While most of the participants already have announced its final roster for the Premier 12, Italy still needs to find some answers on the availability of its players. The list probably won’t be released until the eve of their departure to Taiwan on October 24. Italy’s manager Marco Mazzieri is still waiting to hear from Anthony J. Morri, Tiago Da Silva, Alex Liddi and Jose Escalona, who are currently under contract with winter league teams.
Most likely included in the roster will be Alessandro Maestri (playing in NPB) and Alberto Mineo, Filippo Crepaldi, Davide Anselmi, Federico Celli, Paolino Ambrosino, Alessandro Vaglio, Mattia Reginato and Renato Imperiali, who are currently working out at the Italian Academy in Tirrenia. Giusepppe Mazzanti, Riccardo De Santis and Matteo Galeotti had to pass on the opportunity to play at the Premier 12 due to work-related reasons off the field.
Italy is slotted into Pool A with Cuba, the Netherlands, Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico and Canada. The tournament starts on November 8 with the big opener between Japan and Korea at the Sapporo Dome in Japan, before the tournament switches to Taiwan on November 9. The semi-finals and the finals again will be played in Japan, at the Tokyo Dome.