Source: FightingIllini.com
Posted: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 6:19:00 PM EST
Published: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 6:20:44 PM EST
Posted: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 6:19:00 PM EST
Published: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 6:20:44 PM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Former Illinois catcher Chris Robinson was named to the Canadian Olympic baseball team after helping Canada qualify for the Olympic Games by winning the final qualifier in Taiwan in March. Robinson becomes the first former Illini baseball player to represent his country in the Olympics.
"Getting the opportunity to play for your country is something that you can't take for granted, whether it's your first time or your tenth time," Robinson said. "You have to appreciate the opportunity."
The appearance in the Olympics will be Robinson's seventh stint with the Canadians, as he was named to the 30-man roster for the Junior National team in 2001 and played with that squad in the 2002 Junior World Championships. He also played with the Senior National Team at the 2003 Baseball World Cup.
After being rated the best defensive catcher in the Detroit Tigers' organization by Baseball America in 2005, Robinson played for Canada in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He also appeared with the Canadians in the 2007 Baseball World Cup and with the national team in March's final Olympic Qualifier.
Robinson was a two-time All-Big Ten first team catcher and is the highest-drafted position player in Illinois history as he was taken by the Detroit Tigers in the third round of the 2005 MLB First-Year Player Draft with the 90th overall selection. He hit .347 for his career, which ranks 16th in school history.
"I think we have a really good mix of older and younger guys," Robinson said. "I kind of fit into the middle of that since I have some international experience, but we have some guys like Rheal Cormier and Chris Reitsma who are experienced Major League guys. We're definitely going into it with high hopes."
The former Illini backstop currently plays for the Tennessee Smokies, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, after being traded from the Tigers to the Cubs in 2006. He was a Florida State League Midseason All-Star in 2006 as well as the FSL Player of the Week on Aug. 27, 2006, while playing for the Daytona Cubs.
Robinson is one of only two players on Canada's roster whose primary position is catcher and at 24 years old is one of the five youngest players on the roster. The Canadians will convene in Toronto on July 28 to begin their Olympic training camp before facing the United States in a pre-Olympic exhibition series in Cary, N.C., and Durham, N.C., August 1-4. The Canadians will then face the Netherlands in a pair of exhibitions on Aug. 9-10 in Beijing. Canada opens Olympic play against host China on Wednesday, Aug. 13.
"Getting the opportunity to play for your country is something that you can't take for granted, whether it's your first time or your tenth time," Robinson said. "You have to appreciate the opportunity."
The appearance in the Olympics will be Robinson's seventh stint with the Canadians, as he was named to the 30-man roster for the Junior National team in 2001 and played with that squad in the 2002 Junior World Championships. He also played with the Senior National Team at the 2003 Baseball World Cup.
After being rated the best defensive catcher in the Detroit Tigers' organization by Baseball America in 2005, Robinson played for Canada in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He also appeared with the Canadians in the 2007 Baseball World Cup and with the national team in March's final Olympic Qualifier.
Robinson was a two-time All-Big Ten first team catcher and is the highest-drafted position player in Illinois history as he was taken by the Detroit Tigers in the third round of the 2005 MLB First-Year Player Draft with the 90th overall selection. He hit .347 for his career, which ranks 16th in school history.
"I think we have a really good mix of older and younger guys," Robinson said. "I kind of fit into the middle of that since I have some international experience, but we have some guys like Rheal Cormier and Chris Reitsma who are experienced Major League guys. We're definitely going into it with high hopes."
The former Illini backstop currently plays for the Tennessee Smokies, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, after being traded from the Tigers to the Cubs in 2006. He was a Florida State League Midseason All-Star in 2006 as well as the FSL Player of the Week on Aug. 27, 2006, while playing for the Daytona Cubs.
Robinson is one of only two players on Canada's roster whose primary position is catcher and at 24 years old is one of the five youngest players on the roster. The Canadians will convene in Toronto on July 28 to begin their Olympic training camp before facing the United States in a pre-Olympic exhibition series in Cary, N.C., and Durham, N.C., August 1-4. The Canadians will then face the Netherlands in a pair of exhibitions on Aug. 9-10 in Beijing. Canada opens Olympic play against host China on Wednesday, Aug. 13.
