San Diego’s Little Italy and Sanremo’s Alex Liddi share a love for baseball and its rich Italian history
Sanremo, Italy’s Alex Liddi is among the 35 baseball players of Italian descent that proudly line the streets of San Diego’s Little Italy at the start of every MLB season.
In 2011 Seattle Mariners’ Alex Liddi was the first Italian-born-and-raised player to reach the Major Leagues.
While attending Beverly Hills High School, Agostino Liddi played baseball before repatriating to Italy after graduation. It was there that he met his future wife, Flavia, who played softball competitively in Italy.
You could say that Alex was a truly a baseball baby since it was reported that Flavia played first base for the first three months of her pregnancy carrying Alex. When Alex was old enough to play, his mother coached his baseball teams. As a teenager, his father drove him long distances to compete in games throughout Italy. With the addition of their two sons, Thomas and Alex, the couple shared their love of the game to transform the Liddi’s into the archetypal Italian baseball family.
Alex Liddi’s mother, Flavia, traveled all the way from Sanremo to support her son playing for the Italian national team during the 2013 World Baseball Classic in Phoenix and Miami.
Alex Liddi is congratulated by Italy teammates after hitting an RBI double off Jered Weaver and a two-run homer off Jerome Williams in an exhibition game against the LA Angels of Anaheim on March 6, 2013.
Liddi “the real ambassador of Italian baseball” after he became the first player from Italy to play in the Major Leagues since 1954 and the first-ever Italian-developed player in MLB. Liddi, the face of European baseball, has the opportunity to spur the growth of baseball back home by playing at the sport’s highest level. By watching Liddi on MLB.tv and reading the nightly box scores, young Italian athletes are now inspired to think that playing Major League Baseball is a viable option.
Italia’s Alex Liddi catches a fly ball against Team USA during the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
Seattle Mariners fans can’t wait for Alex Liddi’s return.
in anticipation of his return to the Mariners for his third consecutive season. Now leading the Rainiers in home runs (7), runs (29), and RBI (31), the sheer power of Italian
24-year-old Liddi will be a welcome addition to the Seattle lineup when MLB rosters expand to 40 players in September. The European baseball ambassador was kind enough to sit down for an interview at the 2013 World Baseball Classic in Phoenix.
Roberto: You were signed in 2005 by Mariners’ scout Wayne Norton and current WBC Team Spain manager Mauro Mazzotti. Isn’t that a good sign for Italian baseball when two Italian managers, Italy’s Marco Mazzieri and Spain’s Mauro Mazzotti, are leading two of Europe’s finest ballplayers in the WBC?
Alex Liddi: Yeah, I’m happy for him that he is able to participate in the World Baseball Classic with another team. I wish him the best.
Roberto: Has the journey with the Seattle Mariners organization been a good experience so far?
Alex Liddi: Yeah, I enjoy my time in Seattle and in the minor league system. I think that it’s a pretty good system. I’ve enjoyed my years playing with them. I’ve got to thank them for giving me a chance to play in the big leagues. So I’m really thankful.
Where it all began for Alex Liddi at Mariners Spring Training Headquarters in Peoria, Arizona
Roberto: You began your professional career in 2006 with the Peoria Mariners and then were then promoted to Single-A Wisconsin. You remained there until 2008 at which time you were batting .313 and enjoyed an eight-game hitting streak when you nearly hit .500! That must have been memorable?
Alex Liddi: Yeah. At every level you go, you try to make adjustments. I was trying to show them that I could play in the states.
Roberto: In 2009 playing for Single-A Advanced High Desert, you led the California League with a .345 batting average, 23 home runs, and 104 RBI. You were selected as a Cal League All-Star. In addition, you were awarded the Cal League MVP, Topps Cal League Player of the Year, Mariners Minor League Player of the Year and MLB.com Mariners Organization Player of the Year. What an accomplishment!
Alex Liddi: Yeah, it we kind of my break out year. We had a good team that year so it was a little easier for me to put out good numbers plus it was a good hitter-friendly park. But that gave me the confidence, and it gave me the chance to keep going for the rest of that year. All these things combined made me have a really good year.
Roberto: How did it feel playing on Team Canada at the Toronto’s Rogers Centre in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and beating the home team on their own turf?
Alex Liddi: Yeah, it was a good time for me. It was probably one of the biggest memories of my life, of my career. I had the chance to beat Canada at the highest level of competition. It will always be something that I will bring with me. I am happy that I was there.
Roberto: In 2011 you were invited to your first Spring Training camp with the Seattle Mariners. It was special because you hit back-to-back grand slams in consecutive games and produced impressive numbers: .385 batting average and a .429 on-base percentage. Your stellar 2011 campaign at Triple-A Tacoma (30 home runs, 104 RBI, 121 runs scored, 32 doubles and 61 walks) led you to your MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners on September 7. 2011. When you got to the big leagues, you hit three home runs and drove in six RBI in 40 at-bats while playing 15 games as a September call-up. Did you ever have to pinch yourself to make sure you were not dreaming anymore and come to the realization
that you were actually a big leaguer?
Alex Liddi: Yeah, for sure. I remember that I had a good spring, but I was still young.
So I had to go back down to Triple-A and develop myself a little more. But then it was getting really close to when the roster expanded to 40 in September, and I was getting really pumped. I maybe had the chance to get called up. Somebody would say ‘yes’
that I was going to get called up and somebody else would say ‘no’. Until they called
me and told me that I was getting called up. It was kind of like all the dreams came true, and it was a big day for me.
Roberto: You also played in the 2011 All-Star Futures Game. That must have been an
eye-opener playing in the front of the MLB media under the watchful eye of a worldwide televised audience.
Alex Liddi: It was a real honor. I would have never expected that to have come to me.
I was really happy to go there. It was really fun.
Italian National team coach Mike Piazza (shown here as coach of Team USA) and Seattle Mariners’ Alex Liddi (shown here playing for Team World) in the 2011 All-Star Futures Game
Alex Liddi and Alessandro Maestri talk strategy in the Italia dugout.
Alex Liddi: First of all, I have a lot of respect for him
as a person and as a player. He’s a really good friend
of mine and probably one of my best friends. He’s one
of those guys who always works hard and fights for everything. He never got anything easy in his life and always had to fight for it. That’s why I give him a lot of respect as a person. Plus he’s a really good pitcher with really good stuff. It was a shame when he got released by the Cubs, but at the same time I remember when I called him to tell him to keep his head up. I thought he could have pitched in the big leagues for sure, and I
still think he can. And then he got a chance to pitch in Japan and make it to the big leagues there. I’m really proud of him. Hopefully, he will have a long career.
Roberto: He actually was selected as the inaugural Fan Choice Award in the Australian Baseball League when he pitched for the Brisbane Bandits in 2011. Wherever he decides
to play, he always makes a major impact.
Alex Liddi: He has charisma. He has a really good attitude on and off the field that makes him a complete player. Good tools, good person, good teammate…so all these things combined together make him a really good player.
Roberto: What is different about Team Italia in the 2013 WBC from the previous team in 2009. What is different in the chemistry which makes the team such a dominant player in this year’s World Baseball Classic?
Alex Liddi: Last time in the World Baseball Classic we had a good team, but this time we have been playing together more. I mean we already know Chris Denorfia, Nick Punto, Anthony Rizzo–I’ve known Rizzo for a couple years now. He’s been a friend of mine since I have been playing against him for a long time. The other guys have been playing together for a while now so the team is really together now. Instead of the other teams, they might bigger names but they have never played together like we do.
Roberto: You could have a bunch of big names on a lineup card, but at the end of the day you look at the box score and the team with the biggest desire to win the game will actually succeed.
Alex Liddi: I think we showed them already that we came here to win. We’re not joking and you can see it on our face…our enthusiasm on the field. We’re playing hard right now. We’re playing real baseball so everybody has to be careful.
Frank Catalanotto proved to be
an invaluable Team Italia coach.
Alex Liddi: We’re playing as a team. Everybody can come up with the big hit. Nobody has got to do too much. Everybody’s got other people’s back, you know. We keep playing like this, and we’ll do a lot of damage.
Roberto: Having a stellar coaching staff which includes future Hall of Famer Mike Piazza and Frank Catalanotto, it must have a tremendous impact on your entire approach to baseball.
Alex Liddi: For sure. I mean when you have a chance to have coaches like Mike Piazza and Frank Catalanotto—guys who have been in the big leagues for a long time—it makes it fun just to be around those guys. You’re able to ask them questions and learn from them so that’s another big part of the team right there too.
Roberto: How proud are you being an Italian playing Major League Baseball and providing hope for Italian athletes that they too can play baseball professionally?
Alex Liddi: I’m really proud to have accomplished being the first Italian-born-and-raised player in the big leagues. It was something that I was always looking forward to coming up through the minors. That was my goal ever since getting signed. Getting closer to it, I could actually understand what it meant. As I got closer, and I was really excited about it. There was no pressure for me. It’s something I’m happy about that happened to me–getting to the big leagues. I’m really thankful to everybody for giving me the opportunity.
Roberto: I love what you represent to Team Italia, your family, friends and fans.
Alex Liddi: I respect this game, and I respect my family. You always got to remember where you come from. So I will always be there for my friends, and a lot of my friends are my fans too. They’re there for me so I got to be there for them. The fans are what make
the game fun. So you have got to be thankful for the fans. I really appreciate the fans. Without the fans, this game would be nothing…
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Team Italy’s Chris Colabello is ready to join the Twins and kiss Minor League Baseball goodbye
It’s Minor League Baseball graduation time for Team Italia/Minnesota Twins’ Chris Colabello.
Italy’s clean-up hitter Chris Colabello came up big in the 2013 WBC tourney.
try, try again…” Perhaps appropriate to sum up the life story of 29-year-old Italian American MLB hopeful Chris Colabello, the best is yet to come for this Massachusetts native. The slugger is poised to make his presence felt on the big league level this year when the Twins call him up from AAA Rochester. Colabello’s strong performance in the World Baseball Classic catapulted Team Italy into the second round of play this year. At Chase Field in Phoenix, he went 4-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and three runs scored against Canada to help Italy clinch a spot to move on to Miami and become the Chevrolet Player of the Game. While at Marlins Park, the Italians nearly posted an upset over 2013 WBC Champion Dominican Republic when Colabello clubbed a three-run bomb that rivaled any one of Giancarlo Stanton’s many web gems. The Team Italy clean-up hitter lived up to his title by finishing the WBC with a .333 BA, seven RBI and a 1.035 OPS in 18 at-bats.
Team Italia’s #2 hitter Chris Denorfia (R), #3 hitter Anthony Rizzo (L) and Chris Colabello
Chris Colabello at Twins 2013 Spring Training in Ft. Myers, FL
nine spring games for Minnesota. He received words of encouragement from Twins stars Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau despite being sent down to Triple-A ball to begin the season. Manager Ron Gardenhire had nothing but
praise for Colabello. “He did fine,” said the Twins skipper.
“He played great for Team Italy and really well for us. First base is a place where we don’t have a ton of depth. We have Morneau and then ad-libbing from there. So if he’s down there (AAA) swing the bat good, he could go right into the big leagues after all that time (seven years) in Independent ball. So it’s a good story.” After spending seven seasons in the Can-Am Independent League, Chris Colabello was signed by the Twins and spent last season at Double-A New Britain, where he put together a .284 BA with 19 home runs and 98 RBI. In 44 games this season at Triple-A Rochester, Colabello commands a .361 BA and leads the Red Wings in hits (61), doubles (17), runs (27), home runs (11) and RBI (34).
Italia’s Chris Colabello got creamed
in the Canada post-game celebration.
The happiest man in baseball? Chris Colabello. Twins infielder, Mass. native, Team Italy for WBC. Story: bit.ly/15AYt6a @mlbonfox
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) February 22, 2013
Who needs Disneyland when you have #Twins #MLB hopeful Chris Colabello playing for #TeamItaly in the #WBClassic? mlbbuzz.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/a… #WBC
— Roberto Angotti (@ABLblogger) February 23, 2013
Twins win 5-4. Pablo Hernandez gets the save. Morneau with the three-run double. Colabello with game-winning hit. Attendance: 5,048
— LaVelle E. Neal III (@LaVelleNeal) February 25, 2013
Roberto: Having shadowed Justin Morneau in Twins Spring Training and having torn the leather off the ball with your hot bat, you really made a statement playing against your Canadian colleague in a Team Italia uniform during the World Baseball Classic by beating Team Canada 14-4 in a mercy rule victory.
Chris Colabello: Yeah. It’s been a pretty interesting journey to get where we are right now. Especially for me personally coming from independent ball and all that stuff. But it’s been great. I’ve been trying to take everything one moment at a time and just try to embrace it to the best of my ability. I think that when I was younger I would probably let moments that this speed up on me, and it would have been a little overwhelming. But I think with maturity comes the ability to just kind of embrace it. It’s great. I got to talk with Justin a bunch when we played him. I don’t think he’s too happy with us because of the final score that day. But it’s pretty neat and obviously a great experience for the Italian team.
Big day for Chris Colabello ( @cc20rake ) as he goes 4-5 with a 3-run HR to lead Italy past Canada. #WBC #MNTwins twitter.com/Twins_morsecod…
— Dustin Morse (@Twins_morsecode) March 8, 2013
Roberto: Showing up to Twins camp and finding out you would be rubbing shoulders with former American League MVPs Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer as a result of being assigned
a locker next to two Minnesota baseball icons must have given you goosebumps?
Chris Colabello: Yeah, for sure. I really did think my locker was in the wrong place (laughter) or they had forgotten me or something like that. It’s been really neat and obviously I’m so thankful for the organization for giving me the opportunity to get in the door last year, to be in big league camp this year and the opportunity to play up here in the WBC. In terms of stars in the Minnesota Twins for the past 15 years, you can’t really think of a guy or two that are bigger than Joe and Justin. They are just tremendous people, tremendous players. They’ve made it an easy transition for me and kind of made it a little
bit less nerve-racking than I thought it would be.
Will Mauer and Morneau be back at camp before @drewbutera and @cc20rake ???
— LaVelle E. Neal III (@LaVelleNeal) March 9, 2013
Did I just see my boy @drewbutera go deep?!?! That’s what I’m talking about..
— Ben Revere (@BenRevere9) March 8, 2013
Big day for @drewbutera as he lifts Team Italy to a win over Mexico with the clubs first HR since 2006. twitter.com/Twins_morsecod…
— Dustin Morse (@Twins_morsecode) March 8, 2013
Roberto: You also have Twins’ Drew Butera watching your back. He was outstanding in
the WBC with his two-run homer against Team Mexico. The chemistry in the Team Italia clubhouse was uncharted because at the end of the day the other team’s big league names on a lineup card didn’t translate in the game-ending box scores. Team Italia’s spirit, desire, passion, drive, and commitment to win games day-by-day under the leadership of manager Marco Mazzieri along with the coaching staff of Tom Trebelhorn, Bill Holmberg, Mike Piazza, Frank Catalanotto, Alberto D’Auria, Gilberto Gerali and Claudio Vecchi.
Chris Colabello: Yeah. It’s a testament to the staff and the organization. You know, being able to put together a group of guys that first and foremost would mesh well together. There was not a single ego in that clubhouse. It’s pretty unbelievable. We kind of embraced the role of underdog that everybody pinned on us. We certainly didn’t believe we were the underdog coming in. I think we obviously proved that to people playing strong baseball games in a row against some really good teams. Drew and I started talking when camp just opened. Every day we’d see each other at spring training. ‘Paisans’, you know, it’s kind of like that comradery came with it. Having played the European Cup last year, I saw what a great group of guys it was. It’s truly amazing to bring a guys from a big league camp and have them join with IBL (Italian Baseball League) guys and some guys from other walks of life and to have us all feel like we’ve been playing together for years is pretty amazing.
Here’s a picture of Albert Pujols and Mike Piazza during today’s BP taken by someone twitter.com/fcat27/status/…
— frank catalanotto (@fcat27) March 7, 2013
Italia pitching coach Bill Holmberg and hitting coach Mike Piazza (MG-Oldmanagency / FIBS)
Roberto: You could not have had a better guidance than Italian MLB Academy Director and Team Italia pitching coach Bill Holmberg as well as Team Italia hitting coach Mike Piazza.
Chris Colabello: Yeah, for sure. Even on that end, you’ve got a guy who in my opinion
is a Hall of Famer in Mike Piazza, and a guy like Bill Holmberg–who is probably more prepared than any coach I have ever met in my entire life in terms of being able to scout, gather information and help guys out. Obviously, Marco is the leader of that group. It’s pretty amazing stuff because I think a line I remember hearing is ‘Attitude reflects leadership’ so it’s obviously a testament to them and the ability they go about teaching the game and helping guide us who we are.
Chris Colabello (Worcester 2005-11) receives a major-league spring training invitation from the #Twins: canamleague.com/cgi-bin/dist/n…
— Can-Am League (@CanAmLeague) December 18, 2012
Chris Colabello & Edinson Volquez are both trending worldwide @wbcbaseball #WBC @mlbnetwork
— MLB Public Relations (@MLB_PR) March 12, 2013
Roberto: How did you make the transition from Independent baseball to MLB-affiliated ball and what were the expectations that went along with it?
Chris Colabello: It was all new to me at that point. Obviously not being drafted initially kind of hurt a little bit, and I really didn’t know where the road was going to lead. Baseball is a big part of my life. Worcester was probably the best thing that ever happened to me in my career. The manager I played for, Rich Gedman and the people I was around, some of my best friends for the rest of my life are some of the guys I played with in Worcester. After that 2005 season, we had a great experience. It was our first year. The city was really excited about it. I got a real taste of how the best minor league places are run because we were certainly treated like royalty. I had the opportunity to sign with Detroit (in 2006).
I really didn’t know what to expect. It was all new to me. I had never been to Spring Training camp. I was really excited. I didn’t know how many guys there would be. Coming in as a free agent signing, I think at some point you have got to stand out. Again, I had mentioned before, when I was younger I used to let things speed up on me a little bit.
I think that was probably part of what happened in camp unfortunately. I thought I had done a pretty good job performance wise and in terms of work ethic. And I think I had some good reviews from coaches before I had left, but things didn’t work out for whatever reason it was and back to Worcester it was.
2011 Independent Leagues Player Of The Year: Chris Colabello: Chris Colabello is the 2011 Independent Leagues Pl… bit.ly/vwXlKo
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) October 27, 2011
Roberto: At age 27 during your 2011 season with the Worcester Tornadoes, you put up impressive offensive numbers which earned you Can-Am League Most Valuable Player and Baseball America magazine’s Independent Baseball Player of the Year honors. How could the Minnesota Twins not take notice? They saw something special in you and shortly thereafter offered a minor league contract.
Chris Colabello: Yeah. It was kind of a whirlwind. I finished the 2010 season on a tough note. I broke my hand. I got hit with a fastball and missed the final two weeks of the season. I think I was really, really hungry at that point. So I started working a lot earlier than I normally would, especially in the cage with a good friend of mine, Bobby Tewksbary–
who is one of my best friends in the world. We‘d start getting after it in the cage…talking about timing and rhythm things, swing stuff that really changed my life (laughter). It allowed me to free myself up as a hitter a little bit which turned things around in my 2011 season. It was pretty magical in terms of finish. And of course all those nice accolades I was able to receive…I think helped me kind of break into affiliated baseball. I couldn’t be more thankful to the Twins organization for giving me that chance.
#Twins sign 1B Chris Colabello of the indy Canadian-American Association to a minor league deal:telegram.com/article/201202…
— Parker Hageman (@OverTheBaggy) February 5, 2012
“Taking a Moment to Appreciate the Underdogs” – A great look at Indi League Player of the Year Chris Colabello… fb.me/1mKQyKO9K
— Jesse Lund (@TwinkieTown) February 16, 2012
First baseman Chris Colabello is one of the reasons I enjoy covering the minors. bit.ly/IlxMtJ
— Kevin Thomas (@ClearTheBases) April 29, 2012
Rock Cats’ Chris Colabello hanging on to his major league dream. cour.at/Paz0tC
— Hartford Courant (@hartfordcourant) July 4, 2012
New Britain’s Chris Colabello, a 28-year-old rookie and refugee of independent league, is having MVP type season. twincities.com/twins/ci_21292…
— Tom Powers (@TomPowersPP) August 12, 2012
#TwitNewsNow Minnesota Twins: Aaron Hicks, Chris Colabello, Deibinson Romero make Eastern League all-star team dlvr.it/23Kq56 #MLB
— TwinsFanZone (@TwinsFanZone) August 25, 2012
Assumption baseball alum Chris Colabello ’05 sets Double AA New Britain single-season RBI mark! bit.ly/OmmWm3 #NE10 #NCAAD2
— ACgreyhounds (@acgreyhounds) September 5, 2012
Roberto: The accolades continued to mount as you were a 2012 Eastern League All-Star team selection in addition to being chosen as the Eastern League’s Most Valuable Player runner-up. You must have broken some hearts when your 98 RBI single-season club
record for Double-A New Britain in 2012 surpassed the previous 1998 record set by Doug Mientkiewicz (88). Quite an accomplishment in consideration MLB veterans and former
Rock Cats Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer and Jacque Jones could not reach the prior plateau during their minor league careers.
Chris Colabello: Yeah (laughter). It was a lot of fun. I think 2012 turned out to be,
I couldn’t have imagined it, just as good if not a better year than 2011. I was on a little bit of a different stage. There was little more riding on it, but it was awesome. I reminded myself about having fun and the game doesn’t change no matter where you are. Once I started having fun, things began to free up for me. In both places early, I ran into some trouble. Again that mental maturity…aging has kind of helped me along the way. It reminded me how to battle back from situations like that so the numbers turned out to be what they were. It was a lot of fun.
Roberto: You have trying to beat the odds in breaking in the big leagues your entire career with the same conviction to succeed despite getting older everyday. What keeps you moving forward in achieving your life-long dream?
Chris Colabello: Ultimately, I think if you are passionate enough about something in life it would be irresponsible not to pursue it to the fullest extent. Baseball is such a big part of my life for so long and obviously a huge part of my family, huge part of my childhood. It’s a part of me. People say baseball doesn’t define who I am. Well in a lot of ways I feel like it does for me. Obviously it doesn’t define the type of person I am, but there’s always a huge part of me that will be in love with this game for the rest of my life. I think I just got really good at not taking ‘no’ for an answer. Every time I heard someone say ‘no’, it kind of made me want it much more and maybe work for it that much more. It allowed me to do things that I could take to that next level. Here we are today. Persistence and not taking ‘no’ for an answer are the way to do it.
Team Italia/MLB veteran pitcher Dan Serafini is a kindred spirit to Twins slugger Chris Colabello.
Chris Colabello: He’s about passion, persistence, desire. Ultimately, I don’t know what makes us different. I think
we all just have a deep-rooted love for
the game. I can’t imagine my life without the game of baseball. It’s nice to be around someone who has gone through the
same things and thinks the same way.
Team Italia pitcher Alex Maestri
Roberto: You also have a very strong connection
with Team Italia pitcher Alex Maestri and his father,
Dr. Paolo Maestri. Let me get this straight. You were 14 and playing baseball in Italy when Dr. Maestri was
at the right place at the right time to save your life. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you were lounging on the back of your baseball coach’s car when your coach took off down a hill at 30 mph without seeing you in the rear. You jumped off and landed face-first, resulting in a deep gash near your mouth and severe bleeding to the point where you were choking on your own blood. Dr. Maestri helped you get the blood out so you could breathe again. What a nightmare! Thank God there was a doctor nearby to render first aid and save you.
Chris Colabello: Yeah, it was a pretty unbelievable experience. I’m very, very fortunate to (have) the Maestri family. Without them, I firmly believe that
I would not be here today.
Chris Colabello crushed the ball against Team Canada in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
What an incredible baseball game to be a part of! #TeamItaly #letsgo
— Chris Colabello (@CC20rake) March 8, 2013
thank you for all the support! #teamItaly #letsgo Glad to be able to share this with great people!
— Chris Colabello (@CC20rake) March 9, 2013
and on to the next one… #Round2 #Miami #TeamItaly #letsgo
— Chris Colabello (@CC20rake) March 10, 2013
So this is what charter flights to Miami are like… #TeamItaly #letsgo twitter.com/CC20rake/statu…
— Chris Colabello (@CC20rake) March 10, 2013
Thanks for all the Twitter love today… Still have work to do and a lot of heart in that clubhouse #TeamItaly #letsgo
— Chris Colabello (@CC20rake) March 13, 2013
Thank you to all the fans who supported us and to the group of guys in that clubhouse who made this experience so incredible #TeamItaly
— Chris Colabello (@CC20rake) March 14, 2013
Enjoyed my time with #TeamItaly but happy to see all the guys back at camp today #Twins
— Chris Colabello (@CC20rake) March 14, 2013
The Twins’ faithful await Chris Colabello’s arrival.
it is time for the call-up to Minnesota and his long-awaited MLB debut at Target Field. Looking ahead at their schedule, it would be ideal to bring Colabello up on May 29th when the Brewers visit the Twin Cities. That way the Italian American slugger will have the chance to share with Milwaukee’s Jeff Bianchi all the special moments that he missed. Unfortunately, the Brewers feared their infielder–who recently returned from the 15-day DL–would be injured if he played for Italia in the World Baseball Classic.
Chris Colabello (@cc20rake) Quick Update (see picture) twitter.com/TewksHitting/s…
— Bobby Tewksbary (@TewksHitting) May 8, 2013
The time is now for Minnesota Twins 29-year-old rookie Chris Colabello to begin raking in MLB.
Rizzo lifts spirits of believers in beating the odds
Anthony Rizzo lifts a jubilant Alex Liddi with Alessandro Vaglio nearby after Italy upset Mexico in the World Baseball Classic at Salt River Fields in Arizona on March 7th.
and quite possibly Rome as members of the Baseball Hall of Fame in both America and Italy.
2013 WBC Team Italy slugger Anthony Rizzo raised $90,000 during his family foundation’s annual “Walk Off For Cancer” event in 2012.
the Red Sox organization during early 2008, Rizzo was diagnosed with limited state classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The Boston front office as well as Red Sox pitching ace
Jon Lester, a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor, were supportive of Rizzo in his battle against cancer. By beating this life-threatening disease, the sky was the limit
for this young man’s future. Now a cancer survivor himself, Rizzo is an inspirational role model who helps cancer patients and their families through the ongoing efforts of
the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation.
Tuesday #Cubs Anthony Rizzo made a surprise pregame visit to H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. twitter.com/LurieChildrens… #CancerSurvivor
— Roberto Angotti (@ABLblogger) April 21, 2013
We’re thrilled to partner with the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation for our 3 “Meet the Team” parties this season,… fb.me/JbEwE5Ba
— Kane County Cougars (@KCCougars) April 8, 2013
Andre Dawson joined Anthony Rizzo at the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation’s Walk Off For Cancer 5K this morning: twitter.com/Cubs/status/27…
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) December 9, 2012
We’re proud supporters of the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. Check out Anthony’s story and foundation here bit.ly/ScGxre.
— Marucci(@MarucciSports) November 20, 2012
Hey #Cubs fans, I’ve got a new page for everyone to go like! Check out the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation page on… fb.me/WgBvfxqe
— Between the Vines (@CubsStories) October 1, 2012
Everyone, Cubs fan or not, should support The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. Check out his site at rizzo44.com. Thanks!Plz RT
— Anthony Rizzo-Holics (@AnthonyRi44o) September 17, 2012
Anthony Rizzo gives the Team Italia trademark “Baci” to his Italian teammates in the dugout.
Anthony Rizzo drives a double into the right center field gap to clear the bases and give Italy a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning against 2013 WBC runner-up Puerto Rico.
Anthony Rizzo slides into USA’s Brandon Phillips
and successfully breaks up a double play attempt.
“No one scripted us to be where we are. But we had a lead in every game we played in this tournament. Every-one has written us off–we shouldn’t be here, this and that. I think we’ve earned the respect that we didn’t get at all in this tournament.”
Anthony Rizzo anxiously awaits what may be very well his finest at-bat in his career when he was down 0-2 against closer Sergio Romo and delivered a two-run double.
Anthony Rizzo hit his first homer of Spring 2013
in an exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics off pitcher Fernando Rodriguez while playing for
Italia at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on March 5th.
Anthony Rizzo is congratulated after his two-run double led to Italy’s 6-5 win over Mexico.
Anthony Rizzo was all smiles when Italy was victorious since many Cubs players, coaches and staffers each pledged $500 to the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation if Team Italy won.
Anthony Rizzo prior to the first pitch of WBC play.
Italy took an early 4-0 lead against the 2013 WBC Champion Dominican Republic. Rizzo contributed offensively with a walk and run scored, but the Italians fell short in a heartbreaking
5-4 loss. Facing elimination versus WBC runner-up Puerto Rico, the left-handed slugger drove a three-run double into the right center field gap to put the Italians up 3-0 in the fifth inning, but Puerto Rico came back to lead 4-3. Rizzo walked in the top of the ninth to represent the game-tying run, but he would he left stranded.
Vito Rizzo traveled from Ciminna, Sicily to Ellis Island, NY in 1905.
the Prince Albert and went through Ellis Island. Rizzo’s father, John, remained in contact with his brother’s brother-in-law in Sicily throughout the WBC tourney. John Rizzo said, “They have a small core of baseball fans. It’s like a cult thing.” It won’t be a cult for long as baseball continues to be gain popularity among Italy’s youth. Having won back-to-back European Baseball Championships, the Italian national team has attracted the country’s finest athletes. Analogous to Chinese hero Yao Ming and Jeremy Lin’s contributions to the growth of basketball in China, Italian-born Alex Liddi and Anthony Rizzo are now baseball icons in Europe.
With every Team Italy win came its fanaticism. It was no coincidence that the merchandise booths at Phoenix’s Chase Field had sold out of of t-shirts and jerseys before Italy’s game against Team USA. The onslaught of Italian youth sporting RIZZO proudly on their back has only begun. Just as he has become of the face of the Chicago Cubs franchise, Anthony Rizzo has become the backbone of the Italian baseball revolution supported by Mike Piazza. When the 12-time MLB All-Star catcher becomes the first Italian American to be inducted into both the American and Italian Baseball Hall of Fame, the stakes for Anthony Rizzo to repeat history will set the tone for a Team Italia reunion.
Anthony Rizzo congratulates Team Italy’s Chris Colabello after hitting a three-run home run in the first inning against 2013 WBC Champion Dominican Republic at Marlins Park on March 12th.
Italy calls on pitcher Alex Maestri in 2013 World Baseball Classic win-or-go-home showdown
Starting pitcher Alex Maestri is representing Italy
for the fourth time in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
by MLB is experiencing a renaissance. The two-time MiLB All-Star spent five seasons in the Chicago Cubs system. Alex Maestri later ventured Down Under, where he would be named 2011 Australian Baseball League (ABL) Team World All-Star and given the inaugural ABL Fan Choice Award. When I first met the 27-year-old right-hander at the Italian MLB Academy near Pisa last year, he told me that the Kagawa Olive Guyners wanted him to pitch in Japan. He took on the the role of the team’s closer and was a knock out from day one. In each of the two months he played for Kagawa in 2012, he was named the indy league’s pitcher of the month.
Closer Alessandro Maestri was not afraid to show his Italian winning spirit by striking out Jayson Nix to beat Team USA for the first time in 21 years during the 2007 Baseball World Cup hosted by Chinese Taipei.
Alex Maestri averaged nearly one strikeout per inning
(49.2 innings/40 K). He was equally impressive during his 2011/12 ABL campaign. The Brisbane Bandits pitcher finished third in the ABL in innings pitched (63.2) and strikeouts (53), fourth in WHIP (1.16) and sixth in ERA (3.25). In Round Eight of the regular season, he earned Australian Baseball League Pitcher of the Week honors after throwing a stellar complete game two-hitter against the Canberra Cavalry.
Alex Maestri pitched for the Brisbane Bandits during the 2011/12 ABL season.
Team Italy starting pitcher Alex Maestri faces Team Puerto Rico today at 7pm (EST) in a win-or-go-home showdown televised live on the MLB Network from Marlins Park in Miami. He and his fellow Italian teammates are ready to show the world that the defending European Champions are loaded with talent ready to lock and load in the competitive 2013 World Baseball Classic.
Roberto: Welcome back to the USA!
Alex Maestri: How are doing Roberto? It’s nice to talk to you. I’m feeling good. It’s been a long journey coming here. Everything is good. I’m glad to be with the Italian national team now. I’m looking forward to this WBC tournament and this year coming up.
Roberto: After your successful campaign for the Japan Professional League’s Orix Buffaloes, the team has really stepped up its efforts in recruiting players from overseas.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, you know, every year the team signs foreign players. This year we got seven so we’re probably going to have to rotate. That’s stuff that I can’t control, but it’s going to be fun. The team looks very good. We have a lot of Japanese players that are pretty good and young so I think it’s going to be an exciting year.
Roberto: Did you enjoy the food in Japan?
Alex Maestri: The food there is great. It’s so good. I heard good things about Japanese food before I went there, and when I got there I really appreciated it. Their cuisine is not all about sushi like we think. That’s what I thought too before I went there, but they actually have a huge variety of good food. It’s all very, very good.
Roberto: Did you find a good plate of pasta there?
Alex Maestri: Actually, you know what, they are very good at cooking pasta too. They can reproduce everything very well. They are very good at learning about other cultures and making it theirs.
Roberto: The Japanese have the longest life span. So they must be doing something right.
Alex Maestri: They are doing a lot of things right.
Here is a postgame interview with Alex Maestri after his debut with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan! youtube.com/watch?v=snddjR… #MLB
— MLB Europe (@MLB_Europe) August 13, 2012
Roberto: Your Japanese YouTube video is amazing. Have you ever been in the spotlight like that before?
Alex Maestri: Not at all. That was like the first time. After the game, the player of the game gets interviewed in front of the fans in the stadium and put on the big screen. My debut was actually a great game. I got to do that right on the field. It was cool. This fan had this Italian flag with him, and he came all the way close to the dugout. He passed the flag to one of the reporters who gave it to me. So it was good, it was good seeing the colors of Italy in Japan.
I was very proud too to represent those colors in a good way.
Roberto: It almost had an Olympic feel to it.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, you see those gold medal runners walking around the track with their flags. I was just standing around though. It was a really a weird day. I really didn’t feel uncomfortable. I really didn’t know what was going on.
Roberto: It must have been an adrenalin rush.
Alex Maestri: It was during the game. Afterwards, I was just relaxed and happy. I was done pitching, and we won the game.
Roberto: Tell me about what you remember most about playing Minor League Baseball.
Alex Maestri: I was here in the states for six years, and five of those six years were with the Cubs. I have a lot of great memories with that team. The game that I remember the most was a Cubs Spring Training game, and I was with the big league team against the A’s. They gave me one inning, and it was pretty good.
Roberto: And you got to face Italian American Jason “Giambino” Giambi.
Alex Maestri: Actually Giambi is the only one who actually got a hit off me. I faced four guys, and three (Orlando Cabrera, Matt Holliday and Eric Chavez) of the four were strikeouts.
Roberto: Since he is Italian, were you giving him a free pass to first base?
Alex Maestri: (Laughing) Yeah, I guess so.
Italian American Jason “Giambino” Giambi was the only A’s hitter to get on base against pitcher Alex Maestri in a 2009 Chicago Cubs Spring Training game under Cubbie manager Lou Pinella.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, I mean in Italy we have a lot of good players. It’s a shame that there is not much money supporting baseball so it’s not easy to develop guys. But we have the Italian MLB Academy now, and you know it’s doing very good. There are some young players that are doing some really nice work. And there’s more and more scouts going down there to look at them. It’s a pleasure for me to represent the country all over the world. And even if I just play for myself on the team that I play with, I always play for my colors, I’m always proud of that.
Alessandro Maestri with Italian teammates Pat Venditte, Luca Panerati and Alessandro Vaglio during a break while at Oakland A’s Minor League facility. (Photo by MG-Oldmanagency / FIBS)
Alex Maestri: Yeah, per sempre Forza Azzurri!
Roberto: You don’t take any prisoners when you pitch, and you proudly wear your colors on your sleeve. It shows that you pour your heart and soul every time you step on the mount to throw.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, I think that’s what you have to do on the mound. You’re not always going to succeed. But that’s the attitude you’ve got to have to pitch.
Roberto: Italy pitching coach Bill Holmberg has changed the mindsets of many on this staff for the better.
Alex Maestri: Bill has been my pitching coach forever. He has known me since I was a kid And you know I started working with him when I was 18-year-old and started to go to the Italian MLB Academy. But even before that he was working with me. He’s my main pitching coach. I always try to go the Academy during the offseason and have a few workouts with him. I really like the way he teaches pitching. I think everybody, all the pitchers that get to work with him, they appreciate his work.
Roberto: He was the one who wrote your name on a scouting report for the Chicago Cubs, and the next thing you know you were signed to MLB.
Alex Maestri: At the time he was an international scout for the Chicago Cubs, and you know I was doing pretty good. I was young and I was doing good for my team. And he said that he was going to take a chance and sign me. He said that I could make the Big Leagues. He really believed in me. He gave me a great opportunity to come over and gave me a chance to play in the states.
Italia pitching coach Bill Holmberg and hitting coach Mike Piazza (MG-Oldmanagency / FIBS)
Alex Maestri: We really love that. It’s great to have him around in the dugout. He’s like doing this for fun. He enjoys working with us… That’s why we appreciate it so much. I think he is positively influencing the program that we have. The fact that the team is winning and improving proves it. So that’s why he keeps coming back.
Roberto: Coach Piazza helps pitchers as well, right?
Alex Maestri: Oh definitely. We always have meetings in the morning.. He comes in with Bill and always says his opinion on our pitching. He was one of the best catchers in the game so he obviously knows a lot about pitching too. It’s just great having him around.
Roberto: Being the underdog, Team Italy plays like there is no tomorrow.
Alex Maestri: I guess it’s kind of normal since baseball is not so developed in Italy. People don’t really respect Italian baseball, but you know it’s kind of like the fun part of playing. Nobody really thinks that we are strong. But I think we are a very good team actually, and we should again surprise a lot of people around the world.
Roberto: It this also an opportunity to play on the world’s stage to show MLB what they missed out on?
Alex Maestri: I don’t think I have to have any sort of revenge, I just want to play good for myself and my country. I was here in the states, and they gave me a great opportunity to play here. I had a lot of great experiences here so it’s not like I’m mad at anybody. Things just went that way. I had a tough year in 2010 so it’s normal that I got released. You know I’m still playing baseball. I’ve got a great opportunity now in Japan. I just love what I do so like I said before I am just going to play for my country and not for anybody else.
Roberto: You look healthy and happy. With this Italian team playing to win, I know you are going to give it your all.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, I think a few years back, the Italian national team just went out playing a few tournaments to kind of like participate. But now with manager Marco Mazzieri, you have a very good attitude and it rubs off on all the players. Now you have a very strong group that won two European Championships back-to-back. And now everybody is starting to feel confident about themselves. And in baseball that’s what is about—confidence. You know we got ability so we need to be confident and just go out there and play baseball.
Alex Maestri had some serious movement on his arsenal of pitches in the 2009 WBC.
Alex: I’ve got my pitches like everybody else. I just got to keep working on them and make them as confusing as I can for hitters.
Roberto: In prior in WBC competitions, you have been stellar. I hope that you will continue to shine in the upcoming 2013 WBC.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, you know, that’s the plan. We always try to do our best. And that’s what I’m trying to do this time around. Right now I’m getting ready and going day-by-day. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I’ll definitely give my best effort.
Roberto: Are there any players in the WBC that you know from you days in MiLB?
Alex Maestri: The only guys that I remember is catcher Chris Robinson from Canada. We were in the same organization. We never really played together. I have played against many of the USA players like Mike (Giancarlo) Stanton and Jonathan Lucroy. It’s cool facing them again in the World Baseball Classic.
Roberto: Every pitch has to count with the WBC pitch limits in place.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, that’s kind of like the plan every time you go out. You know it’s a team sport so everybody is going to have do his own thing. I know that I will do my part with my pitching, but once I’m done with my pitches then there is someone else coming in to take over. We just all have to do this together, and it’s going to be touch. We’re playing the best teams in the world, and it’s going to be hard work. So we’re going to have to be really focused.
Roberto: You have to execute.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, you’ve got to be able to execute and if you don’t you just lose games. That’s why we play this game. You know, we enjoy that part of it.
Italia pitcher Alessandro Maestri beat Canada in the 2013 WBC. (MG-Oldmanagency / FIBS)
Roberto: What does it mean to be an Italian playing baseball?
Alex Maestri: I just started to play baseball because of my brother. At the time I wasn’t really watching any baseball on TV. I started doing that later on, but it was cool seeing all those guys with Italian names written on the back of their jerseys. I just grew up hoping that one day that I would be able to take their place.
Roberto: With the influx of MLB players now joining Team Italy, how will it change the personality of La Squadra Azzurri.
Alex Maestri: I think it’s going to be the same. We have a good personality now. Those players are going to definitely improve the level. Because obviously they are Big League players and they have more experience than we do. It’s going to make the team better, but I don’t think it will change the personality of the team.
Roberto: You are representing Italy on all corners of the earth wherever you compete.
Alex Maestri: I feel like it. I always travel the world and play baseball in different countries. But my roots are always with me so I feel very proud of that. I’m sure all the other guys feel proud of that too—even the Big League players that are going to play for us. We already had a bunch of them in the World Baseball Classic, and they play as hard as we do. They want to win, and it’s just going to be great to do it all together.
Migliori Amici Alex Liddi and Alessandro Maestri
Roberto: Any favorites? Has the Dodgers’ Nick Punto lived up to his name as the shredder by tearing the jersey off walk-off heroes after Team Italy victories?
Alex Maestri: I don’t know about Punto, but another guy who had an unbelievable WBC tournament was Chris Denorfia. At the tournament, he really gave everything he had. He made some great plays defensively and had some clutch hits so it’s going to be good to see him again. Jason Grilli has been with us for the first two World Baseball Classics. He’s just a great guy. He loves to come and play for us. Alex Liddi, of course, is one of my best friends.
I haven’t seen him in a long time. I saw him the other day, and it was just great seeing him again. He’s really family. I feel like his brother. And all the other guys that are going to come are going to be very welcome.
Roberto: You will be in the capable hands of catchers Drew Butera from the Minnesota Twins and Tyler LaTorre from the San Francisco Giants. Have you ever worked with them before?
Alex Maestri: Actually not. I haven’t had the pleasure to work with them yet. It’s going to happen in the WBC.
Roberto: Since you were in the same organization as the Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo, it will be sort of a Cubbie reunion with two Italians on the same team.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, I heard really a lot of good things about him. We both played for the same organization so it will be good.
Roberto: Anything else you would like to say before we sign off?
Alex Maestri: I’d like to say hi to everybody. I would like to thank the great people all over the world. I really enjoy what I’m doing now. I might not be enjoying this for the past seven years if it had not been for them. Thanks!
Roberto: I really enjoyed meeting you at the Italian MLB Academy and talking with you today here in Arizona prior to the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Thanks for your time!
Alex: Thank you very much, and thank you for the work you do for Team Italy. It’s good to have somebody who really cares about this team and tries to promote the team as much as you do. Thank you for doing that.
Roberto: Thank you. It’s my pleasure. I believe in you and Italian baseball. God bless Italia! 
WBC Exclusive: Q & A with Italy’s ace John Mariotti
Canadian-born John Mariotti was the winning pitcher for Team Italy in their defeat of the Netherlands in the 2012 European Championship Final to repeat their EU Championship title.
Roberto: You have a knack of being a winner and landing on winning teams. Do you truly have a winning spirit and the Midas touch?
John Mariotti: A championship team is made up of a specific group of players. Each player brings something different to the table in order to fit the mold and make up what is to be a championship team. My hard work and dedication toward baseball, I believe, are the traits that Pat Scalabrini (manager of Québec Capitales) and Marco Mazzieri (manager of Team Italy) saw, which made me one significant piece of the puzzle for their team. I am the type of player that never wants to let my teammates down and always striving to be the best.
Under the guidance of Québec Capitales manager Pat Scalabrini, pitcher John Mariotti has led the team to two Can-Am League Championships.
John Mariotti: I got a call in October of 2011 by Team Italy in regards to playing in the European Championship and WBC. Immediately we began the citizenship process and in August I was on my way to Italy to prepare for the European Championship in Holland.
Roberto: Did you have a choice to play for Team Canada instead of Team Italy?John Mariotti: I did not have the option to play for Team Canada.
Roberto: Will it be difficult playing against some of the players you grew up with in Canada while pitching for Team Italy in the 2013 World Baseball Classic?
John Mariotti: I know a couple of players on Canada’s team, John Axford, Chris Leroux and Jonathan Malo. When I was in college, I hit with Joey Votto for two years when I would come home for Christmas break. It will be an awesome experience to play on the same field as these guys, but I think that it’s understood that when its game time, all feelings are set aside.
Italy pitcher John Mariotti will face his former Canadian baseball buddy Joey Votto in the WBC.
Roberto: Does Team Canada have an edge because they have seen you pitch before or do you have an advantage because you know their Achilles’ heel?
John Mariotti: In baseball, I believe the biggest advantage is experience. Most of the players on Team Canada are or have played in the Big Leagues. Nonetheless, I believe in my talent and so do the Italians and I am going to work hard so that I am able to compete at my best in order to help us win.
Roberto: Who were some of the coaches that have inspired you?
John Mariotti: Murray Marshall (Team Ontario Baseball) was one of the coaches who gave me a shot to play elite baseball. His passion to coach and love for the game was an inspiration not only to me but to all of his players. In college it was both coach Darren Mazeroski (Gulf Coast Community College) and coach Gary Gilmore (Coastal Carolina University) that had a great effect on my career. Battling elbow injuries for two years, both coach “Maz” and “Gilly” believed in my ability and that I was going to perform.” They were two coaches that saw and believed in my talent and gave me every opportunity to succeed.
I owe them a lot.
Pitcher John Mariotti advanced as high as Double-A Bowie Baysox in the Baltimore Orioles organization.
Team Italy pitcher John Mariotti credits pitching guru Ron Wolforth’s Baseball Ranch for giving him a new lease on life in his playing career after being injured and ultimately released by the Baltimore Orioles.
John Mariotti: Ron Wolforth at Pitching Central in Houston, Texas, in a nutshell, gave me back what I have left of my baseball career. After suffering an injury that ultimately resulted in being released and what looked like the end of my career, I went to see coach Wolforth in Houston as a last hope. What I didn’t know was that hope wasn’t an option. He was going to get me back to playing, that’s how good he is. He is the pitching guru. Working with coach Wolforth got me back into professional baseball: two Can-Am Championships, one European Championship with Team Italy, a Phillies Spring Training invite and now a chance play in the World Baseball Classic. He is a big reason for my success. Pat Scalabrini was another inspiration in my playing career. After being released by the Winnipeg Goldeyes, coach Scalabrini gave me a shot to prove myself.
I did not disappoint. The two years of winning two championships with Québec was the most fun I’ve had playing ball in a long time. It was the support and belief by coach Scalabrini that really helped me get to this point, and I can’t thank him enough. These coaches were big inspirations for me.
Roberto: What are your best pitches that you have come to depend on?
John Mariotti: I throw a sinker, changeup and slider. My sinker and changeup are my two plus pitches. As a sinkerball pitcher, my job is to keep the ball on the ground and let the defense work. My changeup is a pitch that will keep hitters honest on the sinker and is one of my out pitches in certain situations.
Roberto: How good are the Italians? What are some of the strengths of the team?
John Mariotti: The Italians are very good; we have a lot of talent on our team and a great coaching staff. Aside from that, I believe it is the passion, teamwork and the will to win of the Italians that is going to help us achieve success.
Team Italy pitching coach Bill Holmberg was previously an international scout for the Chicago
Cubs and is currently the director of the Italian MLB Academy. (MG-Oldmanagency / FIBS)
John Mariotti: Bill is one of the more knowledgeable coaches I’ve had the pleasure of playing for. Bill and I spent a lot of time together over in Europe, and he taught me a lot about pitching. He has totally changed my mentality as far as how I approach hitters. His knowledge and ability to scout teams and prepare the pitching staff with information about our opponent is impressive. He is very passionate about teaching and coaching players.
He is a key component to the coaching staff and the success of the Italians.
Italy hitting coach Mike Piazza watches pitcher John Mariotti throw three scoreless innings against a group of Milwaukee Brewers prospects in a WBC warm-up game on March 1st at Maryvale Stadium in Phoenix. (MG-Oldmanagency / FIBS)
John Mariotti: Mike’s is a very knowledgeable person. His experience and knowledge for the game will definitely be a big factor in helping us succeed. Aside from this, he brings a certain character to the team, one that keeps the atmosphere on the bench very light and pressure free. He is a very knowledgeable person, who’s always thinking. I think Mike has helped us pitchers by preparing the catchers. Mike prepares our catchers for competition both mentally and physically and I think that by doing so, it only helps make the pitchers better.
Roberto: With the injection of more MLB-affiliated players participating in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, can Team Italy compete in Pool D and advance?
John Mariotti: No doubt. The Americans are the favorite in our pool, but as far as the rest of the teams go (Canada and Mexico) I think we have a really good shot at advancing to the second round.
Roberto: Who else would you have liked to see join Italy in the World Baseball Classic?
John Mariotti: One name that came to mind that I thought might be on the team was Mike Napoli. I’m pretty sure he is of Italian decent.
Mike Piazza gives back to the game while coaching Team Italy in the 2013 World Baseball Classic
Team Italy hitting coach Mike Piazza gives
some sound advice to Anthony Granato in the 2010 European Baseball Championship Finals.
Rediscovering his ancestry in Italy and helping to make baseball relevant there are big priorities for the 12-time MLB All-Star. However, Piazza won’t deny his American upbringing. “I do not pretend to say what is not true,” he admitted. “I grew up as an American boy. Now, getting older, I understand the value of my heritage and I want to give some-thing back to Italy. I just got back from Italy, and I am doing a lot of research on my family roots from Sicily. During your baseball career, you really can’t focus on things like that because you are concentrating on playing. I’m not trying to reinvent my identity and say I’m doing the reverse Christopher Columbus thing.”
The all-time leading catcher with 427 home runs (.308 batting average) over his 16-year career and future Baseball Hall of Famer was coached by some of MLB’s best. The proud Team Italy coach Piazza said, “When I was coming up with the Dodgers I learned from Reggie Smith, and he was a direct disciple of Ted Williams. I really benefitted a lot from good coaching, so I feel I can impart my knowledge, and that is my way of giving back to the game. You can tell, obviously with our success and winning two European Championships since I’ve been there, it works…”
Coaches Tommy Lasorda and Reggie Smith served as Piazza’s mentors after leading Team USA to the gold by defeating Cuba in the 2000 Olympic Games.
from 1999 to 2008. Piazza hopes to emulate Smith’s coaching excellence with Team Italy. He said, “The players really listen, and it’s fun for me. I get a lot of joy from doing that. I’m not a huge ‘change a guy’ type of coach, I keep it simple. I’m not very autocratic. I don’t try to pound my system into guys. To me, hitting is personal.”
Tommy Lasorda and Mike Piazza love Italia!
like many other Italians near the turn of the 20th century, came here from the Abruzzi region south of Rome seeking relief from the rough winters and hard terrain. However, unlike Lasorda–who wore the red, white and blue–Mike Piazza gives back to “La Squadra Azzurri” Team Italy as a fitting tribute to his grandfather Rosario from Sicilia and faces Team USA in the 2013 World Baseball Classic at Chase Field in Phoenix on March 9th.
Former player and current Team Italy hitting coach Mike Piazza believes in the World Baseball Classic
Mike Piazza played for Team Italy
in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Mike Piazza celebrates with Team Italy after the Italians beat the Netherlands to win their third consecutive European Championship since 2010.
Like a gondolier in Venezia, Piazza is singing songs of praise for the World Baseball Classic. He said, “I believe in it. I think it’s great. I hope someday down the line it turns into a world-class, World Cup-type thing. I think that’s in conjunction with the way
the game is evolving and changing. One of my personal mottos is: ‘If you
are going to do it, don’t do it halfway.’ If they’re going to really make a concerted effort to develop the
Classic, truly make it a world event.”
2013 World Baseball Classic Pool D play begins on March 7th when Italy battles Mexico at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale. The Italians return March 8th to take on Canada. Team Italy travels to Chase Field in Phoenix on March 9th to face Team USA. The winner and runner-up of Pool D will advance to the second round of a modified-double elimination tourney.
Italy hopes to make it to the WBC Finals at AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA.
host Puerto Rico) beginning March 12th at Marlins Park in Miami. The winner and runner-up of the stiff competition will move on to the WBC Championship Round starting March 17th at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Not only does Piazza believe in the WBC, but he also has faith in Italian baseball. Having already coached Team Italy to two of its three consecutive European Championships and hinting of a WBC title, he said: “Our dream one day is to have this team be a champion.”
Roberto with Team Italia's Marco Mazzieri
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