Italy national baseball team

Italy national baseball team
Country  Italy
Confederation Confederation of European Baseball
Manager Marco Mazzieri
Uniforms
World Baseball Classic
Appearances 3 (First in 2006)
Best result 7th (1 time, in 2013)
Olympic Games
Appearances 4 (First in 1992)
Best result 6th (2 times, most recent in 2000)
World Cup
Appearances 17 (First in 1970)
Best result 4th (2 times, most recent in 1998)
Intercontinental Cup
Appearances 12 (First in 1973)
Best result 3rd (1 time, in 2010)
European Championship
Appearances 30 (First in 1954)
Best result 1st (10 times, most recent in 2012)

The Italy national baseball team represents Italy in international baseball competition. The Italian national team is as of 2013 ranked 11th in the world.[1]

Tournament record

Competition Appearances 1st, gold medalist(s) 2nd, silver medalist(s) 3rd, bronze medalist(s) Total
World Baseball Classic 3 0 0 0 0
Olympic Games 5 0 0 0 0
Amateur World Series and Baseball World Cup 17 0 0 0 0
Intercontinental Cup 13 0 0 1 1
European Championship 10 15 3 28
Universiade 0 0 0 0
Total 10 15 4 29

World Baseball Classic

American Jason Grilli of the Colorado Rockies represented Italy in the 2006 & 2009 WBC
 Italy
World Baseball Classic
Tournament Results
United States 2006 10th
Canada 2009 10th
United States 2013 7th
Medal Tally
Gold		 -
Silver		 -
Bronze		 -
World Baseball Classic record Qualification record
Year Host(s) Round Position W L RS RA Host W L RS RA
2006 United States Round 1 10th 1 2 13 14 No qualifiers held
2009 Canada Round 1 10th 1 2 7 19 No qualifiers held
2013 United States Round 2 7th 2 3 29 24 Automatically qualified
2017 Automatically qualified
Total 4/4/ 4 7 49 57 - - - -

Team Italia competed in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006,[2] though with a much more Americanized roster than the team ordinarily uses in international play. Of the thirty players on Italy's roster, at least 23 were born in the US. A player is eligible to participate on a World Baseball Classic team if:

2006

Italy competed in Pool D, which included Venezuela, the Dominican Republic & Australia. All games during round one for Pool D were played at The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Italy secured an impressive 10–0 win over Australia in its first game, invoking the mercy rule after seven innings. However, they dropped their next two games to Venezuela, 6–0, and the Dominican Republic, 8–3, and failed to qualify for the second round of the tournament.

2009

With only ten players on their roster with any major league affiliation, Italy was a heavy underdog in Pool C of the 2009 World Baseball Classic.[4] With Canada, the U.S.A. & Venezuela completing Pool C, it was arguably the toughest pool in the WBC.

Prior to the start of the WBC, Italy played two Spring training games against the Washington Nationals and New York Mets. Italy trailed through most of the game against the Nationals until Chris Denorfia and Michael Costanzo drove in a run apiece in the seventh inning, and an eighth inning two run home run by Valentino Pascucci tied the game at six. A ninth inning walk off three run home run by Roger Bernadina capped off a late ralley in the Nats' 9–6 victory over Italy.[5]

Against the Mets, Italy led 2–0 going into the ninth inning. Cory Sullivan hit a two-run home run to tie the game at two, and Jeremy Reed doubled in Daniel Murphy to give the Mets a 3–2 victory.[6]

Italy was again shut out by Venezuela in their first 2009 WBC game, 7–0 on March 7. Starter Mark DiFelice held Venezuela scoreless through the first four innings, however, Venezuela immediately took advantage of Italy's less experienced bullpen, exploding for 4 runs in the fifth.[7]

Against Canada on March 9, Italy pulled off one of the more surprising upsets in the 2009 WBC, winning 6–2, and eliminating the heavily favored Canadian team. Italy led 3–0 heading into the fourth inning, until Canada jumped on starter Dan Serafini for two runs. With the bases loaded and only one out, reliever Chris Cooper struck out Peter Orr, then got Chris Barnwell to fly out to center to end the threat, and keep Italy in the lead. In all, Italy's bullpen pitched six innings without giving up a run.[8]

With this victory, Italy faced their nemeses, Venezuela, a second time. After three scoreless innings pitched by Italian starter Adam Ottavino, Venezuela again dominated Italy's bullpen, scoring four runs in the fourth, and five in the fifth to win 10–1, and eliminate Italy from the World Baseball Classic.[9]

Chicago Cubs farmhand Alex Maestri is the first Italian born pitcher to have been signed by a Major League team
Italy National Baseball Team roster
Players Coaches
Pitchers
 Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

 Manager
  • 5 Marco Mazzieri

Coaches

2013

Again considered a heavy underdog, Italy won its first two games in Pool D, 6–5 with a 9th-inning comeback over Mexico[10] and 14–4 over Canada[11] in a game called in the 8th inning due to the mercy rule. They lost both games in Round 2 against the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, thus eliminating them from the tournament.

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record Qualification
Year Host Round Position W L RS RA
1984 United States Preliminary 5th [lower-alpha 1] 1 2 11 33 1983 European Baseball Championship
1992 Spain Preliminary 7th 1 6 25 62 1991 European Baseball Championship
1996 United States Preliminary 6th 2 5 32 59 1995 European Baseball Championship
2000 Australia Preliminary 6th 3 4 33 43 1999 European Baseball Championship
2004 Greece Preliminary 8th 1 6 19 58 European Qualification Tournament
2008 People's Republic of China Did not qualify 7th, 2007 European Baseball Championship
Total [lower-alpha 2] 4/5 7 21 109 222
  1. ↑ No medals awarded; tournament was a demonstration sport only
  2. ↑ Totals only include years 1992 to 2008, during which baseball was an official medal sport.

Italy failed to qualify for a team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing for the first time since baseball became an official Olympic sport in 1992. Italy's best finish in an Olympics is sixth place, which they did in both 1996 & 2000. The first time an actual baseball tournament was held at an Olympics in 1984, Italy finished with a 1–2 record, with its only victory coming against the Dominican Republic. There was no official placing as Baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics was a demonstration sport.

At the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting on July 8, 2005, baseball and softball were voted out of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, becoming the first sports voted out of the Olympics since Polo was eliminated from the 1936 Summer Olympics.[12]

IBAF Amateur World Series and Baseball World Cup

     

Italy's best finish in the Amateur World Series has been fourth place, which they did in 1974. In 1986, the event became known as the International Baseball Federation's (IBAF) World Cup. Italy's best finish in a Baseball World Cup is also fourth place, which they did when they served as the host nation in 1998. Italy also hosted the 1978 and 1988 games. The 2009 IBAF World Cup was hosted by Europe. It is the first time in history the World Cup will has been hosted by a whole continent rather than an individual country.

2007 IBAF World Cup

On November 9, 2007, Italy handed the U.S.A. team their only loss in Team U.S.A.'s route to win the 2007 Baseball World Cup in Taiwan. It was the U.S.'s first loss to Italy in 21 years and the first time it ever lost to Italy with professional players, as the team consisted of Major League Baseball players and top minor league prospects.

Both Italy and Panama ended up with 3–4 records in the 2007 games; however, Panama's 5.85 run ratio versus Italy's 4.73 placed them in fifth place while Italy settled for sixth.

2009

New York Yankees farmhand Francisco Cervelli representing Italy in the 2009 WBC

The 2009 Baseball World Cup took place from September 9–27. Seven European countries hosted and participant in the tournament of 22 teams. The event was made up of five groups consisting of four teams each, for a total of twenty teams. Italy (Bollate, Bologna, Codogno, Florence, Godo, Macerata, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, San Marino, Torino, Trieste, Verona and Vicenza) and Netherlands (Rotterdam, Haarlem & Amsterdam) serve as hosts of the sixteen teams of the second round (September 14–20), and therefore received first round byes. The groups were as follows:[13]

The group Italy hosts in the second round included Australia, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles & the U.S.A.. Italy's first three match-ups against Chinese Taipei, Mexico and Australia all resulted in losses. Their first victory came against Japan on September 18. Italy lost two more to Canada and the U.S.A. before winning their final match against Netherlands Antilles. Italy finished the second round with a 2–5 record, and were eliminated.[14]

Italy hosted the final round from September 22–27 in Grosseto, Nettuno, Anzio, Matino, Caserta, Messina, Palermo & Rome, consisting of eight teams.[15] Team USA won the gold medal game of the 2009 IBAF World Cup in Nettuno 10–5 over Cuba.

Intercontinental Cup

  • 1973 : 6th
  • 1975 : 7th
  • 1977 : did not qualify
  • 1979 : did not qualify
  • 1981 : did not qualify
  • 1983 : 4th
    

The Intercontinental Cup is another international baseball competition sponsored by the IBAF. Italy hosted the first ever Intercontinental Cup in 1973, and finished in sixth place. Italy's best finish ever was third place, which they did in the 2010 games.

2006

In the most recent tournament, held in Taichung, Taiwan November 9–19, 2006, Italy finished sixth. They secured an impressive 13–3 victory over Chinese Taipei in their first game of the tournament, however, they lost their next three match-ups to Netherlands, Cuba and Australia (13 innings). After coming back with a victory against the Philippines, Italy lost their next two to Japan and South Korea to end the round robin first phase of the tournament with a 2–5 record.

Italy came back to beat South Korea in the first game of the following round, 8–3. In the battle for fifth place, Italy lost to Australia, 3–2.

2010

Mario Chiarini is the captain of the national team since 2010

Italy beat Chinese Taipei 4–3 in the bronze medal game, gaining the first medal in its International Cup history.

European Baseball Championship

     

The European Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Europe, governed by the Confederation of European Baseball (CEB). Italy won the inaugural European Baseball Championship in 1954. It is currently held every other year in odd-numbered years with a total of thirty European Baseball Championships having been played.

Italy has won nine gold medals in the European Baseball Championship, with their most recent being in 2012. In total, Italy has won 27 medals (16 silver, 3 bronze). The only country to have fared better is the Netherlands (21 gold, 7 silver). Italy served as the host nation for the 1956, 1964, 1971, 1979, 1983, 1991 and 1999 games.

2009 European Baseball Championship

Italy qualified for the 2009 European Baseball Championship from the 2007 competition. The other qualifiers were Netherlands, Great Britain, Spain, Germany, France and Sweden.

Qualification for the 2009 European Baseball Championship was held from July 7 to July 12, 2008, with 23 nations vying for the remaining five spots. Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece and Ukraine were the winners.

However, the tournament was delayed to 2010. Italy won it 13 years after their last victory.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "World Rankings". International Baseball Federationaccessdate=20131126.
  2. ↑ "World Baseball Classic". Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  3. ↑ "Dan Serafini Wins One For Team Italy". Retrieved 2009-03-21.
  4. ↑ "Italy World Baseball Classic Team Page". Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  5. ↑ "Italy drops exhibition opener vs. Nats". Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  6. ↑ "Italy lets victory slip away late vs. Mets". Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  7. ↑ "Italy watches Venezuela slip away". Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  8. ↑ "Bravissimo: Italy boots out Canada". Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  9. ↑ "Italy sees its Classic dreams end". Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  10. ↑ "Italy Saves Its Best for Last". Retrieved 2013-03-08.
  11. ↑ "Tuscan Raiders: Italy Serves Up Desert Surprise". Retrieved 2013-03-08.
  12. ↑ "Singapore 2005: 2012 Olympic Sport Vote". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
  13. ↑ "IBAF announces groups for first round of 2009 Baseball World Cup" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-03-15.
  14. ↑ "IBAF Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) Page". Retrieved 2009-09-25.
  15. ↑ "IBAF World Cup 2009 in Europe". Retrieved 2009-03-15.
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