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The South African National Baseball team is the team that represents the Republic of South Africa in international baseball competitions such as the World Baseball Classic.
South Africa's inclusion in the WBC was considered rather surprising by many observers. South Africa has never sent a player to Major League Baseball, indeed, the highest a South African player has ever gotten in the minor leagues has been Double-A (two, in fact: Barry Armitage, a relief pitcher on the South African WBC roster, and Tim Harrell, a pitcher who was drafted in the 20th round, 606th overall, in 1998 by the Los Angeles Dodgers). Even more amusing to many fans was the fact that the South Africans were in the pool containing Team USA, Canada and Mexico, all major baseball powers while South Africa's roster contained players that just graduated high school.
But in its first game, South Africa nearly pulled off an upset of Canada, a team loaded with major leaguers. South Africa took an 8-7 lead into the ninth inning before falling 11-8. This would be as close as the team would get to winning a game. The South Africans lost the next two games to Mexico 10-4, and to the United States in a mercy rule-shortened 17-0 rout.
[edit] 2006 World Baseball Classic roster
[edit] Pitchers
- Barry Armitage - Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Kansas City Royals in 2000
- Tyrone Brandt
- Matthew Dancer
- Kalin Dreyer About to start his 2nd year playing Baseball at Georgia Perimeter College
- Sannon Ekermans - In his 2nd year playing Division 1 baseball at North Dakota State University
- Jared Elario
- Lester Fortiun
- Gavin Jefferies
- Tyrone Lamont - Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seattle Mariners, 2003
- Gary Maree
- Carl Michaels - Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2001
- Darryn Smith
- Robert Verschuren
- Lee Smith - Pitching coach
[edit] Catchers
- Kyle Botha
- Bradley Erasmus
- Warren Herman
- Willem Kemp
[edit] Infielders
- Tebi Andrew - signed as an undraftted free agent by Los Angeles Dodgers in 2007
- Paul Bell - Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2000
- Nicholas Dempsey - Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1997
- Dylan Haynes
- Zaid Hendricks
- Patrick Naude
- Jonathan Phillips - Played rookie ball in the Milwaukee Brewers system, 2003
- Brett Willemburg - Signed as an undrafted free agent by the
[edit] Outfielders
- Ian Butcher (Booger) - A Fan Favorite
- Jason Cook
- Duane Feldtman
- Gavin Ray
- Ashley Scott
- Ricardo Siljeur
[edit] References
South Africa
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