Milanosportiva talk show, the new weekly appointment of the Milanese sports portal, interviewed Marco Fraschetti representing Milano Baseball.
How did these days go?
“They went very well, we are happy to be back in baseball that counts after so many years. We started from C, we made an important growth path with a group of kids who have been playing together for many years. And, we have finally reached the highest level. There is certainly a bit of a price to pay but we are ready and curious to put ourselves to the test and understand how our season will be and what sense we can give to our performances ”.
Marco Fraschetti was the last to go to bat in Milan’s last appearance in Serie A before this year…
“I didn’t know it and I didn’t remember it. Maybe because I’ve done so many shifts at bat and so many years have gone by. It’s a nice thing, which also gives a certain continuity to the path. I did the last one as a player and now I’m always inside the group back in Serie A ”.
He led the promotion from the C series last year, then in a month you found yourself even 2 series above. What was it like learning this news?
“The path started 4 years ago by C, there we earned the promotion immediately the following year. Then we did 3 years of B and in the third year we earned what is promotion to the higher category. Of course we were ready to play the category we earned on the pitch, being catapulted into the top flight doesn’t scare us, it left us a bit perplexed at the beginning. But we are ready to face it and to give our best. We are curious and enthusiastic, we have prepared well and I hope he can see himself on the pitch beyond the results “.
How important will it be to have a facility like the Kennedy (already had last season) a baseball temple on the Milan square?
“It is very important because it has always been the home of our company. It is very important from a sporting point of view, because it allows us to have a beautiful pitch and adequate facilities to train well. It is also important for an aggregative discourse. In fact, in recent years, importance has also been given to this aspect. President Selmi and all the people who devote time and enthusiasm to this project have significantly increased what is outside a purely sporting environment.
Surely a very important project is taking place where children and families and I hope many fans can come and feel good on the pitch and spend pleasant days, as well as obviously supporting all the clubs in the club ”.
Between baseball, softball and youth, you have a certain number of members. You have all categories covered …
“Yes, and it is a source of pride. The youth sector has had a major explosion in recent years. We have all the youth baseball softball categories quite a move. I think bringing boys and girls together is very nice, all united by a passion for baseball and softball ”.
In baseball there are dynasties, there are Pasottos and Fraschetti, father receiver son receiver. But the love for baseball is the ‘fault’ of the grandmother …
“Yes, the ‘fault’ is yours. She lived her adolescence and part of her youth in the United States. So, when she returned to Italy, beyond the American myth that she passed on a little to my dad and that she had herself, I must say that it was she who passed on the passion to my father. And I, who followed him immediately on the fields, I am passionate. Then my career began“
He made his debut at 15 with the Milano Baseball jersey, one of the youngest in history. Fraschetti jr is following the same path …
“To make your debut so young you need to have skills and opportunities. We started almost at the same age and category. Although, the category where I started, comparable to yours, had a higher level. Then everyone makes his own path. Luca is part of the group that started from C and with passion brought the company back to Serie A. The future is to be written for everyone, it all depends on the passion, training and improvement skills that each of us brings to the field ” .
Serie A has just started, what do Marco Fraschetti think of the review of the FIBS calendar?
“The first formula was… I struggle to find the right adjective. Brain? It is an understatement. I could say “hallucinating”. It was difficult to understand all the various stages of the championship. With Covid, the federation has distanced itself a little from this formula by taking a simpler one, but which is in fact a formula I do not like. We could and should have done better. Too little is played. There is a first phase to bring the big players to play for the championship with each other and the others will only have the aim of not relegating. This will also be our goal. And I think we will have to sweat a lot to stay away from the red zone of the standings ”.
Is it a transitional season from the point of view of the creation of Serie A? As he said, in fact the A is a disguised way to always play the title at the same 6 …
“I don’t know, no hope there are so many problems in baseball, economic problems also for players because there are still too few of them at a high level. It will be difficult to find a true, serious formula that can involve all the teams. At the moment there is too much gap between the big 4 and the other teams. Will be difficult. And I don’t know in the next few years if we will be able to find the right key to return to what were the championships of my time. Seasons in which 50 games were played in which there were stronger and less strong teams, but everyone played against everyone and it was also a way to develop players who had no chance to play in strong teams, but who in fact proved to be at their level “.
A reflection by Marco Fraschetti on the Milanese movement…
“If we take last season, that’s true. We have won the B and we have been promoted, the Senago has won the A passing in the superior league. The movement in Lombardy is growing and there are realities with good potential. There is also the second team from Milan which, in recent years, with the youth sector, has achieved excellent results. Then there are companies like Bollate, who has always played medium-high level baseball and recently won titles. Then there are Codogno, Lodi, even Legnano which last year passed from C to B. The movement is growing “
What does Marco Fraschetti dream about for baseball?
“I dream that we can grow, this does not mean going back to the glories of the past, because I like more to look to the future, instead of looking at what Milan was like. We can’t always think about what it was. I believe this new leadership has taken the right path. It takes patience, perseverance, effort. My dream, within a few years, is to find Milan as an important and consolidated reality in the baseball that counts. Kennedy the first brick? Yes sure. Being able to manage it will greatly benefit the movement of the club ”.
