Presented today, in the Sala Giunta of CONI, the team that will compose what has been defined as the “Classic Mission”. It is a first step towards the World Baseball Classic, tournament for nations by invitation, in which also the great stars of the MLB participate.
There are 13 players announced by CT Mike Piazza and his staff: Ben DeLuzio (OF, St. Louis Cardinals), Matt Festa (RP, Seattle Mariners), David Fletcher (IF, Los Angeles Angels), Dominic Fletcher (OF, Reno Aces, AAA Arizona Diamondbacks), Vito Friscia (C, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, AAA Philadelphia Phillies), Sam Haggerty (UTL, Seattle Mariners), Nicky Lopez (SS/2B, Kansas City Royals), Joey Marciano (RP, Sacramento River Cats, AAA San Francisco Giants), Miles Mastrobuoni (UTL, Tampa Bay Rays), Andre Pallante (RP, St. Louis Cardinals), Vinnie Pasquantino (1B; Kansas City Royals), Mitchell Stump (RP, Reno Aces, AAA Arizona Diamondbacks), Brett Sullivan (C/UTL, El Paso Chihuahuas, AAA San Diego Padres).
In this first week of work, the goal will be above all to get to know each other and to get back in touch with their roots, well planted in our peninsula. In some cases, even very famous origins, such as those of the aforementioned Joey Marciano, great-grandson of the Italian-American boxer Rocky Marciano, a true legend of the ring.
These are the words of CT Mike Piazza during the presentation, as reported by the FIBS: “I would like to thank the Federation, CONI and the IABF for their support for this project. We have a group with a lot of enthusiasm and passion who strongly wish to represent Italy. All those present at the first responded positively and others asked if there was the possibility of playing with the blue uniform. We won’t have much time to prepare and work together before the tournament, so we start this week to create the bond right away ”.
Photo LiveMedia / Claudio Benedetto – LivePhotoSport.it
