Mister Baseball: Italian Baseball League starts tonight – a Preview

Mister Baseball looks at the Italian League, which is seeing it’s start delayed due to the tragic Earthquake that hit the country earlier in the week.

T&A San Marino looks like the team to beat in 2009. The defending champions have depth in their pitching staff, power and solid defense. San Marino added to the staff Venezuelan fireballer Luis Ramirez (a right hander), who will back up Estrada (lefty) in game one, the Antillean with Dutch passport Gregorius, who will back up Da Silva in game 2, and former Italian AAA national team star Mauro Schiavoni (released by the Minnesota Twins), who will back up Tonellato in game 3. Their closer for game 1 and 2 will be Mike Crudale, who played in 2007 for Godo and spent the 2008 season in Taiwan. Netherland Antilles national team star Jansen and Venezuelan Carlos Duran (in Nettuno in 2008) will give more power and speed to the lineup.

Their main competitor should be Danesi Nettuno. Former Team Italy’s skipper Giampiero Faraone took over the managing job and will try to start over from where he left (League Championship in 2001) with a team that has added some MLB experience (shortstop Manny Alexander, in Rimini in 2008, outfielder Abraham Nunez and right handed pitcher Jeff Farnsworth) and a definite European flavor (pitchers Joel Hernandez and Remigio Leal and catcher Navarro have all competed for Spain internationally). Nettuno has also decided to add to the roster a few promising teen agers, like standout infielder Caradonna (born 1992!) and outfielder Catanzani. What makes Nettuno a definite competitor is the possibility of using Giovanni Carrara as a reliever in game 1 and 2 and the talent of Carlo Richetti, the best ASI pitcher in 2008.

Mauro Mazzotti also will try to start over from where he left in Rimini (League Championship in 1999). The big question mark for Mazzotti is the pitching in game 3. Will Sandy Patrone be able to perform at the level he showed in 2007? For the rest, the team is definitely strong, with former Dutch National Team star Ivanon Coffie in the middle of the lineup and some depth in the pitching staff for games 2 and 3 thanks to new import Rafael Garcia and Spanish national team arms Fernando Gutierrez and Jorge Balboa. Phil Lo Cascio (from A2 Paternò) and Lorenzo Avagnina (from Grosseto) will give depth to infield and outfield.