 3

Team USA defeated Columbia in the 3rd game of the Pan Am Qualifying Pool Play, October 4th. The game was held at the Roberto Clemente Stadium in Puerto Rico. Team USA was able to win the game over Columbia with a final score of 13-6.

Read below for highlights from the game or visit www.usabaseball.com for more information on Team USA & the 2010 Pan Am Qualifying Pool Play.

ROYAL FLUSH: Team USA was led to victory today over Colombia by a trio of Kansas City Royal prospects. Lefty Mike Montgomery (1-0) gave up two runs and scattered five hits over five innings while striking out six for the victory. He was helped out by fellow Royals future stars Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer. Moustakas went 2-for-5 with 3 RBIs and a run scored, while Hosmer, also 2-for-5, scored 2 runs and knocked in one.




COACHES CORNER: Former major leaguer Leon “Bull” Durham begins his first stint as Team USA hitting coach. “The Bull,” as he was known, played 10 seasons in the Major Leagues and was named to the National League All-Star Team in 1982 and 1983. Durham was a member of the 1984 N.L. East Champion Chicago Cubs. He is currently a coach in the Detroit Tigers organization.



RAINING RUNS: The seven runs scored by Team USA in the third inning against Colombia are the most in a single inning since Team USA scored seven against Chinese Taipei at the 2009 IBAF World Cup in Torino, Italy.



BALANCED ATTACK: Team USA pounded out 19 hits against Colombia pitching today. Every member of the U.S. starting lineup collected at least one hit and each scored at least one run, including outfielder Todd Frazier who replaced Brett Jackson in the 5th inning.



TROUT FISHIN’: USA outfielder Mike Trout reached base four times, going 3-for-5 with a walk, while knocking in 2 runs and scoring two more. The 19-year-old, who was a first round draft selection of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft, is the youngest member of Team USA.

TODAY’S OTHER ACTION:

Venezuela vs. Netherlands Antilles – 1:00pm

Canada vs. Argentina – 1:00pm

Nicaragua vs. Cuba – 7:30pm

Panama vs. Puerto Rico – 7:30pm

Aruba vs. Dominican Republic – 7:30pm

Dr. Mattalino's travels with USA Baseball in Puerto Rico, October 2010- Entry 2

This past Sunday, October 3rd, Team USA played Aruba in game 2 of the Pan Am Qualifying Pool Play in Puerto Rico. Team USA defeated Aruba 14-0 in a 7 inning game. Below are some highlights from the game.

OLYMPIC BLAST: Team USA shortstop Brian Barden crushed a two-run homerun to right-center in the third inning to put the U.S. up 2-0. Barden went 2-for-4 on the night with 4 RBIs and 3 runs scored. This is Barden’s second stint with Team USA. In 2008 he was a member of the Olympic squad that won bronze in Beijing. In eight Olympic Games, Barden hit .265 with a homer and five RBIs.


COACHES CORNER: Former major leaguer Jay Bell begins his first stint as first base coach for Team USA. A two-time All-Star, Bell played 18 seasons in the majors, compiling 1,963 hits for five different teams. His teams reached the postseason five times, and in 2001 while with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Bell scored the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 7 of the World Series to beat the New York Yankees in one of the most thrilling World Series games in MLB history. Bell won the Rawlings Gold Glove award in 1993 as a shortstop with the Pittsburgh Pirates.



DOCTOR K: Tonight’s U.S. starter Everett Teaford, currently in the Kansas City Royals organization, surrendered a single to Aruba’s first batter then pitched a five perfect innings, striking out 10 of the 15 batters he faced, to record the win and push Team USA to 2-0 in pool play.



GOOD EYE: U.S. first baseman Eric Hosmer has walked six times in nine plate appearances over the first two games. Hosmer walked 59 times in 579 plate appearances in the Minor Leagues this year.



GOOD GENES: USA reliever Bryan Henry entered the game in the sixth and retired the side in order, striking out two. Henry’s grandfather Larry Callaway is a member of the Senior Softball Hall of Fame. Callaway holds 35 national softball titles.



WELL TRAVELED: USA outfielder Jaime Hoffman of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization went 3-for-3 with 3 runs scored. Hoffman was selected by the New York Yankees in the 2009 Rule 5 Draft and was sent back to the Dodgers after Spring Training.

TODAY’S OTHER ACTION:

Nicaragua 8 – Netherlands Antilles 4

Venezuela 5 – Canada 3

Panama 5 – Colombia 3

Cuba vs. Argentina – Late

Puerto Rico vs. Dominican Republic – Late

Dr. Mattalino's travels with USA Baseball in Puerto Rico, October 2010- Entry 1

I am currently traveling with USA baseball, as the team physician, as they compete in the 2010 COPABE Pan American Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico. Yesterday, October 2nd, was our first game in the series against team Puerto Rico. Team USA defeated Puerto Rico (7-4) in front of a friendly, partisan baseball savvy crowd in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Tonight, October 3rd, we play Aruba, once again in Ponce, Puerto Rico.


U.S. DEFEATS PUERTO RICO, 7-4, IN PAN AM QUALIFYING OPENER


Team USA to face Aruba, Sunday, at 7:30 p.m. EDT in Ponce

PONCE, Puerto Rico -- The USA Baseball Pan American Qualifying Team (PAQT) defeated host Puerto Rico, 7-4, Saturday night, in its opening game of the COPABE Pan American Qualifying Tournament. Saturday marked the first of five pool play games for the U.S., as it took its first step toward attempting to qualify for the 2011 Pan American Games.

Brett Jackson led all U.S. hitters, going 3-for-4, including a three-run home run in the sixth inning with Team USA leading, 4-3. Todd Frazier also hit a three-run shot, his highlighting a four-run second inning for the United States.

U.S. starter Todd Redmond (1-0) picked up where he left off as an ace with the gold medal-winning 2009 World Cup Team, going five and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and striking out four for the win. Tim Collins and Justin De Fratus combined for three and one-third innings of three-hit, one-run (none earned) relief.

The three-run blasts from Jackson and Frazier were the headlines for Team USA, as all of its runs came in the decisive second and sixth innings. Brad Eldred opened the second frame with a stand-up triple, and first baseman Eric Hosmer followed with a four-pitch walk. Frazier, a top prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, then hit the first pitch he saw from Puerto Rico starter Hiram Burgos over the left field fence to put the U.S. ahead 3-0. Later in the inning, Mike Trout lined a shot to left-center – hitting the wall in nearly the same place Eldred did earlier in the inning – and legged out a triple of his own on a close play at third, eventually scoring on the play via an errant relay by the shortstop.

Puerto Rico came back to within one, pushing a run across in the top of the fourth and two more in its half of the sixth, but in the bottom sixth frame, the U.S. put the game away for good. Frazier and Kratz led off the inning with back-to-back singles, and Trout executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. Two batters later Jackson unloaded on an Efrain Nieves offering to right-center to push Team USA to a 7-3 lead.

De Fratus allowed one unearned run in the ninth as Puerto Rico attempted to mount a rally, but the right-hander got Neftali Soto to ground out to first to end the game.

Burgos (0-1) took the loss for Puerto Rico, and Jorge Padilla and Gabriel Martinez led all hitters for the host nation, both going 2-for-4.

The U.S. (1-0) next faces Aruba (0-2) at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday night in Ponce.

Live scoring for all U.S. games will be available at www.USABaseball.com, the online home for USA Baseball. Please visit the site for schedule and roster information, tournament updates and more. Overall tournament information can be found by clicking here. Saturday night’s box score, cumulative stats and play-by-play are attached.

NOTES:

OPENING GAME TRENDS: Team USA lost the opener of the 2009 IBAF World Cup, a 13-9 loss to Venezuela, in extra-innings. Team USA went onto win its next 14 games en route to the 2009 IBAF World Cup gold medal. Team USA is 4-2 in its last six professional team tournament openers dating back to 2006.

COACHES CORNER: Former major leaguer Ernie Young begins his first stint as Manager of Team USA. Young was a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team that won gold in Sydney, Australia and also served on the Team USA coaching staffs at the 2009 IBAF World Cup in Europe (gold) and the 2003 Olympic Qualifier in Panama.

ACTION JACKSON: Brett Jackson, who led Team USA with a .545 batting average during training camp in Cary, N.C., continued his torrid hitting going 3-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and a three-run home run in the sixth inning. Jackson is an outfield prospect in the Chicago Cubs organization and attended and played baseball at Cal-Berkeley.

SMOKIN TODD FRAZIER: Cincinnati Reds prospect Todd Frazier put Team USA on the board with a three-run blast to left in the second inning. Frazier finished the night 2-for-4 with a HR, three RBIs and two runs scored. Frazier was the winning pitcher in the 1998 Little League World Series for champion Toms River, N.J., in Williamsport, Pa.

ACE RETURNS: U.S. starter Todd Redmond who went 3-0 with a 1.21 ERA in three starts for the 2009 World Cup gold medal team pitched 5.2 innings giving up 2 earned runs while striking out four and walking only one in his second stint with team USA.

NOTEABLE FANS IN ATTENDANCE: Former scout and Puerto Rican League star Jorge Posada, Sr., father of Yankee catcher and Puerto Rico native Jorge Posada, and former Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krause were in attendance at tonight’s game.


TODAY’S OTHER ACTION:

Colombia 9 – Aruba 2

Venezuela 4 – Argentina 0

Canada 7 – Nicaragua 6

Cuba vs. Netherlands – Postponed

Panama vs. Dominican Republic – Late



*Follow Dr. Mattalino updates as he travels in Puerto Rico with USA Baseball this month.*