KC Royals lefty reliever Tim Collins was named to the Team USA roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic in March. It was announced live on MLB Network at 10am ET.

This will not be Collins‘ first go-round with Team USA. He was a member of the 2010 Pan American team that lost just one game, to the Dominican Republic in their final game. In five games (seven innings), he allowed two runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out six. The runs were given up in the loss to the DR.

Collins is one of four lefties on the team, with Jeremy Affeldt (SF), Derek Holland (Texas), and Glen Perkins (Minnesota). The rest of the pitching staff is as follows: Heath Bell (Arizona), Mitchell Boggs (St. Louis), Steve Cishek (Miami), RA Dickey (Toronto), Luke Gregerson (SD), Craig Kimbrel and Kris Medlen (Atlanta), Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez (Cleveland), Andy Pettitte (NY Yankees), and Ryan Vogelsong (SF). Supposedly, the US has a starting spot open and are leaving it for Justin Verlander.

There are not a ton of big names on the pitching staff (because they all turned it down), but there are some passionate back end of the bullpen guys that will be fun to watch (Collins included).

The catching staff includes Joe Mauer (Minnesota), Jonathan Lucroy (Milwaukee), and JP Arencibia (Toronto). Arencibia has been working with knuckleballer Dickey in Nashville this offseason.

The infield is a veteran group, with Mark Teixeira (NY Yankees), Brandon Phillips (Cincinnati), Jimmy Rollins (Philadelphia), and David Wright (NY Mets) expected to start. The expected starting outfield has a little more youth with Ryan Braun (Milwaukee), Adam Jones (Baltimore), and Giancarlo Stanton (Miami).

The bench will include super-utility guys Willie Bloomquist (Arizona) and Ben Zobrist (TB). Shane Victorino (Boston) was a member of the 2009 team and is pumped to be back.

The entire team will gather at Salt River Fields on March 1st. Their first game will be against Mexico on March 8th. They will play Italy the following night, and then Canada on Sunday afternoon (March 10th).

The rest of the countries’ rosters will be announced at 4pm ET today, as MLB Network will have an hour long show focused on the WBC. For more on the WBC, click HERE.

Since baseball has been eliminated from the Olympics for the time being, Major League Baseball has tried to take over international baseball. They started the World Baseball Classic in 2006 (which I attended in Florida), which took place again in 2009 and should take place in 2012-2013.

Outside of the WBC, there are other international competitions going on. One just completed (the World Cup, which the Netherlands won) and the Pan American Games have just begun. However if I ask people across the US, many would have no idea. Why? Because it’s not publicized or televised.

Toronto Blue Jays fans know about the World Cup, mainly because top prospect Travis d’Arnaud (a catcher), tore ligaments in his thumb and was sent home.

Some will say, who cares?

Don’t tell that to the guys who are honored to wear their country’s name across their chest. Though no big leaguers are participating, there is some good talent on display.

The same teams that participated in the World Cup are not all represented at the Pan Am Games (and the same can be said for the players). The Pan Am Games are being held in Guadalajara, Mexico and the following teams are taking part: Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the USA, Canada, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Panama (but Damaso Espino is not on the roster).

Team USA is being represented by the same players who shared the bronze with Canada in the World Cup, and the same can be said for the Canadian team. That means that current KC Royals minor leaguers Tim Smith and Jamie Romak are a part of Team Canada. Others on the Canadian roster include Scott Richmond, Andrew Albers (Minnesota Twins), Shawn Bowman, Jonathan Malo (NY Mets), Chris Kissock (Philadelphia Phillies), and Skyler Stromsmoe (SF Giants).

Team USA has Tuffy Gosewich as their starting catcher (official name of James if you check the roster). I’m hoping he gets a shot at the Phillies backup job in 2012. Others on the roster include Jordan Danks, brother of Chicago White Sox starter John Danks, who could take the centerfield job in spring training, and veterans Joe Thurston, Chad Tracy, Royce Ring, and Randy Williams.

You can check out the Pan Am Games site for updates on the baseball games, or other athletic events like basketball and volleyball going on right now. Just click on English (unless you understand Spanish) and click on the event you would like to check out.

*I’ll have updates on the results prior to the semifinals on Monday October 24th.

It came down to Monday’s off-day, but Team USA advanced to the second round of baseball’s World Cup. It took a 5-0 win over Panama for the Americans to advance. Team USA had lost to Canada on Sunday for the first time since the 2006 World Baseball Classic. Former KC Royal minor leaguer Damaso Espino went 0-for-2 in Panama’s loss. Overall in the past week, Espino has gone 5-for-13 with three runs scored and an RBI.

The World Cup’s second round will again feature a round robin format with games beginning on Tuesday and continuing thru Friday.  The standings of the second round will be determined based on the results between all eight advancing teams, including the first round results.

An example: Canada will start the second round with a 2-1 record, having defeated the Netherlands and the USA (their loss came to Panama). Based on the seven results for each team, the classification games and the finals will be played on Saturday October 15th.

Team USA begins action on Tuesday against Cuba, while Canada will try to stop the suddenly hot Australians. The Netherlands will face Korea, while Panama faces Venezuela.

*Here are the current standings:

Cuba 3-0
Canada 2-1
Netherlands 2-1
Australia 1-2
Korea 1-2
Panama 1-2
Venezuela 1-2
USA 1-2

Current or former Royals that are still playing in the World Cup are: Justin Huber and Paul Mildren (Australia), Espino (Panama), and Tim Smith and Jamie Romak (Canada).

Despite being outsted from the international tournament, former Royals outfielder Alexis Gomez played well for his home country of the Dominican Republic this past week. Over the DR’s final four games, Gomez went 8-for-17 with four runs scored and two RBIs. His best game was a 4-for-4 performance against Nicaragua.

In Australia’s sudden burst of offense, former Royal Justin Huber also heated up. Over the Aussie’s final four games, he was 6-for-15 with eight RBIs and four runs scored.

Canada has advanced and Tim Smith and Jamie Romak have been a part of the offense. Smith has gone 3-for-16 with five RBIs and three runs scored. He hit a two-run homerun in Canada’s 4-0 win over Chinese Taipei. Smith scored the winning run against the Netherlands on Saturday in extra innings (it was the Netherlands only loss). Romak has gone 1-for-12 with a homerun.

Italy was eliminated on Sunday after losing to Venezuela in 10 innings. Current Royals minor leaguer Andrea Pizziconi pitched in their Friday loss to Cuba (1.2 IP, 1H, 2R, 2BB, 1K, 3WP, 2HBP).

**Bruce Chen threw out the first pitch prior to his home country Panama’s game versus the Netherlands on Sunday. Unfortunately he was a bit of bad luck, as Panama lost their first game of the tournament.