According to a report on Baseball.it, the Italian champion FORTITUDO BOLOGNA is going to have a difficult offseason this winter. They again have to find a new main sponsor to finance pricy acquisitions. Additionally three key players will leave the club.
The American outfielder Richard Austin, the Canadian catcher Matthew Stocco and infielder Giovanni Pantaleoni will not come back. Austin is going to play for the River Hacks Rockford in the independent Northern League. Stocco got married and will not return to Italy. Pantaleoni joins T&A SAN MARINO.
A fourth player caused headaches shortly after the season ended this summer. Claudio Liverziani was tested positive for traces of an amphetamine during the semi-final round and his future with the team seems uncertain.
But the most recent success in the Italian Baseball League should help to find solutions. BOLOGNA defeated SAN MARINO in the Italian Series to capture the championship for the first time since 2005.