LOS ANGELES — Gookie Dawkins' name is familar to Cincinnati Reds fans. But catcher Pat Borders was one of the few nationally recognizable names when the United States announced its Olympic baseball team Wednesday.

        Dawkins, a 21-year-old shortstop in Double-A Chattanooga who played 14 games with the Reds earlier this season, was selected as an infielder.

        Shawn Gilbert, who has played some for the Los Angeles Dodgers and is now at their Albuquerque farm club, made the roster.

        Borders, 37, is playing in the minors at Durham, N.C.

        Though professionals are allowed in the Olympic baseball tournament for the first time, the Sydney Games overlap the final two weeks of the major-league season, with all major-league teams unwilling to part with players on their active 25-man rosters.

        “We would have liked to had players like Mark McGwire, Greg Maddux and Darryl Kile, but this is what was available to us,” said Bob Watson, co-chairman of the selection committee.

        The U.S. team, managed by Dodgers executive Tommy Lasorda, will be trying to upset two-time defending gold medalist Cuba in the Olympics. Japan and South Korea are among the favorites.

        “We aren't going 6,000 miles to lose,” Lasorda said.

        The pitching staff comprises Ryan Franklin, Chris George, Matt Ginter, Shane Heams, former Red Rick Krivda, Roy Oswalt, Jon Rauch, C.C. Sabathia, Bobby Seay, Ben Sheet, Todd Williams, Tim Young and Kurt Ainsworth.

        In addition to Borders, the catchers will be Marcus Jensen and Mike Kinkade.

        Infielders on the 28-man roster are Brent Abernathy, Sean Burroughs, Brent Butler, Mike Coolbaugh, Dawkins, Adam Everett and Doug Mientkiewicz.

        The outfielders: Gilbert, Anthony Sanders, Ernie Young, Brad Wilkerson and Mike Neill.

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