I am excited to announce that we completed a successful season and won the championship! After winning a game and losing a game at our home field, we were able to win both games on saturday and win the series 3-1. It was a great series between the two first place teams, and we came out on top. It was an amazing feeling to know that we dominated throughout the regular season and finished the season at the top.
So sadly, this will be my final post. It has been an amazing journey, and I can't believe 6 months are over. Although I won't be home for another month, I will not have my computer and be able to post about my travels. It makes sense to really reminisce about my time here, and evaluate what this has meant to me.
First, baseball. I originally decided to come here because I felt I had something to prove to myself. I love this game, and I wasn't ready to give it up. I sincerely didn't know what to expect, and coming to a different country with a completely different culture wasn't enough to deter me from wanting to play the game I love. I was lucky enough to be on a team with amazing teammates, great talent, and in a great area. I was truly blessed to be taken in by a great organization, and given the opportunity to contribute to a championship. The organization took a chance on me, waiting until the last minute for me to get my Italian passport, and I will always be thankful for that. I have made friends on this team that will be friends for life, and collectively we were able to accomplish the ultimate goal of winning a championship.
More than anything, the experience of playing baseball here made me love this game. Don't get me wrong, I loved playing baseball at Quinnipiac, but it is a very different situation. At school, the pressures of both school and baseball, as well as expectations can wear on you. The game is here is at its purest form. Most of these guys play baseball not because they have to, but because they want to. They have regular lives, with regular jobs and families, yet they come out every day and play. This makes the game pure, and it helped me find that true love for the game that had been suppressed over the years. For the first time in a while, I had the greatest time playing baseball. In turn, it effected the way I played, and I had the best statistical year of my career.
Being here has also taught me a lot about the person I am and the world around me. I wanted to come here and challenge myself, both in baseball and in life. I wanted to see if I would be able to step out of my element and adapt to a new culture. I wanted to see if I could make it on my own, and be able to learn and appreciate what I had in the past and what is in my immediate future. I have learned so much since being here, and it has made me a better person. Between living in Reggio Emilia and traveling around Europe, you learn a lot about yourself. Don't get me wrong, I don't think I have changed. I just think I have become a little more cultured, allowing me to be more understanding of others and more open to different views. Most importantly, it just showed me that I can step out of my element and what I'm used to, and be able to succeed.
On the other side, it also made me realize not to take for granted what I have at home. When your away from something long enough, you see things from a different perspective. I am truly blessed that I have a great family at home, both immediate and extended, that loves me and worries about me. My family has been nothing but supportive, and throughout the 6 months have done everything they can to keep in touch. I am truly thankful for that, and it doesn't go unnoticed. I am also lucky to have a group of friends who make me feel as though I haven't been gone at all. Whenever we speak, it's as if we pick up right where we left off. Although there lives are all getting started and moving in different directions, they have not faded away. It's a true testimony to how great of friends they really are. Everybody here also loves New York, and there eyes light up when you say you live there. All of this has made me appreciate where I am from, who I am, and most of all excited for my future.
So now that the season is over, what's next? Well, this is my last week in Reggio-Emilia. I will most likely hang out with my teammates and just enjoy the city for my final stay. I will play a couple of games in the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup), which really has no significance at all. It will be fun to practice with the guys this week for the last time (at least until next season?). On Sunday, we head up to Munich for Oktoberfest. It's the 200th anniversary of the festival, and should be a great, great time. From Oktoberfest, we start our 3 or so weeks of traveling. This includes Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Istanbul, Athens, and Ios (Greek Island). On October 17th, I fly back to Reggio for a couple of days, and finally head home to Long Island on October 19th. I'm very excited for the little tour of Europe, and I look forward to meeting amazing people and seeing amazing cities along the way.
Overall, this experience couldn't have gone any better. I was able to accomplish everything I wanted to. I proved to myself I could still play this game, and I was able to contribute to a championship team. Being here opened the opportunity for me to travel a bit of the world, and expand my network. I am excited to come home and see my family and friends, and get back to life in New York. I would lastly like to thank both my mom and dad. My dad was able to come and visit me and witness the championship. It was great to have him there like he always has been, and I'm glad he got to see us win it all. My mom couldn't make it, but she has supported me no matter what the situation, even if she didn't like it. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be here at all. She helped me immensely with getting my paperwork for my passport, and I can't thank her enough. I love all you guys, and I will see you in a month! I hope you enjoyed the blog, and thanks to everybody who supported me! It was truly a pleasure writing the blog, even though I slacked towards the end, and I appreciate everybody that took the time to read it. Anyway, have a great week and talk to you soon!
Reggio Baseball: Pro Days in Italy
Monday, September 20, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
We are going to the championship
After three grueling games, both emotionally and physically, we are going to the championship. I would go into elaborate detail about the games, but honestly I am exhausted. Catching 27 innings in 2 days will wear you down. This all on top of celebrating after the game. So, I will give you a brief run down of each game. It is important to note, that I did not swing the bat well. Actually, I hit like garbage. It doesn't matter now, because we are going to the ship!
Game one. We took an early lead of 2-0. Fillo threw a great game, and our defense seemed to be on point. The at bats were mediocre, but we were confident in our abilities. Milan came back and was able to put up 2 runs, thanks to a very controversial call on a ball down the line. In the bottom of the ninth, with runners on first and second, our number 3 hitter hit a game winning double down the line. A moral victory, and up 1-0 in the series.
Game two. This is where things got interesting. With both foreign pitchers starting, we thought it would be a close game. It wasn't. Luis got hit hard, and before we knew it Milan was putting a lot of runs on the board. After a few bush league maneuvers by there first basemen and shortstop (Foreign players), it finally boiled over. The Milan first basemen was going from first to third, and when sliding into third, he went in spikes high and cleated our third basemen. Before you knew it, the benches were cleared and the brawl commenced. Coaches and players were throwing each other to the ground, and this went on for about 10 minutes. It was pretty intense, and almost ended badly. It was finally broken up, and we ended up losing 9-2. Not the best. We used it as motivation for game three, which would start at 3:30 the next day.
Game three. What I like to call redemption. Milan scored two runs in the first inning. Little did they know that we had a lot of life left in us. It all started thanks to our centerfielder Paul. We scored two runs in the second inning to tie the game. With the bases loaded and two outs, Paul came up. On a 2-1 count, Paul took a tenacious swing and launched a ball over the left field wall for a grand slam. Our team erupted, and the score was 6-2. From that moment on, the momentum would not leave our dugout. We kept putting up run, with no regard. We wanted to prove a point, not only to Codogno, who won the other division, but to Milan as well. Our pitcher, Tito, threw a great game. He held them to those 2 runs they scored in the first, and when the final out was made, the scoreboard read 15-2. It was a great victory, and the celebration began. We are going to the championship.
So, that's where we are today. Game one and two will be at our home field on Saturday. Games three, four, and five will be at Codogno. Codogno is a good team, and it should shape up to be a great series. Our team has really come together as of late, with the help of some great moral victories and a little brawl action. I know that every one of my teammates and coaches are on the same page, and each one of us wants it as much as the next. I look forward to playing in the championship not only for myself, but for my teammates and the organization that took a chance on me.
Game one. We took an early lead of 2-0. Fillo threw a great game, and our defense seemed to be on point. The at bats were mediocre, but we were confident in our abilities. Milan came back and was able to put up 2 runs, thanks to a very controversial call on a ball down the line. In the bottom of the ninth, with runners on first and second, our number 3 hitter hit a game winning double down the line. A moral victory, and up 1-0 in the series.
Game two. This is where things got interesting. With both foreign pitchers starting, we thought it would be a close game. It wasn't. Luis got hit hard, and before we knew it Milan was putting a lot of runs on the board. After a few bush league maneuvers by there first basemen and shortstop (Foreign players), it finally boiled over. The Milan first basemen was going from first to third, and when sliding into third, he went in spikes high and cleated our third basemen. Before you knew it, the benches were cleared and the brawl commenced. Coaches and players were throwing each other to the ground, and this went on for about 10 minutes. It was pretty intense, and almost ended badly. It was finally broken up, and we ended up losing 9-2. Not the best. We used it as motivation for game three, which would start at 3:30 the next day.
Game three. What I like to call redemption. Milan scored two runs in the first inning. Little did they know that we had a lot of life left in us. It all started thanks to our centerfielder Paul. We scored two runs in the second inning to tie the game. With the bases loaded and two outs, Paul came up. On a 2-1 count, Paul took a tenacious swing and launched a ball over the left field wall for a grand slam. Our team erupted, and the score was 6-2. From that moment on, the momentum would not leave our dugout. We kept putting up run, with no regard. We wanted to prove a point, not only to Codogno, who won the other division, but to Milan as well. Our pitcher, Tito, threw a great game. He held them to those 2 runs they scored in the first, and when the final out was made, the scoreboard read 15-2. It was a great victory, and the celebration began. We are going to the championship.
So, that's where we are today. Game one and two will be at our home field on Saturday. Games three, four, and five will be at Codogno. Codogno is a good team, and it should shape up to be a great series. Our team has really come together as of late, with the help of some great moral victories and a little brawl action. I know that every one of my teammates and coaches are on the same page, and each one of us wants it as much as the next. I look forward to playing in the championship not only for myself, but for my teammates and the organization that took a chance on me.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Playoffs Preview - Semi Finals: Milan vs Reggio
Finally, after what seems like a year, the playoffs begin tomorrow. After lots of good times, great travels, and relaxation, I came back knowing that it was time to redirect my energy and focus back to baseball. So taking the initiative, my teammates and I started hitting everyday. After some great practices, a couple of friendly games, and some extra work, the playoffs are a day away.
The playoff system is very strange in Serie A baseball. Actually, it doesn't make much sense at all. I'll explain. The top two teams from each division make the playoffs. In our division, we are the 1 seed and Anzio is the 2 seed. In the other division, Codogno is the 1 seed and Milan is the 2 seed. Instead of playing Anzio and meeting the other division champion in the finals, the have the 1 seed of one division match up with the 2 seed of the other division, hence why we are playing Milan. Then, the winner of the series plays the winner of the other series. If your following, that means we have the possibility of playing Anzio in the championship, which originally is in our division. I find this to be silly, but Italian baseball seems to enjoy doing strange things like this.
The first series is a best of three. Tomorrow, we will play 2 games at our home field. If for whatever reason we split, we play Sunday at Reggio Field as well for game 3. The championship is a best of 5 series, and will be played at both fields. This is a great advantage for us, and I'm happy to be playing at home. Milan needed to win 6 straight games in order to make the playoffs, and they were able to do so. I'm excited to play a team from the other division, just to see what the competition is like.
From what I know about this team, they have a few foreign infielders and a foreign starter from Venezuela. He played as high as Triple A in pro ball, and pitches for the Spanish national team. I'm looking forward to facing him and testing my merit. The first game of the series is Italians only, and the second game is foreign. The third game is free. This is where management and proper use of your pitchers becomes very important. Ideally, we would like to take two games on Saturday and not have to play that Sunday game.
The playoffs are what playing sports is all about. During the regular season, you are able to play a different style of baseball. It's more relaxed, and the mind set is completely different. In the playoffs, each at bat matters. Every little thing you do on the field can directly correlate to your teams future. It demands that you are concentrated and in the game at all times, and everybody on the roster is of value and meaning. You could strike out your first 3 at bats, and in the fourth at bat get a big hit and change the outcome of the game. Stats don't matter, just what you do for your team and how you contribute to a win. I'm very excited to the pressure and challenge of playoff baseball, and I can't wait to get out on the field. I feel great, my team is ready, and hopefully I can come back to New York with a championship.
The playoff system is very strange in Serie A baseball. Actually, it doesn't make much sense at all. I'll explain. The top two teams from each division make the playoffs. In our division, we are the 1 seed and Anzio is the 2 seed. In the other division, Codogno is the 1 seed and Milan is the 2 seed. Instead of playing Anzio and meeting the other division champion in the finals, the have the 1 seed of one division match up with the 2 seed of the other division, hence why we are playing Milan. Then, the winner of the series plays the winner of the other series. If your following, that means we have the possibility of playing Anzio in the championship, which originally is in our division. I find this to be silly, but Italian baseball seems to enjoy doing strange things like this.
The first series is a best of three. Tomorrow, we will play 2 games at our home field. If for whatever reason we split, we play Sunday at Reggio Field as well for game 3. The championship is a best of 5 series, and will be played at both fields. This is a great advantage for us, and I'm happy to be playing at home. Milan needed to win 6 straight games in order to make the playoffs, and they were able to do so. I'm excited to play a team from the other division, just to see what the competition is like.
From what I know about this team, they have a few foreign infielders and a foreign starter from Venezuela. He played as high as Triple A in pro ball, and pitches for the Spanish national team. I'm looking forward to facing him and testing my merit. The first game of the series is Italians only, and the second game is foreign. The third game is free. This is where management and proper use of your pitchers becomes very important. Ideally, we would like to take two games on Saturday and not have to play that Sunday game.
The playoffs are what playing sports is all about. During the regular season, you are able to play a different style of baseball. It's more relaxed, and the mind set is completely different. In the playoffs, each at bat matters. Every little thing you do on the field can directly correlate to your teams future. It demands that you are concentrated and in the game at all times, and everybody on the roster is of value and meaning. You could strike out your first 3 at bats, and in the fourth at bat get a big hit and change the outcome of the game. Stats don't matter, just what you do for your team and how you contribute to a win. I'm very excited to the pressure and challenge of playoff baseball, and I can't wait to get out on the field. I feel great, my team is ready, and hopefully I can come back to New York with a championship.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Long Overdue
I know that I haven't posted in a long time. To be completely honest, for the last two weeks, I have done nothing but play baseball and travel. It has been pretty intense. I could go into a long, long post about what has happened, but due to the length of time that has gone by and the amount of events that have happened, I think it's better to keep it short and sweet.
First off, the regular season is over. I finished up the season on a great note, going 5 for 9 in the series and getting a walk off hit. The team finished in first, and goes into the playoffs on a high note. These are my stats for the season:
I finished top 10 in the league in average, first in triples, and tied for second in doubles. Needless to say, it was a good year for me. I am very happy with my regular season stats, but they are in the past. Now, all that matters is each at bat in the playoffs. It would be absolutely amazing if in my first year I was able to win a championship. Let's hope so.
With playoffs starting September 4th, we were allowed some vacation time. In two weeks, I traveled to Venice, Cinqueterre, Florence, Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, and Munich. Needless to say, it was intense. Each city and town had something to offer. Venice was very crowded, but seemed fake. It was breath taking how the canals weaved through the buildings. Cinqueterre may be one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Each town is set in a mountainside, on the water. It's absolutely amazing. We did the hike to each town, and it was breathtaking the whole way.
Barcelona is a place that I really can't describe. It is the best of all worlds, with city life, beaches, and mountains. It was very hot, and the people there have set their lives according to the heat. Four hour siestas shut the city down in the afternoon. Once night hits, the people are ready to party. I have never been to clubs or bars quite like in Barcelona. After long dinners, the people head out at about 2 am, and don't arrive home until 6 or 7. It was a great experience, and definitely worth the trip.
Madrid wasn't as crazy as Barcelona, but good in its own right. It is a beautiful city, and very large. It would be impossible to see the entire city in the 3 days we were there. The nightlife is much the same, but we were forced to take it a little easier. We happened to meet great people in Madrid, specifically two guys from London and Liverpool. It really made the experience that much better. The highlight of Madrid was going to see Real Madrids stadium. This team makes the Yankees look like the Bad News Bears. They truly are a dynasty, with more trophies and accolades than I even thought possible. They buy the best players, and win the most. It is unbelievable what this franchise means to the people, and really how they have preformed. It was my first real taste of soccer (football) in Europe, and there was no better place to start.
After a 14 hour train trip from Madrid, we arrived in Paris. By the time we got to Paris, we were completely gassed. The only thing we set to do was see all the major sites. We did exactly that, and it is a remarkable city. The people were nicer than I had expected, and the city has a lot to offer. The food was great, the night life was good (from what I saw of it), and the city was beautiful. I hope to go back to Paris one day, spending more time there. It is a big city as well, and demands a lot of time to see it all.
Munich, as you know, is one of my favorite cities. We arrived in Munich, and had a blast. We met some great people, ate some good food, and had a good time. Munich was a great way to end the trip, with familiarity and good laughs. When we finally arrived home to Reggio, we were completely worn out. We got plenty of rest, and tomorrow we are heading down to Puglia for some true relaxation at one of our teammates summer houses. I have heard the beaches are beautiful, and I look forward to spending most of my days on them.
Well, I guess that's a really short recap of my journeys recently. After Puglia, the travels will stop and the saving will begin. After the playoffs, and hopefully after a championship, my roommate and I are traveling for a month before going home. All of my paychecks will be saved for that trip. It will also be nice to relax and just stay put in Reggio for a bit. Anyway, hope everybody from home is doing great, and I really look forward to seeing everybody again. Have a great day and I'll keep you posted!!
First off, the regular season is over. I finished up the season on a great note, going 5 for 9 in the series and getting a walk off hit. The team finished in first, and goes into the playoffs on a high note. These are my stats for the season:
| Player | avg | gp-gs | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | tb | slg% | bb | hbp | so | gdp | ob% | sf | sh | sb-att | po | a | e | fld% |
| MARMO Michael A. | .373 | 32-32 | 126 | 28 | 47 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 34 | 76 | .603 | 16 | 2 | 13 | 1 | .439 | 4 | 0 | 2-3 | 242 | 40 | 2 | .993 |
I finished top 10 in the league in average, first in triples, and tied for second in doubles. Needless to say, it was a good year for me. I am very happy with my regular season stats, but they are in the past. Now, all that matters is each at bat in the playoffs. It would be absolutely amazing if in my first year I was able to win a championship. Let's hope so.
With playoffs starting September 4th, we were allowed some vacation time. In two weeks, I traveled to Venice, Cinqueterre, Florence, Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, and Munich. Needless to say, it was intense. Each city and town had something to offer. Venice was very crowded, but seemed fake. It was breath taking how the canals weaved through the buildings. Cinqueterre may be one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Each town is set in a mountainside, on the water. It's absolutely amazing. We did the hike to each town, and it was breathtaking the whole way.
Barcelona is a place that I really can't describe. It is the best of all worlds, with city life, beaches, and mountains. It was very hot, and the people there have set their lives according to the heat. Four hour siestas shut the city down in the afternoon. Once night hits, the people are ready to party. I have never been to clubs or bars quite like in Barcelona. After long dinners, the people head out at about 2 am, and don't arrive home until 6 or 7. It was a great experience, and definitely worth the trip.
Madrid wasn't as crazy as Barcelona, but good in its own right. It is a beautiful city, and very large. It would be impossible to see the entire city in the 3 days we were there. The nightlife is much the same, but we were forced to take it a little easier. We happened to meet great people in Madrid, specifically two guys from London and Liverpool. It really made the experience that much better. The highlight of Madrid was going to see Real Madrids stadium. This team makes the Yankees look like the Bad News Bears. They truly are a dynasty, with more trophies and accolades than I even thought possible. They buy the best players, and win the most. It is unbelievable what this franchise means to the people, and really how they have preformed. It was my first real taste of soccer (football) in Europe, and there was no better place to start.
After a 14 hour train trip from Madrid, we arrived in Paris. By the time we got to Paris, we were completely gassed. The only thing we set to do was see all the major sites. We did exactly that, and it is a remarkable city. The people were nicer than I had expected, and the city has a lot to offer. The food was great, the night life was good (from what I saw of it), and the city was beautiful. I hope to go back to Paris one day, spending more time there. It is a big city as well, and demands a lot of time to see it all.
Munich, as you know, is one of my favorite cities. We arrived in Munich, and had a blast. We met some great people, ate some good food, and had a good time. Munich was a great way to end the trip, with familiarity and good laughs. When we finally arrived home to Reggio, we were completely worn out. We got plenty of rest, and tomorrow we are heading down to Puglia for some true relaxation at one of our teammates summer houses. I have heard the beaches are beautiful, and I look forward to spending most of my days on them.
Well, I guess that's a really short recap of my journeys recently. After Puglia, the travels will stop and the saving will begin. After the playoffs, and hopefully after a championship, my roommate and I are traveling for a month before going home. All of my paychecks will be saved for that trip. It will also be nice to relax and just stay put in Reggio for a bit. Anyway, hope everybody from home is doing great, and I really look forward to seeing everybody again. Have a great day and I'll keep you posted!!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Update! Reggio vs Modena
Amazingly, somebody had filmed the game and made a 5 minute recap of some of the highlights, including the last inning. So, at long last, you can check it out yourself!
For better video, click on the youtube link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTMbhO2qdGs
For better video, click on the youtube link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTMbhO2qdGs
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
A walk off weekend
This weekend we played against Modena. Modena, at one point, was a top team in the league. Recently, they have fallen off. There foreign pitcher is the best pitcher in the league. He has lost 2 games all year, but has dominated with a hard fastball and a sharp slider. Of course, we would have to wait until the second game to face him.
In the first game, we put up 6 runs in the first two innings. After a pitching change, there staff started to settle down. Modena's offense is fairly poor, but they were able to scrap some runs together later in the game. In the end, it wouldn't be enough. We took game one 10-5. This win further increased our chances of clinching the number one spot. A weekend sweep of Modena would put us in prime position as the number one seed.
Going into the second game, our team remember the lose we had against there foreign pitcher, Angel Marquez. We were anxious to face him. Granted, he struck out 16 the last time we saw him. The beginning of the game started much like the first time we faced them. Marquez dominated as our foreign pitcher, Luis, struggled early on. He let up a couple of runs early in the game, and we found ourselves down 4-0. Marquez was lights out. He wasn't striking out as many, but he held us to one hit through 8 innings. This is where things would turn around.
Going into the ninth, the score was 4-0. My roommate and our shortstop, Chris, lead off. On the first pitch, he ripped a triple into the right center gap. Our next hitter, Taio, looped a single over the second basemans head, scoring Chris. 4-1. Our third hitter and right fielder, Paicho, hits a screaming line drive into the right center gap for another triple, scoring Taio. 4-2. Marquez had dominated all game, but he was suddenly missing some spots. Our 4 hitter, Paul, would step up. Our bench was starting to believe. Marquez would settle down, striking out Paul. Claudio would step up next. After a good at bat, he would fly to deep left field, scoring Paicho from third. 4-3.
I would step to the plate with two outs and nobody on. The team still believed we could win it, and were loud behind me. We had a fairly big crowd as well, and they were getting excited. The first pitch Marquez threw me was a high fastball for ball one. The next pitch was another hard fastball, this one on the outside part of the plate. I would swing and miss. With the count 1 and 1, I figured he would come with the slider. I had guessed right, and I ripped the slider down the left field line for a triple. I slide into third, adrenaline pumping. The bench was now going crazy, and we knew it was destiny. They would intentionally walk the next hitter, and we countered with a pinch hitter. On the first pitch, Perry hit a line drive to right field for a single. I crossed home plate, and joined my teammates screaming in the dugout. 4-4.
With runners on first and third, our nine hitter and second baseman stepped to the plate. The pressure was on, and Modena could feel it. This lose would completely knock them out of contention, and would almost certainly guarantee us the number one spot. After getting ahead, Alle took a defensive swing and hit a ground ball to the second baseman. We watched in amazement as he went to field the ball. It was as if the baseball Gods were on our side, as the second baseman bobbled the ball. Everybody was safe, and the game was over. We had scored 5 runs in the ninth off the best pitcher in the league. We had 3 triples, two singles, a sac fly, and the game ending on an error. Our team stormed the field, as half of us tackled Perry, and the other half swarmed Alle. It was a great win, and a lot of fun.
After the game, I was set to go to Berlin. So after hanging out with the team and celebrating, I hopped in the car and headed to the airport. My flight was at 6:45 in the morning. I knew it was going to be a good weekend. I will save that for another blog post. Anyway, hope everybody had as great a weekend as I did. I'm headed to the beach! Talk to you soon!
In the first game, we put up 6 runs in the first two innings. After a pitching change, there staff started to settle down. Modena's offense is fairly poor, but they were able to scrap some runs together later in the game. In the end, it wouldn't be enough. We took game one 10-5. This win further increased our chances of clinching the number one spot. A weekend sweep of Modena would put us in prime position as the number one seed.
Going into the second game, our team remember the lose we had against there foreign pitcher, Angel Marquez. We were anxious to face him. Granted, he struck out 16 the last time we saw him. The beginning of the game started much like the first time we faced them. Marquez dominated as our foreign pitcher, Luis, struggled early on. He let up a couple of runs early in the game, and we found ourselves down 4-0. Marquez was lights out. He wasn't striking out as many, but he held us to one hit through 8 innings. This is where things would turn around.
Going into the ninth, the score was 4-0. My roommate and our shortstop, Chris, lead off. On the first pitch, he ripped a triple into the right center gap. Our next hitter, Taio, looped a single over the second basemans head, scoring Chris. 4-1. Our third hitter and right fielder, Paicho, hits a screaming line drive into the right center gap for another triple, scoring Taio. 4-2. Marquez had dominated all game, but he was suddenly missing some spots. Our 4 hitter, Paul, would step up. Our bench was starting to believe. Marquez would settle down, striking out Paul. Claudio would step up next. After a good at bat, he would fly to deep left field, scoring Paicho from third. 4-3.
I would step to the plate with two outs and nobody on. The team still believed we could win it, and were loud behind me. We had a fairly big crowd as well, and they were getting excited. The first pitch Marquez threw me was a high fastball for ball one. The next pitch was another hard fastball, this one on the outside part of the plate. I would swing and miss. With the count 1 and 1, I figured he would come with the slider. I had guessed right, and I ripped the slider down the left field line for a triple. I slide into third, adrenaline pumping. The bench was now going crazy, and we knew it was destiny. They would intentionally walk the next hitter, and we countered with a pinch hitter. On the first pitch, Perry hit a line drive to right field for a single. I crossed home plate, and joined my teammates screaming in the dugout. 4-4.
With runners on first and third, our nine hitter and second baseman stepped to the plate. The pressure was on, and Modena could feel it. This lose would completely knock them out of contention, and would almost certainly guarantee us the number one spot. After getting ahead, Alle took a defensive swing and hit a ground ball to the second baseman. We watched in amazement as he went to field the ball. It was as if the baseball Gods were on our side, as the second baseman bobbled the ball. Everybody was safe, and the game was over. We had scored 5 runs in the ninth off the best pitcher in the league. We had 3 triples, two singles, a sac fly, and the game ending on an error. Our team stormed the field, as half of us tackled Perry, and the other half swarmed Alle. It was a great win, and a lot of fun.
After the game, I was set to go to Berlin. So after hanging out with the team and celebrating, I hopped in the car and headed to the airport. My flight was at 6:45 in the morning. I knew it was going to be a good weekend. I will save that for another blog post. Anyway, hope everybody had as great a weekend as I did. I'm headed to the beach! Talk to you soon!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Florence Games and Adventures
This past weekend, we were set to play in Florence. I was excited to go, mostly because it wasn't that long of a journey. We are coming down to the wire in the season, and although it is certain we will make the playoffs, we are trying to hold onto the number 1 spot. Anzio is right behind us, and going into the weekend we were up 5 games. It also instills some meaning into the games ahead, and motivates the team to play through the crazy heat.
The first game was a disaster right off the bat. We continued to beat ourselves throughout the whole game, making errors and bad decisions both in the field and at the plate. After a terrible weekend at the plate last week, I was determined to have a good week. In the first game, I ended up going 3 for 5 with a triple and an rbi. We ended up losing 9-5. I wasn't mad, however. I felt the team needed a lose like that. Up until that point, we had won 14 straight games. Every team needs to come back down to earth sometime, and I'm just happy it wasn't in the playoffs.
For the second game, both teams were pumped. Luis and there pitcher (who was cuban) dueled early in the game. Luis dominated, which is usually the case. After one time through the lineup, we were able to start to put together good at bats against there pitcher. The game was tight, and going into the ninth we were up 5-3. We brought in Paul to close it out. Unfortunately, he let up a game tying double with two outs. In the tenth, Claudio got on with one out. I then hit a single to right field, moving Claudio over to third. After a strike out, the next hitter (Perry) hit a fly ball to center. The center-fielder dropped it, allowing Claudio to score. Paul would get another chance, and this time succeeded. With runners on first and second and two outs, he threw a fastball that trickled away to my left. I got a good jump on the ball, and I was able to throw the runner out at third for the final out. I finished the game 3-5 again, making me 6 for 10 with a double and a triple.
I was happy with the results of the second game, and also content with my performance at the plate. After the games, it was time to go out. Our friend Lucy, who we met in our Italian class, came to Florence to check out the city. She met some people, and brought them to the night game. After the game was over, I met up with them and we headed into the center. There was an American girl, an Irish girl, and an Australian guy. We headed over to the hostel, dropped off my stuff, and headed out to the disco. Thanks to Vanna's guidance, we picked a spot called Space Electronic. Downstairs was karaoke, and upstairs was a discoteca. It was great to be out and meeting new people.
The next day, I took everybody around the center of Florence. I felt like I was a tour guide, and I think I did a pretty good job. I learned a lot about the different cultures just from talking to the people we met. We even watched a Gaelic Football match in the Irish pub. The girl's hometown was in the championship. It was my first time seeing the sport, and it was actually quite exciting. Her home town won, so we headed to get some dinner then out to the bar. If you get a chance, check out either Gaelic Football or Australian football. Pretty interesting sports, and very exciting.
It was a great weekend overall, and the summer months have been fun. Next week, we play at home against Modena. They are very important games, and I'm looking forward to facing the best pitcher in the league. My roommate and I were also invited to Berlin by a girl we met in Munich. I am really looking forward to this weekends games and travels. I don't know where we will end up, but no matter what, it promises to be a great experience. I hope everybody had a great weekend, and I'll talk to everybody soon.
The first game was a disaster right off the bat. We continued to beat ourselves throughout the whole game, making errors and bad decisions both in the field and at the plate. After a terrible weekend at the plate last week, I was determined to have a good week. In the first game, I ended up going 3 for 5 with a triple and an rbi. We ended up losing 9-5. I wasn't mad, however. I felt the team needed a lose like that. Up until that point, we had won 14 straight games. Every team needs to come back down to earth sometime, and I'm just happy it wasn't in the playoffs.
For the second game, both teams were pumped. Luis and there pitcher (who was cuban) dueled early in the game. Luis dominated, which is usually the case. After one time through the lineup, we were able to start to put together good at bats against there pitcher. The game was tight, and going into the ninth we were up 5-3. We brought in Paul to close it out. Unfortunately, he let up a game tying double with two outs. In the tenth, Claudio got on with one out. I then hit a single to right field, moving Claudio over to third. After a strike out, the next hitter (Perry) hit a fly ball to center. The center-fielder dropped it, allowing Claudio to score. Paul would get another chance, and this time succeeded. With runners on first and second and two outs, he threw a fastball that trickled away to my left. I got a good jump on the ball, and I was able to throw the runner out at third for the final out. I finished the game 3-5 again, making me 6 for 10 with a double and a triple.
I was happy with the results of the second game, and also content with my performance at the plate. After the games, it was time to go out. Our friend Lucy, who we met in our Italian class, came to Florence to check out the city. She met some people, and brought them to the night game. After the game was over, I met up with them and we headed into the center. There was an American girl, an Irish girl, and an Australian guy. We headed over to the hostel, dropped off my stuff, and headed out to the disco. Thanks to Vanna's guidance, we picked a spot called Space Electronic. Downstairs was karaoke, and upstairs was a discoteca. It was great to be out and meeting new people.
The next day, I took everybody around the center of Florence. I felt like I was a tour guide, and I think I did a pretty good job. I learned a lot about the different cultures just from talking to the people we met. We even watched a Gaelic Football match in the Irish pub. The girl's hometown was in the championship. It was my first time seeing the sport, and it was actually quite exciting. Her home town won, so we headed to get some dinner then out to the bar. If you get a chance, check out either Gaelic Football or Australian football. Pretty interesting sports, and very exciting.
It was a great weekend overall, and the summer months have been fun. Next week, we play at home against Modena. They are very important games, and I'm looking forward to facing the best pitcher in the league. My roommate and I were also invited to Berlin by a girl we met in Munich. I am really looking forward to this weekends games and travels. I don't know where we will end up, but no matter what, it promises to be a great experience. I hope everybody had a great weekend, and I'll talk to everybody soon.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Munich!
Alright. So, this weekend we played against Paviglio. They are the worst team in the league, and we beat them both games. I went 1 for 4 in both games, which was disappointing. The team, however, did very well. We have essentially taken the number 1 seed going into the playoffs. So it's basically smooth sailing from here. I am keeping the information about the game short, mostly because it was not very interesting. What is more interesting is that on Sunday me and Chris went to Munich!
So last week as we were watching the world cup, I decided it would be awesome to watch Germany play in Germany. We hoped and prayed that they would beat the Dutch and advance to the final. Of course, they didn't, but my heart was set on going to Germany. After much debate, we decided to go anyway. Chris played in the German league for 3 years, and knew people that played for Har (located about 10 minutes outside Munich). He sent out a couple of facebook messages, and before you knew it we were on our way.
We got in the car and left Reggio by about 7:30 am. It was an ambitious move, but it needed to be done. Chris knew a few girls on the Har softball team, and told them we would make one of their games. The trip took us about 5 hours, but the 5 hours flew as we marveled at the scenery. To get to Munich, we drove up through Northern Italy, and then into Austria and finally into Germany. After Verona, we hit the swiss alps. The mountains are breathtaking, and it was exciting to see all the small and large ski villages scattered around. With no problems, we made it to Munich.
We were planning on staying just Sunday night. We booked a room at the Wombats hostel, which I was told is one of the most famous in the world. We parked the car, dropped our bags off, and headed to catch the train out to Har. The Har station was right by the softball field. When we got there, it was very hot. So, we bought a beer and found some shade. After the game was over, we spoke with the girls and decided we would meet in the town center.
We hopped on the train back to the center. Munich is home to the worlds largest koo koo clock. It's not really a koo koo clock, but its something like that. If you want to check it out, its called the Glockenspiel. Anyway, we thought it went off at 6, but it didn't. After 15 minutes of let down, we walked over to the Hofbrauhaus. It's the largest beer hall in the world. Basically, everyday is Oktoberfest there. We sat down in the beer garden, had a couple of litres, and left to meet up with our friends.
Germany is known for having the best beer in the world. It will be a common theme throughout the post. We met up with the girls, and they decided to take us to the Olympic Park to watch the World Cup final. We caught a train, and headed on over. We arrived to find hundreds of people waiting for the game to start. If you can imagine, there were a group of beer tents, and then large tables with chairs. Behind that, there was a large grass hill. All the seats were taken, and the hill seated hundreds more. Once I am able to upload pictures, I will be able to show you. Needless to say, it was awesome. We drank and watched the game. The great part about Munich is it's much like New York City in that it's very diverse. Both Dutch and Spanish fans screamed and went crazy until the end. It was my first true World Cup experience.
After the game was over, me and Chris decided it was time to head to the karaoke bar. After a couple of tunes and meeting some great people from all over the world, we headed back to the hostel to get some rest. On a side note, I was talking to a girl from London, and asked her where she thought I was from. Her guess was Wales. Wales? Really?
Anyway, rest is not what we got, due to a very hot room and a bit of a hangover. The plan for the next day was to head to the English Gardens, and then head home that night. Fortunately, things didn't go according to plan.
We woke up, drank some water, and got in the car to head to the English gardens. The English Gardens is a massive park. It is larger than Central Park. It's located right by the University, and the students use it as a beach. A river runs right through the middle of it, and people lay out next to the river. It is absolutely amazing. On one side is where the students sit. On the other side, well that's the nude side. Europe at its finest. One of the main attractions at the English Gardens is the river. The river has a decently fast current, and people jump in and ride the current all the way down. The water is freezing, being that it comes from the swiss alps. It is an amazing experience. As you float down the river, you come to bridges that you hang on to and jump off of, and rapids that toss and turn your body. There is a concrete method on how to ride the river, so if you ever go, make sure you ask.
We had the great pleasure of meeting some very cool people while at the Gardens. Coincidentally, two German baseball players sat right next to us as well as one of there girlfriends. On the other side of us, we met a beautiful Russian girl who was studying in Potsdam. We hung out together all day, riding the river and drinking at the beer garden. During the process, we decided to stay out that night. We headed back to the HB house, and had a few beers. There, we met three more girls from Auburn in Alabama. They would join us out as well. It's truly amazing and fun to hear how different people live their lives and hear new and interesting stories. It really is the best part of traveling. After a fun night out and barely any rest, we got back in the car and headed home.
Munich is by far my favorite city to date. If you have the opportunity, absolutely go. The people were incredibly friendly and the city has a lot to offer. I was really excited to venture outside Italy and go to Germany. I will definitely be going back again, as it is home to Oktoberfest! All in all, it was a great weekend and I'm looking forward to some more in the near future.
'
P.s. I was featured in an article for the Reggio Journal. It's a few page article about our team and how well we are doing. It's actually quite funny. The title says, "Solidi come il.....Marmo" (Solid like Marble) This is a play off my last name, which means Marble in Italian. It was exciting to see and be recognized. Anyway, hope everybody had a great weekend and has a great week! Talk to you soon!
So last week as we were watching the world cup, I decided it would be awesome to watch Germany play in Germany. We hoped and prayed that they would beat the Dutch and advance to the final. Of course, they didn't, but my heart was set on going to Germany. After much debate, we decided to go anyway. Chris played in the German league for 3 years, and knew people that played for Har (located about 10 minutes outside Munich). He sent out a couple of facebook messages, and before you knew it we were on our way.
We got in the car and left Reggio by about 7:30 am. It was an ambitious move, but it needed to be done. Chris knew a few girls on the Har softball team, and told them we would make one of their games. The trip took us about 5 hours, but the 5 hours flew as we marveled at the scenery. To get to Munich, we drove up through Northern Italy, and then into Austria and finally into Germany. After Verona, we hit the swiss alps. The mountains are breathtaking, and it was exciting to see all the small and large ski villages scattered around. With no problems, we made it to Munich.
We were planning on staying just Sunday night. We booked a room at the Wombats hostel, which I was told is one of the most famous in the world. We parked the car, dropped our bags off, and headed to catch the train out to Har. The Har station was right by the softball field. When we got there, it was very hot. So, we bought a beer and found some shade. After the game was over, we spoke with the girls and decided we would meet in the town center.
We hopped on the train back to the center. Munich is home to the worlds largest koo koo clock. It's not really a koo koo clock, but its something like that. If you want to check it out, its called the Glockenspiel. Anyway, we thought it went off at 6, but it didn't. After 15 minutes of let down, we walked over to the Hofbrauhaus. It's the largest beer hall in the world. Basically, everyday is Oktoberfest there. We sat down in the beer garden, had a couple of litres, and left to meet up with our friends.
Germany is known for having the best beer in the world. It will be a common theme throughout the post. We met up with the girls, and they decided to take us to the Olympic Park to watch the World Cup final. We caught a train, and headed on over. We arrived to find hundreds of people waiting for the game to start. If you can imagine, there were a group of beer tents, and then large tables with chairs. Behind that, there was a large grass hill. All the seats were taken, and the hill seated hundreds more. Once I am able to upload pictures, I will be able to show you. Needless to say, it was awesome. We drank and watched the game. The great part about Munich is it's much like New York City in that it's very diverse. Both Dutch and Spanish fans screamed and went crazy until the end. It was my first true World Cup experience.
After the game was over, me and Chris decided it was time to head to the karaoke bar. After a couple of tunes and meeting some great people from all over the world, we headed back to the hostel to get some rest. On a side note, I was talking to a girl from London, and asked her where she thought I was from. Her guess was Wales. Wales? Really?
Anyway, rest is not what we got, due to a very hot room and a bit of a hangover. The plan for the next day was to head to the English Gardens, and then head home that night. Fortunately, things didn't go according to plan.
We woke up, drank some water, and got in the car to head to the English gardens. The English Gardens is a massive park. It is larger than Central Park. It's located right by the University, and the students use it as a beach. A river runs right through the middle of it, and people lay out next to the river. It is absolutely amazing. On one side is where the students sit. On the other side, well that's the nude side. Europe at its finest. One of the main attractions at the English Gardens is the river. The river has a decently fast current, and people jump in and ride the current all the way down. The water is freezing, being that it comes from the swiss alps. It is an amazing experience. As you float down the river, you come to bridges that you hang on to and jump off of, and rapids that toss and turn your body. There is a concrete method on how to ride the river, so if you ever go, make sure you ask.
We had the great pleasure of meeting some very cool people while at the Gardens. Coincidentally, two German baseball players sat right next to us as well as one of there girlfriends. On the other side of us, we met a beautiful Russian girl who was studying in Potsdam. We hung out together all day, riding the river and drinking at the beer garden. During the process, we decided to stay out that night. We headed back to the HB house, and had a few beers. There, we met three more girls from Auburn in Alabama. They would join us out as well. It's truly amazing and fun to hear how different people live their lives and hear new and interesting stories. It really is the best part of traveling. After a fun night out and barely any rest, we got back in the car and headed home.
Munich is by far my favorite city to date. If you have the opportunity, absolutely go. The people were incredibly friendly and the city has a lot to offer. I was really excited to venture outside Italy and go to Germany. I will definitely be going back again, as it is home to Oktoberfest! All in all, it was a great weekend and I'm looking forward to some more in the near future.
'
P.s. I was featured in an article for the Reggio Journal. It's a few page article about our team and how well we are doing. It's actually quite funny. The title says, "Solidi come il.....Marmo" (Solid like Marble) This is a play off my last name, which means Marble in Italian. It was exciting to see and be recognized. Anyway, hope everybody had a great weekend and has a great week! Talk to you soon!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Fourth of July Weekend
The fourth of July weekend. It is probably my favorite weekend in America. I wish I was able to be back to celebrate. I am, however, in Italy. This weekend was another big weekend for baseball. We were set to play Anzio, who sits high in the standings. They desperately needed to take two from us, and we knew that if we swept them we would sit comfortably in the number one spot. So, after a long week of learning italian and terribly hot weather, we were set to play.
In game one, Fillo threw a great game. After a rough start, he settled down and pitched a solid 8 innings, allowing 3 runs. The offense was stellar as usual, coming up with big hits and driving in big runs. It was extremely hot, and both teams lagged a bit. After two miserable at bats, I was able to bounce back and get two hits and an rbi, ending the first game 2 for 4. We went on to win 10-3, and really putting Anzio's backs against the wall.
After some much needed food and rehydration, we got set to play the night game. The sun being dow was no help, as the humidity took over and the bugs came out. After Luis fell behind in the first, our offense bounced back again, showing true resolve. In my first at bat, I hit a hard groundball up the middle, but the shortstop made a good play and threw me out. I was then hit with a pitch in my next at bat with runners on first and second. At this point, we were down 2-1. With the bases loaded and 1 out, my teammate hit a groundball to second. I went in hard on the slide, throwing my shoulder into the shortstops legs. It ended up being enough, and the ball sailed over the first basemens head. Two runs would score, and we wouldn't look back from there. In the eighth, with us leading 5 to 3, we scored 5 runs. Considering the heat and length of the day, it was great to see the team have life that late. Luis threw a great game, as always, and we went on to win 10-3. I ended up 1 for 3 in the game with an rbi and hit by pitch.
So after some quality wins, everybody was exhausted. I knew I had to represent America the next day. So I woke up, had some pancakes for breakfast, and at about 1 pm started to celebrate. My teammate, Alle, had organized a bbq for everybody at 5. He lives in the country side, and his family owns a landscaping business. He has a nice piece of property, and a pool. It was great to be able to have a bbq on the fourth of July, even though I wish I could have celebrated it with my family and friends. I decided it was necessary to show some love to America, and performed a stellar rendition of the national anthem, much to the pleasure of my teammates.
The weather has been real hot here. It definitely wears you out. Between studying Italian, baseball, and extracurricular activities, this week wiped me out. I'm looking forward to an easy week. Wednesday, we are scheduled to play against the 18 year old national team. It should be a disaster of a game. I have no idea why they are making us play them, but that's just my opinion. This week, we play Poviglio at home. On a side note, since Italy and the US are no longer in the world cup, I have made it a point to root for Germany. It is for completely selfish reasons. If they beat Spain this week, we are planning to head up to Munich for the finals on Sunday. It should be an absolutely amazing experience, especially if they win. So, how about we all hope for that?
I hope everybody had an amazing weekend and enjoyed the holiday. I can't wait until my computer comes so I can actually use skype and have a functioning email account again. Italian customs is the worst, but luckily my teammates father is helping me out. Anyway, have a great one and talk to you soon!
In game one, Fillo threw a great game. After a rough start, he settled down and pitched a solid 8 innings, allowing 3 runs. The offense was stellar as usual, coming up with big hits and driving in big runs. It was extremely hot, and both teams lagged a bit. After two miserable at bats, I was able to bounce back and get two hits and an rbi, ending the first game 2 for 4. We went on to win 10-3, and really putting Anzio's backs against the wall.
After some much needed food and rehydration, we got set to play the night game. The sun being dow was no help, as the humidity took over and the bugs came out. After Luis fell behind in the first, our offense bounced back again, showing true resolve. In my first at bat, I hit a hard groundball up the middle, but the shortstop made a good play and threw me out. I was then hit with a pitch in my next at bat with runners on first and second. At this point, we were down 2-1. With the bases loaded and 1 out, my teammate hit a groundball to second. I went in hard on the slide, throwing my shoulder into the shortstops legs. It ended up being enough, and the ball sailed over the first basemens head. Two runs would score, and we wouldn't look back from there. In the eighth, with us leading 5 to 3, we scored 5 runs. Considering the heat and length of the day, it was great to see the team have life that late. Luis threw a great game, as always, and we went on to win 10-3. I ended up 1 for 3 in the game with an rbi and hit by pitch.
So after some quality wins, everybody was exhausted. I knew I had to represent America the next day. So I woke up, had some pancakes for breakfast, and at about 1 pm started to celebrate. My teammate, Alle, had organized a bbq for everybody at 5. He lives in the country side, and his family owns a landscaping business. He has a nice piece of property, and a pool. It was great to be able to have a bbq on the fourth of July, even though I wish I could have celebrated it with my family and friends. I decided it was necessary to show some love to America, and performed a stellar rendition of the national anthem, much to the pleasure of my teammates.
The weather has been real hot here. It definitely wears you out. Between studying Italian, baseball, and extracurricular activities, this week wiped me out. I'm looking forward to an easy week. Wednesday, we are scheduled to play against the 18 year old national team. It should be a disaster of a game. I have no idea why they are making us play them, but that's just my opinion. This week, we play Poviglio at home. On a side note, since Italy and the US are no longer in the world cup, I have made it a point to root for Germany. It is for completely selfish reasons. If they beat Spain this week, we are planning to head up to Munich for the finals on Sunday. It should be an absolutely amazing experience, especially if they win. So, how about we all hope for that?
I hope everybody had an amazing weekend and enjoyed the holiday. I can't wait until my computer comes so I can actually use skype and have a functioning email account again. Italian customs is the worst, but luckily my teammates father is helping me out. Anyway, have a great one and talk to you soon!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Sicily and the beach
Alright, so this is going to be another long one. This weekend really wore me out. It was an unbelievable time though. As you know, we ventured down south to Sicily to play in Messina. We met at the field at about 1, and headed over to Parma to catch a flight. The flight was short, taking only about an hour and half. We arrived in Sicily, and hoped on a bus for an hour ride down the coast. We finally arrived in Messina at about 6 pm. First, about Messina.
Messina is a town located right on the coast. Our hotel was about 10 steps away from the beach. The beaches aren't like the beaches at home. The meditteranean sea was beautiful. It was fairly clear and very blue, unlike the Adriatic. When we arrived, we put our stuff in the room, walked outside, bought a beer, and sat by the beach. Looking out, you could see the Italian mainland, the city of Reggio Calabria. It was cool to be staring at the bottom of the boot. Cruise ships and barges alike were traveling through the water. It was also very different here. The drivers were insane, beeping at everything and never stopping. It was almost as if they hit you, they wouldn't think twice about it. After our beer, we went into the hotel for dinner.
After a good dinner, the plan was to go to one of the local beach bars. At first, I thought it would only be the young guys who would venture out. It turned out that most of the team came, even a couple of the coaches. We ended up having a great time. We sat around, drank, ate, and laughed. At one point, one of the rookies was being quizzed on famous people. He didn't fair to well, and was required to strip down to his underwear and jump in the water. No hazing laws in Italy. He did was he was required to do, and we all laughed at his expense. Nothing better than being a part of a team.
By the time we got back, it was about 1 am. We strolled into the hotel, and got some rest. I made a point to wake up early so I could head out to the beach. Reggio Emilia is dead center of Italy, and each coast is about 2 hours away. So I reluctantly woke up at about 9:30, put on my bathing suit, bought some powerade, and headed across the street. I ran into my teammate Paul on the way down, and he decided to come along.
The beach itself isn't all that nice. The sand is fairly rocky, but the water looked beautiful. I made a point that I needed to go in the water. After a few more of the guys showed up, I convinced one of them to come in with me. We needed to find a point of entry, given that the beach was surrounded by large rocks. The water was cold, much colder than the Adriatic. It was refreshing, and it definitely woke me up. We then met for lunch, got our stuff together, and headed out to the field.
The field was very nice. It had the perfect setting, up in the hills of Sicily. I'm waiting on my computer, but once I do get it I'll post the pictures. When we arrived, they were playing techno and some of the Messina players were dancing. I couldn't help but laugh. I even went so far as to get my camera and film one of the players. It is exactly what you expected the south of Italy to be. These games were important, and after having a bad week last week, I was determined to rebound.
The first game was much like all the other first games in Serie A baseball. I ended up going 2 for 5 with a double and triple. I was very pleased with my at bats, and I felt good at the plate. I was hitting the ball hard and to all fields. I was excited for the second game. The pitcher was a Venezuelan who had played minor league ball. He threw low 90's and had a hard breaking ball. I was anxious to see how I would do.
From the very beginning of the second game, both teams were tense. Messina was fired up, and our team was very confident. In my first at bat, I hit a hard ground ball to third that ate up the third basemen. I was able to beat it out for a single. In my second at bat, the Messina foreigner got the best of me and made me look bad. I took strike three. It was after when the game got really interesting.
All game the Messina foreigner had been taking his sweet time, complaining about balls and strikes, and just generally being disrespectful to the game. He would take 5 minutes between batters, and maybe sometimes pitches. Our teammate Paul had hit an absolute bomb of a home run off him in the first inning. He settled down after that, striking out a bunch of guys. It all came to a boiling point for me. The umpires weren't doing anything about it. The dugouts started barking at eachother, and the inevitable finally happened. I was on deck, and our starting first basemen Claudio was up. The Messina pitcher threw up and in. Now normally, I wouldn't mind something like this. It's a part of the game. This ball was going for his head, and he just barely got out of the way. Needless to say, I lost it. I started yelling at the top of my lungs at the pitcher. Granted, I don't necessarily know if he knew what I was saying, but he definitely knew my intent. He ended up striking out Claudio, and on his way to the dugout we got into it. Both the umpires and coaches broke it up. All I could think about was my next at bat against him.
After a tense inning in the field (which we obviously threw at one of there players), I was set to hit. In my head I was preparing myself for him to throw one at me. If he did, I was going to do my best to keep a cool head. Getting ejected would be the last thing I wanted to do, considering you have to miss games. He didn't and I was able to work the count to 3 and 2. I was anticipating the fastball, thinking his ego would prevail. I was wrong, but it didn't matter. He threw a curveball, and I turned on it for a long fly ball into the left field corner. I ended up on second base, and had won my personal battle. I ended up scoring that inning, further pleasing my desire for him to lose. We ended up beating him 5-2, and I went 3 for 4 against him with 2 doubles and a single. After the game, we shook hands and went on our way. That's the beautiful part about baseball.
After coming out with two big wins, we went to dinner. It was about midnight. We ate some fish, then headed to the airport. We arrived at about 3 am. The only thing was that our flight wasn't until 7. So, we set up shop and slept on the floor. It was really interesting waking up to people coming in to catch their flights. So much for being a professional baseball player. After sleeping on the flight back, we arrived back in Reggio at about 9:30.
To celebrate the big wins, I decided I wanted to go to the beach. After convincing my roommate to come along, we invited a girl (Lucy) that we had met from our Italian class. She is a babysitter and is from New Zealand. She was in, so we picked her up and went on our way. She invited another babysitter she had met the night before, an American girl (Sophia). Sophia was going to meet us there later. So Chris, Lucy, and I jumped in the car and went on our way. After a two hour drive, we arrived in Riccione. We layed on the beach and enjoyed the sun and water. It felt great to finally relax. Lucy and Chris went to meet Sophia at the train station. I stayed and enjoyed the beautiful day.
After the beach, the four of us got changed and headed to apertivo. We drank a little bit, watched some soccer, and decided to head out to Rimini. Rimini is known as the Italian hot spot. People from all over the world come to vacation and party in Rimini. When we arrived, it reminded me a lot of Miami. There were people everywhere, and we jumped right in the mix. We had an absolute blast, finishing the night off at around 2:30 am. Safe to say I will be going back to Rimini and Riccione. It is definitely worth the two hour drive, and I would highly recommend it to anybody looking for a vacation!
This week, we are home against Anzio. Anzio is in second place. If we sweep, it will make it very hard for us to lose the number 1 seed in the playoffs. I'm looking forward to not having to travel this weekend. I'm sorry for the ridiculously long blog post. I hope everybody had a great weekend! I should have my computer this week. I have been taking a lot of pictures and video, so there is plenty to share and look forward to. Enjoy the rest of the week and I'll talk to you soon!
Messina is a town located right on the coast. Our hotel was about 10 steps away from the beach. The beaches aren't like the beaches at home. The meditteranean sea was beautiful. It was fairly clear and very blue, unlike the Adriatic. When we arrived, we put our stuff in the room, walked outside, bought a beer, and sat by the beach. Looking out, you could see the Italian mainland, the city of Reggio Calabria. It was cool to be staring at the bottom of the boot. Cruise ships and barges alike were traveling through the water. It was also very different here. The drivers were insane, beeping at everything and never stopping. It was almost as if they hit you, they wouldn't think twice about it. After our beer, we went into the hotel for dinner.
After a good dinner, the plan was to go to one of the local beach bars. At first, I thought it would only be the young guys who would venture out. It turned out that most of the team came, even a couple of the coaches. We ended up having a great time. We sat around, drank, ate, and laughed. At one point, one of the rookies was being quizzed on famous people. He didn't fair to well, and was required to strip down to his underwear and jump in the water. No hazing laws in Italy. He did was he was required to do, and we all laughed at his expense. Nothing better than being a part of a team.
By the time we got back, it was about 1 am. We strolled into the hotel, and got some rest. I made a point to wake up early so I could head out to the beach. Reggio Emilia is dead center of Italy, and each coast is about 2 hours away. So I reluctantly woke up at about 9:30, put on my bathing suit, bought some powerade, and headed across the street. I ran into my teammate Paul on the way down, and he decided to come along.
The beach itself isn't all that nice. The sand is fairly rocky, but the water looked beautiful. I made a point that I needed to go in the water. After a few more of the guys showed up, I convinced one of them to come in with me. We needed to find a point of entry, given that the beach was surrounded by large rocks. The water was cold, much colder than the Adriatic. It was refreshing, and it definitely woke me up. We then met for lunch, got our stuff together, and headed out to the field.
The field was very nice. It had the perfect setting, up in the hills of Sicily. I'm waiting on my computer, but once I do get it I'll post the pictures. When we arrived, they were playing techno and some of the Messina players were dancing. I couldn't help but laugh. I even went so far as to get my camera and film one of the players. It is exactly what you expected the south of Italy to be. These games were important, and after having a bad week last week, I was determined to rebound.
The first game was much like all the other first games in Serie A baseball. I ended up going 2 for 5 with a double and triple. I was very pleased with my at bats, and I felt good at the plate. I was hitting the ball hard and to all fields. I was excited for the second game. The pitcher was a Venezuelan who had played minor league ball. He threw low 90's and had a hard breaking ball. I was anxious to see how I would do.
From the very beginning of the second game, both teams were tense. Messina was fired up, and our team was very confident. In my first at bat, I hit a hard ground ball to third that ate up the third basemen. I was able to beat it out for a single. In my second at bat, the Messina foreigner got the best of me and made me look bad. I took strike three. It was after when the game got really interesting.
All game the Messina foreigner had been taking his sweet time, complaining about balls and strikes, and just generally being disrespectful to the game. He would take 5 minutes between batters, and maybe sometimes pitches. Our teammate Paul had hit an absolute bomb of a home run off him in the first inning. He settled down after that, striking out a bunch of guys. It all came to a boiling point for me. The umpires weren't doing anything about it. The dugouts started barking at eachother, and the inevitable finally happened. I was on deck, and our starting first basemen Claudio was up. The Messina pitcher threw up and in. Now normally, I wouldn't mind something like this. It's a part of the game. This ball was going for his head, and he just barely got out of the way. Needless to say, I lost it. I started yelling at the top of my lungs at the pitcher. Granted, I don't necessarily know if he knew what I was saying, but he definitely knew my intent. He ended up striking out Claudio, and on his way to the dugout we got into it. Both the umpires and coaches broke it up. All I could think about was my next at bat against him.
After a tense inning in the field (which we obviously threw at one of there players), I was set to hit. In my head I was preparing myself for him to throw one at me. If he did, I was going to do my best to keep a cool head. Getting ejected would be the last thing I wanted to do, considering you have to miss games. He didn't and I was able to work the count to 3 and 2. I was anticipating the fastball, thinking his ego would prevail. I was wrong, but it didn't matter. He threw a curveball, and I turned on it for a long fly ball into the left field corner. I ended up on second base, and had won my personal battle. I ended up scoring that inning, further pleasing my desire for him to lose. We ended up beating him 5-2, and I went 3 for 4 against him with 2 doubles and a single. After the game, we shook hands and went on our way. That's the beautiful part about baseball.
After coming out with two big wins, we went to dinner. It was about midnight. We ate some fish, then headed to the airport. We arrived at about 3 am. The only thing was that our flight wasn't until 7. So, we set up shop and slept on the floor. It was really interesting waking up to people coming in to catch their flights. So much for being a professional baseball player. After sleeping on the flight back, we arrived back in Reggio at about 9:30.
To celebrate the big wins, I decided I wanted to go to the beach. After convincing my roommate to come along, we invited a girl (Lucy) that we had met from our Italian class. She is a babysitter and is from New Zealand. She was in, so we picked her up and went on our way. She invited another babysitter she had met the night before, an American girl (Sophia). Sophia was going to meet us there later. So Chris, Lucy, and I jumped in the car and went on our way. After a two hour drive, we arrived in Riccione. We layed on the beach and enjoyed the sun and water. It felt great to finally relax. Lucy and Chris went to meet Sophia at the train station. I stayed and enjoyed the beautiful day.
After the beach, the four of us got changed and headed to apertivo. We drank a little bit, watched some soccer, and decided to head out to Rimini. Rimini is known as the Italian hot spot. People from all over the world come to vacation and party in Rimini. When we arrived, it reminded me a lot of Miami. There were people everywhere, and we jumped right in the mix. We had an absolute blast, finishing the night off at around 2:30 am. Safe to say I will be going back to Rimini and Riccione. It is definitely worth the two hour drive, and I would highly recommend it to anybody looking for a vacation!
This week, we are home against Anzio. Anzio is in second place. If we sweep, it will make it very hard for us to lose the number 1 seed in the playoffs. I'm looking forward to not having to travel this weekend. I'm sorry for the ridiculously long blog post. I hope everybody had a great weekend! I should have my computer this week. I have been taking a lot of pictures and video, so there is plenty to share and look forward to. Enjoy the rest of the week and I'll talk to you soon!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Sicily and the World Cup
In about 15 minutes, Reggio Baseball will be leaving to catch a flight down to Sicily. I am excited to go. It should be very different from here. I have heard Messina is beautiful, and that it is very hot down South. It's even better that these are important games. It could essentially guarantee us a playoff spot, possibly a number 1 seed. They are a good team, and this shouldn't be an easy feat. It will be our first time seeing them, given that we got rained out when they came to our home field.
The field is located right by the beach. We fly in tonight, play tomorrow, and stay up all night to catch a flight early the next morning. It is definitely a true reminder that we are not all that important here, and money is tight. It should be fun though and create some team bonding. Overall, I'm looking forward to it.
In regards to the world cup, it's safe to say that everybody is upset. I'm mostly upset because of my experience. It would have been amazing if Italy had gone far, but I would definitely prefer the USA to win it all. I never thought I would rather be in New York then Italy for the World cup. I might have to come back if they make the championship! I hope everybody has a great weekend, and I'll try to have a good one as well!
The field is located right by the beach. We fly in tonight, play tomorrow, and stay up all night to catch a flight early the next morning. It is definitely a true reminder that we are not all that important here, and money is tight. It should be fun though and create some team bonding. Overall, I'm looking forward to it.
In regards to the world cup, it's safe to say that everybody is upset. I'm mostly upset because of my experience. It would have been amazing if Italy had gone far, but I would definitely prefer the USA to win it all. I never thought I would rather be in New York then Italy for the World cup. I might have to come back if they make the championship! I hope everybody has a great weekend, and I'll try to have a good one as well!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Good and Bad week
So this week was both good and bad. During the week, I have decided to take the initiative in going out and meeting people. So, it started at the gym. I started trying to talk to people, and it actually kind of worked. I wish my Italian was better, but I can somewhat struggle through a conversation. Once they realize you speak English, they do all they can to help you. You become somewhat of an English teacher, and it goes both ways. It's kind of fun actually. Me and the girl at the front desk have an agreement that we will teach eachother something new everyday. Sadly, I'm a little more advanced in Italian than she is in English, so I have a feeling this deal helps her a little more than me.
Now that the summer has arrived, the center becomes alive. Every Wednesday, the shops in the center open at night, and people crowd the center. It was actually cool to see so much night life in Reggio. In the beginning, the center was dead. Now, its taken a complete 180. We will be hanging out in the center mostly every Wed. Sometimes they even hold concerts, but Italian music isn't anything to write home about. Thursday, one of the softball girls invited us to Parma, where she goes to University. We met up with her and some of her friends there. They were like any other college kids. They are all studying in the medical field, and are from all over Italy. It was cool to sit and talk with them about the different parts of Italy. At one point, they all started speaking in their dialects, and nobody could understand eachother. Amazing. It was a nice change of pace, and I'm sure we will be hanging out with them more often. We will teach them how to party like American college students, that's a promise.
This weekend we played at home against Rome. Rain was in the forecast, so I was worried that we wouldn't play. It seems like every home game, its supposed to rain. After the two games were over, I wished it had rained. I put up the worst weekend to date, going 0 for 8. It wasn't that I didn't hit the ball well, they just didn't fall. I was seeing the ball great, and felt very comfortable at the plate. I also put together some good at bats. Rome doesn't have a foreign pitcher. Instead, they have almost a full lineup of foreigners. They hit the ball very well, but there pitching is poor. Both me and my teammate Paul struggled, and we tried everything to break out. Needless to say, nothing worked. I'm sure me and him will be making some adjustments at practice this week. Regardless of mine and Pauls lack of production, the team played very well. We took two from Rome, and are sitting comfortably in first. This weekend we head to Messina, Sicily. It should be a hot one.
Right now, I am about to head to my teammates house to watch Italy. I hope every Dad out there has a great fathers day. Have a great day and Forza Azzuri!
Now that the summer has arrived, the center becomes alive. Every Wednesday, the shops in the center open at night, and people crowd the center. It was actually cool to see so much night life in Reggio. In the beginning, the center was dead. Now, its taken a complete 180. We will be hanging out in the center mostly every Wed. Sometimes they even hold concerts, but Italian music isn't anything to write home about. Thursday, one of the softball girls invited us to Parma, where she goes to University. We met up with her and some of her friends there. They were like any other college kids. They are all studying in the medical field, and are from all over Italy. It was cool to sit and talk with them about the different parts of Italy. At one point, they all started speaking in their dialects, and nobody could understand eachother. Amazing. It was a nice change of pace, and I'm sure we will be hanging out with them more often. We will teach them how to party like American college students, that's a promise.
This weekend we played at home against Rome. Rain was in the forecast, so I was worried that we wouldn't play. It seems like every home game, its supposed to rain. After the two games were over, I wished it had rained. I put up the worst weekend to date, going 0 for 8. It wasn't that I didn't hit the ball well, they just didn't fall. I was seeing the ball great, and felt very comfortable at the plate. I also put together some good at bats. Rome doesn't have a foreign pitcher. Instead, they have almost a full lineup of foreigners. They hit the ball very well, but there pitching is poor. Both me and my teammate Paul struggled, and we tried everything to break out. Needless to say, nothing worked. I'm sure me and him will be making some adjustments at practice this week. Regardless of mine and Pauls lack of production, the team played very well. We took two from Rome, and are sitting comfortably in first. This weekend we head to Messina, Sicily. It should be a hot one.
Right now, I am about to head to my teammates house to watch Italy. I hope every Dad out there has a great fathers day. Have a great day and Forza Azzuri!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
A long time coming
Alright, so although I didn't get my new computer yet, my teammate was kind enough to let me borrow his for the time being. I have a lot to update you on, so this may turn into a long one. This weekend was a very good one, probably the best yet. This is why.
So this past week was my friend Taka's birthday. He decided to put something together for Friday. We woke up early in the morning, and met at his friends Robbies house. The plan was to go to Mirabilandia, an amusement park. It wasn't as big as, say, your average six flags, but it is home to two of the top rollercoasters in Europe. About an hour and a half drive, me and nine others arrived at the park. They tried to make a play off Disney, which kind of worked but not really. Anyway, it was a great time. The two main attractions were Ispeed and Katun. Both were very good, and after some food and a few drinks, they got even better. The park wasn't very packed, so waiting wasn't a problem. It really was just good fun, and a real nice change of pace.
After the park, we hopped in the car and headed to the beach. It was my first experience going to one of the coasts. Supposively the beach we went to was very high end, and many celebrities have places there. We pulled up at the Meditteranean sea, got out, and ran right into the water. The beach itself was beautiful. It somewhat reminded me of Miami. The water was the perfect temperature, but wasn't very blue. I'm used to this type of water, going to Lido and swimming in the Atlantic, but it would have been nice to see some bright blue water. I reminded myself I'm not in the Carribean, and enjoyed the beach. We were there later in the day, so there weren't many people left. I look forward to heading to Rimini and Riccione during the summer vacation months. Should be very interesting. They are also home to some of the best discos in Italy. Just throwing that out there.
After the beach, we washed up and headed to dinner. The restaurant wasn't very far. We arrived and sat down outside. It was a beautiful set up, and I was excited for the food. The Italians did all the ordering, and that's not something I object to. The dish of the region is a pasta with meat sauce (ragu). It was absolutely delicious. Then, the steak came out, and finally, a dessert. After dinner was over, we hopped in the car and headed back to Reggio. We took a brief stop at the gas station, and I decided to start a mini dance party. It lasted a few minutes, but it was worth it. It was a great day, and exhausting.
The next day we headed to Collechio for a nice double header. The day didn't start out well for me. I arrived at the field, only to realize I forgot my cleats. Luckily, a parent of my teammate was going to the field, and was able to bring them over before the game. Dodged a bullet there. The first game was brutal, as always. Fillo threw well again, and Collechio didn't stand a chance. I went 1 for 4 on the day, but had some good atbats. When the game finally ended, I was excited to start the second one. It's always better facing the foreign pitchers, and Collechio had a good one.
The second game was a much better one. Collechio jumped out to an early lead against Luis. Up 1-0, and after grounding out in my first at bat and walking in my second, I got up to the plate with the bases loaded. I stepped to the plate anxious to get those runs in, and put our team ahead. After working the count to 2 and 2, the Collechio starter threw me a hard slider. The infield was playing in, and all I was focused on doing was putting the ball in play. I took a defensive swing, and was able to push the ball the other way between first and second. Two runs scored on the single, and we took a 2 to 1 lead. After, with runners on first and third, Fabio (hitting behind me) dropped a perfect bunt to score the runner at third. The inning ended with us up 3 to 1.
Both pitchers were throwing good games, battling out of jams. With the score still 3 to 1, I stepped to the plate again with runners on second and third. In my previous at bat, the Collechio pitcher threw me mostly offspead pitches. The one fastball he did throw me, he blew right by me. I knew coming into this atbat that he was going to try to overpower me with the fastball. Basically, I was sitting dead red. First pitch, he threw a fastball by me for a strike. Next pitch, he came back with the fastball and I fouled it back. I was down o-2, and I knew he would come with the fastball again. I shortened up, and thought about driving the ball to the right side. He came back with the fastball, and I did what I anticipated doing. I hit a long fly ball down the right field line. It shorthopped the fence, and I went in standing to third, scoring the two runs. We were now up 5-1, and we would score one more to win 6-2. It felt good to have driven in 4 of the 6 runs, and overall it was a solid win.
After the game, we headed back to Reggio. The center was holding its yearly white night. This is basically when everybody in the town of Reggio Emilia goes to the center and gets drunk. There is music everywhere, and people all over the place. We arrived late, unfortunately, so most of the festivities were over. I did, however, stumble upon a Euro Rave. Set up were three dj booths, and they were playing hardcore techno. Some people were dancing, some people were sleeping on the ground, and some people were just staring at the light show. Either way, it was awesome. It was a great way to celebrate a sweep, and great to see the city so alive.
I know many of you are also wondering about the World Cup. It is awesome to be here experiencing it. Mostly everybody here is very passionate about the team. It's a great way for the nation to come together and cheer for one cause. Flags are scattered all over, and Forza Azzuri is in full effect. To truly experience the mayhem of the World Cup, I hope Italy goes somewhat far in the tournament. They definitely love their soccer here, and aren't afraid to show it.
This week we play at home against Rome. Hopefully I can get back to the regular scheduling of writing the blog. Enjoy the World Cup at home, and I'll talk to you soon!
So this past week was my friend Taka's birthday. He decided to put something together for Friday. We woke up early in the morning, and met at his friends Robbies house. The plan was to go to Mirabilandia, an amusement park. It wasn't as big as, say, your average six flags, but it is home to two of the top rollercoasters in Europe. About an hour and a half drive, me and nine others arrived at the park. They tried to make a play off Disney, which kind of worked but not really. Anyway, it was a great time. The two main attractions were Ispeed and Katun. Both were very good, and after some food and a few drinks, they got even better. The park wasn't very packed, so waiting wasn't a problem. It really was just good fun, and a real nice change of pace.
After the park, we hopped in the car and headed to the beach. It was my first experience going to one of the coasts. Supposively the beach we went to was very high end, and many celebrities have places there. We pulled up at the Meditteranean sea, got out, and ran right into the water. The beach itself was beautiful. It somewhat reminded me of Miami. The water was the perfect temperature, but wasn't very blue. I'm used to this type of water, going to Lido and swimming in the Atlantic, but it would have been nice to see some bright blue water. I reminded myself I'm not in the Carribean, and enjoyed the beach. We were there later in the day, so there weren't many people left. I look forward to heading to Rimini and Riccione during the summer vacation months. Should be very interesting. They are also home to some of the best discos in Italy. Just throwing that out there.
After the beach, we washed up and headed to dinner. The restaurant wasn't very far. We arrived and sat down outside. It was a beautiful set up, and I was excited for the food. The Italians did all the ordering, and that's not something I object to. The dish of the region is a pasta with meat sauce (ragu). It was absolutely delicious. Then, the steak came out, and finally, a dessert. After dinner was over, we hopped in the car and headed back to Reggio. We took a brief stop at the gas station, and I decided to start a mini dance party. It lasted a few minutes, but it was worth it. It was a great day, and exhausting.
The next day we headed to Collechio for a nice double header. The day didn't start out well for me. I arrived at the field, only to realize I forgot my cleats. Luckily, a parent of my teammate was going to the field, and was able to bring them over before the game. Dodged a bullet there. The first game was brutal, as always. Fillo threw well again, and Collechio didn't stand a chance. I went 1 for 4 on the day, but had some good atbats. When the game finally ended, I was excited to start the second one. It's always better facing the foreign pitchers, and Collechio had a good one.
The second game was a much better one. Collechio jumped out to an early lead against Luis. Up 1-0, and after grounding out in my first at bat and walking in my second, I got up to the plate with the bases loaded. I stepped to the plate anxious to get those runs in, and put our team ahead. After working the count to 2 and 2, the Collechio starter threw me a hard slider. The infield was playing in, and all I was focused on doing was putting the ball in play. I took a defensive swing, and was able to push the ball the other way between first and second. Two runs scored on the single, and we took a 2 to 1 lead. After, with runners on first and third, Fabio (hitting behind me) dropped a perfect bunt to score the runner at third. The inning ended with us up 3 to 1.
Both pitchers were throwing good games, battling out of jams. With the score still 3 to 1, I stepped to the plate again with runners on second and third. In my previous at bat, the Collechio pitcher threw me mostly offspead pitches. The one fastball he did throw me, he blew right by me. I knew coming into this atbat that he was going to try to overpower me with the fastball. Basically, I was sitting dead red. First pitch, he threw a fastball by me for a strike. Next pitch, he came back with the fastball and I fouled it back. I was down o-2, and I knew he would come with the fastball again. I shortened up, and thought about driving the ball to the right side. He came back with the fastball, and I did what I anticipated doing. I hit a long fly ball down the right field line. It shorthopped the fence, and I went in standing to third, scoring the two runs. We were now up 5-1, and we would score one more to win 6-2. It felt good to have driven in 4 of the 6 runs, and overall it was a solid win.
After the game, we headed back to Reggio. The center was holding its yearly white night. This is basically when everybody in the town of Reggio Emilia goes to the center and gets drunk. There is music everywhere, and people all over the place. We arrived late, unfortunately, so most of the festivities were over. I did, however, stumble upon a Euro Rave. Set up were three dj booths, and they were playing hardcore techno. Some people were dancing, some people were sleeping on the ground, and some people were just staring at the light show. Either way, it was awesome. It was a great way to celebrate a sweep, and great to see the city so alive.
I know many of you are also wondering about the World Cup. It is awesome to be here experiencing it. Mostly everybody here is very passionate about the team. It's a great way for the nation to come together and cheer for one cause. Flags are scattered all over, and Forza Azzuri is in full effect. To truly experience the mayhem of the World Cup, I hope Italy goes somewhat far in the tournament. They definitely love their soccer here, and aren't afraid to show it.
This week we play at home against Rome. Hopefully I can get back to the regular scheduling of writing the blog. Enjoy the World Cup at home, and I'll talk to you soon!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Broken Computer
The worst thing that could have happened here happened, my computer broke. Well, to be exact, the monitor stopped working. It is a devastating lose, and explains my recent absence from the blog. I am currently using my roommates computer to let everybody know the situation. Hopefully, I will have a new one soon and can continue writing and telling everybody what is going on.
I'm sure your wondering about this weekend. We went down to Viterbo, and destroyed them in two games. We scored a total of 28 runs. The pitching was good, and the offense was better. It was a frustrating weekend for me, however. In the first game I went 3 for 6 with a couple of rbis. The next game I went 0 for 2 with two sac flies and a hit by pitch. This game was aggravating. Every ball I hit, and I mean every one, I hit hard. They were either lined at somebody, or I got robbed. What could have been a 4 for 4 day with God knows how many rbis turned into an 0-fer day. Goes to show you how this game can humble you. My teammates took pleasure in my misfortunes, and made sure to let me know about it. It was all in good fun, and I took solice in knowing I hit the ball hard. I will be waiting for my opportunity to get them back, though. Don't you worry about that.
In order to compensate for lack of my computer, I have been keeping myself busy doing things around the town, around the apartment, working out, and reading. It's been a nice change of pace. This "no power" thing that I have been going thru is starting to annoy me, so I am trying a different workout in the gym with my teammate Paul. Hopefully it translates into a couple more feet of travel on the baseball. My roommate and I are contimplating enrolling in a language school here, called Reggio Lingua. They take students from around the world and teach them Italian. We met with the lady yesterday, and she was a pleasure to talk to. She was very helpful, and told us what the class would entail. We even took a placement test. I can't say I did amazing on it, but I definitely did better than I originally thought I would. I am almost certain we will join the class, which is 3 days a week for 3 hours. Should really help with our experience here.
Today is my teammates Taka's birthday. This Friday, we are spending a full day celebrating. We are heading to the amusement park near Milan for the day, and then going to Happy Hour, and finishing up at a restaurant Taka claims to be "amazing". It should turn out to be a great time. The group of friends he hangs out with is nothing but nice and welcoming. It's definitely refreshing to be accepted by a group. Anyway, I hope I can solve this computer situation out soon, and be back to regularly writing blogs. Don't worry, I didn't forget about you or get lazy. Hope you have a great day and rest of the week!
I'm sure your wondering about this weekend. We went down to Viterbo, and destroyed them in two games. We scored a total of 28 runs. The pitching was good, and the offense was better. It was a frustrating weekend for me, however. In the first game I went 3 for 6 with a couple of rbis. The next game I went 0 for 2 with two sac flies and a hit by pitch. This game was aggravating. Every ball I hit, and I mean every one, I hit hard. They were either lined at somebody, or I got robbed. What could have been a 4 for 4 day with God knows how many rbis turned into an 0-fer day. Goes to show you how this game can humble you. My teammates took pleasure in my misfortunes, and made sure to let me know about it. It was all in good fun, and I took solice in knowing I hit the ball hard. I will be waiting for my opportunity to get them back, though. Don't you worry about that.
In order to compensate for lack of my computer, I have been keeping myself busy doing things around the town, around the apartment, working out, and reading. It's been a nice change of pace. This "no power" thing that I have been going thru is starting to annoy me, so I am trying a different workout in the gym with my teammate Paul. Hopefully it translates into a couple more feet of travel on the baseball. My roommate and I are contimplating enrolling in a language school here, called Reggio Lingua. They take students from around the world and teach them Italian. We met with the lady yesterday, and she was a pleasure to talk to. She was very helpful, and told us what the class would entail. We even took a placement test. I can't say I did amazing on it, but I definitely did better than I originally thought I would. I am almost certain we will join the class, which is 3 days a week for 3 hours. Should really help with our experience here.
Today is my teammates Taka's birthday. This Friday, we are spending a full day celebrating. We are heading to the amusement park near Milan for the day, and then going to Happy Hour, and finishing up at a restaurant Taka claims to be "amazing". It should turn out to be a great time. The group of friends he hangs out with is nothing but nice and welcoming. It's definitely refreshing to be accepted by a group. Anyway, I hope I can solve this computer situation out soon, and be back to regularly writing blogs. Don't worry, I didn't forget about you or get lazy. Hope you have a great day and rest of the week!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Holiday and Mid-week Baseball
So yesterday was an Italian holiday. It marks the day Italy became a republic. It is no Memorial Day Weekend, but the team had a BBQ anyway. It was good, and a bunch of the guys showed up with their girlfriends, wives, and children. It was cool to hang out with my teammates families, friends, and members of the society. It was like one big family. I do have to admit, Italy has great food, but nothing beats a good American BBQ on Memorial day or the 4th of July. Don't worry Americans, they can't claim that one.
After some beers, wine, and shots of mint vodka, we headed home. I relaxed the rest of the day, watching movies on my computer. I knew I had a busy day the next day. I woke up early to go to the gym. I thought by going earlier than I normally do, it would be less crowded. I was wrong. It was full of people. I got a good workout in, and then headed home. I had to get some food from the store, so I went to the Esselunga (their version of Stop and Shop). I have decided that I am going to do my best to eat healthier. I have been working really hard, and I feel like I should be showing more results. I know, I'm in Italy, but its worth a shot.
My roommate and I were asked to play in Parma against their IBL team. This week starts the Euro cup, and some of the IBL teams had to go to wherever to play in it. So Parma decided to put together a little scrimmage game so they had a chance to get some playing time in. They asked around the league for players, and I jumped at the opportunity. I wanted to see what the competition was like, and also get an idea for where I would stand. So me, my roommate Chris, and our first basemen Claudio (who played two years in Parma), go in the car and headed to the field.
When we arrived, Parma had begun taking bp. They play in a brand new stadium. It's a nice field, and the playing surface is very well maintained. Anyway, we got changed and started to warm up. We then were told we would take bp and get the game started. While taking bp, I overheard somebody speaking English. At first, I thought it was their coach. It turned out to be a Colorado Rockies scout. He had been traveling around Italy to all of the IBL teams. I went up to say hello, mostly because he spoke English. He told me he had coached Parma in 1984, winning the Euro Cup. He was a nice guy, and very intense. After bp, I was told to go to the Parma dugout. The way they worked it, the Parma pitchers would throw to their own hitters, and the other pitchers would throw to the miscellaneous squad.
I know that sound confusing, so I'll sum it up this way. I was playing on the Parma team. I was hitting sixth in their lineup. I wasn't catching the Parma pitchers, however. I would be catching the assortment of pitchers from around the A2 division. The Parma catcher would be hitting with the other team, but catching the Parma pitchers. The good thing about this was I got to face Parma's pitching, which was the reason I came in the first place.
Parma's ace threw first. In my first at bat, I hit a decently hard groundball between third and shortstop. The shortstop made a nice play and threw me out by a step. At least I was able to turn on the pitch, so I was happy. Out on the field, I was feeling great. I was blocking every ball, and calling a good game. In my next at bat, I would be facing the same pitcher with a runner on second. After falling behind 0-2, I worked the count back to 2-2. He threw me a letter high fastball, and I drove it deep to right center. It short hopped the fence and I went in sliding for a triple. I would later score on a passed ball.
When I went back into the dugout, the scout and another member of the Parma organization pulled me aside. They asked me a bunch of questions, mostly about how I got to Italy and where I played college baseball. The Parma rep gave me his email, and asked me to stay in touch. It felt good to be noticed for my play, and I was very happy I went. I am not putting a lot of stress on it, though. I am just focused on playing well in Reggio and hopefully winning a championship. Whatever happens after that is just a bonus.
This Saturday we play in Vitterbo. I'm hoping it is a good series. I'm glad I got some extra at bats in this week, and hopefully it translates into this weekends games. I'll talk to everybody soon, and hope for some good news! Thanks and have a great rest of your week!
After some beers, wine, and shots of mint vodka, we headed home. I relaxed the rest of the day, watching movies on my computer. I knew I had a busy day the next day. I woke up early to go to the gym. I thought by going earlier than I normally do, it would be less crowded. I was wrong. It was full of people. I got a good workout in, and then headed home. I had to get some food from the store, so I went to the Esselunga (their version of Stop and Shop). I have decided that I am going to do my best to eat healthier. I have been working really hard, and I feel like I should be showing more results. I know, I'm in Italy, but its worth a shot.
My roommate and I were asked to play in Parma against their IBL team. This week starts the Euro cup, and some of the IBL teams had to go to wherever to play in it. So Parma decided to put together a little scrimmage game so they had a chance to get some playing time in. They asked around the league for players, and I jumped at the opportunity. I wanted to see what the competition was like, and also get an idea for where I would stand. So me, my roommate Chris, and our first basemen Claudio (who played two years in Parma), go in the car and headed to the field.
When we arrived, Parma had begun taking bp. They play in a brand new stadium. It's a nice field, and the playing surface is very well maintained. Anyway, we got changed and started to warm up. We then were told we would take bp and get the game started. While taking bp, I overheard somebody speaking English. At first, I thought it was their coach. It turned out to be a Colorado Rockies scout. He had been traveling around Italy to all of the IBL teams. I went up to say hello, mostly because he spoke English. He told me he had coached Parma in 1984, winning the Euro Cup. He was a nice guy, and very intense. After bp, I was told to go to the Parma dugout. The way they worked it, the Parma pitchers would throw to their own hitters, and the other pitchers would throw to the miscellaneous squad.
I know that sound confusing, so I'll sum it up this way. I was playing on the Parma team. I was hitting sixth in their lineup. I wasn't catching the Parma pitchers, however. I would be catching the assortment of pitchers from around the A2 division. The Parma catcher would be hitting with the other team, but catching the Parma pitchers. The good thing about this was I got to face Parma's pitching, which was the reason I came in the first place.
Parma's ace threw first. In my first at bat, I hit a decently hard groundball between third and shortstop. The shortstop made a nice play and threw me out by a step. At least I was able to turn on the pitch, so I was happy. Out on the field, I was feeling great. I was blocking every ball, and calling a good game. In my next at bat, I would be facing the same pitcher with a runner on second. After falling behind 0-2, I worked the count back to 2-2. He threw me a letter high fastball, and I drove it deep to right center. It short hopped the fence and I went in sliding for a triple. I would later score on a passed ball.
When I went back into the dugout, the scout and another member of the Parma organization pulled me aside. They asked me a bunch of questions, mostly about how I got to Italy and where I played college baseball. The Parma rep gave me his email, and asked me to stay in touch. It felt good to be noticed for my play, and I was very happy I went. I am not putting a lot of stress on it, though. I am just focused on playing well in Reggio and hopefully winning a championship. Whatever happens after that is just a bonus.
This Saturday we play in Vitterbo. I'm hoping it is a good series. I'm glad I got some extra at bats in this week, and hopefully it translates into this weekends games. I'll talk to everybody soon, and hope for some good news! Thanks and have a great rest of your week!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sala Baganza vs Reggio
So this weekend was yet another big weekend for us. Sala Baganza is a good team, complete with good pitching and a solid offense. We knew how important these games were, especially after splitting with Modena the week before. In game one, our offense started off slow. Luckily, Fillo threw his best game of the year, barely walking anybody and throwing strikes consistently. He let up some early runs, and there Italian pitcher wasn't all that bad.
When I arrived at the field, I felt like there was something wrong with my swing. I couldn't find a rhythm at the plate during bp, and knew that if I didn't adjust I would struggle all game. My first at bat proved that, as I struck out. In my second at bat, I fell behind 1 and 2. The pitcher came with a fastball outside, and I was able to stick my bat out and hit a line drive over the first basemens head. I legged it out for a double. The next 2 at bats were miserable. I would get up with runners in scoring position both times. At this point, the game was still close and these runs would have put us ahead. Both times, I got jammed and grounded out to the left side of the infield. I knew something had to be wrong, I just didn't know what.
The team started to pull ahead, and soon enough our offense exploded. By the time I got up again, the score was 9-3. I was 1 for 4 so far, but felt like I was 0 for 7. I went over to my teammate Paul, who instead of giving me hitting advice told me to stop worrying about it and remember to have fun. He reminded me of my first game, and how I was just excited to be playing professional baseball. He was right, and in my next at bat, I went to the plate and allowed myself to trust my instincts. Sure enough, on a 2-2 pitch and a man on second, I hit a long fly ball into the left center gap for a triple. It's amazing how this game can wear on you mentally. Yogi wasn't kidding when he said "The game is 90% mental, the other half is physical."
After a scary 9th inning, we ended up winning 10-8. The next game would prove to be a great one. The foreign pitcher was American. He was from Chicago, and was a little bit crazy. He was one of those, I wear my emotions on my sleeves, type of pitchers. He had played two years in independent ball, and this was his first year in Italy. Luis took the mound, and after a shaky first inning which Sala scored on an error by our second basemen, he was lights out. He dominated their entire lineup, throwing all his pitches for strikes. I look forward to catching him each week and watching him work. He shows no emotion, and just focuses on the job at hand.
There pitcher was in a groove too. In my first at bat, he jammed me with a fastball and I grounded out to shortstop. The rest of the lineup wasn't doing better either. He threw a fastball that sat in the upper 80's, and a hard breaking slider, while mixing in a changeup and the occasional knuckleball. The score remained 1-0 until my next at bat in the fifth. After falling behind 1 and 2, he threw me a letter high fastball. I drove the pitch into right center for a double. The next hitter, Quinta, hit a slider up the middle for a basehit, and I came around to score. It would be the only run until the 9th inning.
With the score tied 1-1 in the ninth, the inning started off with Paul. At this point, Sala had taken out there starter and put in a tall, crafty lefty. He walked Paul on four straight pitches. Claudio was up next, and made a textbook bunt to move Paul to second. I would step up with the winning run on second, but wasn't given the opportunity to win the game. They intentionally walked me with first base open. With one out and runners on first and second, Quinta stepped up. He hit a dribbler down to third. Knowing I needed to break up the double play, I was taking a big secondary lead. I went in hard, and as I was sliding to take out the second basemen, I saw the throw sail into the outfield. Paul rounded third and scored easily. It was a walk off, maybe not a pretty one, but a big win. I finished the day 3 for 8 with two doubles and a triple.
This week should be a slow one. On Thursday, Chris, Me, and a couple of other guys are going up to Parma to play the IBL team in a scrimmage. That should be fun. This week we head back down south to Viterbo. I don't think we will be doing any traveling this week, but you never know. I hope you guys have a great Memorial Day Weekend. Talk to you soon!
When I arrived at the field, I felt like there was something wrong with my swing. I couldn't find a rhythm at the plate during bp, and knew that if I didn't adjust I would struggle all game. My first at bat proved that, as I struck out. In my second at bat, I fell behind 1 and 2. The pitcher came with a fastball outside, and I was able to stick my bat out and hit a line drive over the first basemens head. I legged it out for a double. The next 2 at bats were miserable. I would get up with runners in scoring position both times. At this point, the game was still close and these runs would have put us ahead. Both times, I got jammed and grounded out to the left side of the infield. I knew something had to be wrong, I just didn't know what.
The team started to pull ahead, and soon enough our offense exploded. By the time I got up again, the score was 9-3. I was 1 for 4 so far, but felt like I was 0 for 7. I went over to my teammate Paul, who instead of giving me hitting advice told me to stop worrying about it and remember to have fun. He reminded me of my first game, and how I was just excited to be playing professional baseball. He was right, and in my next at bat, I went to the plate and allowed myself to trust my instincts. Sure enough, on a 2-2 pitch and a man on second, I hit a long fly ball into the left center gap for a triple. It's amazing how this game can wear on you mentally. Yogi wasn't kidding when he said "The game is 90% mental, the other half is physical."
After a scary 9th inning, we ended up winning 10-8. The next game would prove to be a great one. The foreign pitcher was American. He was from Chicago, and was a little bit crazy. He was one of those, I wear my emotions on my sleeves, type of pitchers. He had played two years in independent ball, and this was his first year in Italy. Luis took the mound, and after a shaky first inning which Sala scored on an error by our second basemen, he was lights out. He dominated their entire lineup, throwing all his pitches for strikes. I look forward to catching him each week and watching him work. He shows no emotion, and just focuses on the job at hand.
There pitcher was in a groove too. In my first at bat, he jammed me with a fastball and I grounded out to shortstop. The rest of the lineup wasn't doing better either. He threw a fastball that sat in the upper 80's, and a hard breaking slider, while mixing in a changeup and the occasional knuckleball. The score remained 1-0 until my next at bat in the fifth. After falling behind 1 and 2, he threw me a letter high fastball. I drove the pitch into right center for a double. The next hitter, Quinta, hit a slider up the middle for a basehit, and I came around to score. It would be the only run until the 9th inning.
With the score tied 1-1 in the ninth, the inning started off with Paul. At this point, Sala had taken out there starter and put in a tall, crafty lefty. He walked Paul on four straight pitches. Claudio was up next, and made a textbook bunt to move Paul to second. I would step up with the winning run on second, but wasn't given the opportunity to win the game. They intentionally walked me with first base open. With one out and runners on first and second, Quinta stepped up. He hit a dribbler down to third. Knowing I needed to break up the double play, I was taking a big secondary lead. I went in hard, and as I was sliding to take out the second basemen, I saw the throw sail into the outfield. Paul rounded third and scored easily. It was a walk off, maybe not a pretty one, but a big win. I finished the day 3 for 8 with two doubles and a triple.
This week should be a slow one. On Thursday, Chris, Me, and a couple of other guys are going up to Parma to play the IBL team in a scrimmage. That should be fun. This week we head back down south to Viterbo. I don't think we will be doing any traveling this week, but you never know. I hope you guys have a great Memorial Day Weekend. Talk to you soon!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Pisa and Siena
Yesterday, my roommate and I decided that we should take another trip. This time, instead of taking the train, we decided to drive the Panda. It turned out to be a great idea. After my roommate won a poker game with some of the guys, we took that money and filled up the gas tank. We got the directions, and we were on our way.
The first stop we would make was to Pisa. Pisa is along the coast, and Siena is a little farther south and in the middle of the Tuscan wine country. It was absolutely beautiful driving through the country side. We were surrounded by mountains, as the roads seemed to cut through them like you see in a car commercial. It took us about 2 hours to arrive at Pisa. After finding parking, we got out and started the walk into the center.
The center entrance is a big arched wall. I was excited to see the tower, and I didn't really know what to expect. We walked through the arches and into a massive courtyard. To our right were vendors, lined up selling merchandise. To the left, green grass and a large church. There was both a dome and a church, and behind it was the leaning tower.
I had expected the tower to be bigger than what it was. I also expected it to be brown. I don't know why, but it's just what I thought. Needless to say, it was very white, made of marble of course. The church was the same, and it was surrounded by beautiful grass. The courtyard was very nice, and tourists surrounded the buildings. You can tell the tower is being held up at this point. It is amazing how it leans, and that it hasn't fallen by now. Back in the day, they wouldn't let tourists into the tower. Now, for a fee of course, you can climb the tower. It was a little too steep in price for us, so we took a pass. After walking around the center a bit and getting some food, we left Pisa to go to Siena. Pisa really only has the tower and church to offer. Once you have seen a city center, you have seen them all.
The drive from Pisa to Siena was about 2 hours as well. We went from the coast into the legitimate Italian countryside of Tuscany. Everywhere we looked, there were beautiful vineyards. It made Napa valley look like Staten Island. There were amazing homes on top of mountainous terrain, and the air smelt pure. We arrived at Siena and started walking toward the city. The city from a distance is a sight to be seen. In such a small radius, there are buildings upon buildings. At its highest point stands the duomo. It wouldn't be an Italian city without a duomo, right?
If you have seen the James Bond movie, The Quantom of Solace, there is a scene where there is a horse race in the middle of a city circle. This takes place in Siena twice a year. It is a huge event, and thousands upon thousands of people come to the city to see the spectacle. We actually may try to get to it in June. The main circle has turns much like a race track, angled all around. The fill these cobblestone streets with dirt, line the circle with mattresses, and the horses race. Look it up if you haven't seen it, it is pretty cool.
Anyway, we got on line to climb the tower. They only let 30 people at a time up, as it is the highest viewing point in the city. While waiting on line, we met a couple who was vacationing from California. We climbed the tower with them, and looked at the beautiful city below. You could see the whole countryside. When the pictures are posted, you will see for yourself.
After the tower, we took a walk to the oldest functioning bank in the world, the Monte dei Paschi. It is over 500 years old, and still functioning today. We then made our way over to the duomo. The outside of the church is amazing, with gold plated paintings near its peak. Much smaller than Florence, the inside was incredibly detailed. I will let the pictures and video do the explaining for me.
We then parted ways with our new friends, and got back in the Panda and headed home. Siena is an amazing city, and if you ever venture to Italy make sure you put it on your list of things to see. It has certainly been one of my favorites so far. I hope everybody had a great weekend, and I would also like to shout out the Gina's for a weekend sweep. Enjoy the pictures and video and talk to you soon!
Pisa
Siena
The first stop we would make was to Pisa. Pisa is along the coast, and Siena is a little farther south and in the middle of the Tuscan wine country. It was absolutely beautiful driving through the country side. We were surrounded by mountains, as the roads seemed to cut through them like you see in a car commercial. It took us about 2 hours to arrive at Pisa. After finding parking, we got out and started the walk into the center.
The center entrance is a big arched wall. I was excited to see the tower, and I didn't really know what to expect. We walked through the arches and into a massive courtyard. To our right were vendors, lined up selling merchandise. To the left, green grass and a large church. There was both a dome and a church, and behind it was the leaning tower.
I had expected the tower to be bigger than what it was. I also expected it to be brown. I don't know why, but it's just what I thought. Needless to say, it was very white, made of marble of course. The church was the same, and it was surrounded by beautiful grass. The courtyard was very nice, and tourists surrounded the buildings. You can tell the tower is being held up at this point. It is amazing how it leans, and that it hasn't fallen by now. Back in the day, they wouldn't let tourists into the tower. Now, for a fee of course, you can climb the tower. It was a little too steep in price for us, so we took a pass. After walking around the center a bit and getting some food, we left Pisa to go to Siena. Pisa really only has the tower and church to offer. Once you have seen a city center, you have seen them all.
The drive from Pisa to Siena was about 2 hours as well. We went from the coast into the legitimate Italian countryside of Tuscany. Everywhere we looked, there were beautiful vineyards. It made Napa valley look like Staten Island. There were amazing homes on top of mountainous terrain, and the air smelt pure. We arrived at Siena and started walking toward the city. The city from a distance is a sight to be seen. In such a small radius, there are buildings upon buildings. At its highest point stands the duomo. It wouldn't be an Italian city without a duomo, right?
If you have seen the James Bond movie, The Quantom of Solace, there is a scene where there is a horse race in the middle of a city circle. This takes place in Siena twice a year. It is a huge event, and thousands upon thousands of people come to the city to see the spectacle. We actually may try to get to it in June. The main circle has turns much like a race track, angled all around. The fill these cobblestone streets with dirt, line the circle with mattresses, and the horses race. Look it up if you haven't seen it, it is pretty cool.
Anyway, we got on line to climb the tower. They only let 30 people at a time up, as it is the highest viewing point in the city. While waiting on line, we met a couple who was vacationing from California. We climbed the tower with them, and looked at the beautiful city below. You could see the whole countryside. When the pictures are posted, you will see for yourself.
After the tower, we took a walk to the oldest functioning bank in the world, the Monte dei Paschi. It is over 500 years old, and still functioning today. We then made our way over to the duomo. The outside of the church is amazing, with gold plated paintings near its peak. Much smaller than Florence, the inside was incredibly detailed. I will let the pictures and video do the explaining for me.
We then parted ways with our new friends, and got back in the Panda and headed home. Siena is an amazing city, and if you ever venture to Italy make sure you put it on your list of things to see. It has certainly been one of my favorites so far. I hope everybody had a great weekend, and I would also like to shout out the Gina's for a weekend sweep. Enjoy the pictures and video and talk to you soon!
Pisa
Siena
Sunday, May 23, 2010
A new idea: Your-talian Adventure
As I was sitting in my room, I was thinking about ways to make this blog more interesting. I know it is extremely interesting as it is now (humble?), but I wanted to be able to get everybody who reads it more involved. So, after much thought, I think I figured out a way to take this blog to the next level.
I am learning a lot about Italy, but I don't claim to be an Italian or an expert of the country. There is a lot about this country I know nothing about, and many things I would never have known to see or do. That is where you guys come in. I thought it would be cool to do something that would incorporate the reader. So, I've decided to start listening to your ideas. Now, I know this could go one of two ways. It could either go great, where people tell me things they would like to see or have me do, and I can take a note of it and try to do it. Or, it could go in a miserable direction and people could start telling me to do impossible or crude things, mostly taking it as a joke. Although I won't ever turn down a good laugh, I hope people take it seriously. I know that I am very lucky to have this opportunity, and I'm trying to not just make it about myself, but also about everybody that has taken interest in Italian Baseball.
So, without further distractions, I would (hopefully) like to start what I like to call, Your-talian Adventure. Hopefully, this will give some people the opportunity to see something they wish they could see, or help me and everybody else know great things to see and do in Europe. You can send your ideas in a couple of ways. You can either comment on the blog, send me an email, or tell me on facebook. I hope this turns into something cool, and if not, then it was worth a shot.
You can contact me at marmo.mike@gmail.com or search for me on facebook. I'll make sure to shout you out! I hope you enjoy this, and I'll talk to you soon.
I am learning a lot about Italy, but I don't claim to be an Italian or an expert of the country. There is a lot about this country I know nothing about, and many things I would never have known to see or do. That is where you guys come in. I thought it would be cool to do something that would incorporate the reader. So, I've decided to start listening to your ideas. Now, I know this could go one of two ways. It could either go great, where people tell me things they would like to see or have me do, and I can take a note of it and try to do it. Or, it could go in a miserable direction and people could start telling me to do impossible or crude things, mostly taking it as a joke. Although I won't ever turn down a good laugh, I hope people take it seriously. I know that I am very lucky to have this opportunity, and I'm trying to not just make it about myself, but also about everybody that has taken interest in Italian Baseball.
So, without further distractions, I would (hopefully) like to start what I like to call, Your-talian Adventure. Hopefully, this will give some people the opportunity to see something they wish they could see, or help me and everybody else know great things to see and do in Europe. You can send your ideas in a couple of ways. You can either comment on the blog, send me an email, or tell me on facebook. I hope this turns into something cool, and if not, then it was worth a shot.
You can contact me at marmo.mike@gmail.com or search for me on facebook. I'll make sure to shout you out! I hope you enjoy this, and I'll talk to you soon.
Reggio vs Modena
I was told that this weeks games were very important. I'm not one to put stress on games this early in the season, so I didn't buy into the hype. I was excited, however, to play a real good quality team. We were set to play Modena at their home field. We were currently tied for first place. Modena is a team built on strong pitching. Our team is mostly built on a strong offense. Let the battle begin.
In game one, we knocked out their starting pitcher in the first inning. He was grooving mid 80's fastballs right down the middle, and we weren't missing them. We scored 4 runs in the first. I was the last hitter he faced, hitting another double off the wall. I have been working out everyday, but I guess it's not enough. I should probably start lifting harder. The pitcher they brought in after was a crafty lefty. I have learned that our team struggles against these slow pitching lefties.
After a couple times through the lineup, the offense picked up again. We ended up beating them in game one 10-0. Our starter, Fillo, took a no hitter into the 7th. It was his best start of the year. I ended up going 1-3 with an rbi. We were excited about the win, but we anticipated the next game. Their foreign pitcher, Angel Marquez, is tops in the league. He leads the league in all major pitching categories. From Venezuela, he throws low to mid 90's with a 12 to 6 breaking curveball. He also mixes in a split changeup.
From the first inning, he was locked in. He was striking out everybody. Not only did he throw hard, but he was able to locate his fastball. In my first at bat, I took him to 3-2 and hit a hard ground ball to the thirdbasemen. It was the best at bat I would have against him, as he would strike me out the next 2 times. I wasn't all that upset about my at bats. My second at bat, I again took him to a full count. He threw a fastball on the outside black, and I swung threw it. It was a good pitch. In my final at bat, he struck me out on a fastball about 5 feet outside. One of the main themes of this game was terrible umpiring.
When a pitcher of this caliber is on the mound, umpires have a hard time not calling strikes, in fear that he will get upset. He was giving fastballs about 3-5 inches off the plate, a pitch Luis wasn't receiving. I really try hard not to get on the umpires, given that I have to be near them all game, but I let him know about my displeasure with the call. Plus, I'm the only thing stopping him from getting hit with a 90 mph fastball in the gut. He should take that into consideration.
The field umpire was no better. In game 1, I threw out there shortstop who leads the league in stolen bases. In game two, he tried again. I threw a perfect ball that tailed right into the baseline. Chris, my roomate and shortstop, made the tag. The umpire called him safe, and he ended up scoring. The next runner tried to steal, and I threw him out by 10 feet. I went to the mound and told the umpire that run was on him and that he should get his f**king act together. He may not speak english, be he understood that. He proceeded to try to get my attention, possibly to eject me, but I just turned around and ignored him, running off the field.
Marquez had a no hitter going into the 8th. Luckily, we were able to scrap a couple of hits against him in the 8th and 9th. Nothing worse than getting no hit, especially when your supposively the best offense in the league. Luis threw a great game as well, but after some stupid fielding mistakes and timely hitting, we ended up losing the game 4-0. Although I had a poor game, I tried not to get down on myself. I am excited for when he comes to Reggio. I'll be waiting for him.
So now, the race draws closer. The split between us and Modena allowed other teams to join the race. This week, we play Sala-Baganza, who are right on our tails. It should make for some interesting series, and a true test of our merit.
Tomorrow, my roomates and I will be traveling to Siena and Pizza. We are going to take the Red Panda out instead of the train. I have heard Siena is beautiful, and I am very excited to see the leaning tower. So expect pictures soon! I hope everybody had a great weekend and talk to you soon!
In game one, we knocked out their starting pitcher in the first inning. He was grooving mid 80's fastballs right down the middle, and we weren't missing them. We scored 4 runs in the first. I was the last hitter he faced, hitting another double off the wall. I have been working out everyday, but I guess it's not enough. I should probably start lifting harder. The pitcher they brought in after was a crafty lefty. I have learned that our team struggles against these slow pitching lefties.
After a couple times through the lineup, the offense picked up again. We ended up beating them in game one 10-0. Our starter, Fillo, took a no hitter into the 7th. It was his best start of the year. I ended up going 1-3 with an rbi. We were excited about the win, but we anticipated the next game. Their foreign pitcher, Angel Marquez, is tops in the league. He leads the league in all major pitching categories. From Venezuela, he throws low to mid 90's with a 12 to 6 breaking curveball. He also mixes in a split changeup.
From the first inning, he was locked in. He was striking out everybody. Not only did he throw hard, but he was able to locate his fastball. In my first at bat, I took him to 3-2 and hit a hard ground ball to the thirdbasemen. It was the best at bat I would have against him, as he would strike me out the next 2 times. I wasn't all that upset about my at bats. My second at bat, I again took him to a full count. He threw a fastball on the outside black, and I swung threw it. It was a good pitch. In my final at bat, he struck me out on a fastball about 5 feet outside. One of the main themes of this game was terrible umpiring.
When a pitcher of this caliber is on the mound, umpires have a hard time not calling strikes, in fear that he will get upset. He was giving fastballs about 3-5 inches off the plate, a pitch Luis wasn't receiving. I really try hard not to get on the umpires, given that I have to be near them all game, but I let him know about my displeasure with the call. Plus, I'm the only thing stopping him from getting hit with a 90 mph fastball in the gut. He should take that into consideration.
The field umpire was no better. In game 1, I threw out there shortstop who leads the league in stolen bases. In game two, he tried again. I threw a perfect ball that tailed right into the baseline. Chris, my roomate and shortstop, made the tag. The umpire called him safe, and he ended up scoring. The next runner tried to steal, and I threw him out by 10 feet. I went to the mound and told the umpire that run was on him and that he should get his f**king act together. He may not speak english, be he understood that. He proceeded to try to get my attention, possibly to eject me, but I just turned around and ignored him, running off the field.
Marquez had a no hitter going into the 8th. Luckily, we were able to scrap a couple of hits against him in the 8th and 9th. Nothing worse than getting no hit, especially when your supposively the best offense in the league. Luis threw a great game as well, but after some stupid fielding mistakes and timely hitting, we ended up losing the game 4-0. Although I had a poor game, I tried not to get down on myself. I am excited for when he comes to Reggio. I'll be waiting for him.
So now, the race draws closer. The split between us and Modena allowed other teams to join the race. This week, we play Sala-Baganza, who are right on our tails. It should make for some interesting series, and a true test of our merit.
Tomorrow, my roomates and I will be traveling to Siena and Pizza. We are going to take the Red Panda out instead of the train. I have heard Siena is beautiful, and I am very excited to see the leaning tower. So expect pictures soon! I hope everybody had a great weekend and talk to you soon!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
My new haircut
I know, the title is a great play off the viral video and scrubs. Put it on my tab. I did get a new haircut, and it was awesome. As you could probably see in pictures, my hair was starting to look ridiculous. Part of me wanted to grow it out, just for the fun of it. However, the longer it grew, the more I realized how stupid I looked. When I grow out my hair, its like I am aging backwards, Benjamin Button style. I start looking like a high schooler. Plus, I highly doubt any Italian girls will find me attractive with a mop on my head. So, I decided it was time for my first haircut in Italy.
Taka had told me if I ever needed a haircut, he would take me to where he gets his. I gave him a call, and it turned out he needed to get a haircut as well. So with that, we were on our way. We drove from my place into the center, parked, and started walking to the salon.
I don't remember the name of the place, but essentially it was a salon. He insisted on calling it a barber, but I knew better. Steve's Modern, where I get my haircut at home, is a barber. You walk in, you get your haircut in record time, mix in a couple of crude jokes, and you're on your way. This was pretty much an empty room, with seats along the walls and large mirrors in front of them. Taka had called ahead, and they were waiting for us.
The lady called my name, and I walked over to her. She spoke no english, so Taka was needed to help me describe how I wanted my haircut. First, I sat down so she could wash my hair. I have done this before, but this was different. She wet my hair, and started massaging my head. I hate to say it, but it was awesome. It felt amazing. What guy doesn't love that? Even when she was drying it with the towel, she massaged.
When I sat down to get my haircut, I called Taka over to help describe what I wanted. My hair was pretty long, and I wanted to go short again. I was concerned about what it would turn out like. European haircuts vary from ultra conservative to crazy weird. Taka insisted that I get a feux hawk. I am no stranger to the hairstyle, considering I usually come dangerously close to having one most of the time, but I have never gotten a haircut tailored to the style. I thought about it, and figured I'm in Italy, so I might as well. I essentially gave the girl free reign, telling her to do what she thought would look best.
She started to cut my hair. She only used scissors, no buzzer. She was incredibly meticulous. Every little strand of hair seemed like it was incredibly important. I was amazed at how passionate she was about what she was doing. There was no rush, she just wanted it to be perfect. At first, I thought it was a disaster. As she continued, it started to look better and better. By the time she was done, I was very satisfied with how it looked.
Now normally once the haircut is done, it's done. You get up, pay, and go. Not here. After she received my approval, we got up, and I sat back down to get my hair washed again. Yep, a post haircut wash. Unbelievable. I know this is a very small thing, but it really excited me. It was an unexpected perk. Normally, you have to go home and shower to get rid of all those cut hairs. Here, they wash it, then you sit back down and they re-do your hair for you! It was a 20 euro haircut, which is fairly expensive, but man was it worth it.
I know I just did a full post on a haircut, but I felt it was important. Tonight, some of the guys are coming over for some food, beers, and poker. Should be a good time. Hope you are all well and talk to you soon!
Taka had told me if I ever needed a haircut, he would take me to where he gets his. I gave him a call, and it turned out he needed to get a haircut as well. So with that, we were on our way. We drove from my place into the center, parked, and started walking to the salon.
I don't remember the name of the place, but essentially it was a salon. He insisted on calling it a barber, but I knew better. Steve's Modern, where I get my haircut at home, is a barber. You walk in, you get your haircut in record time, mix in a couple of crude jokes, and you're on your way. This was pretty much an empty room, with seats along the walls and large mirrors in front of them. Taka had called ahead, and they were waiting for us.
The lady called my name, and I walked over to her. She spoke no english, so Taka was needed to help me describe how I wanted my haircut. First, I sat down so she could wash my hair. I have done this before, but this was different. She wet my hair, and started massaging my head. I hate to say it, but it was awesome. It felt amazing. What guy doesn't love that? Even when she was drying it with the towel, she massaged.
When I sat down to get my haircut, I called Taka over to help describe what I wanted. My hair was pretty long, and I wanted to go short again. I was concerned about what it would turn out like. European haircuts vary from ultra conservative to crazy weird. Taka insisted that I get a feux hawk. I am no stranger to the hairstyle, considering I usually come dangerously close to having one most of the time, but I have never gotten a haircut tailored to the style. I thought about it, and figured I'm in Italy, so I might as well. I essentially gave the girl free reign, telling her to do what she thought would look best.
She started to cut my hair. She only used scissors, no buzzer. She was incredibly meticulous. Every little strand of hair seemed like it was incredibly important. I was amazed at how passionate she was about what she was doing. There was no rush, she just wanted it to be perfect. At first, I thought it was a disaster. As she continued, it started to look better and better. By the time she was done, I was very satisfied with how it looked.
Now normally once the haircut is done, it's done. You get up, pay, and go. Not here. After she received my approval, we got up, and I sat back down to get my hair washed again. Yep, a post haircut wash. Unbelievable. I know this is a very small thing, but it really excited me. It was an unexpected perk. Normally, you have to go home and shower to get rid of all those cut hairs. Here, they wash it, then you sit back down and they re-do your hair for you! It was a 20 euro haircut, which is fairly expensive, but man was it worth it.
I know I just did a full post on a haircut, but I felt it was important. Tonight, some of the guys are coming over for some food, beers, and poker. Should be a good time. Hope you are all well and talk to you soon!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
My first home games
The Reggio weather has been having a tough time cooperating with me when it comes to playing home games. As you already know, I was scheduled to play my first homes games against Sicily a few weeks ago, but was rained out. On Saturday, we arrived at the field for our scheduled games against Florence. Of course, it was raining. After much debate on what to do, the games were pushed for Sunday. Normally, the games are at 3:30 and 8:30. Sunday is a very important day in Italy. It is the day of rest, and it is also supposed to be relaxing before the work week. With these thoughts in mind, the games were scheduled for 10 am and 3:30 pm.
I started my Sunday waking up at 7:30 am. After a quick breakfast, quick shower, and throwing my things together, we headed to the field. The field took some damage, and a few people were hard at work trying to get it game ready. We took bp in the tunnel, stretched and threw. There was no infield outfield, which was a nice surprise. We ended up taking the field at 10:30.
Florence is the worst team in the league. It would be all to easy for us to jump to an early lead and never look back. Instead, we came out flat. When I say we, I mean everybody. Our defense was poor, and our situational hitting was brutal. We must have left 15 runners on base, and due to poor defense allowed 3-4 runs. By the time the ninth rolled around, it was 6-6. This is where things get interesting.
After many terrible at bats and blown opportunities, we were about the enter the eleventh. International rules state that after one extra inning, they put runners on first and second and the inning starts with one out. This is the equivalent of little league baseball, maybe travel ball. I couldn't believe what was happening. To me, it was disrespectful to the game of baseball to do such a thing. Either way, it was happening and there was nothing I could do.
Our first basemen, Claudio, came in to pitch. Remember, only Italian pitchers are allowed in the first game. With runners on first and second, he got a ground ball to short. We were able to get the force at second, but unable to complete the double play, leaving runners on first and third. The next hitter hit a dribbler to third, and was safe at first. The runner at third scored, and they were ahead by one. After a couple of wild pitches, we went into the bottom of the eleventh down two. We wouldn't recover, and ended up losing the game. It was a devastating lose, and the circumstances made it that much harder to swallow. I had a miserable game, going 1-5. I knew something was wrong, and I needed to make an adjustment.
While getting our food in between games, I asked my teammate Paul if he had seen anything wrong with my swing. The foreign players need to help eachother out. Essentially, we are eachothers coaches. It is hard to communicate with the Italian coaches, so you rely on eachother. He told me I wasn't loading early enough, and this was causing me to force my swing. It turned out he couldn't be more right.
In the next game, we came on strong. In my first at bat, with nobody on, I hit an absolute bomb. Now normally I wouldn't say it that way, but it was the farthest ball I have ever hit in my life, metal or wood. Our field is one of the largest fields in the world. Yes, that includes major league parks and every other professional field in the world. Center field is approximately 450 feet away. The gaps are about 425. The lines are approx. 375. It is a monstrous field. The pitcher threw me a letter high fastball. I turned on it, throwing everything I had into it. I hit the ball to left center field, and it hit the fence on a fly. It was about 5 feet away from being a homerun. You can do the math. My teammates, as well as myself, were in shock that it even happened. I ended up getting a triple, then scoring on a passed ball.
Luis was throwing yet another gem. Going into the fifth inning, we were up 3-0. I got up with the bases loaded and nobody out. Facing the same pitcher, I was looking for him to make a similar mistake. After getting ahead 0-1, he did. I hit a line drive to left center for a bases clearing double. I then went on to steal third, and score on a sac fly.
We ended up winning the second game in dominating fashion. Luis pitched a gem, and all aspect of the lineup contributed. The final score was 8-0, but the other team never had a chance. We left in high spirits. Needless to say, it was an exhausting day.
I will try to write more about my weekend and the rest of this week in the next few days. Quite frankly, right now I am just too tired. I hope that my adjustment will translate in the weeks to come. I also hope you all had a great weekend, and I will be speaking to you soon. Ciao!
I started my Sunday waking up at 7:30 am. After a quick breakfast, quick shower, and throwing my things together, we headed to the field. The field took some damage, and a few people were hard at work trying to get it game ready. We took bp in the tunnel, stretched and threw. There was no infield outfield, which was a nice surprise. We ended up taking the field at 10:30.
Florence is the worst team in the league. It would be all to easy for us to jump to an early lead and never look back. Instead, we came out flat. When I say we, I mean everybody. Our defense was poor, and our situational hitting was brutal. We must have left 15 runners on base, and due to poor defense allowed 3-4 runs. By the time the ninth rolled around, it was 6-6. This is where things get interesting.
After many terrible at bats and blown opportunities, we were about the enter the eleventh. International rules state that after one extra inning, they put runners on first and second and the inning starts with one out. This is the equivalent of little league baseball, maybe travel ball. I couldn't believe what was happening. To me, it was disrespectful to the game of baseball to do such a thing. Either way, it was happening and there was nothing I could do.
Our first basemen, Claudio, came in to pitch. Remember, only Italian pitchers are allowed in the first game. With runners on first and second, he got a ground ball to short. We were able to get the force at second, but unable to complete the double play, leaving runners on first and third. The next hitter hit a dribbler to third, and was safe at first. The runner at third scored, and they were ahead by one. After a couple of wild pitches, we went into the bottom of the eleventh down two. We wouldn't recover, and ended up losing the game. It was a devastating lose, and the circumstances made it that much harder to swallow. I had a miserable game, going 1-5. I knew something was wrong, and I needed to make an adjustment.
While getting our food in between games, I asked my teammate Paul if he had seen anything wrong with my swing. The foreign players need to help eachother out. Essentially, we are eachothers coaches. It is hard to communicate with the Italian coaches, so you rely on eachother. He told me I wasn't loading early enough, and this was causing me to force my swing. It turned out he couldn't be more right.
In the next game, we came on strong. In my first at bat, with nobody on, I hit an absolute bomb. Now normally I wouldn't say it that way, but it was the farthest ball I have ever hit in my life, metal or wood. Our field is one of the largest fields in the world. Yes, that includes major league parks and every other professional field in the world. Center field is approximately 450 feet away. The gaps are about 425. The lines are approx. 375. It is a monstrous field. The pitcher threw me a letter high fastball. I turned on it, throwing everything I had into it. I hit the ball to left center field, and it hit the fence on a fly. It was about 5 feet away from being a homerun. You can do the math. My teammates, as well as myself, were in shock that it even happened. I ended up getting a triple, then scoring on a passed ball.
Luis was throwing yet another gem. Going into the fifth inning, we were up 3-0. I got up with the bases loaded and nobody out. Facing the same pitcher, I was looking for him to make a similar mistake. After getting ahead 0-1, he did. I hit a line drive to left center for a bases clearing double. I then went on to steal third, and score on a sac fly.
We ended up winning the second game in dominating fashion. Luis pitched a gem, and all aspect of the lineup contributed. The final score was 8-0, but the other team never had a chance. We left in high spirits. Needless to say, it was an exhausting day.
I will try to write more about my weekend and the rest of this week in the next few days. Quite frankly, right now I am just too tired. I hope that my adjustment will translate in the weeks to come. I also hope you all had a great weekend, and I will be speaking to you soon. Ciao!
Friday, May 14, 2010
The Cibus
I'm sure you are wondering what a Cibus is. It sounds like some old Greek building or ritual. It is actually a large food festival. It is a play on the word cibo, which means food in italian. I am talking about this because yesterday I attended the Cibus. The brother of my teammate Paul, Andrew, is starting a beverage company. The company is called SanTasti. The premise of the drink is to clear your pallate, so that you can enjoy the tastes of other foods and wines. It is a good idea, and the drink is good as well.
So, one of the events they planned to attend this year was the Cibus. This is a huge food festival held in Parma every other year. It is massive. To support my teammate and his brothers brand, Chris and I decided to head over to the Cibus. We arrived in Parma via train, then got the bus to the Cibus. It was about 3 kilometers outside of the center of the city. When we arrived, it was much like arrived at the Jacob Javits Center. It was a massive convention center, and I was excited that it was filled with food. Paul had given us tickets, which normally would have cost 40 euros. I called Paul and we walked in.
We walked into the part where the beverages were and arrived at there stand. It was a nice stand, and was attracting a lot of consumers and other business people. This was the fourth and last day of the convention, so they were all pretty tired. After having a coffee and hanging out, we decided to walk around.
The convention was broken up in sections. We first went the the meats section. It was like a cemetary of pigs. Everywhere you went, there were meats being cut and sliced infront of you. It was pretty intense. We went about our day, eating and eating. We moved from the meats section onto the dessert section. This was best section by far. There was every kind of dessert imaginable, right there for the taking. It's safe to say we took advantage of the opportunity.
After desserts, we moved onto the wine and spirits section. There were many, many different kinds of wines. Some wines were very light and pleasant, and others were very heavy. There were also many different kinds of beers, waters, and soft drinks. The "booths" were amazing, and it was cool to walk around and see everything.
By the time we came back to the SanTasti booth, we had been walking around for two hours. You could have easily killed a full day at this convention, but I had to get back for the gym and practice. We left, and I went about my regular day.
It was a spectacle worth seeing, and a great way to score some free food and drinks. It's one of the largest food conventions in the world, and I enjoyed every second of it. I took some pictures so you could get a better understanding of the Cibus.
Tomorrow we play at home against Florence. Hopefully the rain holds out. It will be my first home games, and I hope they actually happen this time! Have a great day and I'll talk to you soon!
So, one of the events they planned to attend this year was the Cibus. This is a huge food festival held in Parma every other year. It is massive. To support my teammate and his brothers brand, Chris and I decided to head over to the Cibus. We arrived in Parma via train, then got the bus to the Cibus. It was about 3 kilometers outside of the center of the city. When we arrived, it was much like arrived at the Jacob Javits Center. It was a massive convention center, and I was excited that it was filled with food. Paul had given us tickets, which normally would have cost 40 euros. I called Paul and we walked in.
We walked into the part where the beverages were and arrived at there stand. It was a nice stand, and was attracting a lot of consumers and other business people. This was the fourth and last day of the convention, so they were all pretty tired. After having a coffee and hanging out, we decided to walk around.
The convention was broken up in sections. We first went the the meats section. It was like a cemetary of pigs. Everywhere you went, there were meats being cut and sliced infront of you. It was pretty intense. We went about our day, eating and eating. We moved from the meats section onto the dessert section. This was best section by far. There was every kind of dessert imaginable, right there for the taking. It's safe to say we took advantage of the opportunity.
After desserts, we moved onto the wine and spirits section. There were many, many different kinds of wines. Some wines were very light and pleasant, and others were very heavy. There were also many different kinds of beers, waters, and soft drinks. The "booths" were amazing, and it was cool to walk around and see everything.
By the time we came back to the SanTasti booth, we had been walking around for two hours. You could have easily killed a full day at this convention, but I had to get back for the gym and practice. We left, and I went about my regular day.
It was a spectacle worth seeing, and a great way to score some free food and drinks. It's one of the largest food conventions in the world, and I enjoyed every second of it. I took some pictures so you could get a better understanding of the Cibus.
Tomorrow we play at home against Florence. Hopefully the rain holds out. It will be my first home games, and I hope they actually happen this time! Have a great day and I'll talk to you soon!
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