MLB.com

Because the U.S. did not claim one of the top two spots in the event, the Americans will not appear in the eight-team baseball tournament at next summer's Olympics in Athens, Greece, to defend their gold medal. The U.S. defeated Cuba to win the gold in the 2000 Olympics at Sidney, Australia. It will be the first time since baseball was added as a demonstration sport in 1984 that a U.S. team will not be represented in the Olympics.