From October 1-10, USA Baseball is participating in the COPABE (Confederacion Panamericana de Beisbol) Pan American/World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico. Of the 27 nations that are members of COPABE, 12 have made it to this month's tournament. The top eight teams will advance to the 2011 Pan American Games competition in Mexico next October, and the top six teams will qualify for the 2011 IABF World Cup scheduled for the fall of 2011.
Currently, the USA is 2nd in the COPABE rankings behind Cuba. Last year, USA Baseball's World Cup team went 14-1 and defeated Cuba in the finals.
The USA team is composed of 25 players not on the 40-man rosters of MLB teams. While none of the players spent time in the New York-Penn League in the 2010 season, six team members are NYPL Alumni:
Chase D'Arnaud, INF (SS), Pittsburgh Pirates (parent club):
Chase was drafted in the 4th round of the 2008 Amateur Entry Draft. Later that season, he joined the 2008 State College Spikes, where he hit .286 with 10 doubles, 5 triples, and 1 home run. In addition to being named a 2008 mid-season NYPL All-Star, he was a 2009 South Atlantic League (SAL) Mid-Season All-Star, and a 2010 Eastern League All Star. At the Eastern League (EL) All-Star game in Harrisburg, Chase was named the Top Star due to his 7th inning grand slam.
Justin De Fratus, Relief Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies:
Justin was selected in the 11th round of the 2007 Draft. As a member of the 2008 Williamsport Crosscutters, Justing started 14 games, went 6-5 with a 3.67 ERA, and led the NYPL in innings pitched (83.1). Justin was named a 2009 SAL Mid-Season All-Star as a member of the Lakewood Blue Claws, and a 2010 Florida State League (FSL) Mid-Season All-Star while playing for the Clearwater Threshers. Justin ended the season pitching for the Phillies EL affiliate in Reading.
Brad Eldred, INF (1st Base), Colorado Rockies:
Brad was originally chosen by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the sixth round of the 2002 MLB Draft. He played for the 2002 Williamsport Crosscutters where he earned All-Star honors by hitting .283 with 22 doubles, 3 triples, 10 home runs, and 48 RBI. He was a Carolina League All-Star in 2004 with Lynchburg, and made it to the Pirates in 2007. In 2008, Brad was signed by the Chicago White Sox, and was named an International League (IL) All-Star on the strength of a 35 home run/100 RBI season. After a down 2009 campaign with the Washington Nationals' IL Syracuse affiliate, he signed with the Colorado Rockies in 2010. While playing for the Rockies' Pacific Coast League (PCL) affiliate in Colorado Springs, Brad once again earned All-Star status hitting .264, 27 doubles, 30 home runs, and 84 RBI.
Erik Kratz, Catcher, Pittsburgh Pirates:
Erik was selected in the 29th round of the 2002 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. He spent parts of the 2003 and 2004 seasons with the NYPL's Auburn Doubledays. Erik hit .312 in 49 games in 2003, and hit .308 in 10 games in 2004. By 2008, he had been promoted to the Blue Jays' AAA IL affiliate in Syracuse. In 2009, Erik signed with the Pirates, made the IL All-Star team with Indianapolis, and was named the Top Star at the IL/PCL All-Star Game. This past season, Erik, once again, was named to the IL All-Star team.
Cord Phelps, INF (2B), Cleveland Indians:
Cord, a Stanford University student, was taken in the third round of the 2008 MLB Draft by Cleveland. He played 35 games that season with the NYPL's Mahoning Valley Scrappers posting a .312 average. In 2009, he was promoted to the Indians' Carolina League (Adv. A) affiliate in Kinston where he earned Mid-Season and Post-Season honors. This year, Cord was moved to the EL (AA) team in Akron for the first part of the season. After hitting .296 in his first 53 games, he was sent to the Tribe's AAA (IL) team in Columbus where he hit .317 with 20 doubles, 4 triples, and 6 home runs and helped the Clippers win the IL and AAA Championships.
Todd Redmond, Starting Pitcher, Atlanta Braves:
Todd was originally selected in the 40th round of the 2003 MLB Draft by Kansas City, but did not sign. The following year he was chosen in the 39th round of the 2004 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played for the Williamsport Crosscutters in 2005 where he went 1-2 in 14 starts, had the NYPL's second-best ERA (1.98), and was named a Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star. By 2007, Todd had made it to the Pirates' AA EL affiliate in Altoona. In 2008, he was traded to the Braves for Tyler Yates, moved to the Braves' AA affiliate in Mississippi, and was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher of the Southern League (SL). The last two seasons, he has been with the Braves' AAA team in Gwinnett where he is 16-16 with a 4.33 ERA and 248 strikeouts in 307.2 innings pitched.
Yesterday, USA Baseball opened up the tournament action with a 7-4 victory against the host team, Puerto Rico. Brad Eldred (DH) went 2-4 with a double, triple, and run scored. Erik Kratz was the starting catcher and went 2-4 with a double and a run scored. Chase D'Arnaud played shortstop and went 1-4, while Cord Phelps played second base and went 0-4. Todd Redmond started for the US team, pitched 5.2 innings, gave up 3 runs (2 earned), and earned the win. Justin De Fratus pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing 1 unearned run.
Tonight, USA (1-0) takes on Aruba in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
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