by Riccardo Schiroli
Last week the Italian Baseball League reached pretty interesting playing peaks in Parma and Rimini.
In Parma Cariparma won the series against Grosseto and claimed fourth place at the end of the first round robin. Parma is a surprising team. They spent half of the round robin without their top import pitcher (Ortiz) and with Stefano Bazzarini and Roberto Corradini sidelined. Now that they can count on three solid starters (Mercado, Natale and Corradini) and the heart of their lineup is producing runs, they are a tough team to beat for everybody.
Montepaschi Grosseto has made so many moves on the import players market that, in the end, may have lost track. In fact, Grosseto will play the rest of the season after releasing Brant Ust and finding out that American pitcher Minix had agreed to terms with the Philadelphia Phillies. Considering ace Riccardo De Santis will undergo surgery, Grosseto’s position in the playoffs shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Telemarket Rimini and T&A San Marino are struggling with injuries. Rimini lost Team Italy’s Jack Santora, who could be out for the season, and San Marino has lost starting catcher Matamoros and has shortstop La Fera struggling with a pulled ribcage muscle. San Marino will face this weekend the dominating Fortitudo Bologna, while Rimini will battle Thursday night at home (and live on Rai Sport Più) and Friday and Saturday in Parma against Cariparma.
In the end Grosseto (that travels to Friuli Venezia Giulia to face the Redipuglia Rangers) and Danesi Nettuno (that hosts De Angelis Godo) should take a definite advantage of this weekend’s games.