Great Britain baseball team publishes roster and team website ahead of Baseball World Cup

Ahead of the 2009 Baseball World Cup (BWC), which begins on September 9, the Great Britain baseball team has published its 25-man roster ahead of the event on its new team website here at greatbritainbaseball.com. The roster will need to be cut down to 24 members for the start of the BWC, after a warm-up event in Germany.

By winning the silver medal in the 2007 European Championships in Barcelona, the Great Britain national baseball team achieved its highest-ever European ranking in the modern era and qualified for the IBAF Baseball World Cup (effectively a world championship event) for the first time. The competition will be played in various European countries during September 9-27 and if the GB team can do well an invitation to compete in MLB’s World Baseball Classic when it returns in 2013 is a distinct possibility.

“To the great surprise of much of the baseball world, GB earned its place among such perennial powerhouses by taking the silver medal at the 2007 European Championships in Barcelona,” says GB Head Coach Stephan Rapaglia, “and GB intends to make the most of this opportunity.”

While Great Britain’s historical record does not compare to that of most of the other entrants in the BWC, GB’s performance at the 2007 EC suggests that GB may be able to again surprise the world.  While retirements and injuries have cost GB a few of its top players, GB’s roster for the BWC will once again be very strong and includes 14 of the players who travelled to Barcelona for the 2007 EC.  The roster will include seven players with US professional experience and there is depth at every position.  Of additional note is the fact that nine members of GB’s roster have playing experience in Britain’s domestic leagues.

Catcher Will Lintern (London Mets) and outfielder Ryan Trask (Bracknell Blazers) currently ply their trade in Britain’s National Baseball League and played against each other in August’s National Baseball Championships in Croydon. Brian Essery, Raef Hobbs-Brown, Jason Holowaty, Richard Klijn, Alex Malihoudis, Aeden McQueary and Sam Whitehead have all been involved in the British leagues in the past.

You can see the full roster list and find out more about each player on the Squad page.

As GB travels to Germany to play three warm-up games against the German national team in Stuttgart (Sept 4) and Heidenheim (Sept 5-6), the Board of British Baseball has given its best wishes to the Great Britain team in a ‘good luck’ message published on the GB Baseball website.

“After decades of diligent hard work Great Britain is now taking its place on the world stage and will rise to yet further challenges and conquer new peaks of achievement,” the message reads. “The board offers its full support to Coach Rapaglia and his team as they face the challenges ahead. We also call on the British baseball community to provide the support and enthusiasm that we know is out there for our national team.”

Great Britain’s World Cup campaign begins in Zagreb, Croatia, on September 10 when it faces Japan. Following this, GB plays Nicaragua on Sept 11 and Croatia on Sept 12 in Group D. Game reports will be posted here at greatbritainbaseball.com and on the official site of the British Baseball Federation (britishbaseball.org) . In the UK, British Eurosport 2 will be televising selected games throughout the World Cup, available on satellite and cable TV.

You can read the full BBF message, find out more about GB’s historic appearance in the World Cup and how to follow the action online and on television by going to the About the World Cup.