MLB players who starred for USA

MLB players who starred for USA
MLB players who starred for USA /

MLB players who starred for USA

Jason Giambi

Jason Giambi
Mike Powell/Getty Images

Giambi showed signs of the patience, but not the power, he would take with him to the majors, finishing with a team-high nine walks but zero homers and only one RBI.

Nomar Garciaparra

Nomar Garciaparra
Courtesy of Nomar Garciaparra

Nomar's wife is the only one with Olympic success in the family. Garciaparra finished with just four hits in seven games as the U.S. failed to grab a medal in the first Olympics in which baseball was an official medal sport.

Jason Varitek

Jason Varitek
Brad Mangin/SI

This future "Idiot" backstopped the U.S. in Barcelona, batting .286 and driving in three runs.

Ron Villone

Ron Villone
Chris Williams/Icon SMI

Villone eventually became a journeyman lefty whose ability to pitch out of the `pen has kept him in the majors. He struggled mightily as a starter for the '92 team, going 1-1 with a team-high 8.18 ERA and allowing 17 hits and 10 runs in 11 innings pitched.

Troy Glaus

Troy Glaus
V.J. Lovero/SI

Showing signs of the power hitter he would become in the majors, Glaus stroked four home runs but drove in just five runs and struck out 10 times, finishing with a .219 average.

R.A. Dickey

R.A. Dickey
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Dickey was a bright pitching spot on the U.S. team that captured the bronze medal mostly thanks to a powerful offense. Dickey went 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA and pitched a complete game.

Mark Kotsay

Mark Kotsay
V.J. Lovero/SI

Now in his 12th major-league season, Kotsay batted .303 (10-for-33) for Team USA, scoring 10 runs, hitting 3 HRs, and driving in 6 runs.

Augie Ojeda

Augie Ojeda
AP

A career backup in the majors, Ojeda served as a bench player in Atlanta in 1996, getting just five at-bats and one hit.

Braden Looper

Braden Looper
Chuck Solomon/SI

Looper, a starting pitcher now with the Cardinals after spending most of his career as a reliever, was the closer for the 1996 U.S. Olympic team, earning one save in four appearances and not allowing an earned run.

Ben Sheets

Ben Sheets
John Biever/SI

Before becoming one of the NL's best starters, Sheets made his mark with Team USA. He went 1-0 with a 0.41 ERA and beat Cuba in the gold medal game.

Roy Oswalt

Roy Oswalt
Mark Dadswell /Getty Images

Oswalt didn't get a decision for Team USA in his two starts but posted a 1.38 ERA and struck out 10 in his 13 innings.

Doug Mientkiewicz

Doug Mientkiewicz
AP

With high school teammate Alex Rodriguez on the verge of a golden contract, Mientkiewicz was starring for Team USA and winning a gold medal instead, batting .414 (second on the squad) and driving in eight runs for the champions.

Ryan Franklin

Ryan Franklin
AP

Franklin anchored a productive bullpen for the Olympic champions, going 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in four games, striking out eight in his 8.1 IP.

Adam Everett

Adam Everett
Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images

Then as now, Everett's glove proved far more valuable than his bat as he lodged just one hit in 23 at-bats and scored only one run.

Jon Rauch

Jon Rauch
AP

The 6-foot-11 Rauch, who was recently acquired by the Diamondbacks, overwhelmed the opposition in Sydney, going 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA while striking out 21. He didn't walk a single batter in 21 innings of work.

Brad Wilkerson

Brad Wilkerson
Jed Jacobsohn /Getty Images

Wilkerson's offense went south Down Under as he struck out in nearly one-third of his at-bats (12 K's in 37 at-bats).

Bobby Seay

Bobby Seay
Robert Beck/SI

Seay saw action in only one game, retiring both batters he faced.


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