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The Puerto Rican National Baseball Team (or Puerto Rican National Baseball Selection) is a team that is selected by the Puerto Rican Baseball Federation to compete in major international events in representation of Puerto Rico. The team is usually ensembled with thirty players from the Professional Baseball League of Puerto Rico and Major League Baseball.
The team has participated in many international competitions, such as the Caribbean World Series, the Central American and Caribbean Games, the Pan American Games, the World Baseball Classic and others. They are currently the 11th ranked baseball team in the world.[1]
[edit] History
Puerto Rico began this Olympic cycle participating in the 2008 Americas Baseball Cup. The team debuted on September 26, 2008, defeating Mexico 2:1, this game was won by Josué Matos.[2] Puerto Rico concluded the tournament's first round undefeated, with victories over Brazil (6:3), Aruba (7:0) and Guatemala (8:0).[3] In the first two games, Andy González scored four doubles and Carlos Rivera hit his second home run of the round. In the game against Aruba, Orlando Román threw a perfect game over seven innings.[4] In the second round, Puerto Rico defeated Panama (9:4) to qualify for the 2009 Baseball World Cup.[5] On the second date, the team lost their only game of the tournament to Venezuela (5:4). In the next game, the team defeated Netherlands Antilles by ten runs (14:4).[6] Puerto Rico won the 2008 Americas Baseball Cup on October 5, 2008, defeating Nicaragua in the final.
[edit] Caribbean Series
In 1995, the Senadores de San Juan managed by Luis "Torito" Meléndez, assembled one of the strongest teams in the history of the Caribbean Series.[7] The group, which was dubbed "Dream Team", featured Major League Baseball players in most positions, counting with a lineup that included Roberto Alomar, Carlos Baerga, Bernie Williams, Juan González, Edgar Martínez, Carlos Delgado, Rubén Sierra, Rey Sánchez and Carmelo Martínez.[7] Puerto Rico's offensive dominated the tournament, eventually winning the Caribbean Series' championship with an undefeated record of 6–0.[7] The team was responsible for the only two losses of the Dominican Republic, the country that finished second, scoring victories against Pedro Martínez and José Rijo in the third and sixth games respectively.[7]
[edit] Olympic record
- 1988 - 3rd place (demonstration sport)
[edit] Baseball World Cup record
GOLD: 1 (1951)
SILVER: 4 (1947 1948 1973 1976)
BRONZE: 4 (1952 1965 1970 1973)
[edit] Pan American Games record
- SILVER: 2 (1959 1991)
- BRONZE: 4 (1967 1979 1987 1995)
[edit] Intercontinental Cup record
- SILVER: 1 (1973)
- BRONZE: 1 (1989)
[edit] Caribbean Series record
- 14 times Champions: 1951, 1953-55, 1972, 1974-75, 1978, 1983, 1987, 1992-93, 1995, 2000
[edit] World Baseball Classic record
Puerto Rico competed in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, hosting the games of Pool D at Estadio Hiram Bithorn in San Juan. Puerto Rico secured advancement into Round 2 with wins over Panama and the Netherlands, but were eliminated by the USA.
[edit] Some notable players who have participated
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
United States
