Nix added to Team USA

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Nix added to Team USA
07/23/2008 7:05 PM ET
By Robert Falkoff / MLB.com

Jayson Nix made his presence felt in the Baseball World Cup last November. Now, he has the opportunity to give Team USA another boost in the upcoming Beijing Olympics.
On Wednesday, Nix was named as the 24th player on the Team USA roster. Nix, a second baseman playing for Triple-A Colorado Springs in the Rockies organization, will try to recapture the form that earned him the 2007 Richard W. "Dick" Case Award for his play on the USA Baseball World Cup team. That award, which honors USA Baseball's founding executive director/CEO, recognizes USA Baseball's Athlete of the Year.
In the biggest game of the Cup, Nix came up huge. He went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, a run scored and a walk in the 6-3 victory over Cuba in gold medal game of the World Cup in Taipei, Taiwan. By winning the gold, the U.S. snapped a 33-year winless streak at the World Cup and ended Cuba's run of nine consecutive championships.
Also named to Team USA's Olympic roster were three replacement players: Tampa Bay right-hander Jeremy Cummings, Minnesota left-hander Brian Duensing and San Francisco outfielder Nate Schierholtz. Those players take the spots of White Sox pitcher Clayton Richard, Giants pitcher Geno Espineli and St. Louis outfielder Colby Rasmus. Richard and Espineli were recently promoted to their respective Major League clubs and Rasmus is injured.
Duensing was another player who helped Team USA bring home the gold. He went 1-0 during the tournament, with a 1.86 ERA and four strikeouts. Duensing started the gold medal final and allowed only one earned run with two strikeouts, while taking a no-decision. Duensing is currently pitching for Triple-A Rochester.
"We are excited to see Nix in the red, white and blue again," said Paul Seiler, executive director/CEO of USA Baseball. "Although it hurts to see the three players go, we know we are adding quality players, including Duensing, who we have seen first-hand get the job done against the best international competition."
Cummings is 7-3 with a 2.95 ERA and 63 strikeouts for Triple-A Durham. He came to Durham following a stint in Taiwan and will provide more experience on the international stage. Schierholtz is with Triple-A Fresno and carries a .310 average with 13 homers and 62 RBIs. The left-handed hitter was a member of Team USA at the XM All-Star Futures Game at Yankee Stadium on July 13.
Manager Davey Johnson will lead a USA squad that also includes LHP Brett Anderson (Oakland); RHP Jake Arrieta (Baltimore); IF Brian Barden (St. Louis); IF Matthew Brown (Angels); RHP Trevor Cahill (Oakland), IF Jason Donald (Philadelphia); OF Dexter Fowler (Colorado); OF John Gall (Florida): IF Mike Hessman (Detroit); RHP Kevin Jepsen (Angels); RHP Brandon Knight (Mets); RHP Mike Koplove (Dodgers); OF Matt LaPorta (Cleveland); C Lou Marson (Philadelphia); RHP Blaine Neal (Detroit); RHP Jeff Stevens (Cleveland); RHP Stephen Strasburg (San Diego State); C Taylor Teagarden (Texas); IF Terry Tiffee (Dodgers) and RHP Casey Weathers (Colorado).
Teagarden was sent by the Rangers to Triple-A Oklahoma on Monday, which allowed him to meet the deadline to compete at the Olympics.
"[Manager Ron] Washington talked about how I have a win-win situation," Teagarden said. "I get to stay here for the rest of the year or just get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be in the Olympics. I think that's the best way to look at it."
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.