Japan, Korea look to make merry at US expense

The absence of a Dream Team from the United States has opened up the baseball competition at next month's Summer Olympics for South Korea and Japan to challenge traditional power Cuba, organisers said on Friday.

The United States named a team on Thursday that was mostly made up of journeymen and minor leaguers to challenge Cuba, which took the gold in Atlanta four years ago and in Barcelona in 1992 when the sport made its Olympic debut.

"We have a great tournament, probably the best international tournament ever," said Joe Reaves, one of the organisers of the competition which runs from September 17 to September 27.

"Besides the Cubans and the United States, the Japanese are bringing a great squad and the Koreans are shutting down their pro league for two weeks to compete," Reaves said.

Italy, South Africa and the Netherlands have also qualified for the tournament, but Reaves said it will be Cuba, the United States, South Korea, Japan and host Australia fighting for the four playoff spots in the round-robin section.

"It will be cut-throat the five going for the four spots," Reaves said.

Because the Olympics coincide with the last two weeks of the Major League pennant races, the United States named a team made up of up-and-coming players and several journeymen.

The best-known player is Pat Borders, a 37-year-old catcher now in Tampa Bay's farm system who was the most valuable player with the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1992 World Series.

Japan are still finalising their team, but will send eight players from their top professional league, including Norihiro Nakamura, one of the Pacific League's leading home run hitters, and All-Star pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who has the most wins so far this year for the Seibu Lions in the Pacific League.

"The Japanese are one of the strongest teams, with the squad they are sending," Reaves said.

Japan thrashed the United States 11-2 in the semi-finals in Atlanta before losing 13-9 to Cuba in the gold medal game.

In addition to its two Olympic gold medals, Cuba have won every world championship since 1974.

"The Cubans are just amazing," Reaves said.

South Korea will send 23 professionals and one amateur player, but that will not include Park Chan-ho, South Korea's best-known player who pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Australia named their team on Thursday, led by former Major League catcher David Nilsson, an All-Star with Milwaukee in 1999, who switched to Japan's professional league so he would be able to play in the Olympics.

Australia are considered a medal contender because they won the Intercontinental Cup last November against Cuba, although the Cubans did not send their best team.

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