Jayson Nix hopes his silver-lining season ends in a gold medal.
Nix, 25, began 2008 as the Rockies’ starting second baseman, only to be shipped back to Triple-A Colorado Springs twice because of his struggles against big-league pitching.
Difficult to swallow? Sure. But circumstances freed up Nix to play for Team USA in the Summer Olympics in Beijing next month. To be eligible for Team USA, Nix had to be playing in the minors.
“It’s been a tough year, trying to break in and stick in the big leagues and I haven’t been very successful at it yet,” Nix said today in a national conference call introducing Team USA. “But I’m looking at this as a positive, getting a chance to represent my country. That’s all I’m really concerned about now.”
On Aug. 8, Nix will march with the U.S. Olympic team during the opening ceremonies.
“I’m sure it will be really special, but I don’t know what to expect,” he said.
Team USA officials wanted Nix on the roster because of his talent and also because of his experience in international competition. Nix helped lead Team USA to a gold medal at the World Cup last November, the first such title for the U.S. since 1974. Nix went 2-for-4 with a home run in a 6-3 win over Cuba in the championship game in Taipei, Taiwan. Nix hit .371 in 35 at-bats with 11 runs scored, earning the tournament’s most outstanding player award.
After a series of exhibition game against Canada, Team USA is scheduled to leave for China on Aug. 6. By then, the hope is that the players will have come together as a team.
“What we need to do is get 24 strangers together and make them realize that this is different than being a Rockie or a Philly or a Met or a Durham Bull or a Tampa Ray, and that your are now representing the United States,” said Paul Seiler, executive director/CEO of USA Baseball. “This is a different responsibility, a different honor and it’s going to be very exciting if we end up with our goal at the end of this thing.
The saying goes that there is no such thing as a former Olympian and that’s very true. These 24 players are being presented with a unique opportunity and one we feel will be the highlight of their career, no matter what they do at the professional level.”
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
