I guess the Olympic Games baseball tournament runs a pale second to the fledgling World Baseball Classic, purely because the best baseballers aren't participating.

Whilst Major League Baseball (MLB) professionals are now permitted to represent their nation at the Olympic Games, they must take time off from their MLB teams to do so.

This is not palatable to most MLB players, particularly when they are earning multi-million dollar paydays to play in the MLB, yet they receive no official payment to represent their nation at the Olympics.

In recent times, basically no American-born MLB players have represented the United States at the Olympics.

The odd few foreign-born MLB players, such as Australia's Dave Nilsson, have chosen to take time off their professional commitments to represent their home nation, though even with foreign-born MLB players, this is rare.

Hence, because the Olympic Games baseball tournament is filled with amateurs, the competition becomes wide open.

The general powerhouse in Olympic Games baseball has historically been Cuba.

Due to the history and social views and values of the Cubans, the majority of baseball-lovers from that nation choose not to turn professional and head Stateside chasing the millions on offer.

Hence, they remain amateurs and the Cuban Olympic baseball team is literally littered with players good enough to play in the MLB.

It puts the Cubans at a huge advantage over other nations, most particularly a no-name, very weakened United States.

However, this does not mean the USA aren't without a show.

The United States surprised many by downing the Cubans en route to taking the gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

The American coach at the time likened the victory to that of "David over Goliath", such was the magnitude of it.

In many ways, whilst not nearly as romanticized or publicized, the victory was similar to the 1980 "Miracle On Ice" USA ice-hockey victory over the Soviet Union at the Winter Olympics.

To show just how difficult the United States will find it, the Stars and Stripes didn't even manage to qualify for the 2004 Olympics to defend their title.

As many Americans will tell you, baseball is seen as the "national pastime" in America, so thus even rank amateurs who play on local parks just for fun, are usually pretty adept at the game.

Bearing this in mind, the USA will always be in with a show at any Olympic baseball tournament.

Their main competitors this year should come from the obvious names, nations that are also quite strong in the baseball field.

Apart from the aforementioned Cuba, nations such as Canada, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Australia, Japan and South Korea will all be in with some sort of a show.

Italy can't be discounted, along with Puerto Rico and Chinese Taipei.

It should be an interesting competition in what may possibly be baseball's last hurrah at the Olympic Games.

The sport has been removed from the program for the 2012 London Olympics, but there is scope to return it, along with softball, to the program at the 2016 Olympics, which is a possibility since Chicago will be a hot contender to host those Games.

To sum up, the United States are going to face an extremely tough battle to win a medal in baseball at the 2008 Olympic Games, but they are definitely in with a huge chance.

Any colored medal should be lauded and congratulated, as this team comprises amateurs supposedly batting way out of their field, so to speak.

Learn more about this author, Aj Brady.
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