Littleton Invited to 2002 National Team Trials May 23, 2002 – Fullerton, Calif.
Sophomore righthander Wes Littleton was one of nine additional players
invited this week to participate in the 2002 USA Baseball National Team
Trials in Tucson, Arizona from June 18-23.
Littleton, who has blossomed into one of the top starting pitchers in
the country, is 9-3 with a 1.75 ERA that ranks eighth nationally and second
among pitchers with 100 or more innings. He has struck out 79 and walked
30 in 118.1 innings and opponents are batting just .221.
Littleton will join teammate Chad Cordero at the trials. Cordero, one
of the top closers in the country with his 12 saves, was on the first
wave of invitees last month. The USA National Team will be selected from
a pool of 36 players, of which an additional eight have yet to be determined.
The official team roster will be determined
and announced on June 24.
Louisville's Lelo Prado will serve as the head coach for Team USA. He
will be assisted by Terry Alexander of Jacksonville, Sunny Golloway of
Oral Roberts, and Terry Rupp of Maryland. Team USA will play a total 30
games this summer, including 17 on the domestic side of their Red, White
and Blue Summer Tour, which will also take the team to The Netherlands
and to Italy.
Fullerton has had nine players on Team USA, including Olympians Bob Caffrey
(1984), Phil Nevin and Jason Moler (1992) and Mark Kotsay and Brian Loyd
(1996). Kirk Saarloos was the most recent Titan to don the red, white
and blue when he served as the team's closer during their 2000 summer
tour.
