by Riccardo Schiroli
Telemarket Rimini looks like the team to beat in the Italian Baseball League. In the series against San Marino, the Rimini Pirates were pretty close to a sweep even if their best run producers (Rios and Coffee) took in some aspects a week off. Rimini’s pitching was pretty impressive, especially in relievers Di Roma and Quattrini. Considering that staff ace Garcia is very likely going to be the best pitcher in the League all season long, we have the portrait of a successful squad.
Rimini will face Reggio Emilia during the weekend and may extend their lead.
Danesi Nettuno won the series in Parma and will travel to Grosseto to face Montepaschi during this weekend. The series opener will be live on Rai Sport Più (satellite, the live telecast begins at 10.15 pm) and on the web site www.raisport.rai.it (from first pitch, at 9 pm).
Nettuno is struggling a little bit with pitching. Carrara is not giving the team more than 5 innings per start, while Costantini is out for at least one more month and Richetti may miss this week’s start because of a sore arm.
Grosseto looks like a team that is not going to score a lot of runs this season. So the key to their success is pitching and defense.
The real surprise of the season so far is Fortitudo Bologna, a team that made it to second place without slugger Richard Austin (10 home runs and 50 RBIs last season). Austin will make his debut tonight against De Angelis Godo, a team that has so far had two of the best starters in the League: Ulloa and rookie Camardese.
Will Godo be in the post season race? It is hard to answer to this question, but you cannot count them out so far.
Godo does not have a winning record, as well as Cariparma, one of the favorites, according to pre season polls. Parma has been struggling with their offense lately. Chapelli and Bertagnon are definitely in a slump, while Balentina and Carvajal haven’t granted adequate run support in the series against Nettuno. In the series against T&A San Marino (that opens tonight in Parma and then goes on Friday and Saturday in San Marino) manager Gerali will have to scratch leadoff hitter Zileri from the lineup. Parma cannot afford losing the series, but the same applies to San Marino.
The ceremonial first pitch of the series opener will feature Reno Bertoia, one of the six Major Leaguers actually born in Italy. Bertoia played over 600 games from 1953 to 1962, but at age 74 has not seen a ball game in the country where he was born. It will be an emotional night in Parma.
{mrb-schedule:2009-05-07|2009-05-09|IT}
{mrb-standing:italy-2009}
Photo by Ferrini/FIBS