No Team USA in Olympics........aarrgghh

Mexico Eliminates USA
November 7, 2003

What started so well ended so quickly.

Team USA, after breezing through pool play with a three shutouts, fell in the
first round of elimination play with a 2-1 loss to Mexico. Mexico, which went
0-3 in pool play, advances to the semifinals to play the winner of Saturday's
Canada-Colombia quarterfinal, while the United States heads home from Panama
without an Olympic berth.

The loss in the Americas Olympic qualifier means the United States will not
play in the Olympic baseball tournament next summer in Athens. The top two
teams from the tournament qualify to represent the Americas, and Team USA's 3-0
record in pool play meant it could avoid Cuba until the finals, thought to be a
critical advantage.

But the advantage proved worthless because the U.S. didn't make it out of the
first round of elimination play. Luis A. Garcia hit a home run in the top of
the ninth off Team USA reliever Brian Bruney to put Mexico ahead, and Mexican
League veteran Isidro Marquez came on to preserve the win.

Grady Sizmore and Graham Koonce led off the bottom of the ninth with singles,
and Joe Mauer came on to bunt them to second and third. With one out, third
baseman Justin Leone, Team USA's best hitter in the tournament, grounded out to
the pitcher. Gerald Laird popped out to first to end the game.

Leone accounted for Team USA's only run with a solo home run in the bottom of
the fourth, his third home run of the event. Three Mexico pitchers limited the
U.S. to five hits, with Rigo Beltran going seven strong innings, followed by
Victor Alvarez and Marquez for an inning each.

Team USA's staff was almost as good, with starter Jason Stanford giving up
three hits and one run in five innings. John VanBenschoten came on for three
innings of shutout relief, and Bruney pitched the ninth.

The game started under controversy as it was moved up to 3 p.m. Friday after
originally being scheduled for 8 p.m. Tournament officials switched the time
with that of the host nation's game against Puerto Rico, apparently in a bid to
bring more fans to the ballpark. Crowds for the tournament have been miniscule
with the exception of Panama's games.