Team USA Baffles Cuba

[El Presidente]

Team USA Baffles Cuba

10/12/2010 9:34 AM ET By Jim Henry

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/10/12/team-usa-baffles-cuba/

PONCE, Puerto Rico -- The baseball rivalry between Cuba and Team USA is well-documented. Chris Archer has read and heard about it; Brian Barden has lived it.

On Monday night at Paquito Montaner Stadium, both shared the feeling of beating Cuba, even if it was potentially a dress rehearsal for Wednesday's gold medal game in the Pan Am Qualifying Tournament.

Archer, named the Chicago Cubs 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, tossed six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts as undefeated Team USA stifled Cuba, 4-1, to earn the top seed in the four-team medal round that opens Tuesday.

Barden, a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Baseball Team that won bronze but lost twice to Cuba in the Beijing Games, extended his hit streak here to six games with an infield single in the first inning.

While it represented Team USA's ninth consecutive victory in the 12-team tourney that opened Oct. 1, players tempered their enthusiasm. More work remains, and Cuba (7-2) is, well, Cuba.

A second meeting would occur if Team USA beats the Dominican Republic and Cuba upends Venezuela in the semifinals.

"This is a great way for me to head into the off-season, but we are not there yet," said Archer, 22, who surrendered just two hits and did not allow a runner past first base in his final four innings.

"Cuba is our biggest rival in international ball and you go out there and hopefully you have your best stuff. If not, you battle through it and tonight I battled and had my best stuff, so it all worked out."

The showdown marked the ninth time a USA Baseball Professional Team and Cuba have met since 2000, including the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. The U.S. moved to 6-3 in those games.

Team USA had most recently faced its intercontinental rival in September in Italy, capturing the gold in the 2009 IBAF Baseball World Cup.

For Barden, 29, who has spent part of four seasons in the Major Leagues during his eight-year professional career, the victory helped erase the frustration from the 2008 Olympics. Cuba beat the U.S., 5-4 in 10 innings, and, 10-2, in the semifinals.

"Anytime you play Cuba it's going to be an intense ballgame," said Barden, a member of the Marlins' organization who has played three positions (shortstop, second base and left field) for Team USA.

"They are a tough, international ball club that grinds out every game. We have to come out, like we did (Monday), and be on the top of our game. Even though we knew we were going to be in the medal round either way, we wanted to put it in their head that we are a serious ballclub and we mean business. After the Olympics, for me it's huge to come out here and get this game."

Freelance author Peter C. Bjarkman is considered the leading internet commentator on the Cuban national pastime. He has been observing baseball in Cuba -- with more than 40 trips to the island -- and trailing the Cuban national team to major international tournaments since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Bjarkman believes this veteran Cuban team, which features a majority of the players from last year's World Cup club, is one of the country's best offensive teams in recent memory.

While Cuba is ranked first in the the International Baseball Federation world rankings – the U.S. is second – Bjarkman said Cuba wants to end its string of disappointing "bridesmaid" finishes in top-of-the-line events that it has normally dominated over recent decades.

"There's always pressure on this team to win," said Bjarkman, who appears regularly on www. BaseballdeCuba.com and numerous other related internet sites covering international baseball.

"And this is always a big thing for both sides because of the history that they have in baseball. In Cuba, the fans are so used to winning in these international tournaments that getting a silver medal and finishing second is like a big defeat."

USA recorded a big win over its rival Monday night, but a bigger one potentially awaits.