2015 Season in Italian Baseball League starts on Friday

The 2015 season in the Italian Baseball League starts on Friday evening with four games. After one year with two divisions, the IBL is back to a single division round robin during the regular season with two games per week. The top four qualify for the semi-final round robin. Eight teams battle for the trophy with Unipol Bologna being the defending champion.

The first game day is highlighted by a two-game series between Angel Service Nettuno 2 and T&A San Marino. The games will be played at the renovated field of Acquacetosa in Rome. Other matchups feature Bologna hosting Tommasin Padua, ASD Rimini taking on Nettuno and Parma and the Godo Knights splitting two home games.

Defending title holder and its manager Marco Nanni can rely on basically the same squad as last year with Alessandro Vaglio and Juan Carlos Infante leading the way. Starting pitchers will be Marquis Fleming and Riccardo Da Santis. Alex Sambucci is the big name newcomer, transferring from Parma. Third baseman Cesar Suarez and Fleming are also new on the team. Former Major Leaguer Guillermo Rodriguez is behind the plate.

Nettuno will be managed newly by Guglielmo Trinci, who headed the coaching staff of Nettuno 2 last year. He will be assisted by pitching coach Remigio Leal. The club looks strong on the field, but has some stadium troubles off the diamond. Former Minor Leaguer Davide Anselmi and Paul Estrada will be the starting pitchers. Jhonny Montoya, Andrea D’Amico and former big leaguer Carlos Maldonado are the best known newcomers.

Angel Service Nettuno 2 has a new manager in its sophomore season. Alberto D’Auria, well known from his time at the Italian National Team, has taken over. The pitching staff is led by former Cuban national team player Norberto Gonzalez and Valerio Simone, who arrived from San Marino. Also new on the club are Osman Marval, Jose Flores and Mattia Reginato among others.

Tommasin Padua with manager Khelyn Smith is also entering its second season in the IBL. Enrico Crepaldi and new pitcher Carlos Quevedo are the probable starters entering the new year. Enrique Gonazlez, Angel Calero, Luis Alvarez, Daniele Malengo and Luca Martone have joined the team. Talented shortstop Erik Epifano and veteran Laidel Chapelli are still with the club.

Lino’s Coffee Parma welcomes back Gilberto Gerali as manager. They have lost Sambucci to Bologna. Yomel Rivera and Jose Jimenez will be the starting pitchers. Fredy Noguera arrives from Spain to play shortstop. Additionally Parma brings back Daniele Santolupo to the IBL. Besides Jimenez they also added foreigners Nibaldo Acosta and Yoimer Camacho for the pitching staff.

ASD Rimini is another team with a new manager, bringing in Orlando Munoz from Parma. Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez has returned to Germany. Icon Mario Chiarini is now playing from San Marino. With Stefano Desimoni they added another former Parma player, who will now be reunited with Leonardo Zileri in the outfield. Alexander Romero stays. Roberto Corradini and Alexis Candelario will be the starting pitchers. Victor Moreno, Carlos Richetti, former Major Leaguer Ray Olmedo and Paul Macaluso are also new.

T&A San Marino’s manager Doriano Bindi was named European Coach of the Year by CEB this winter. As mentioned before he welcomes Mario Chiarini new to the lineup together with Junior Oberto, Andrea Pizziconi, Rodney Rodriguez, Romulo Sanchez, Gabriele Ermini and Jack Santora were brought in by GM Mauro Mazzotti. Pizziconi and Sanchez are slated as starting pitchers. Wuilians Vasquez, Lorenzo Avagnina, Carlos Duran, Joe Mazzuca and Simone Albanese are still with the Titans.

The Godo Knights with manager Daniele Fuzzi brought back Danilo Sanchez and Yulman Ribeiro for another season in the IBL. Former Padua pitcher Ronald Uviedo and Matteo Galeotti form the starting rotation. Former Major Leaguer Ramon Castro was supposed to join the team coming from Rimini, but a coaching offer in the US ends his playing career for now. Therefore the Knights brought in Adolfo Gomez also from Rimini.

The complete Media Guide is available as PDF on the FIBS Website