Phils prospect: Keep baseball in Olympics Posted on August 24th
BEIJING - As the U.S. baseball team left an Olympic field yesterday for perhaps the final time - certainly for the next eight years - Jason Donald’s emotions were as mixed as winner Brett Anderson’s pitches.
The Phillies prospect, who homered, singled and walked twice in the 8-4 win over Japan, was thrilled to help salvage a bronze medal for the United States and equally elated about his entire Olympic experience.
But the International Olympic Committee has decided to drop baseball from the 2012 Summer Games in London, and Donald was upset that a lot of players won’t get to experience what he has these last two weeks.
“I think it’s a real shame,” he said. “I think it’s a joke.”
If the high-strung shortstop, who hit .390 and committed just one error in the nine-game tournament, had known Jacques Rogge was in the stands at that moment, he might have charged the IOC president.
“For those who say it’s not played enough around the world, that’s a joke,” Donald said. “Look at the Far East. Look at North America. Look at South America. Everybody plays it with the exception of Europe and Africa. And I’m sure the game will grow there like it has everywhere else.
“I really do hope it comes back, because I want some other American baseball players to have the opportunity that I’ve had.”
Donald was joined on the U.S. squad by fellow Phillies prospect Lou Marson, a catcher; Chestnut Hill Academy’s Mike Koplove; and Bishop Eustace’s Blaine Neal.
During the U.S.-Japan game, Rogge was being lobbied hard in his seat behind home plate.
The IOC will hear petitions from seven sports, including baseball, softball and golf, at its November meeting. There’s no guarantee any will win a spot in 2016, but two or three sports typically are added each Olympic cycle.
Rogge sat with Harvey Schiller, whose International Baseball Federation is pushing for the game’s reinstatement, and Jimmie Lee Solomon, Major League Baseball’s executive vice president for operations.
Rogge suggested that the game’s chances would be better if major leaguers participated. This American team was made up of 23 minor-leaguers and one college player. Major League Baseball has been reluctant to interrupt its season for an Olympic break as the NHL has done.
“It would do good for baseball, like every sport, to have the stars,” Rogge said. “We have LeBron James in basketball. We had Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Magic Johnson on the Dream Team. That trend has continued in basketball. And we have all the stars of the NHL. So we would love to have as many stars of the major leagues as possible. I’d love to see [Alex] Rodriguez.”
Schiller said he is talking to the players’ unions and MLB about allowing big-league talent to play in the medal rounds, which would require a break of only three or four days.
“We don’t have to shut down baseball to do it” that way, Schiller said.
Solomon said baseball supported Schiller’s efforts but acknowledged there were no viable plans in place.
Baseball’s chances might improve if Chicago were awarded the 2016 Olympics. Rio de Janeiro, Moscow and Tokyo are the other cities bidding for those Games. The host will be named next year.
In the gold-medal game, South Korea upset Cuba, 3-2.
“Obviously, the goal was to win a gold medal,” said Donald, who hit a two-run, fifth-inning homer against Japan. “But I’ll go home with a bronze and be happy about it. And the memories I’ll have for the rest of my life. Being in Beijing. Being at the Olympics. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, just awesome.”
After receiving their medals, Donald, Marson and their teammates flew home this morning. Donald said he would rejoin Reading in time for its final five games. Then, if things work out, there would be a big-league call-up in September. If not, he’ll head for the Arizona Fall League.
“That’s not my decision,” he said.
Contact staff writer Frank Fitzpatrick at 215-854-5068 or ffitzpatrick@phillynews.com.