KISSIMME, FL. – Baseball Canada announced, today, its roster for the 2006 COPABE Americas Olympic Qualifier beginning August 25 in Havana, Cuba as the federation aims to earn its second consecutive Olympic berth.
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The Canadian charges, which will be headed by 15-year major leaguer and 1978 All-Star Terry Puhl in his first international managerial appearance, will begin training Camp in Kissimmee, Florida on August 21. The camp, which runs through to August 24 will also see Team Canada play exhibition games against the Puerto Rican and American national teams in preparation for the qualifier.
The top two squads from the 12-team qualifying tournament will earn automatic berths into the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China while the third and fourth place teams will be relegated to a wild-card tournament some time in 2007 to make a final bid for the Games.
Canada will compete in the six-team Pool B which will also play host to Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the United States and Venezuela. Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic will face-off in Group B.
The top four teams from each group will advance to a cross-over playoff round where teams will play each of the four teams that advanced in the opposing Pool. From there, the top team from each grouping will battle for the gold while the second-place teams will compete for the bronze. The third and fourth place teams from each grouping will also play one another in order to determine their final ranking.
While the focus of the tournament primarily rests on earning a spot at the 2008 Olympics, each country will also be fighting for spots at the 2007 Pan-Am Games and the 2007 World Cup. Teams must finish in the top-six to qualify for the next World Cup and in the top-seven to qualify for the next Pan-Am Games.
