We've got schedules, ladies and gentlemen, for the upcoming USA Baseball Professional team that is heading to the Arizona Fall League (AFL) for a tuneup before the 2007 IBAF World Cup (WC) in Taipei in November.

AFL Schedule: http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/schedule/index.jsp?sid=l119.  The general AFL web address is http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=l119.

WC Schedule: http://www.baseball.ch/cop/37BWC.pdf.  The general IBAF web address is www.baseball.ch.

Roster information coming soon...stay tuned to the USA Baseball website for more information (www.usabaseball.com).

The Olympic Picture got a little clearer over the weekend, as the 2007 European Championships/Olympic Qualifier wrapped-up in Barcelona.

Netherlands took home the gold in the event, thus automatically qualifying them for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Finishing in second and third, respectively, were Great Britain and Spain.  By placing here, these two countries qualify themselves for the second-chance Olympic Qualifying event in Taipei in March 2008. 

No major surprises in Netherlands winning, but Great Britain and Spain going 2-3 was defintiely unexpected.  Perenial European favorite Italy was a complete non-factor in the event, finishing seventh.

Next up on the Olympic Qualifying circuit is the Asian Qualifyer, also in Taipei, in December 2007.

As for the U.S. Team - they will be on the field in November at the IBAF World Cup, again, in Taipei.  The team will consist of non-25 man roster MLB players, and the roster is currently in the process of being assembled.

Stay tuned...