The third team in our roundup is Italy. This other European baseball powerhouse is participating in Baseball Week for the seventh time, but has never managed to win the tournament. In fact, the teams they’ve managed to finish ahead of in those previous appearances can be counted on one hand.

MIKE PIAZZA

The Azzurri’s main attraction this summer is once again head coach Mike Piazza. The Hall of Famer has been at the helm in his grandparents’ homeland for several years now and will be hoping to improve on the sixth-place finish from two years ago. He will likely do so, just as he did in 2022, with a mix of players from the Italian league and (former) Minor Leaguers with Italian roots.

The question is whether he will rely on older (often South American) stars from Serie A, or whether—just as he did two years ago with Diego Gergolet, who was only 17 at the time—he will also give the youth a chance.

That last-place finish from the previous edition is somewhat misleading, however, as the Southern Europeans had actually performed surprisingly well in the group stage. There, they gave the Dutch national team a tough time (losing 2-1), while defeating both Curaçao and Cuba. In the match for fifth and sixth place, however, the latter team proved to be too strong.

WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC

A year later, at the World Baseball Classic, the Italians and their espresso machine were the big surprise. In Pool A, where—just like at the Honkbalweek—they faced the Kingdom Team, Cuba, and Chinese Taipei, they advanced as the second-place finisher, as only Cuba had allowed fewer runs. That team full of Major Leaguers, however, will be a world of difference from the Italian squad that will be making an appearance again in Haarlem this coming summer.

Mike Piazza’s (American) influence on Italian baseball is becoming increasingly apparent. For example, after strong performances with Italy’s Under-12 team, 13-year-old Mathieu Silva was given the opportunity earlier this year to attend a nine-month baseball training program in the United States. Italy certainly seems to be benefiting from its famous figurehead, but whether they will be able to reap the rewards of this during Baseball Week remains to be seen.

The schedule has now been announced, so we know that, just like in the previous edition, the Italians will kick off their Baseball Week with a game against the Kingdom Team. This clash between the eternal rivals is scheduled for Saturday evening. The next day, they’ll face off against the European champions from Spain.

Photo copyright: FIBS.IT