Right-hand pitcher John Stephens has been named as the starting pitcher for Australia against Italy in the opening game of the 'Pool D' in the World Baseball Classic in Orlando on Tuesday

Australian manager Jon Deeble said Stephens, who pitched for Boston Red Sox in the major leagues in 2002, had the required experience and expertise for such an occasion

Deeble said Stephens, a non roster invitee to the Baltimore Orioles spring training, and left hander Paul Mildren, a Florida Marlins minor leaguer, would hopefully pitch Australia to a winning position before handing the ball over to closer Peter Moylan

He said it was imperative for Australia’s prospects to advance to the second round of the World Baseball Classic that the team was successful against Italy
“With Stephens and Mildren we have a really good chance against Italy
It’s a game we must win” Deeble said

Knuckleballer Phil Brassington and veteran left hander Damian Moss will start in Australia’s respective matches against Venezuela and Dominican Republic

Deeble said Brassington, who once threw in the 90's before he needed arm surgery, could sneak up on Venezuela with his knuckleballs

He said Moss, who threw against Boston Red Sox split squad in the exhibition game in Fort Myers on Sunday, was the ideal choice to pitch against the talent laden Dominican Republic
“He (Moss) does a lot
For number one, he has been successful in the big leagues” Deeble said
“He broke the record for number of wins by a rookie with the Braves
He’s a proven winner"

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“What we found out in the Athens Olympics when we had (David) Nilsson and (Graeme) Lloyd is that all the players grew to another level
I don’t think we would have won the Silver Medal without Nilsson and Lloyd
Nilsson and Lloyd were good not only on the field, but also off it
Players around them grew”

Deeble said the players will still recovering from jetlag after a thirty-hour-plus trip
“It wasn’t a lot better yesterday
Players are still not sleeping - they are waking up at 3.00am” he said
“It’s a huge impact
Hopefully in another day it will get back to normal”

Tom Brice recovered from a ricked neck, which saw him sit out practice on Saturday, and played against the Boston Red Sox split squad on Sunday

Left-hand pitcher Damian Moss, a veteran of four major-league seasons (Seattle, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, San Francisco, Atlanta), boasts a 22-19 lifetime record with a 4.50 ERA

He draws the daunting task of facing the star-laden Dominican Republic lineup on Friday, March 10 (7.00pm) in Australia’s final game of opening-round play in 'Pool D' of the World Baseball Classic in Orlando

“Intimidation” is not a word in Moss’s dictionary
He looks upon the challenge as an opportunity
“If you want to pitch against someone, you want to pitch against the best of them” Moss says
“Look up and down that Dominican lineup and they’re all pretty good hitters
It’s a good chance for me, a good showcase”

Team Australia manager Jon Deeble agrees, adding, “He’s a proven winner. He won’t be phased one bit”

The 29-year-old Moss, a free agent, expects to sign with a major-league organization by the end of March

Unlike many of his teammates who were taken up with cricket, rugby, Australian rules football, and other typically Aussie sports, Damian Moss began playing baseball at a young age
He was just seven years old when his soccer coach suggested his team play the typically American game during the summer as a way to keep the group together

By the time he was 16, Moss had a contract with the Atlanta Braves
Although originally signed as an outfielder, the left-hander was quickly converted into a pitcher

He faces the Boston Red Sox in Sunday's exhibition game as a tuneup for his Game 3 start Friday, v the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic

"If you want to pitch, you want to pitch against the best and that's definitely one of the better lineups in the competition" Moss said
"I didn't get to play in the Olympics because of other reasons
It's great
It's definitely an honor"

Moss compiled a record of 22-19 (4.50 ERA) in seventy-four games between 2001-04, before spending 2005 with the Seattle Mariners' Triple-A affiliate
He was suspended for fifteen games in April 2005 for violating baseball's Minor League steroid policy

Now a free agent, Moss is looking to the Classic to help get his career back on track
"I've been talking to a few teams, trying to get a Minor League deal, go down to Triple-A, put up some numbers, and hopefully get back to the big leagues" Moss said
"I just want to go out there and put up some numbers
It's going to be tough, but (I need to) just go out there and throw some solid innings and take it from there
If I haven't signed by then, it should help"

Moss realizes many of his teammates are facing Major Leaguers for the first time Sunday
"It's going to be a good experience for them" he said
"That adrenaline flows a little bit different out there
They just have to learn to control it
Keep it under control and they'll be fine"

Asked how most Americans perceive Australians' baseball ability, Moss turned the scenario around
"That would be like asking an Aussie, 'How would America go in World Cup cricket?'" he said