After two weeks of not playing, which essentially feels like forever, we finally tee'd it up against Modena at home. As of recent date, our team has been somewhat struggling. We have lost some very important games, most of which we should have won. The weeks leading up to these games were no better, as the stress and disappointed finally hit its boiling point.
All year long there has been somewhat of a distance between the players and coaches. When teams succeed, it's easy to look past the things that may be wrong. It's when teams struggle that you really start to assess the potential problems. One practice seemed to be the icing on the cake, as a player and coach had a discrepancy. This triggered a chain reaction, and everybody took the opportunity to vent. It made things awkward, but it was in hopes that we could move past it. Venting isn't always a bad thing. We continued our workout, and it wasn't spoken of again.
The situation leading up to the game was simple. We were in second place, but by a small margin. This meant that we needed to beat the teams we are supposed to beat, meaning taking two games from the teams at the bottom of the standings. Modena is middle of the pack, and is a very lopsided team when it comes to the first and second game. Their second game starter is the best in the league, stacking up strike outs. Going into the first game, you would think it would be a sure bet win for us. Unfortunately, we were unprepared for what was about to transpire.
Our offense has struggled all year. Our power numbers are down, and in general it hasn't been as consistent as the past. It showed in the first game, as we struggled to string together big hits. Fillo struggled as well, and we were forced to take him out early and go into our bullpen. With some small mistakes on defense, we allowed Modena to take a lead and hold it. They ended up winning a important game, and one that had the potential to hurt us drastically.
The second game was set to be a pitchers duel, and it lived up to the hype. Josh has been great as of late, and he just seemed to improve more. Marquez, Modena's foreign starter, was lights out as well. There was no offense to speak of, as both pitchers continued to shut down their opposing offense. It was 0-0 in the ninth, and it became the bullpens game. Lucky for us, our depth showed its value, as Tito came in and shut them down. Our DH was able to get a huge triple for us in the bottom of the tenth, and eventually scored on a dramatic but almost anti-climatic passed ball. Regardless, the win would end up being huge as the rest of the league split their series as well.
We were able to hold our spot in second place, but the road doesn't get easier. Every weekend counts, and every game is of the up-most importance. Unfortunately, that second game against Modena had its downside. The win was somewhat bitter sweet, as our starting centerfield and fellow American Paul fell to injury while in a run down. Although the diagnosis is unknown, he was forced to leave the game. He is a huge proponent of our team, and we truly hope the news is good. The quicker he gets out on the field the better. No matter what the circumstance, our team now more than ever needs to come together.
I appreciate everybody who has supported the blog, and everybody who has supported my adventure here. Remember to check out www.reggiobaseball.com and www.mister-baseball.com for all Reggio and World news. Thanks again and talk to you soon!
Reggio Baseball: Pro Days in Italy
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Figuring it out
This year, I have tried to keep these blog posts more general. I have attempted, whether successfully or not, to try show how the European baseball player lives both on and off the field. I have spoken about baseball, and the collective efforts of our team. I have also spoken about traveling, living arrangements, and just general European baseball lifestyle moments. The truth is, baseball is baseball, no matter where you play it. It is a game of failure, and a game that can wear you down. This post is more about that side of things, and the difficulties that can be encountered.
This year has been a tough one in general. Although we are in second, only a game out of first place with a record of 12-6, a lot has been transpiring. Last year was a breeze, with all of us contributing equally and the team rolling consistently. This year has been a little different, with on and off the field problems. It has also been personally difficult. Last year I came over after a year off from baseball. I had no expectations of myself, and was pleasantly surprised when I was able to thrive. The team played well as a group, and it led us to a championship. I was contributing in a major way, and it felt good to play at such a high level. This year has been a totally different story.
I came into this year having expectations of myself. I wanted to be as good as last year, if not better. I spent the off season working in New York City, but found time to go to the gym every day. I was preparing myself for a big year. I came over here confident, but baseball has a way of humbling you. After a mediocre start, I didn't feel I was where I should be. This was the beginning of what is currently a major slump.
They say that you start to slump once you believe you are in one. The mind is a powerful thing, and I am finding that out first hand. With rainouts and off weekends making the beginning of the season inconsistent, I started to fall into a rut. Weekend after weekend, I felt worse and worse. Mixed in would be a game where you get a couple of hits, and then right back to square one. I started to lose confidence, both in my swing and in myself. With nobody to go to, it was getting worse and worse. This was the polar opposite of last year. In my first game for Reggio, I had one of the best games of my career. My confidence was high, and it carried throughout the season. This year has been difficult on me.
The toughest part of being in a slump is not the stats, it's the fact of not contributing. It is difficult, especially as a foreign player, when you struggle. You want to help the team win so bad, but the more you press the more you struggle. The team and organization expect a lot out of you, and in most cases if you don't do well they will send you home. Luckily, I'm with an organization that is loyal to their players, and they have stuck by me. There are no excuses, and eventually I know I will come out of it. After struggling the weekend prior, the toughest part is waiting that week until the next two games.
This is baseball. It's what makes you love and hate the sport at the same time. Like golf, it just takes that one good swing to turn it all around. I'm still waiting on that moment, and hopefully it comes soon. The team needs all of us to perform at our highest level. With 6 weeks left, every game counts. The push for the playoffs begins this weekend, and I think it's a good time to break out of this slump.
Enough about me. This weekend we faced off against Sala Baganza. After winning in dominating fashion the first game, we were set to face one of the better pitchers in the league. Josh threw a strong game, but it wasn't enough as we lost 5-0. Sala's pitcher was great, both pitching and offensively. After the split, we fell out of first place but are still in the playoff picture. This weekend should be an interesting one. Although I don't know the exact plan yet, we are supposed to head down to Messina, Sicily to make up the games that were rained out. With money being of the essence, I have no idea how we are intending on getting there. Either way, these next six weeks are extremely important. There are a few teams in the hunt, and everybody is out to get us.
Remember to go to www.reggiobaseball.com to keep up with our hunt for the playoffs. Also, go to mister-baseball.com for all European results and news. Thanks again for the continued support, and hopefully the next post is a much more positive one. Hope everybody has a great fourth of July weekend! Talk to you soon!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Rebound Weekend
After two loses last weekend, the team set out to rebound. The week leading up to the games were standard, and the team tried to stay positive. Practices seemed to be better, in some regard, and the guys were all focused. It's always good to practice hard, but sometimes that doesn't translate into games. We were set to play Messina at home. It would be the first time playing in Reggio in three weeks, and the first time playing two games against Messina. The table was set, and we were ready to tee it up.
We came out of the gate early, scoring 2 quick runs in the first. I thought this would set the tone, and our offense was finally going to click. We ended up only scoring one more run the rest of the game. We relied on the pitching performance of Fillo, who was throwing a gem. After a rough start the weekend prior, he was putting up zeros inning after inning. We were up 3-0 going into the ninth when things started to get interesting.
As of late, we were having a hard time closing games. It seems that we get very comfortable, and within seconds the other team is rallying and putting pressure on us. It is a reminder of my college days. We had a way of putting up runs, but one way or another would let them team back in the game. I loved college baseball, but last year's wire to wire domination was much more enjoyable. With two outs, we managed to let up two runs, load the bases, and bring their best hitter to the plate. Now when I say best hitter, he is leading the league hitting above .500, and was already 2 for 4 on the day. We were up a run, but a base hit would put them up one. In the back of my mind, I was nervous. Very nervous. With our veteran lefty reliever on the mound, anything could happen. Luckily, he swung at a curveball in on his hands and grounded out to second to finish the game. Another close call for Reggio.
The second game went smoothly. Our offense wasn't completely there, but timely hitting is all that matters. We were able to plate 4 runs against a very good pitcher, and Josh was lights out. After getting ejected the week before, he was calm and collected and threw a great game. He ended up with a complete game shut out, striking out 14. We have been working well together most of the year, and seem to get better every start. Winning two games was huge, as the first place team lost two to the last place team. We reclaimed our spot atop the standings, and hopefully we are there to stay. We play away the next two weekends, but luckily they are all close by. No getting up at the crack of dawn.
On Sunday, we were invited for lunch at Takas house. Franco, Taka's father, is one of our sponsors. Him and his wife, Mari, are as gracious of hosts can be. They made a feast, consisting of fried meat, rice, and fried fish. This was followed by brownies, gelato, and iced coffee. Wine and scotch were the beverages of choice, and we just talked. The lunch lasted about 4 hours, but was entertaining and delicious from beginning to end. It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday.
With baseball being the number one priority for the next 2 months, there isn't much travel on the horizon. It is possible to make some day trips, but nothing planned just yet. I hope we continue to play well, and by the end of the season we get our offense clicking on all cylinders. I especially hope to pick up my performance, as I have been hitting poorly all year. On that note, I also hope that every father had a great fathers day and everybody had a wonderful weekend.
Thanks again for the continued support. I hope everybody enjoys reading as much as I enjoy writing the blog. Remember to check out www.reggiobaseball.com and www.mister-baseball.com for all Reggio and European baseball news. Have a great day and talk to you soon!
We came out of the gate early, scoring 2 quick runs in the first. I thought this would set the tone, and our offense was finally going to click. We ended up only scoring one more run the rest of the game. We relied on the pitching performance of Fillo, who was throwing a gem. After a rough start the weekend prior, he was putting up zeros inning after inning. We were up 3-0 going into the ninth when things started to get interesting.
As of late, we were having a hard time closing games. It seems that we get very comfortable, and within seconds the other team is rallying and putting pressure on us. It is a reminder of my college days. We had a way of putting up runs, but one way or another would let them team back in the game. I loved college baseball, but last year's wire to wire domination was much more enjoyable. With two outs, we managed to let up two runs, load the bases, and bring their best hitter to the plate. Now when I say best hitter, he is leading the league hitting above .500, and was already 2 for 4 on the day. We were up a run, but a base hit would put them up one. In the back of my mind, I was nervous. Very nervous. With our veteran lefty reliever on the mound, anything could happen. Luckily, he swung at a curveball in on his hands and grounded out to second to finish the game. Another close call for Reggio.
The second game went smoothly. Our offense wasn't completely there, but timely hitting is all that matters. We were able to plate 4 runs against a very good pitcher, and Josh was lights out. After getting ejected the week before, he was calm and collected and threw a great game. He ended up with a complete game shut out, striking out 14. We have been working well together most of the year, and seem to get better every start. Winning two games was huge, as the first place team lost two to the last place team. We reclaimed our spot atop the standings, and hopefully we are there to stay. We play away the next two weekends, but luckily they are all close by. No getting up at the crack of dawn.
On Sunday, we were invited for lunch at Takas house. Franco, Taka's father, is one of our sponsors. Him and his wife, Mari, are as gracious of hosts can be. They made a feast, consisting of fried meat, rice, and fried fish. This was followed by brownies, gelato, and iced coffee. Wine and scotch were the beverages of choice, and we just talked. The lunch lasted about 4 hours, but was entertaining and delicious from beginning to end. It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday.
With baseball being the number one priority for the next 2 months, there isn't much travel on the horizon. It is possible to make some day trips, but nothing planned just yet. I hope we continue to play well, and by the end of the season we get our offense clicking on all cylinders. I especially hope to pick up my performance, as I have been hitting poorly all year. On that note, I also hope that every father had a great fathers day and everybody had a wonderful weekend.
Thanks again for the continued support. I hope everybody enjoys reading as much as I enjoy writing the blog. Remember to check out www.reggiobaseball.com and www.mister-baseball.com for all Reggio and European baseball news. Have a great day and talk to you soon!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Two Weeks in the Making
As you may or may not have noticed, there was no blog post last week. To some of you, that might have been a great disappointment. I'm sure you have been anxiously awaiting the stories from the travels, as well as some baseball updates. That is all to come. First, I want to mention something I forgot to from our games at Anzio.
During the pregame warmup, I was called over and told that my family was there. I had no idea what they were talking about. I wasn't expecting anybody, but I ran over to see what was going on. It turned out that some of my relatives from Rome had come to the game. I had no idea that they were coming, and I have never met them before. My parents had met them when they were in Italy, and spoke very highly of them. I was excited to meet them, and labored through the language barrier to get to know them. It was a pleasant surprise, and they were extremely kind and loving. They stayed for the first game, and after the game we shared some memories and exchanged goodbyes. They asked me about 10 times if I wanted anything, anything at all, and insisted that I come to their house for dinner when we play Rome. I hope to make it work, and I look forward to their hospitality. I appreciated them taking the time out to come to Anzio and see me play, without ever meeting me previously.
Now, to the travels. After the Anzio games, the next couple days were designated to getting ready for the trip. The preparation got me excited, and reminded me of the month trip I took the year before. I was so excited to get on the train, get on the road, and experience something new. We caught an 11 am train to Munich, and we were on our way. This train was the same one I had taken to Oktoberfest months earlier, and I was patiently awaiting getting up North. It is an absolutely beautiful trip. The train rips through the mountains, changing landscape as you go through Italy, Austria, and into Germany. I couldn't help but take video out the window, knowing that down the road I would want to see it again. I have always been fond of train travel. Even though it may take longer, it allows you to see so much more, and in some ways get a better appreciation for where you are going. It just so happens it was going to my favorite city in Europe, which doesn't hurt.
After about 6 and half hours, we finally pulled in to the Munchen Hauptbahnhof (the train station). We got off the train, and were happily greeted by my friends Ty and Sarah, with beers in hand. After saying hello, we were on our way to drop our stuff off at Ty's place. For those who don't know, Ty is an American who plays baseball for the Haar Disciples in the German Baseball League. Chris and I ran into him the year before in what was a fluke encounter. We were lost, trying to get back to our hostel, and we hoped on a tram. We then heard somebody call Chris's name, and turned to see Ty. Chris had previously played in Germany, and had met him before. After exchanging pleasantries, Ty let us know we were going the wrong way. It ended up being a blessing in disguise, as we have continued to stay there whenever in Munich. He has been a gracious host and I am extremely thankful for his hospitality.
After dropping off our stuff, we headed out to enjoy all the great things that Munich has to offer. The rest of the Munich stay would consist of enjoying the best beer in the world, hanging out with germans and americans alike, and eating quality German meals. Whether we went out to the bars and clubs, or just enjoyed the English Gardens, Munich never disappoints. One of the things I wanted to do while I was there was head to the concentration camp Dachau. Every time I had been to Munich, I have missed the opportunity to go. I feel when traveling it is important to learn something, anything at all. It is easy to just fall into a routine of sightseeing and partying, and miss the opportunity to actually know where you are and what you're looking at.
Lucky for Josh and I, we had a German host who took us out to Dachau. We hoped in Sarah's car, and arrived at Dachau in about 20 minutes. I was nervous the entire time, mostly because I have never experienced something like this before. Dachau was a camp mostly used for political figures, and although there were people killed there, it was nothing like the extermination camps such as Auschwitz. Either way, the simple idea of going to such a horrible and evil place made the hairs on my neck stick up. When we finally got out of the car, it was almost surreal. We walked down the path towards the main part of the camp. It was much larger than I expected, but just as mortifying. The barracks were surreal, and as I read about what went on, I had a hard time believing humans could ever do such a thing. As we walked, Sarah told us bit and pieces of information. At one point I stopped to take it all in, and didn't even know what to think or feel. It was just sad. We moved on to the part of the camp that I feared the most, the gas chamber. I was conflicted on if I was going to actually go in, but I decided to do so. It was unlike anything I have ever seen. The idea of it was so simple, but it had this morbid feel that instantly gave you goosebumps. It is something I'm glad I experienced, but never want to experience again. If at any point you find yourself in Munich, take the trip to Dachau.
The rest of the trip was all smiles and fun, as we took in the city. When the final day came, it was upsetting to leave. Hanging out with all the people I have met the year before was a blast, and they were all equally great to Josh and I. We were set to leave for Valencia on Saturday night, so we had some time to kill. We woke up early in the morning, and headed to Ty's girlfriends place to have a traditional Bavarian breakfast. It consists of pretzels with a special cream cheese, sausages, and Wiess-beer. Yes, we had a beer at the lovely hour of 9 am. After breakfast, we packed our things and headed out to the English Gardens for some last minute relaxation. We then hoped on a train and headed to the airport to catch our flight to Valencia.
The toughest thing when you arrive in a city you have never been to is getting your bearings. After walking around a bit, trying to find our hostel, we arrived. Spain has a way of being very complicated, with streets that seem to go in circles and change names every 10 feet. Either way, by the time we go in it was about midnight. This isn't a problem in Spain, considering the night doesn't begin until 2 am. We put down our stuff, took a quick shower, and headed downstairs to the bar. It was already lively, and there was a birthday party going on. We met a couple of guys from England, and we all discussed how we needed to find someplace else to go. Luckily, one of the people who worked at the hostel overheard our conversation and told us they were heading out to a bar at around 2:30 am, followed by a club. We went to a bar in the city center, and then took a cab to a club at the famous Arts and Sciences Center. Yes, there is a club at an Art's and Science center. Spain is pretty ridiculous. By the time we started to head back to the hostel, it was 6:30 am. While we were walking out, people were still waiting online to get into the club. It's absurd.
The next day consisted of relaxing on the beach, followed by a day of sightseeing. We opted not to go out much more. Munich followed by a night out in Spain can wear you down, and it definitely did. We met some great people at the hostel, and enjoyed the Spanish scenery. It ended being a great trip, with no bumps along the way. It also makes you excited to get back to Reggio, and to get back to playing the game we love. It was a perfect vacation.
As you may have already assumed, this trip wasn't necessarily expensive, but it also wasn't the cheapest journey. For the next couple of months, up until August, I will be living in a budget mode. The end of the year will involve a lot of traveling, and I need to be fiscally prepared. Therefore, there won't be much traveling in the upcoming agenda. The rest of my time will be focused on baseball, and baseball alone.
This weekend started the second half of the season. We were set to play Arezzo at their field. They don't have lights, which means we play on Sunday. When you play on Sunday, you play a 11 am game and a 3 pm game. Arezzo is in Tuscany, and is about 3 hours away. So, this means we had to get up at the lovely hour of 5 am to catch a bus leaving at 5:30am. Not fun. It ended up directly effecting us, as we came out flat and lost the first game. The second game was important. If we lost, we would drop out of first place. Josh took the mound and was throwing well. We got an early 5 run lead, but they were threatening in the 4th. Josh was getting squeezed by the umpire all game. This umpire, who I know fairly well, is usually one of the best in the league. In this particular case, he wasn't. He was missing a lot of strike calls, and it was wearing on Josh. With the bases loaded and one run already in for Arezzo, he threw a 3-2 curveball right on the corner. It seemed to be a definite strike three, but was called a ball. Josh turned around and cussed, and the umpire threw him out of the game. This was unwarranted for two reasons. First, Josh's back was turned walking away from the umpire, and was obviously just venting frustration. Second, our coach most likely should have been out there trying to defend him so he didn't get tossed, but wasn't. Either way, Josh was gone and Tito came in. Arezzo fought back in the later innings, and eventually won the game on a bases loaded walk.
I think it's safe to say the baseball gods weren't on our side. We dropped into third place, but no need to worry just yet. We still have to make up four games, and these games are against the two bottom teams in the league. This is, however, the first series we have lost since I have been playing for Reggio. It wasn't fun at all, actually it was miserable. Our team isn't performing at the level it should, and there are things that need to change. I hope these loses are spun positively, and the team realizes that we need to play harder and want it more. Everybody is out to get us being the defending champions, and we need to want it more than they do.
This upcoming week will be a short one, as we are set to play Messina at home on Saturday. The rest of the year the pressure is on, and I know we will be up for the challenge. I look forward to getting back in the baseball groove, and hopefully playing every weekend without a hiccup. I hope everybody had a great couple of week, and I look forward to having positive posts down the road.
Remember to check out reggiobaseball.com for all of the Palfinger Italia's news, updates, and results. Also, check out mister-baseball.com for all European baseball news. Thanks for the continued support, and talk to you soon!
During the pregame warmup, I was called over and told that my family was there. I had no idea what they were talking about. I wasn't expecting anybody, but I ran over to see what was going on. It turned out that some of my relatives from Rome had come to the game. I had no idea that they were coming, and I have never met them before. My parents had met them when they were in Italy, and spoke very highly of them. I was excited to meet them, and labored through the language barrier to get to know them. It was a pleasant surprise, and they were extremely kind and loving. They stayed for the first game, and after the game we shared some memories and exchanged goodbyes. They asked me about 10 times if I wanted anything, anything at all, and insisted that I come to their house for dinner when we play Rome. I hope to make it work, and I look forward to their hospitality. I appreciated them taking the time out to come to Anzio and see me play, without ever meeting me previously.
Now, to the travels. After the Anzio games, the next couple days were designated to getting ready for the trip. The preparation got me excited, and reminded me of the month trip I took the year before. I was so excited to get on the train, get on the road, and experience something new. We caught an 11 am train to Munich, and we were on our way. This train was the same one I had taken to Oktoberfest months earlier, and I was patiently awaiting getting up North. It is an absolutely beautiful trip. The train rips through the mountains, changing landscape as you go through Italy, Austria, and into Germany. I couldn't help but take video out the window, knowing that down the road I would want to see it again. I have always been fond of train travel. Even though it may take longer, it allows you to see so much more, and in some ways get a better appreciation for where you are going. It just so happens it was going to my favorite city in Europe, which doesn't hurt.
After about 6 and half hours, we finally pulled in to the Munchen Hauptbahnhof (the train station). We got off the train, and were happily greeted by my friends Ty and Sarah, with beers in hand. After saying hello, we were on our way to drop our stuff off at Ty's place. For those who don't know, Ty is an American who plays baseball for the Haar Disciples in the German Baseball League. Chris and I ran into him the year before in what was a fluke encounter. We were lost, trying to get back to our hostel, and we hoped on a tram. We then heard somebody call Chris's name, and turned to see Ty. Chris had previously played in Germany, and had met him before. After exchanging pleasantries, Ty let us know we were going the wrong way. It ended up being a blessing in disguise, as we have continued to stay there whenever in Munich. He has been a gracious host and I am extremely thankful for his hospitality.
After dropping off our stuff, we headed out to enjoy all the great things that Munich has to offer. The rest of the Munich stay would consist of enjoying the best beer in the world, hanging out with germans and americans alike, and eating quality German meals. Whether we went out to the bars and clubs, or just enjoyed the English Gardens, Munich never disappoints. One of the things I wanted to do while I was there was head to the concentration camp Dachau. Every time I had been to Munich, I have missed the opportunity to go. I feel when traveling it is important to learn something, anything at all. It is easy to just fall into a routine of sightseeing and partying, and miss the opportunity to actually know where you are and what you're looking at.
Lucky for Josh and I, we had a German host who took us out to Dachau. We hoped in Sarah's car, and arrived at Dachau in about 20 minutes. I was nervous the entire time, mostly because I have never experienced something like this before. Dachau was a camp mostly used for political figures, and although there were people killed there, it was nothing like the extermination camps such as Auschwitz. Either way, the simple idea of going to such a horrible and evil place made the hairs on my neck stick up. When we finally got out of the car, it was almost surreal. We walked down the path towards the main part of the camp. It was much larger than I expected, but just as mortifying. The barracks were surreal, and as I read about what went on, I had a hard time believing humans could ever do such a thing. As we walked, Sarah told us bit and pieces of information. At one point I stopped to take it all in, and didn't even know what to think or feel. It was just sad. We moved on to the part of the camp that I feared the most, the gas chamber. I was conflicted on if I was going to actually go in, but I decided to do so. It was unlike anything I have ever seen. The idea of it was so simple, but it had this morbid feel that instantly gave you goosebumps. It is something I'm glad I experienced, but never want to experience again. If at any point you find yourself in Munich, take the trip to Dachau.
The rest of the trip was all smiles and fun, as we took in the city. When the final day came, it was upsetting to leave. Hanging out with all the people I have met the year before was a blast, and they were all equally great to Josh and I. We were set to leave for Valencia on Saturday night, so we had some time to kill. We woke up early in the morning, and headed to Ty's girlfriends place to have a traditional Bavarian breakfast. It consists of pretzels with a special cream cheese, sausages, and Wiess-beer. Yes, we had a beer at the lovely hour of 9 am. After breakfast, we packed our things and headed out to the English Gardens for some last minute relaxation. We then hoped on a train and headed to the airport to catch our flight to Valencia.
The toughest thing when you arrive in a city you have never been to is getting your bearings. After walking around a bit, trying to find our hostel, we arrived. Spain has a way of being very complicated, with streets that seem to go in circles and change names every 10 feet. Either way, by the time we go in it was about midnight. This isn't a problem in Spain, considering the night doesn't begin until 2 am. We put down our stuff, took a quick shower, and headed downstairs to the bar. It was already lively, and there was a birthday party going on. We met a couple of guys from England, and we all discussed how we needed to find someplace else to go. Luckily, one of the people who worked at the hostel overheard our conversation and told us they were heading out to a bar at around 2:30 am, followed by a club. We went to a bar in the city center, and then took a cab to a club at the famous Arts and Sciences Center. Yes, there is a club at an Art's and Science center. Spain is pretty ridiculous. By the time we started to head back to the hostel, it was 6:30 am. While we were walking out, people were still waiting online to get into the club. It's absurd.
The next day consisted of relaxing on the beach, followed by a day of sightseeing. We opted not to go out much more. Munich followed by a night out in Spain can wear you down, and it definitely did. We met some great people at the hostel, and enjoyed the Spanish scenery. It ended being a great trip, with no bumps along the way. It also makes you excited to get back to Reggio, and to get back to playing the game we love. It was a perfect vacation.
As you may have already assumed, this trip wasn't necessarily expensive, but it also wasn't the cheapest journey. For the next couple of months, up until August, I will be living in a budget mode. The end of the year will involve a lot of traveling, and I need to be fiscally prepared. Therefore, there won't be much traveling in the upcoming agenda. The rest of my time will be focused on baseball, and baseball alone.
This weekend started the second half of the season. We were set to play Arezzo at their field. They don't have lights, which means we play on Sunday. When you play on Sunday, you play a 11 am game and a 3 pm game. Arezzo is in Tuscany, and is about 3 hours away. So, this means we had to get up at the lovely hour of 5 am to catch a bus leaving at 5:30am. Not fun. It ended up directly effecting us, as we came out flat and lost the first game. The second game was important. If we lost, we would drop out of first place. Josh took the mound and was throwing well. We got an early 5 run lead, but they were threatening in the 4th. Josh was getting squeezed by the umpire all game. This umpire, who I know fairly well, is usually one of the best in the league. In this particular case, he wasn't. He was missing a lot of strike calls, and it was wearing on Josh. With the bases loaded and one run already in for Arezzo, he threw a 3-2 curveball right on the corner. It seemed to be a definite strike three, but was called a ball. Josh turned around and cussed, and the umpire threw him out of the game. This was unwarranted for two reasons. First, Josh's back was turned walking away from the umpire, and was obviously just venting frustration. Second, our coach most likely should have been out there trying to defend him so he didn't get tossed, but wasn't. Either way, Josh was gone and Tito came in. Arezzo fought back in the later innings, and eventually won the game on a bases loaded walk.
I think it's safe to say the baseball gods weren't on our side. We dropped into third place, but no need to worry just yet. We still have to make up four games, and these games are against the two bottom teams in the league. This is, however, the first series we have lost since I have been playing for Reggio. It wasn't fun at all, actually it was miserable. Our team isn't performing at the level it should, and there are things that need to change. I hope these loses are spun positively, and the team realizes that we need to play harder and want it more. Everybody is out to get us being the defending champions, and we need to want it more than they do.
This upcoming week will be a short one, as we are set to play Messina at home on Saturday. The rest of the year the pressure is on, and I know we will be up for the challenge. I look forward to getting back in the baseball groove, and hopefully playing every weekend without a hiccup. I hope everybody had a great couple of week, and I look forward to having positive posts down the road.
Remember to check out reggiobaseball.com for all of the Palfinger Italia's news, updates, and results. Also, check out mister-baseball.com for all European baseball news. Thanks for the continued support, and talk to you soon!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
24 hour day to Anzio and Back...
So this weekend marked the end of the first half. We were set to take a long journey down to Anzio, which is essentially 30 minutes outside of Rome. Anzio came in second last year in our division, and has been streaking as of late. It would also be our first bus trip.
We got up at the crack of dawn, rolling out of bed around 5 am. The bus was set and ready to leave at 6. The only thing on my mind was a quality sleep. Sleeping on buses has never been an issue for me. I think it's one of the few advantages of not being very tall. Either way, with my pillow in hand I fell asleep immediately. The trip to Anzio is about 5-6 hours long, but given that we stop 2 times for breakfast and lunch, it takes a little more. It is always nice to have all your meals payed for, so I'm definitely not complaining.
These games were important, and our President was sure to be vocal about the matter. Coming off a lose to Rome, she wasn't happy with the way we have been playing. One of the major things about Europe is the organization/fans are very critical. If you're doing great, everybody is happy. Once you start to lose or slip in play, they become very worried and sometimes downright mad. Josh and I have both been struggling recently, and we have been hearing about it. So it wasn't the best when we dropped the first game. Our team came out flat, and we barely hit.
After the game, while waiting for food, our President started reading off all our stats. She basically was letting us know about how bad we had just preformed. She even said to me how I was good last year, but I am not good this year. You can't do anything but laugh it off, and she isn't fully wrong. We are payed to do a job and when it's not getting done, they have the right to get mad. Luckily, our team is very loyal and sticks with their players. Other organizations will just let you go, sometimes not even telling you that you have been replaced. It's crazy, but a sad truth.
After being called out, I promised I would get 4 hits in the next game. I have no idea why I said 4, probably because I wanted her to change the subject. Although I didn't get four hits, I ended up going 2 for 4 with a triple and 2 rbis. The team ended up winning 11-1, which put everybody's mind at ease. After the game, we grabbed some pizza (our third free meal of the day) and headed home. Once my head hit the pillow, I was out until we arrived back in Reggio. We left at 6 am and got back at 6 am, and nice 24 hour work day.
This weekend we have off, which means some time to travel! After careful planning, we are set to leave Wednesday and head to Munich. Josh and I will take a 6 hour train trip, and spend three days in my favorite city in Europe. After that, we are set to hop on a Ryanair flight and head to Valencia. This will be my third spanish city, and I'm very excited to see something new. We will spend three days there, and finally head back to Bologna on Tuesday morning. Have to take advantage of the time given off to the best of your ability, because cheap travel is one of the perks of playing abroad. This should provide a lot of pictures and great stories, so I'm looking forward to the next post.
I hope everybody had a great Memorial Day Weekend. Nothing like the start of summer. Remember to check out ReggioBaseball.com for all the updates. Also, check out Mister-Baseball.com for updates around European baseball. Thanks for the support and talk to you soon!
We got up at the crack of dawn, rolling out of bed around 5 am. The bus was set and ready to leave at 6. The only thing on my mind was a quality sleep. Sleeping on buses has never been an issue for me. I think it's one of the few advantages of not being very tall. Either way, with my pillow in hand I fell asleep immediately. The trip to Anzio is about 5-6 hours long, but given that we stop 2 times for breakfast and lunch, it takes a little more. It is always nice to have all your meals payed for, so I'm definitely not complaining.
These games were important, and our President was sure to be vocal about the matter. Coming off a lose to Rome, she wasn't happy with the way we have been playing. One of the major things about Europe is the organization/fans are very critical. If you're doing great, everybody is happy. Once you start to lose or slip in play, they become very worried and sometimes downright mad. Josh and I have both been struggling recently, and we have been hearing about it. So it wasn't the best when we dropped the first game. Our team came out flat, and we barely hit.
After the game, while waiting for food, our President started reading off all our stats. She basically was letting us know about how bad we had just preformed. She even said to me how I was good last year, but I am not good this year. You can't do anything but laugh it off, and she isn't fully wrong. We are payed to do a job and when it's not getting done, they have the right to get mad. Luckily, our team is very loyal and sticks with their players. Other organizations will just let you go, sometimes not even telling you that you have been replaced. It's crazy, but a sad truth.
After being called out, I promised I would get 4 hits in the next game. I have no idea why I said 4, probably because I wanted her to change the subject. Although I didn't get four hits, I ended up going 2 for 4 with a triple and 2 rbis. The team ended up winning 11-1, which put everybody's mind at ease. After the game, we grabbed some pizza (our third free meal of the day) and headed home. Once my head hit the pillow, I was out until we arrived back in Reggio. We left at 6 am and got back at 6 am, and nice 24 hour work day.
This weekend we have off, which means some time to travel! After careful planning, we are set to leave Wednesday and head to Munich. Josh and I will take a 6 hour train trip, and spend three days in my favorite city in Europe. After that, we are set to hop on a Ryanair flight and head to Valencia. This will be my third spanish city, and I'm very excited to see something new. We will spend three days there, and finally head back to Bologna on Tuesday morning. Have to take advantage of the time given off to the best of your ability, because cheap travel is one of the perks of playing abroad. This should provide a lot of pictures and great stories, so I'm looking forward to the next post.
I hope everybody had a great Memorial Day Weekend. Nothing like the start of summer. Remember to check out ReggioBaseball.com for all the updates. Also, check out Mister-Baseball.com for updates around European baseball. Thanks for the support and talk to you soon!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Finally, a weekend of baseball....
This weekend was set to be a big one for Reggio baseball. Having not played in what seemed like forever, we were set to play a team that boasted a newly bolstered lineup. This team, of course, is Rome. They have pretty much revamped their team, adding experienced pitching and an explosive offense. It was set to be a true test of our teams merit.
In the first game we did was we were expected to do. We had control of the game, and whenever it looked like we were about to lose it, we took it right back. We ended up winning the first game 8-5. The second game would pose as a totally different challenge. Josh didn't have his best stuff, and only ended up pitching 3 and 2/3. Tito came in and did well, but it wasn't enough. We made a lot of mental errors, and those mental errors would catch up to us. We ended up losing 5-3. It was a tough lose, but a lose that we may have needed.
This upcoming weekend we are set to take our first big road trip. We are heading down to Anzio, which is about 30 minutes outside of Rome. They are always a talented team, and shouldn't be overlooked. Hopefully with the Rome lose, there will be some fire out on the field. The worst thing you can do in baseball is underestimate your opponent. Originally, we planned to spend the night in Anzio and take a trip over to Rome for a couple of days. Those plans didn't work out, mostly because we had to sacrifice one trip for another.
The weekend after Anzio, we have another bye weekend. I can't believe it is already the halfway point in the season. Luckily, we were given the weekend off, so obviously we needed to take advantage. After a lot of price assessments, we decided to spend 4 days in Munich and 3 days in Valencia. The entire trip will cost around 150 euro, which needless to say is pretty ridiculous. I'm extremely excited to visit my favorite city in Europe, while also being able to see a new one. It will definitely be nice to step away from Italy for a little bit and immerse ourselves in a different culture.
Overall, these next few weeks should be a lot of fun. We also sneaked in a little beach day in Riccione, which is part of the reason for the delay in the blog post. Should provide some great stories and hopefully that translates into better blog posts. I hope everything is well at home. Remember to check out mister-baseball.com and reggiobaseball.com. Take care and talk to you soon!
In the first game we did was we were expected to do. We had control of the game, and whenever it looked like we were about to lose it, we took it right back. We ended up winning the first game 8-5. The second game would pose as a totally different challenge. Josh didn't have his best stuff, and only ended up pitching 3 and 2/3. Tito came in and did well, but it wasn't enough. We made a lot of mental errors, and those mental errors would catch up to us. We ended up losing 5-3. It was a tough lose, but a lose that we may have needed.
This upcoming weekend we are set to take our first big road trip. We are heading down to Anzio, which is about 30 minutes outside of Rome. They are always a talented team, and shouldn't be overlooked. Hopefully with the Rome lose, there will be some fire out on the field. The worst thing you can do in baseball is underestimate your opponent. Originally, we planned to spend the night in Anzio and take a trip over to Rome for a couple of days. Those plans didn't work out, mostly because we had to sacrifice one trip for another.
The weekend after Anzio, we have another bye weekend. I can't believe it is already the halfway point in the season. Luckily, we were given the weekend off, so obviously we needed to take advantage. After a lot of price assessments, we decided to spend 4 days in Munich and 3 days in Valencia. The entire trip will cost around 150 euro, which needless to say is pretty ridiculous. I'm extremely excited to visit my favorite city in Europe, while also being able to see a new one. It will definitely be nice to step away from Italy for a little bit and immerse ourselves in a different culture.
Overall, these next few weeks should be a lot of fun. We also sneaked in a little beach day in Riccione, which is part of the reason for the delay in the blog post. Should provide some great stories and hopefully that translates into better blog posts. I hope everything is well at home. Remember to check out mister-baseball.com and reggiobaseball.com. Take care and talk to you soon!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Rain outs when you play one day a week
This year, for whatever reason, feels like we haven't played baseball in forever. We were set to play the last place team, Poviglio, on Sunday. Saturday came and went with beautiful weather, and as Sunday rolled around bad weather was predicated. Normally, I take the Italian weather forecast with a grain of salt, but they were right on as it poured from the moment we woke up until the moment we left the field. This was our second rain out of the season, and given that we started off with the very un-baseball like bye, we have played a total of 8 games in 6 weeks.
Now being an American baseball player, the transition from playing almost every day to once a week is always difficult. It's as if you are playing American Football. Only thing is, American Football doesn't have rain outs. Therefore, when you do get rained out it is extremely disappointing and almost disheartening. There is nothing more frustrating than having to wait another 7 days to play a game. It was decided, however, that we are going to make those two games up during the week. We will play them on consecutive Wednesdays in June, which means 6 games in two weeks. Probably better to look at the positives.
Outside of baseball, everything has been going smoothly. Unfortunately, this weekends plans to go to Munich had to be canceled. Two of our teammates are hosting a bbq in Verona, and given that I missed it last year I found it to be rude to miss it again. We have rescheduled the trip, so we will arrive in my favorite city soon. The following weekend, we head down to Anzio, which is about thirty minutes outside of Rome. Thinking ahead, I booked a couple nights in Rome, which always provides a good time.
This week also had its up and downs. If you recall, last week we had our car towed. We later found out we were also given a ticket, which I found to be somewhat of double jeopardy. Either way, the damages will total almost 50 euro per person because of some random act of Italian diplomacy. To add fuel to the fire, Graziella (our team president), found a ticket in our car from Munich dating back to last year. Let me go into further detail.
Last year, Chris and I took a trip to Munich. The trip was originally intended for us to watch Germany in the World Cup final. Obviously, they didn't make it, but we decided to take the trip anyway. At some point in that journey, we got a 15 euro parking ticket. We most likely threw it in the glove box, and forgot about it. Now, about 10 months later, Graziella finds this ticket. Given the recent events with the car, she wasn't too pleased. I told her everything would be alright and that I would figure it out.
In my mind, I was worried. I was certain that this 15 euro ticket had evolved into a 1000 euro fine and there were multiple warrants out for our arrest. I immediately messaged two of my friends in Munich, asking them what the rules were. Luckily, the Germans came through again. If you receive a ticket and don't pay it after three months, they send a letter to the owner requesting the payment. If you don't receive that letter, then the ticket is no longer valid. It's a lot like if the cop doesn't show up to your hearing when you get a speeding ticket in the states. Needless to say, I was relieved and happily told Graziella there was nothing to worry about.
All in all, I hope that the off the field issues diminish and we finally start playing baseball on a consistent basis. Remember to check out www.reggiobaseball.com for all other news and photos. Also, take a look at www.mister-baseball.com for all European baseball updates. I hope everybody had a great week and I'll talk to you soon!
Now being an American baseball player, the transition from playing almost every day to once a week is always difficult. It's as if you are playing American Football. Only thing is, American Football doesn't have rain outs. Therefore, when you do get rained out it is extremely disappointing and almost disheartening. There is nothing more frustrating than having to wait another 7 days to play a game. It was decided, however, that we are going to make those two games up during the week. We will play them on consecutive Wednesdays in June, which means 6 games in two weeks. Probably better to look at the positives.
Outside of baseball, everything has been going smoothly. Unfortunately, this weekends plans to go to Munich had to be canceled. Two of our teammates are hosting a bbq in Verona, and given that I missed it last year I found it to be rude to miss it again. We have rescheduled the trip, so we will arrive in my favorite city soon. The following weekend, we head down to Anzio, which is about thirty minutes outside of Rome. Thinking ahead, I booked a couple nights in Rome, which always provides a good time.
This week also had its up and downs. If you recall, last week we had our car towed. We later found out we were also given a ticket, which I found to be somewhat of double jeopardy. Either way, the damages will total almost 50 euro per person because of some random act of Italian diplomacy. To add fuel to the fire, Graziella (our team president), found a ticket in our car from Munich dating back to last year. Let me go into further detail.
Last year, Chris and I took a trip to Munich. The trip was originally intended for us to watch Germany in the World Cup final. Obviously, they didn't make it, but we decided to take the trip anyway. At some point in that journey, we got a 15 euro parking ticket. We most likely threw it in the glove box, and forgot about it. Now, about 10 months later, Graziella finds this ticket. Given the recent events with the car, she wasn't too pleased. I told her everything would be alright and that I would figure it out.
In my mind, I was worried. I was certain that this 15 euro ticket had evolved into a 1000 euro fine and there were multiple warrants out for our arrest. I immediately messaged two of my friends in Munich, asking them what the rules were. Luckily, the Germans came through again. If you receive a ticket and don't pay it after three months, they send a letter to the owner requesting the payment. If you don't receive that letter, then the ticket is no longer valid. It's a lot like if the cop doesn't show up to your hearing when you get a speeding ticket in the states. Needless to say, I was relieved and happily told Graziella there was nothing to worry about.
All in all, I hope that the off the field issues diminish and we finally start playing baseball on a consistent basis. Remember to check out www.reggiobaseball.com for all other news and photos. Also, take a look at www.mister-baseball.com for all European baseball updates. I hope everybody had a great week and I'll talk to you soon!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Walk Off Weekend
This weekend, the Palfinger Italia's faced off against Crochetta. Tied at the top of the standings, this weekend was big. Two wins would put us in great position in the playoff hunt, given that the rest of the league were all sitting around the .500 mark. The first game went as most first games go, long and somewhat boring. We won 10-0, beating them in 8 innings. The second game, however, is what I would consider a defining game for Reggio.
We were set to go up against a foreign pitcher whose background was intimidating. He had pitched 7 years in the big leagues. For what teams I don't know, but he was dominating Serie A as expected. He didn't throw very hard, and obviously age had taken some of his stuff, but he knew how to pitch. He held runners well, and had complete control of the game. Josh didn't have his best stuff, but battled and kept us in the game. Going into the 9th inning, we were down 3 -1. Crochetta's starter was out, and their reliever was a big righty who threw mostly changeups and curveballs.
We started the inning off with a single. The next batter struck out, but turned the lineup over to the top. Thomas layed down a beautiful bunt, making it first and second with one out. Our number two hitter, Taio, popped up to shallow right field, making it first and second with two outs. Standing in the dugout, I had a sense something good was about to happen. I had deja vu of last year, when we beat Modena in the last inning with 4 triples. Our three hitter walked, and with the bases loaded, Paul stepped to the plate. He then walked on 4 pitches, making the score 3-2 with two outs.
I was on deck, but I had a feeling I wasn't going to hit. Claudio had been swinging the bat well, and I was hoping this was his time. On a full count, he hit a ball over the center fielders head to drive in the winning runs. We all went crazy, and stormed the field. In the celebrating, Claudio got punched in the face. Needless to say, it was a great time. There is nothing better than a walk off win.
So we were able to take two, putting us at 7 and 1. It's games like those that really bring a team together, and we celebrated like a team after the game. Everybody had done their part, and that's the beauty of baseball. Plus, one day a week builds up a lot of anticipation. It's almost as if we are playing American Football. This upcoming week, we will play on Sunday against Poviglio, who is last in the division at 1 and 7. This doesn't mean that are to be taken lightly. It's baseball, anything can happen.
Off the field, this week seemed to have officially started summer. The center has come to life, with concerts, art shows, markets, and other events being hosted what seems like everyday. This has both positives and negatives. The positives are obvious, more people and more events means more fun. The negatives, well that's a little more complicated. For example, outside of our building we can park wherever the lines are blue. We have a permit to park in the center, so there is plenty of parking. We have been parking on one side of our building pretty much all year, being that it is the closest and move convenient.
After the game on Saturday, we pulled up to the apartment and parked in this area. We wake up the next day to see our car missing, and around these parking spots are caution tape. Our car had been towed, but we had no idea why. I called Paul who called Graziella, and we found out that because of a bike tour going through the center they had blocked off that parking. Obviously, it would have been nice to know this ahead of time, but towing the car just seemed to make more sense. We ended up having to pay 100 euro to get it back. Italian policies can be ridiculous sometimes, but sometimes things just happen that you can't do anything about. So this week should consist of baseball responsibilities and a lot of time spent in the center of Reggio Emilia. With some trips planned for later in the month, budgeting is in order. All in all, things are going smoothly, baseball and life in general.
Lastly, I hope all the mothers had a great Mothers Day. Remember, if you have any questions or comments feel free to email me at marmo.mike@gmail.com. This week, Tuesday, starts the featuring of the blog on www.Mister-Baseball.com. Check out www.ReggioBaseball.com for more write ups, stats, and general information about our team. Thanks for the continued support, and talk to you soon.
We were set to go up against a foreign pitcher whose background was intimidating. He had pitched 7 years in the big leagues. For what teams I don't know, but he was dominating Serie A as expected. He didn't throw very hard, and obviously age had taken some of his stuff, but he knew how to pitch. He held runners well, and had complete control of the game. Josh didn't have his best stuff, but battled and kept us in the game. Going into the 9th inning, we were down 3 -1. Crochetta's starter was out, and their reliever was a big righty who threw mostly changeups and curveballs.
We started the inning off with a single. The next batter struck out, but turned the lineup over to the top. Thomas layed down a beautiful bunt, making it first and second with one out. Our number two hitter, Taio, popped up to shallow right field, making it first and second with two outs. Standing in the dugout, I had a sense something good was about to happen. I had deja vu of last year, when we beat Modena in the last inning with 4 triples. Our three hitter walked, and with the bases loaded, Paul stepped to the plate. He then walked on 4 pitches, making the score 3-2 with two outs.
I was on deck, but I had a feeling I wasn't going to hit. Claudio had been swinging the bat well, and I was hoping this was his time. On a full count, he hit a ball over the center fielders head to drive in the winning runs. We all went crazy, and stormed the field. In the celebrating, Claudio got punched in the face. Needless to say, it was a great time. There is nothing better than a walk off win.
So we were able to take two, putting us at 7 and 1. It's games like those that really bring a team together, and we celebrated like a team after the game. Everybody had done their part, and that's the beauty of baseball. Plus, one day a week builds up a lot of anticipation. It's almost as if we are playing American Football. This upcoming week, we will play on Sunday against Poviglio, who is last in the division at 1 and 7. This doesn't mean that are to be taken lightly. It's baseball, anything can happen.
Off the field, this week seemed to have officially started summer. The center has come to life, with concerts, art shows, markets, and other events being hosted what seems like everyday. This has both positives and negatives. The positives are obvious, more people and more events means more fun. The negatives, well that's a little more complicated. For example, outside of our building we can park wherever the lines are blue. We have a permit to park in the center, so there is plenty of parking. We have been parking on one side of our building pretty much all year, being that it is the closest and move convenient.
After the game on Saturday, we pulled up to the apartment and parked in this area. We wake up the next day to see our car missing, and around these parking spots are caution tape. Our car had been towed, but we had no idea why. I called Paul who called Graziella, and we found out that because of a bike tour going through the center they had blocked off that parking. Obviously, it would have been nice to know this ahead of time, but towing the car just seemed to make more sense. We ended up having to pay 100 euro to get it back. Italian policies can be ridiculous sometimes, but sometimes things just happen that you can't do anything about. So this week should consist of baseball responsibilities and a lot of time spent in the center of Reggio Emilia. With some trips planned for later in the month, budgeting is in order. All in all, things are going smoothly, baseball and life in general.
Lastly, I hope all the mothers had a great Mothers Day. Remember, if you have any questions or comments feel free to email me at marmo.mike@gmail.com. This week, Tuesday, starts the featuring of the blog on www.Mister-Baseball.com. Check out www.ReggioBaseball.com for more write ups, stats, and general information about our team. Thanks for the continued support, and talk to you soon.
Friday, May 6, 2011
A Reflection.....The European baseball player
Starting this Tuesday, and thanks to the help of my roommate Josh, my blog will be featured on www.mister-baseball.com. The website is one stop update for all the European leagues. It is extremely well done, concise, and I am thankful and happy to be a part of it. When I found out Mister-Baseball was going to feature the blog, I started to really think about what this blog meant to me. What started out as a way for me to communicate my experiences with my family and friends has transformed into a tool. It is not only a way for me to remember and record my experiences, but I hope it acts as a tool for prospective European baseball players.
When I first decided to do this, I thought it would be a great way to look back in 10 years and read about the memories I may have forgotten. I thought it would be a way to share the experience with my family and friends. I did it because I enjoy writing, and I enjoy the way it allows you to recollect on the past week, allowing you to re-live it one more time. Now when I write, I find myself thinking about the guy who doesn't know, the person I was before I came abroad. When I graduated college and finished baseball, I started work just like everybody else who doesn't sign. I felt like something was missing, that I wasn't ready to finish doing what I did for so long. I wasn't ready to hang them up, and I wanted to try and finish on my own terms. Isn't that most peoples dream?
Looking back, I had no idea what to expect. I was uneducated in the process, and the only thing motivating me was the idea of getting back on the field. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to have people around me who knew the process. I was lucky enough to get a passport without a problem, find a quality organization that was great both on and off the field, and found myself in a beautiful city without a worry in the world. I know others that weren't so lucky, and many of whom came in blind and got the short end of the stick. It happens, and it's a darker side to the European baseball experience.
Knowing what I know now, I want this blog to be a way for all people to understand what being a European baseball player is about. Some of us do it for the love of the game. Some do it because they can't do anything else. Some do it to live abroad and travel the world. I think most do it because they aren't ready to give up on the game. This game can consume you. You spend your whole life working toward one goal, and when it comes close to the end, it's extremely difficult to let go. I know that idea may seem foreign to some. Personally, there is no greater feeling then stepping in the batters box or putting on the gear and running out to the field. You feel a sense of pride, a sense of worth, and a sense of accomplishment. This may be a game of failure, but that is only statistically. Baseball is a boys game. That's what makes it pure.
I hope everybody that reads this blog gets something out of it. Whether its the baseball, the experiences, or just basic entertainment. I truly enjoy writing it, and I hope everybody enjoys reading it. This blog is not about me, it's about the reader. If anybody has any questions, comments, or general feedback, feel free to email me at marmo.mike@gmail.com. Thanks to everybody who supports the blog, and thanks to www.mister-baseball.com for the opportunity. Also, remember to check out www.reggiobaseball.com and become a fan.
When I first decided to do this, I thought it would be a great way to look back in 10 years and read about the memories I may have forgotten. I thought it would be a way to share the experience with my family and friends. I did it because I enjoy writing, and I enjoy the way it allows you to recollect on the past week, allowing you to re-live it one more time. Now when I write, I find myself thinking about the guy who doesn't know, the person I was before I came abroad. When I graduated college and finished baseball, I started work just like everybody else who doesn't sign. I felt like something was missing, that I wasn't ready to finish doing what I did for so long. I wasn't ready to hang them up, and I wanted to try and finish on my own terms. Isn't that most peoples dream?
Looking back, I had no idea what to expect. I was uneducated in the process, and the only thing motivating me was the idea of getting back on the field. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to have people around me who knew the process. I was lucky enough to get a passport without a problem, find a quality organization that was great both on and off the field, and found myself in a beautiful city without a worry in the world. I know others that weren't so lucky, and many of whom came in blind and got the short end of the stick. It happens, and it's a darker side to the European baseball experience.
Knowing what I know now, I want this blog to be a way for all people to understand what being a European baseball player is about. Some of us do it for the love of the game. Some do it because they can't do anything else. Some do it to live abroad and travel the world. I think most do it because they aren't ready to give up on the game. This game can consume you. You spend your whole life working toward one goal, and when it comes close to the end, it's extremely difficult to let go. I know that idea may seem foreign to some. Personally, there is no greater feeling then stepping in the batters box or putting on the gear and running out to the field. You feel a sense of pride, a sense of worth, and a sense of accomplishment. This may be a game of failure, but that is only statistically. Baseball is a boys game. That's what makes it pure.
I hope everybody that reads this blog gets something out of it. Whether its the baseball, the experiences, or just basic entertainment. I truly enjoy writing it, and I hope everybody enjoys reading it. This blog is not about me, it's about the reader. If anybody has any questions, comments, or general feedback, feel free to email me at marmo.mike@gmail.com. Thanks to everybody who supports the blog, and thanks to www.mister-baseball.com for the opportunity. Also, remember to check out www.reggiobaseball.com and become a fan.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Reggio vs Modena and the Gina's
So this past week has been fairly quiet. After crazy weeks previous, I decided to take it easy and not do too much leading up to the Modena series. Besides the occasional beers and heading to the center for coffee, this week mostly revolved around prep baseball work for the weekend.
This series was fairly important. In reality, it is too early in the season to start and claim games to be extremely important. Due to our scheduling and the italian baseball set up, it's more like football with each weekend counting. This weekend was important for 2 reasons. One, a couple of wins would separate us from the pack, putting us in control. Two, we were set to face the best pitcher in the league, Angel Marquez, at his home field.
Much like last year, we easily took the first game. I hit a bases loaded clearing double in the top of the first, which set the tone for the rest of the game. We cruised, beating them 8-3 but felt like we beat them 20-0. After a meal, we were set to square up for game two. Marquez is a hard throwing righty, usually sitting high 80's or low 90's with a sharp curveball. Last year he beat us at home, and we beat him at our home field with a come from behind win. This year was a little different. Marquez struggled to find the strike zone, and from what I remember his velocity was down. We didn't hit him too hard, but we played fundamental baseball and were able to take an early lead. He would end up pitching 7 innings, but not at the caliber of last years performance. We took the game 6-0 behind Josh's complete game shut out. He was lights out, and I am very excited about how good our chemistry has been.
So taking two from Modena puts us at 5-1 on the year and atop the leader board. Hopefully we keep it going this weekend against Crochetta, the team we share first place with. This week should be mellow as well with Crochetta looming. I have been planning a bunch of trips in the near future, including Munich, Dublin, and Barcelona. Hopefully they all come into fruition.
I would also like to mention that the Softball Gina's season has started with a 2-0 performance. Being that I was a former member of the squad and helped in the journey to a championship, I hope they are able to bounce back from last years disappointing finish and have a championship caliber season. Good luck guys
So a short and sweet blog post. If anything comes up I'll be sure to post again. I hope everybody is having a great week, and I'll leave you with some pictures of the past weeks adventures. Talk to you soon..
This series was fairly important. In reality, it is too early in the season to start and claim games to be extremely important. Due to our scheduling and the italian baseball set up, it's more like football with each weekend counting. This weekend was important for 2 reasons. One, a couple of wins would separate us from the pack, putting us in control. Two, we were set to face the best pitcher in the league, Angel Marquez, at his home field.
Much like last year, we easily took the first game. I hit a bases loaded clearing double in the top of the first, which set the tone for the rest of the game. We cruised, beating them 8-3 but felt like we beat them 20-0. After a meal, we were set to square up for game two. Marquez is a hard throwing righty, usually sitting high 80's or low 90's with a sharp curveball. Last year he beat us at home, and we beat him at our home field with a come from behind win. This year was a little different. Marquez struggled to find the strike zone, and from what I remember his velocity was down. We didn't hit him too hard, but we played fundamental baseball and were able to take an early lead. He would end up pitching 7 innings, but not at the caliber of last years performance. We took the game 6-0 behind Josh's complete game shut out. He was lights out, and I am very excited about how good our chemistry has been.
So taking two from Modena puts us at 5-1 on the year and atop the leader board. Hopefully we keep it going this weekend against Crochetta, the team we share first place with. This week should be mellow as well with Crochetta looming. I have been planning a bunch of trips in the near future, including Munich, Dublin, and Barcelona. Hopefully they all come into fruition.
I would also like to mention that the Softball Gina's season has started with a 2-0 performance. Being that I was a former member of the squad and helped in the journey to a championship, I hope they are able to bounce back from last years disappointing finish and have a championship caliber season. Good luck guys
So a short and sweet blog post. If anything comes up I'll be sure to post again. I hope everybody is having a great week, and I'll leave you with some pictures of the past weeks adventures. Talk to you soon..
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Sala Baganza and the start of some travels.
I am fully aware that I have already broken my promise of putting up posts on Sunday or Monday, but this week was a crazy one. Between the last post and today, we played 2 very important games, I hosted both family and friends, traveled, and took a big risk. Anyway, here we go.
So after much anticipation, my cousin Nick finally arrived in Reggio Emilia. Being that he was largely responsible for helping me get here (helped with my passport), I was excited for him to come out and show him the lifestyle he helped me live. He was traveling with his family, going from north to south, and made a quick day stop in Reggio. I met them at the hotel, and took them around the city a bit. After showing them the apartment, we took a trip over the field. After a little baseball, we had a great meal in the city center. Everybody was excited to meet Nick and his family, and he didn't disappoint. Overall, it was a great time and I thoroughly enjoyed the day.
So with one group of people down, I was preparing for the next. I have a friend who I met last year in Munich through my roommate. We became good friends, and some of you may remember that she visited New York for a couple of weeks. She plays softball for the Haar Disciples, and as luck would have it every year they do a spring trip in Rimini. Seizing the moment, I invited her out to Reggio for the weekend, considering they were done on Wednesday. She agreed, and even invited two of her friends along.
Being that she was in Rimini, I figured it was a good opportunity for a beach trip. After little convincing, me and Josh hopped on a train and headed to the coast. We spent the day on beach and met up with the girls the next day. Tough life. We took the train back to Reggio, and started to plan what would be a great weekend. My priorities were in order, and I knew that baseball was first. The trip would have to wait, and they would have to support Palfinger Italia.
The team we faced this weekend was Sala Baganza. They aren't a very strong team, but there American foreigner is very good. We edged him out last year by 1 run, and this year was no different. After taking the first game, the second game bore great importance. A win would put us in a good position for the beginning of the year, especially with the best pitcher in the league looming the following weekend. It would also be Josh's first start, and he made the best of it. Josh was lights out, pitching seven innings of shut out ball. Me, on the other hand, played terribly, putting together probably the worst weekend of my italian baseball career. Either way, I was happy to get the win. I'm not worried about my performance, and I hope to turn it around this weekend against Modena.
After the games, I went home and started to put together a plan for the next few days. Being that it was easter weekend, it wasn't an easy task. Needless to say, I dominated the planning and put together a great weekend. We left Sunday at 1pm and took the train to Cinque terre. We spent the night there and all of the next day, going to each of the towns and marveling at its beauty. I went last year, but it never disappoints. Monday night we hoped on a train to Florence. We ate dinner in Florence, got a quick drink, and headed to sleep. The next day, the plan was the girls to stay in florence and me and Josh to catch a train back to Reggio. It did get interesting.
Me and Josh headed over to the train station at around 3 pm, knowing that we had to get back to practice. Normally, the train to Florence is between 1 and 2 hours, giving us plenty of time. There is a train running usually every 40 minutes, so if one was sold out I was sure we could get another. We arrived only to find out that I was wrong. All the trains were sold out until 8 pm, and we had to get to practice by 7. So with not many choices and an angry italian president looming, I decided to take a huge risk. We hoped on a high speed that was heading to Bologna with no ticket in hand. For those who don't know, if you get caught on a train without a ticket you usually have to pay somewhere in the vicinity of 100 euros. It was a risk that needed to be taken, because missing practice was not an option. After hiding in the bathroom for a little and keeping a close eye out for the ticket lady, we made it to bologna without getting checked. Luck was on our side, and we got back and made practice without a hiccup.
Overall, it was an awesome weekend. I had fun with family and friends and won 2 important games. Luckily, this week should be very mellow and the only focus will be Modena. I hope everybody at home had a great easter, and I look forward to the next time. Anyway, talk to you soon!
So after much anticipation, my cousin Nick finally arrived in Reggio Emilia. Being that he was largely responsible for helping me get here (helped with my passport), I was excited for him to come out and show him the lifestyle he helped me live. He was traveling with his family, going from north to south, and made a quick day stop in Reggio. I met them at the hotel, and took them around the city a bit. After showing them the apartment, we took a trip over the field. After a little baseball, we had a great meal in the city center. Everybody was excited to meet Nick and his family, and he didn't disappoint. Overall, it was a great time and I thoroughly enjoyed the day.
So with one group of people down, I was preparing for the next. I have a friend who I met last year in Munich through my roommate. We became good friends, and some of you may remember that she visited New York for a couple of weeks. She plays softball for the Haar Disciples, and as luck would have it every year they do a spring trip in Rimini. Seizing the moment, I invited her out to Reggio for the weekend, considering they were done on Wednesday. She agreed, and even invited two of her friends along.
Being that she was in Rimini, I figured it was a good opportunity for a beach trip. After little convincing, me and Josh hopped on a train and headed to the coast. We spent the day on beach and met up with the girls the next day. Tough life. We took the train back to Reggio, and started to plan what would be a great weekend. My priorities were in order, and I knew that baseball was first. The trip would have to wait, and they would have to support Palfinger Italia.
The team we faced this weekend was Sala Baganza. They aren't a very strong team, but there American foreigner is very good. We edged him out last year by 1 run, and this year was no different. After taking the first game, the second game bore great importance. A win would put us in a good position for the beginning of the year, especially with the best pitcher in the league looming the following weekend. It would also be Josh's first start, and he made the best of it. Josh was lights out, pitching seven innings of shut out ball. Me, on the other hand, played terribly, putting together probably the worst weekend of my italian baseball career. Either way, I was happy to get the win. I'm not worried about my performance, and I hope to turn it around this weekend against Modena.
After the games, I went home and started to put together a plan for the next few days. Being that it was easter weekend, it wasn't an easy task. Needless to say, I dominated the planning and put together a great weekend. We left Sunday at 1pm and took the train to Cinque terre. We spent the night there and all of the next day, going to each of the towns and marveling at its beauty. I went last year, but it never disappoints. Monday night we hoped on a train to Florence. We ate dinner in Florence, got a quick drink, and headed to sleep. The next day, the plan was the girls to stay in florence and me and Josh to catch a train back to Reggio. It did get interesting.
Me and Josh headed over to the train station at around 3 pm, knowing that we had to get back to practice. Normally, the train to Florence is between 1 and 2 hours, giving us plenty of time. There is a train running usually every 40 minutes, so if one was sold out I was sure we could get another. We arrived only to find out that I was wrong. All the trains were sold out until 8 pm, and we had to get to practice by 7. So with not many choices and an angry italian president looming, I decided to take a huge risk. We hoped on a high speed that was heading to Bologna with no ticket in hand. For those who don't know, if you get caught on a train without a ticket you usually have to pay somewhere in the vicinity of 100 euros. It was a risk that needed to be taken, because missing practice was not an option. After hiding in the bathroom for a little and keeping a close eye out for the ticket lady, we made it to bologna without getting checked. Luck was on our side, and we got back and made practice without a hiccup.
Overall, it was an awesome weekend. I had fun with family and friends and won 2 important games. Luckily, this week should be very mellow and the only focus will be Modena. I hope everybody at home had a great easter, and I look forward to the next time. Anyway, talk to you soon!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Messina field
Sunday, April 17, 2011
North vs South, Reggio vs Sicily, sort of.....
Based on a facebook status, I'm sure you are all wondering what exactly happened in Sicily yesterday. I will get to that. People that are baseball fans will be dumbfounded, and others won't really see the big deal. Either way, it was exciting and ridiculous, and a serious reminder that baseball in Europe is just different.
First though, this week. So this week was fairly calm. We ate a lot, we drank a fair amount, and just enjoyed the laid back European lifestyle. Josh and I, earlier in the week, met these people that told us that there was a river we could go to somewhere near Reggio to hang out. Being fans of nature, and Josh being obsessed with fishing, we decided to take an adventure to find this mysterious place. We asked everybody on our team if they had heard of the river, and they just laughed at us saying there was no such thing. The only piece of information we were able to get was the name of the river, Enza. So we google earthed the location, took down directions to the best of our abilities, and went on a mission to prove everybody wrong.
We left our apartment by about 9 am, hopped in the car, and started driving. After a few wrong turns, we righted the way and headed into the hills of Reggio. After about an hour or so, we found the Enza. We drove along side of it, hoping to find an area that looked appealing. The river wasn't very big, and it wasn't very deep either. We were hoping to find an area where there were some pools and a place to hang out. We drove up and down this road, going higher in elevation and back down lower. Finally, after about 2 and half hours, we agreed on an area to park the car and take a closer look for ourselves.
We luckily found exactly what we were looking for. We walked into this area that had a nice pool build up, a stoned beach area, and even a bonus water fall (not actually a water fall, more like a water drip). It was perfect, and we took some pictures to spite our teammates. Nothing wrong with some old fashion showboating. Take a look.
So this should turn into a place for us to hang out, as long as the water stays somewhat deep. Anyway, now about Sicily. Much like last year, we left friday afternoon from Parma and headed down to Messina. The weather report was poor, and unfortunately it was accurate. When we arrived it was pouring. We got to the hotel, ate one of the best dinners I have ever had, and hung out. We were all pretty convinced we wouldn't play, but to our surprise the next day we were on a bus and headed to the field.
The field held the water fairly well, and we suited up and started the first game. Clouds were in the distance, and it was forecast-ed to rain all afternoon and night. We were down 7-2 going into the 4th, when the rains started. We were able to finish the 4th, and moved into the top of the 5th. By this point, it was pouring and the field was turning into a lake. In America, they would have suspended the game, but this was Italy. It's important for to go over a few things before I get into the story.
In baseball, the rules are that a game becomes official if the home team is winning after 4 and a half innings, or after the away team bats in the top of the 5th. In this case, Messina was winning going into the 5th inning, and we were coming up to bat. Problem was, it was absolutely pouring and becoming dangerous to play. The field was flooding after taking all the rain from the night before, but the terrible umpires of Italy kept the game going. Now I don't know if this is because they were from Sicily, or whatever the reason, but Messina went out to the field and was hoping to get three outs and take the win. Fortunately, karma took over.
Our goal was to keep the inning going, hoping to take long enough where the umpires would call the game. After a few hits and a few runs, we found ourselves coming back. The score was 7-5, and the field was disappearing. After I drew a walk, the bases were loaded. When I got to first base, the I was standing in a huge puddle. Our coach started complaining, and the home plate umpire decided to call the game. Smart, I thought as I ran into the dugout, but what happened next amazed me. The field umpire came in and started talking to the home plate umpire. Then, beyond ridiculously and just outright crazy, they told us to come back out. The rain was harder than ever, the field was completely unplayable, but somehow Messina had convinced the umpires to keep the game going, hoping they would get the win.
Needless to say, our team went crazy. It was unethical, unimaginable, and just outright crazy what was going on. We went back out, and like I said, karma took over. Thomas came up and with one swing of the bat, he cleared the bases and we went up 8-7. Our team was ecstatic, and for the first time all year we showed the fire that we had the year before. After the half inning ended, for us to win Messina needed to bat. Obviously, the game was called and we weren't given the chance. Italy baseball is crazy sometimes, but it is always exciting.
Both games ended up not counting, and we hoped on the bus, grabbed some dinner, hung out at the hotel, went to the airport, hoped on the plane, and got back to the apartment with barely any sleep. It was a crazy trip filled with ridiculous baseball, great food, and lots of laughs. It felt good to see that fire again, and I'm excited for this weekend at home against Sala Baganza. Hopefully it carries over and the weather is good so we don't have another ridiculous event like Messina.
This week will be exciting for other reasons as well. My cousin Nick, who was a major part of why I ended up in Italy, is coming to visit with his family. At the end of this week, a couple of friends from Germany are coming to spend the weekend, which should be a great time as well. Should provide a lot of excitement and hopefully some good stories.
Tomorrow I will post some pictures of Messina, and also some pictures of the field after the game was called. I hope everybody is doing well, and talk to you soon! Until next time, have a great day!
First though, this week. So this week was fairly calm. We ate a lot, we drank a fair amount, and just enjoyed the laid back European lifestyle. Josh and I, earlier in the week, met these people that told us that there was a river we could go to somewhere near Reggio to hang out. Being fans of nature, and Josh being obsessed with fishing, we decided to take an adventure to find this mysterious place. We asked everybody on our team if they had heard of the river, and they just laughed at us saying there was no such thing. The only piece of information we were able to get was the name of the river, Enza. So we google earthed the location, took down directions to the best of our abilities, and went on a mission to prove everybody wrong.
We left our apartment by about 9 am, hopped in the car, and started driving. After a few wrong turns, we righted the way and headed into the hills of Reggio. After about an hour or so, we found the Enza. We drove along side of it, hoping to find an area that looked appealing. The river wasn't very big, and it wasn't very deep either. We were hoping to find an area where there were some pools and a place to hang out. We drove up and down this road, going higher in elevation and back down lower. Finally, after about 2 and half hours, we agreed on an area to park the car and take a closer look for ourselves.
We luckily found exactly what we were looking for. We walked into this area that had a nice pool build up, a stoned beach area, and even a bonus water fall (not actually a water fall, more like a water drip). It was perfect, and we took some pictures to spite our teammates. Nothing wrong with some old fashion showboating. Take a look.
The field held the water fairly well, and we suited up and started the first game. Clouds were in the distance, and it was forecast-ed to rain all afternoon and night. We were down 7-2 going into the 4th, when the rains started. We were able to finish the 4th, and moved into the top of the 5th. By this point, it was pouring and the field was turning into a lake. In America, they would have suspended the game, but this was Italy. It's important for to go over a few things before I get into the story.
In baseball, the rules are that a game becomes official if the home team is winning after 4 and a half innings, or after the away team bats in the top of the 5th. In this case, Messina was winning going into the 5th inning, and we were coming up to bat. Problem was, it was absolutely pouring and becoming dangerous to play. The field was flooding after taking all the rain from the night before, but the terrible umpires of Italy kept the game going. Now I don't know if this is because they were from Sicily, or whatever the reason, but Messina went out to the field and was hoping to get three outs and take the win. Fortunately, karma took over.
Our goal was to keep the inning going, hoping to take long enough where the umpires would call the game. After a few hits and a few runs, we found ourselves coming back. The score was 7-5, and the field was disappearing. After I drew a walk, the bases were loaded. When I got to first base, the I was standing in a huge puddle. Our coach started complaining, and the home plate umpire decided to call the game. Smart, I thought as I ran into the dugout, but what happened next amazed me. The field umpire came in and started talking to the home plate umpire. Then, beyond ridiculously and just outright crazy, they told us to come back out. The rain was harder than ever, the field was completely unplayable, but somehow Messina had convinced the umpires to keep the game going, hoping they would get the win.
Needless to say, our team went crazy. It was unethical, unimaginable, and just outright crazy what was going on. We went back out, and like I said, karma took over. Thomas came up and with one swing of the bat, he cleared the bases and we went up 8-7. Our team was ecstatic, and for the first time all year we showed the fire that we had the year before. After the half inning ended, for us to win Messina needed to bat. Obviously, the game was called and we weren't given the chance. Italy baseball is crazy sometimes, but it is always exciting.
Both games ended up not counting, and we hoped on the bus, grabbed some dinner, hung out at the hotel, went to the airport, hoped on the plane, and got back to the apartment with barely any sleep. It was a crazy trip filled with ridiculous baseball, great food, and lots of laughs. It felt good to see that fire again, and I'm excited for this weekend at home against Sala Baganza. Hopefully it carries over and the weather is good so we don't have another ridiculous event like Messina.
This week will be exciting for other reasons as well. My cousin Nick, who was a major part of why I ended up in Italy, is coming to visit with his family. At the end of this week, a couple of friends from Germany are coming to spend the weekend, which should be a great time as well. Should provide a lot of excitement and hopefully some good stories.
Tomorrow I will post some pictures of Messina, and also some pictures of the field after the game was called. I hope everybody is doing well, and talk to you soon! Until next time, have a great day!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Home Opener
This week was a very important week for Reggio Baseball. It was our home opener, which was also our season opener. The league started last week, but due to a very un-baseballl like bye week, we opened up against Arezzo (team from Florence). The excitement for all of us has been brewing for a while, but after getting up in the morning, making an american breakfast, we headed over to the field.
Arezzo is an average team, not really great but good enough to beat anybody. The team is essentially the same as last year, and they had beaten us early in the year in the italian game. We were anxious for some revenge, and in the first game we got it. We beat them 14-4, with most of the team hitting well. I personally went 2 for 5 in the game, with a triple and 4 rbis. That is pretty much all I would do for the day. The next game went poorly, and was all too familiar of our first series last year. After taking the early lead, Arezzo bounced back and took the game from our grasps. We ended up losing 6-4. So after our first weekend, we stand at 1 and 1. Thomas ended up going 2 for 6 in his first serie a series, and Josh came in to throw 4 innings letting up 1 run.
Although losing is always disappointing, our team can take a lot of positives. Hopefully, much like last year, we build on those positives and go on a nice win streak. This week we head down to Messina in Sicily for one of my favorite weekends of the year. They have been looking good so far, and I look forward to going in there and hopefully winning two games. I'm also excited to be at the beach, hang out with the guys on a road trip, and sleep in the airport after the game. Oh, and I almost forgot about the seafood.
Outside of baseball, we have been keeping pretty busy. Yesterday I promised the girls softball team that we would go to their game, considering how dedicated they are to coming to ours. So, Sunday morning (aka noon), me and Josh woke up and made some breakfast. The breakfast went a little too long, because when we showed up to the game it was already over. Not one of our best moments, but at least we made it there. After explaining ourselves, we got invited to go to one of the players homes (she dates on of our teammates) for her sisters graduation party from university. We said what the hell, and decided to go.
We headed over and were greeted by some of the kindest people I have ever met. They sat us down and fed us until we couldn't eat anymore. They tried their best to speak english, some better than others. The father, for example, was an awesome guy full of energy. He brought in his mother, our friends grandmother, and as confidentially as possible said, "This is my father!" It was hilarious, and everybody got a kick out of it. We also had the chance to meet some people our age who live in Reggio, and a couple of people who play softball. One girl we met, who spoke perfect english, plays for the Italian national team. Another girl was from Los Angeles, and pretty much doing the same thing we were. This year more than last, we have had the opportunity to really meet a lot of people from Reggio.
All in all, it was a good week. I'm sure this week will have its excitement. I hope everything is well at home and you are enjoying the blog. If you have any desire to keep up with the season, whether it be stats or standings, check out www.reggiobaseball.com. Paul has been doing a great job keeping up with it. Anyway, have a great week and talk to you soon!
Arezzo is an average team, not really great but good enough to beat anybody. The team is essentially the same as last year, and they had beaten us early in the year in the italian game. We were anxious for some revenge, and in the first game we got it. We beat them 14-4, with most of the team hitting well. I personally went 2 for 5 in the game, with a triple and 4 rbis. That is pretty much all I would do for the day. The next game went poorly, and was all too familiar of our first series last year. After taking the early lead, Arezzo bounced back and took the game from our grasps. We ended up losing 6-4. So after our first weekend, we stand at 1 and 1. Thomas ended up going 2 for 6 in his first serie a series, and Josh came in to throw 4 innings letting up 1 run.
Although losing is always disappointing, our team can take a lot of positives. Hopefully, much like last year, we build on those positives and go on a nice win streak. This week we head down to Messina in Sicily for one of my favorite weekends of the year. They have been looking good so far, and I look forward to going in there and hopefully winning two games. I'm also excited to be at the beach, hang out with the guys on a road trip, and sleep in the airport after the game. Oh, and I almost forgot about the seafood.
Outside of baseball, we have been keeping pretty busy. Yesterday I promised the girls softball team that we would go to their game, considering how dedicated they are to coming to ours. So, Sunday morning (aka noon), me and Josh woke up and made some breakfast. The breakfast went a little too long, because when we showed up to the game it was already over. Not one of our best moments, but at least we made it there. After explaining ourselves, we got invited to go to one of the players homes (she dates on of our teammates) for her sisters graduation party from university. We said what the hell, and decided to go.
We headed over and were greeted by some of the kindest people I have ever met. They sat us down and fed us until we couldn't eat anymore. They tried their best to speak english, some better than others. The father, for example, was an awesome guy full of energy. He brought in his mother, our friends grandmother, and as confidentially as possible said, "This is my father!" It was hilarious, and everybody got a kick out of it. We also had the chance to meet some people our age who live in Reggio, and a couple of people who play softball. One girl we met, who spoke perfect english, plays for the Italian national team. Another girl was from Los Angeles, and pretty much doing the same thing we were. This year more than last, we have had the opportunity to really meet a lot of people from Reggio.
All in all, it was a good week. I'm sure this week will have its excitement. I hope everything is well at home and you are enjoying the blog. If you have any desire to keep up with the season, whether it be stats or standings, check out www.reggiobaseball.com. Paul has been doing a great job keeping up with it. Anyway, have a great week and talk to you soon!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Starting the routine
After much excitement the past few weeks, we have finally started to hit the stride of redundancy. It was inevitable that it would happen, but this is the time where we are too early in the season for the excitement of travels. So for now, I have to patiently wait for the savings to build up and the ideas to start flowing. Within the last two hours, I started the excessively early and preliminary plannings of a couple of trips I want to take. The excitement is building, but it is very premature. Either way, this week had its fun.
The week started with us being required to attend a late lunch with our sponsors. It was somewhat of a recognition for our championship last year, but mostly for the sponsors to feel like their investments were actually paying off in some capacity. Our exposure has sky rocketed with the championship and the addition of Thomas DiBenedetto. The food was phenomenal, the presentation was average, but overall it was a fun experience. It was nice to meet some of the people that are involved in our program, but it was even better to have all the guys together enjoying a quality meal. With practice looming afterward, and everybody excessively full, it was decided that batting practice and a soccer game would suffice. Gotta love those Italians.
The final obligation of the year would be an awards ceremony held on Saturday morning. The event itself was for all the people in Reggio that have won some type of championship or accolade in the sporting world. It was incredibly boring. Unorganized is exactly how I would describe it, and it reminded me of the high school awards dinners. It also didn't help that the night before we went to the disco. Needless to say, when it was over I went home and played a game of naps.
Saturday night was fairly mellow. We went to my teammate Fillo's house to watch the AC Milan-Inter Milan soccer game. AC Milan won, in case you were wondering. After some delicious pizza, which I believe I have eaten close to everyday, and some beer, we headed home to get some rest before we played the next day.
Now this weekend was the opening weekend of Serie A. Our team had a bye. Yes, we had a baseball bye. So instead of having the weekend off, we scrimmaged against the newly inducted IBL team Novara. If you read last years blog, Novara is the same team that we beat and fought in the semi finals last year, Milan Senago. Rumors had spread that it was the same guys on Novara from that team. All week, I was certain that this would turn into a brawl, considering how much hatred there was after those games last year. Luckily, the team wasn't the same, and we played two civil games. We lost the first one, and won the second, but considering it was a scrimmage made this an unimportant fact. What is important is guys were getting at bats, and pitchers were getting innings. Personally, I fixed a few things and felt great towards the end. I was seeing the ball better and taking better swings. I can't wait to start up next week against Arezzo (Florence) at our home field.
In regards to travels, after the next pay check I hope to start getting around a bit. Both Thomas and Josh are new to the backpacking world, and I can't wait to show them what it's all about. I'm hoping to get to Barcelona first, trying to get some beach time while having incredible night life. Plus, I can't think of a better place to visit first. This week will be simple and directed to one thing, this weekends games. It's baseball season. I hope everybody at home is doing well. Until next time, have a great week!
The week started with us being required to attend a late lunch with our sponsors. It was somewhat of a recognition for our championship last year, but mostly for the sponsors to feel like their investments were actually paying off in some capacity. Our exposure has sky rocketed with the championship and the addition of Thomas DiBenedetto. The food was phenomenal, the presentation was average, but overall it was a fun experience. It was nice to meet some of the people that are involved in our program, but it was even better to have all the guys together enjoying a quality meal. With practice looming afterward, and everybody excessively full, it was decided that batting practice and a soccer game would suffice. Gotta love those Italians.
The final obligation of the year would be an awards ceremony held on Saturday morning. The event itself was for all the people in Reggio that have won some type of championship or accolade in the sporting world. It was incredibly boring. Unorganized is exactly how I would describe it, and it reminded me of the high school awards dinners. It also didn't help that the night before we went to the disco. Needless to say, when it was over I went home and played a game of naps.
Saturday night was fairly mellow. We went to my teammate Fillo's house to watch the AC Milan-Inter Milan soccer game. AC Milan won, in case you were wondering. After some delicious pizza, which I believe I have eaten close to everyday, and some beer, we headed home to get some rest before we played the next day.
Now this weekend was the opening weekend of Serie A. Our team had a bye. Yes, we had a baseball bye. So instead of having the weekend off, we scrimmaged against the newly inducted IBL team Novara. If you read last years blog, Novara is the same team that we beat and fought in the semi finals last year, Milan Senago. Rumors had spread that it was the same guys on Novara from that team. All week, I was certain that this would turn into a brawl, considering how much hatred there was after those games last year. Luckily, the team wasn't the same, and we played two civil games. We lost the first one, and won the second, but considering it was a scrimmage made this an unimportant fact. What is important is guys were getting at bats, and pitchers were getting innings. Personally, I fixed a few things and felt great towards the end. I was seeing the ball better and taking better swings. I can't wait to start up next week against Arezzo (Florence) at our home field.
In regards to travels, after the next pay check I hope to start getting around a bit. Both Thomas and Josh are new to the backpacking world, and I can't wait to show them what it's all about. I'm hoping to get to Barcelona first, trying to get some beach time while having incredible night life. Plus, I can't think of a better place to visit first. This week will be simple and directed to one thing, this weekends games. It's baseball season. I hope everybody at home is doing well. Until next time, have a great week!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Reggio vs Munich
Monday, March 28, 2011
New Aparment, new roommates.
To say this week was hectic would be an understatement. After the arrival of my new roommates, Josh and Thomas, things went into full swing. They arrived on Tuesday. Josh came in after a 26 hour journey from Australia. Thomas came in from Florida, and was accompanied by a little thing called strep throat. Both were exhausted, but had to journey over to the field with me. After brief introductions, it was on. Thomas spent most the week healing, while Josh got into the swing of things in practice.
During this week, we were scheduled to play Haar (the team from Munich) on Sunday. Under normal circumstances, we would have practiced during the week, maybe done a few other little things for the new guys to get them acclimated and ready, and then played on Sunday. Those essentially would have been our obligations. Instead, we were required to deal with the Italian media. Actually, most of the dealings would be for Thomas, but Josh and I were required to tag along. In very few words, Thomas's father is a part of a group who is bidding to buy the Rome soccer team. Clearly, this has nothing to do with Thomas nor baseball, but because the Italian media is soccer crazy, they are trying to pry every bit of information out of him in regards to his father's personal business endeavors. So, this means the media is "taking an interest" in Reggio Baseball. Obviously this is fantastic exposure for Reggio and Italian baseball in general, but it is also crazy.
So all week, Thomas has been speaking with all different types of media. This includes television, radio, and print. In what seems to be out of sympathy, Josh and I are included. Listening to these people ask questions is definitely funny. For example, one of the questions posed to Thomas when they found out he played FIFA the video game was, "What team do you play with? Is it Roma?" I kid you not. They have come to our practices and filmed those as well. It is unlike anything I have been apart of. I feel for Thomas, and I hope he isn't getting frustrated. Either way, both are good guys and we get along. Both are very talented, and will definitely bring our team to the next level.
On Sunday, we played the Disciples in a two game set. Organized mostly by me and my friend Ty, who plays on the Haar team, things went smoothly. Everybody was a little rusty, working on our timing and just getting back into baseball shape. The games were competitive, and both teams had talented players. The best part was the realization that on the field there was a team who spoke a completely different language, had a completely different culture, but it was all the same on the field. European baseball at its finest.
This year we have also gone out a few times, and have met some great people. Being located in the center is definitely a huge plus. The apartment has really come together, and I'm excited for what the year has to bring. I took some pictures and footage of the game on Sunday, and I'll post them this week. This week we will be making multiple appearances around Reggio to be recognized for our championship last year. I'm just focused on a repeat being that all the teams have improved. Winning a championship was difficult, but I think defending it will be a true challenge.
Anyway, I hope everybody is having a great day. Check out our website, www.reggiobaseball.com, and become a fan. It is important for our sponsors to see that people are taking an interest from all over the world. Also, if you have any desire join the fantasy baseball league. It's very simple. Thanks very much for all the support so far.
During this week, we were scheduled to play Haar (the team from Munich) on Sunday. Under normal circumstances, we would have practiced during the week, maybe done a few other little things for the new guys to get them acclimated and ready, and then played on Sunday. Those essentially would have been our obligations. Instead, we were required to deal with the Italian media. Actually, most of the dealings would be for Thomas, but Josh and I were required to tag along. In very few words, Thomas's father is a part of a group who is bidding to buy the Rome soccer team. Clearly, this has nothing to do with Thomas nor baseball, but because the Italian media is soccer crazy, they are trying to pry every bit of information out of him in regards to his father's personal business endeavors. So, this means the media is "taking an interest" in Reggio Baseball. Obviously this is fantastic exposure for Reggio and Italian baseball in general, but it is also crazy.
So all week, Thomas has been speaking with all different types of media. This includes television, radio, and print. In what seems to be out of sympathy, Josh and I are included. Listening to these people ask questions is definitely funny. For example, one of the questions posed to Thomas when they found out he played FIFA the video game was, "What team do you play with? Is it Roma?" I kid you not. They have come to our practices and filmed those as well. It is unlike anything I have been apart of. I feel for Thomas, and I hope he isn't getting frustrated. Either way, both are good guys and we get along. Both are very talented, and will definitely bring our team to the next level.
On Sunday, we played the Disciples in a two game set. Organized mostly by me and my friend Ty, who plays on the Haar team, things went smoothly. Everybody was a little rusty, working on our timing and just getting back into baseball shape. The games were competitive, and both teams had talented players. The best part was the realization that on the field there was a team who spoke a completely different language, had a completely different culture, but it was all the same on the field. European baseball at its finest.
This year we have also gone out a few times, and have met some great people. Being located in the center is definitely a huge plus. The apartment has really come together, and I'm excited for what the year has to bring. I took some pictures and footage of the game on Sunday, and I'll post them this week. This week we will be making multiple appearances around Reggio to be recognized for our championship last year. I'm just focused on a repeat being that all the teams have improved. Winning a championship was difficult, but I think defending it will be a true challenge.
Anyway, I hope everybody is having a great day. Check out our website, www.reggiobaseball.com, and become a fan. It is important for our sponsors to see that people are taking an interest from all over the world. Also, if you have any desire join the fantasy baseball league. It's very simple. Thanks very much for all the support so far.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Apartment Part 2
As promised, here are some pictures of the apartment. If requested, I'll do a video but I don't really see the need. Anyway, enjoy!
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