The Italians are here
I know this is mainly a Tigers blog, but the Italian team for the World Baseball Classic had their first practice Tuesday on the back fields of the Tigers complex. It really felt like a tryout camp, with about 44 players fighting for 15-18 spots. Some of these guys are European professionals who flew across the Atlantic yesterday, got into Lakeland late last night and then worked out this afternoon. It was also very odd to hear a language spoken on a baseball field other than English or Spanish.
Manager Matt Galante is an old-school baseball man planted in a new-school situation. He has no idea what to expect out of the European players or how many will make this squad. He’s realistic about his team’s chances against the Dominican and Venezuela, but he wants these guys to play with a sense of pride, which is an interesting facet when nearly half of the expected roster was born and raised in the U.S. This team has the feel of representing a heritage as much as a nation.
By the way, it looks like Tigers prospect Tony Giarratano will be the starter at shortstop and Jason Grilli will play a big role on the pitching staff. It’ll be a good test for both players, especially Giarratano. He’s never looked intimidated going up against Major Leaguers, no matter how good they are.
Jason Beck
I’m a daily reader…breath, eat baseball: not necessarily in that order either. Just posting to say keep up the ‘work’ and is this going all season or just spring training?
I wish these WBC games didn’t disrupt Leyland’s attempt to build a new team dynamic but I’m resigned to it. It’s odd seeing Tony and Grilli on the Italian team, though. Are there plans to do the WBC every year or is this a one shot deal?
For now, the plans are to have this once every four years, meaning the next one would be in 2010. There have been reports, though, that MLB might move the next one up to 2009, since they wanted to hold the inaugural tournament last year. Personally, I’m not sure why MLB wouldn’t want this tournament to follow up the Winter Olympics. It takes advantage of the sense of international competition, but does it with many countries that don’t have much of a stake in the Winter Games. I can’t imagine the Venezuelans and Dominicans getting burned out watching speed skating.
The plan is to try to keep this going all season. We’ll see how well this idea works when I’m flying from Tampa to Detroit to KC to Dallas to Detroit in a week-long span, but I think I can do it.
You think you can? c’mon you’re my only hope of ‘inside info’. i live in a desert. you walk down the street to an ATM, i have to drive 75 miles. i do get the MLB package, but I’m a junkie and want to know how Leyland is talking to pudge…after a tight game where a decision was made. who made it? why? give us the ins!! you do a good job and i like spending a few minutes a day perusing the articles.
thanks from a Tigerfan and believer.