Tomorrow in Settimo Torinese and on Sky at 3 pm the first of the Azzurri, in search of a title that has been missing since 2012. Mineo: “Always think positively”
Everything is ready for the 36th European baseball championship which returns to Italy, between Turin, Avigliana and Settimo Torinese. Sixteen national teams for 48 matches (first time) and a title chased by the Azzurri since 2012 and won by the Netherlands in the last three editions (2014, 2016 and 2019). Italy, entrusted to the legendary Mike Piazza, debuts on Sunday at 3 pm (Sky Sport director) in Settimo Torinese against Greece.
They debut in 8
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“Our goal – says manager Mike Piazza – is to win. The level will be high, so we will have to play well, making as few mistakes as possible. I like this group, we want to give a great show to the Italians ”. Eight rookies on the 24th roster, receiver Alberto Mineo is the “veteran” with 38 appearances. “With most of the boys we have known each other since the youth years – says the captain from Gorizia -, in the test with France we beat and launched very well, we think positively and we will do our part”. The Italian-Brazilian Tiago Da Silva (4 Europeans, 2 World Championships and 3 World Classic) also returns after 4 years, fresh from the Scudetto with San Marino. “Tiago – says Mineo – can only do good to this team. His experience and his determination will be fundamental. Friscia and Pizzano will be two very good grafts, we will make them feel immediately at home ”. First baseman Vito Friscia played with the Philadelphia Phillies in advanced single, first baseman Dario Pizzano comes from the US independent leagues. From the single A of the Cubs the pitcher Matteo Bocchi has returned. The other 20 players prepared for the Italian championship. In group A with the Azzurri there are also Belgium and Austria. In today’s Greece, pitcher Dimitri Kourtis and first baseman Ari Sechopoulos, tricolors with San Marino, pitcher Theon Bourdianotis in 2012 was in Grosseto. “Greece – underlines Mineo – is a team to respect, but we must always play 100% as if it were a final. The most dangerous opponents? In addition to Holland, pay attention to Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic ». The match against the Greeks is 3-1 for the Azzurri.
PROGRAM – Sunday. In Avigliana: 11 am Austria-Belgium, 16 Spain-Ukraine, 20.30 Great Britain-France
In Settimo Torinese: 10 am Sweden-Rep. Czech, 15 Italy-Greece (live Sky Sport).
In Turin: 10.30 Croatia-Germany, 15.30 Holland-Slovakia, 20.30 Israel-Russia.
11 September – 17:33
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