DURHAM, N.C. - The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) announced Marcus Stroman and the U.S. World Baseball Classic Team as Best of March honorees for the Team USA Awards presented by Dow on Wednesday. Stroman and the World Baseball Classic champions are now eligible for 2017 Best of Year honors.
Stroman (Toronto Blue Jays) is the third athlete in USA Baseball's history to be named the USOC's Athlete of the Month and the first since 16U National Team member Jeff Flaig was honored in August of 2001. The World Baseball Classic team is the ninth USA Baseball team to be honored by the USOC and the first since the 18U National Team was selected in October of 2009.
Stroman led Team USA to its first-ever World Baseball Classic title and was named tournament MVP after taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning of the championship game against Puerto Rico. He completed the tournament with the lowest ERA (2.35) among all U.S. starting pitchers and led the team in strikeouts, while surrendering runs in only one of his team-leading 15.1 innings pitched.
Team USA won its first WBC title in decisive fashion, defeating Puerto Rico, 8-0, in front of a home crowd in Los Angeles. The U.S. finished with a 6-2 overall record, avenging its two losses against the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, while adding a thrilling 2-1 semifinal victory over two-time WBC champion Japan. U.S. infielder Eric Hosmer (Kansas City Royals) and outfielder Christian Yelich (Miami Marlins) joined Stroman on the All-Tournament Team.
The Team USA monthly awards are voted on by the USOC National Governing Bodies, Olympic fans and members of the national media, based on their performances in an international competition in a given month.
About the Team USA Awards
Each National Governing Body may nominate one female, one male and one team per discipline. An internal nominating committee selects five nominees from both the male and female categories, and three from the team category to advance to the voting round. Votes received from NGB representatives and select members of the media account for 50 percent of the final tally, with the other half determined by online fan voting via TeamUSA.org/Awards.
Each of the five monthly men's and women's finalists, and three team finalists automatically qualify for consideration for the 2017 Team USA Awards presented by Dow Best of the Year. Visit TeamUSA.org for a complete list of monthly finalists from the 2016-17 qualification period. The 2017 Best of the Year Awards will be held in December.
SPANISH:Stroman, Equipo USA de Clásico Mundial de Béisbol se Honoran por el USOC