Sept. 24, 2003
San Diego, Calif. - Former San Diego State relief ace Royce Ring is one of 29 professional players who have been invited to the 2003 Olympic Qualifying Team Trials in Phoenix, Arizona, October 3-23. The 29 players will be vying for 24 roster spots on the United States Olympic Qualifying Team that will be managed by Frank Robinson at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games Baseball Qualifying Tournament for the Americas in Panama City, Panama, October 30 - November 10.
Ring was a three-year Aztec letterman (2000-2002) who developed into one of the premier relief pitchers in the nation as a junior. He set the SDSU record for saves in a season with 17 in 2002 and also holds the Aztec career mark with 26. He was named a second team All-American in 2002 and was drafted in the first round (18th pick overall) by the Chicago White Sox in June of that year. Ring was traded to the New York Mets this past summer in the deal that sent Roberto Alomar to Chicago. He finished the season with the AA Birmingham Mets of the New York-Penn League.
Ring, who was a member of the 2001 USA Baseball National Team that posted a 21-7-1 overall record, has gone 6-4 with a 2.53 ERA in two minor league seasons, with 31 saves in 93 strikeouts in 85 innings. He played in the Futures game during this year's All-Star Break, an event that showcases the top minor league players in the country. In that game he threw the final inning, picking up a save.
The current Olympic Team roster includes 12 players with Major League experience, nine first-round picks from Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft, and nine players that have played for USA Baseball in the past, including a pair of Olympic gold medalists from Tommy Lasorda's roster in Sydney.
The Team USA trials roster is subject to change during the trials process, as the final 24-man roster that will travel to Panama will not be announced until October 24. Team USA opens pool play in the event on October 31 vs. Colombia.
Team USA will play a total of 12 exhibition games against each of the Arizona Fall League's six teams, beginning Friday, October 10 against the Mesa Solar Sox at HoHoKam Park in Mesa, AZ.