Once again the Italian Baseball and Softball Federation (FIBS) made a splash on Tuesday in forming the coaching staff for the upcoming Intercontinental Cup in Taiwan. After bench coach Gilberto Gerali and third base coach Alberto D’Auria are not available due to other obligations, manager Marco Mazzieri can rely on the knowledge of John McLaren and Gian Mario Costa.
McLaren was the manager of the Seattle Mariners in the MLB for 156 games in 2007 and 2008 and also worked as a coach in the big leagues for the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. During the 2006 World Baseball Classic he was a coach for the US National Team. During the 2010 season he served as bench coach for Jim Riggleman with the Washington Nationals.
Costa, a former national team player in over 100 games, already was part of the Italian coaching staff between 2005 and 2007. In 2010 he worked as a coach for the Italian Under-21 and the Junior teams. The reigning European Champion Italy is going to open the Intercontinental Cup against the Netherlands. A 24-man roster will be announced today.