Above my bed at home is a poster of one of the most awe-inspiring sights in sports history.
It is the depiction of the single greatest collective all-star team. I speak of the 1992 United States Men's Olympic Basketball team. Bird, Magic, Jordan, Barkley, Ewing; how many times can you claim those stars as your starters? And when you've got guys like John Stockton, Chris Mullin and Scottie Pippen coming off the bench, there's something special going on. When else has a team of this magnitude ever been assembled? It truly was a Dream Team.
This squad averaged an Olympic record 117.3 points a game; the closest an opponent ever got was within 32 points. It was sensational. The team went 8-0, and although the 1996 and 2000 teams matched that record, none ever replicated the 1992 team's dominance.
In 2004, disaster struck. In the sport that Americans perfected (although a Canadian did invent it), Team USA finished third with a 5-3 record, behind Argentina and Italy. That team had some veteran stars like Tim Duncan and Allen Iverson, but it lacked the depth and role players featured in the 1992 team.
Why do I bring this up? Because this week marks the inauguration of the World Baseball Classic, and if it's not careful, baseball's Team America could flounder like its 2004 basketball cousins.
Was there a single player you could think of not on the 1992 Dream Team? Nope. For the most part, America's WBC roster is as good as it gets, as well. It has the combo punch of Roger Clemens and Dontrelle Willis starting on the mound. It has a solid squad of relievers, including Brad Lidge and Chad Cordero, to insure the door remains closed. And with the bats and gloves of Jeter, A-Rod and Damon, (yes, I realize I just named three consecutive Yankee players without criticism - it's called patriotism), the power of Vernon Wells and Derrek Lee, and the command of Jason Varitek behind the plate, the squad representing Old Glory heads into the competition as the undeniable tournament favorite.
The American team is clearly the most balanced of all the countries out there, but balance may not be enough in the face of their two closest rivals, the offensive juggernaut of the Dominican Republic and the pitching powerhouse that is Venezuela.
The D.R.'s lineup, which includes David Ortiz, Albert Pujols and Miguel Tejada all in the same breath, is terrifying. But the team's pitching staff, while it features 2005 AL Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon, is weak, especially with the departure of Pedro Martinez. Although the Dominicans will be able to simply outscore the majority of their opponents in Pool D, they could face real trouble against Venezuela.
In terms of pitching, Venezuela has the edge. With the likes of Johan Santana, Carlos Zambrano and Freddy Garcia, it doesn't matter how potent your lineup may be; in the face of these guys, runs are going to be few and far between. But offensive support could be a problem for the team from down south, and a lack of stellar relievers might spell trouble down the stretch.
The opening-round matchup between the D.R. and Venezuela provided the first clue as to how this tournament could shape out. The bats did the talking on Tuesday, with the Dominicans overpowering Venezuela 11-5, even against stand-out Venezuelan starter Santana and reliever Zambrano.
With both the Dominican and Venezuelan teams likely to emerge from Pool D, Team USA is in for a fight. If all aspects of the team come together, the US will be in prime position to take the title, but it's going to be an uphill struggle.
The United States demonstrated the depth of its bullpen in its opening round game, sending out seven of its 11 relievers to shut out Mexico 2-0, but a less-than-impressive offensive outing may be an indication of this team's ultimate weakness. And in the single-elimination style of the semi-finals and finals, depth is going to mean a lot less in the face of a wildcard pitcher throwing the game of his life.
Although these three teams - the United States, Dominican Republic and Venezuela - are getting all the coverage, there are few other candidates in the 16-team pool who should feel overlooked. Australia, South Africa, the Netherlands? Can anyone name a single dominant figure on one of these teams? The concern should be for teams like Japan, Korea, and Puerto Rico. In the semis, any one of these teams could provide the upset that the single-elimination format of this tournament promises.
In the coming month, will the United States produce baseball's version of the Dream Team? It's possible, but it's hard to imagine any team coming close to that type of dominance. Plus, the Dominican team could prove to be the stuff that nightmares are made of.
