For a second straight time Italy won the European Championship in the Netherlands last September. In March they will participate for a third time in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. They will meet with the United States, Canada and Mexico in round one, playing in Phoenix, Arizona. After last week’s announcement of the provisional rosters for all 16 teams, Mister-Baseball.com got a chance to do a short interview with Italy’s manager Marco Mazzieri.
Mister-Baseball: The provisional rosters for the 2013 World Baseball Classic got released by Major League Baseball last week. The Italian roster currently only lists 24 players instead of 28. What players can we expect to be added to the team until final rosters are submitted in February? Any chance Mike Napoli will be allowed to play? What are the most difficulties in selecting a roster for the World Baseball Classic?
Marco Mazzieri: Unfortunately we won’t have Mike Napoli and four Major League pitchers that I would have liked to have. This year filling up a roster has been very difficult. I think there were some misunderstandings between all parts involved and obviously when you deal with Major League players it’s always hard because they have a lot to take care of.
Mister-Baseball: Italy is the European champion. In 2009 you beat Canada and eventually avoided to play a World Baseball Classic Qualifier. What are your chances in 2013? What will be the keys to beat the United States, Canada and Mexico in the first round?
Marco Mazzieri: Obviously everybody can see how tough a bracket we are in but we’ll try our best to possibly compete at the highest level. The teams we will play are very good, but as I told my players from day one “It doesn’t matter who we play” let’s give it all out and at the end of the game we’ll watch the scoreboard. And that’s what we are going to do again.
Mister-Baseball: You’re going to play against the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels during Spring Training to wrap up preparations for the World Baseball Classic. Any more exhibition games planned? What is the plan for training camp? When will you travel to the States and where will you work out?
Marco Mazzieri: We’ll open camp on February 21st in Glendale by the Los Angeles Dodgers facility and we are finalizing to play 3/4 games before the official reporting date for the Classic (March 3rd). We are looking forward to get all players ready before the Major League guys will report.
Picture by Ezio Ratti for FIBS