Braun To Get Patriotic In 2009

That's right, Ryan Braun will represent his country as he has accepted an invitation to be part of Team USA in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. This will be the second ever "WBC" and it will run March 5th through the 23rd. 16 countries will be represented in the tournament. The US team will be managed once again by Davey Johnson who managed in the first WBC and managed Team USA to a bronze medal in the 2008 summer Olympics in China. Braun is one of 28 who will be part of Team USA. Other players who have committed to Team USA thus far are; Braun, Yankees SS Derek Jeter, Braves 3B Chipper Jones and C Brian McCann, Angels SP John Lackey and Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia. To be blunt the 2006 US team was quite pathetic. They did not even make it to the medal round and had HUGE expectations. Hopefully this years club can live up to the expectations and at least take a medal if not the gold medal.

I was already very excited for this years WBC as I thought the first one was really cool. But now with Braun playing for Team USA I'm even more pumped and can't wait for the games to start March 5th. So far the only other Brewer who has shown interest and might play in the WBC is Yovani Gallardo possibly to pitch for Mexico.