The Mike Piazza era starts on Sunday from Settimo Torinese »Baseball.it

On the Piedmontese diamond of Settimo Torinese, the adventure of Mike Piazza’s Italy at the European seniores in baseball begins on Sunday at 15 (live on Sky Sport), which challenges Greece, which has two Italian champions on the roster, with the jersey of San Marino, the pitcher Dimitri Kourtis and first base Ari Sechopoulos. An opponent to be taken with a grain of salt, but against whom Mineo and his teammates want to prove that they can play a tournament as protagonists.

«Greece – underlines Alberto Mineo – is a team to be respected, 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 ».

Italy and Greece meet for the fifth time in a European. Three Italian victories (21-2 in Hoofddorp 2016, 7-0 in Haarlem 2012, 13-1 in Heidenheim 2010). The Greeks won in the Netherlands in 2003 (2-1) in a tournament that saw the Azzurri close in fifth place.

Italy, included in group A, which also includes Belgium and Austria, against which it will play on Monday and Tuesday, will present itself in Piedmont 2021 with a renewed roster, with eight rookies, including first base receiver Vito Friscia (in 2021 in single A advanced with the Philadelphia Phillies) and the inside-outside Dario Pizzano (USA independent leagues), a series of interesting young people and some experienced players. The returning Tiago Da Silva, the MVP of the Scudetto final, is also back in the group thanks to two victories that allowed San Marino to subvert the prediction against Bologna.
New captain, Alberto Mineo, the player with the highest number of blue appearances (38) who will be able to put his professional experience with Toronto and Chicago Cubs at the service of the team.

«We have a good group – says Mineo – with most of the boys we know each other from the national youth teams. In the last test against France we beat and launched very well, we think positively and we will do our part ».
Italy presents itself to this record European (it is the first time with sixteen participating nations) to entertain its fans and try to bring home a trophy that has been missing since 2012. In the last three editions the trophy has remained in the kingdom of the countries Bassi, with the Oranje who reached 23 wins against ten of the Azzurri, the last two with Mazzieri on the bench in 2010 and 2012.

«Our goal – says the manager Mike Piazza – is, as in any championship, winning. I think the level of competition 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 our athletes ».

Piazza will be assisted by Vince Horsmann (pitching coach), Gianmarco Faraone, Dan Bonanno, Michele Gerali and Doriano Bindi, with Gigi Mignola team manager.

The program of the first day.

•Avigliana. 11 am Austria-Belgium, 4 pm Spain-Ukraine, 8,30 pm Great Britain-France

•Settimo Torinese. 10 am Sweden-Rep. Czech, 3 pm Italy-Greece

•Torino. 10.30 Croatia-Germany, 15.30 Holland-Slovakia, 20.30 Israel-Russia

THE BLUE ROSTER