Italy national baseball team
Information
Country Italy
FederationItalian Baseball Softball Federation
ConfederationWBSC Europe
ManagerMike Piazza
WBSC ranking
Current 14 Steady (18 December 2023)[1]
Highest9 (December 2012)
Lowest17 (5 times; latest in December 2021)
Uniforms
Italy's national baseball uniform
World Baseball Classic
Appearances5 (first in 2006)
Best result7th (1 time, in 2013)
Olympic Games
Appearances4 (first in 1992)
Best result6th (2 times, most recent in 2000)
World Cup
Appearances17 (first in 1970)
Best result4th (2 times, most recent in 1998)
Intercontinental Cup
Appearances12 (first in 1973)
Best result 3rd (1 time, in 2010)
European Championship
Appearances34 (first in 1954)
Best result 1st (10 times, most recent in 2012)

The Italy national baseball team represents Italy in international baseball competitions. The Italian national team was ranked 16th in the world as of 2022.[1] The team is managed by Mike Piazza, a former New York Mets player and Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.[2]

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of professional baseball match results currently active in the latest version of the WBSC World Rankings, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.[3]

Legend

  Win   Lose   Void or postponed   Fixture

2019

Euro Championship GS September 7 France  2–16  Italy Bonn 1, Germany
15:30 CET Boxscore Attendance: 850
Euro Championship GS September 8 Italy  2–1 (F/10)  Croatia Weyersberg Park, Germany
16:00 CET Boxscore Attendance: 150
Euro Championship GS September 9 Italy  10–1  Austria Bonn 1, Germany
11:00 CET Boxscore Attendance: 100
Euro Championship GS September 10 Spain  3–13  Italy Bonn 1, Germany
15:00 CET Boxscore Attendance: 250
Euro Championship GS September 11 Italy  11–4  Belgium Bonn 1, Germany
11:00 CET Boxscore Attendance: 80
Euro Championship QF September 13 Italy  7–5  Germany Bonn 1, Germany
19:00 CET Boxscore Attendance: 1,000
Euro Championship SF September 14 Israel  6–7  Italy Bonn 1, Germany
19:00 CET Boxscore Attendance: 1,000
Euro Championship F September 16 Italy  1–5  Netherlands Bonn 1, Germany
19:00 CET Boxscore Attendance: 2,000

2021

Euro Championship GS September 12 Greece  3–13 (F/7)  Italy Aluffi Stadium, Italy
15:00 CET Boxscore Attendance: 600
Euro Championship GS September 13 Italy  14–3 (F/7)  Belgium Paschetto Stadium, Italy
20:30 CET Boxscore Attendance: 550
Euro Championship GS September 14 Austria  1–14 (F/7)  Italy Paolo II Palace, Italy
20:30 CET Boxscore Attendance: 300
Euro Championship QF September 16 Italy  8–5  Croatia Aluffi Stadium, Italy
15:00 CET Boxscore Attendance: 200
Euro Championship SF September 17 Israel  11–5  Italy Paolo II Palace, Italy
20:30 CET Boxscore Attendance: 585
Euro Championship 3rd September 19 Italy  2–0  Spain Paschetto Stadium, Italy
15:00 CET Boxscore Attendance: 570

2022

Haarlem Week GS July 8 Italy  1–2  Netherlands Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
19:30 CET Boxscore
Haarlem Week GS July 10 Italy  0–9  United States Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
12:00 CET Boxscore
Haarlem Week GS July 11 Curaçao  3–5  Italy Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
15:30 CET Boxscore
Haarlem Week GS July 12 Japan  9–0  Italy Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
12:00 CET Boxscore
Haarlem Week GS July 13 Italy  2–0  Cuba Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
12:00 CET Boxscore
Haarlem Week 5th July 14 Cuba  1–5  Italy Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
12:00 CET Boxscore

2023

World Baseball Classic GS March 9 Italy  6–3 (F/10)  Cuba Taichung Stadium, Taiwan
19:00 NST WP: Matthew Festa (1–0)
 Boxscore LP: Raidel Martínez (0–1)
 Attendance: 6,217
Umpires: HP – Ki Talk Park, 1B – Mark Carlson, 2B – Chris Segal, 3B – Serge Makouchetev
World Baseball Classic GS March 10 Italy  7–11  Chinese Taipei Taichung Stadium, Taiwan
19:00 NST LP: Stephen Woods Jr. (0–1)
 Boxscore WP: Yen-Ching Lu (1–0)
Sv: Chia-Hao Sung (1)
HR: Tzu-Wei Lin (1), Yu Chang (1), Kungkuan Giljegiljaw (1)		 Attendance: 18,799
Umpires: HP – Chris Segal, 1B – Nic Lentz, 2B – Shoji Arisumi, 3B – Ki Talk Park
World Baseball Classic GS March 11 Panama  2–0  Italy Taichung Stadium, Taiwan
12:00 NST WP: Harold Arauz (1–0)
Sv: Javy Guerra (1)
 Boxscore LP: Michele Vassalotti (0–1)
 Attendance: 7,732
Umpires: HP – Shoji Arisumi, 1B – Larry Vanover, 2B – Trent Thomas, 3B – Chris Segal
World Baseball Classic GS March 12 Netherlands  1–7  Italy Taichung Stadium, Taiwan
19:00 NST LP: Mike Bolsenbroek (0–1)
HR: Chadwick Tromp (1)		 Boxscore WP: Matt Harvey (1–0)
 Attendance: 4,985
Umpires: HP – Roberto Ortiz, 1B – Dan Iassogna, 2B – Serge Makouchetev, 3B – Trent Thomas
World Baseball Classic QF March 16 Italy  3–9  Japan Tokyo Dome, Japan
19:00 JST LP: Joe LaSorsa (0–1)
HR: Dominic Fletcher (1)		 Boxscore WP: Shohei Ohtani (2–0)
HR: Kazuma Okamoto (1), Masataka Yoshida (1)		 Attendance: 41,723
Umpires: HP – Pat Hoberg, 1B – Laz Díaz, 2B – Delfin Colon 3B – Cuti Suarez

Tournament record

CompetitionAppearances1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Total
World Baseball Classic 50000
Olympic Games 50000
Amateur World Series, Baseball World Cup, and Premier12 180000
Intercontinental Cup 130011
European Championship 341017431
Universiade 0000
Total1015429

World Baseball Classic

World Baseball Classic record Qualification record
Year Round Position W L RS RA W L RS RA
United States 2006 Round 1 10th 1 2 13 14 No qualifiers held
Canada 2009 Round 1 10th 1 2 7 19 No qualifiers held
United States 2013 Round 2 7th 2 3 29 24 Automatically qualified
Mexico 2017 Round 1 12th 1 3 26 33 Automatically qualified
TaiwanJapan 2023 Quarterfinals 8th 2 3 23 26 Automatically qualified
Total Quarterfinals 5/5 7 13 98 116 - - - -

Team Italia competed in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006,[4] though with a much more Americanized roster than the team ordinarily uses in international play. Of the 30 players on Italy's roster, 23 were born in the United States. A player is eligible to participate on a World Baseball Classic team if:

  • The player is a citizen of the nation the team represents.
  • The player is qualified for citizenship or to hold a passport under the laws of a nation represented by a team, but has not been granted citizenship or been issued a passport, then the player may be made eligible by WBCI upon petition by the player or team.
  • The player is a permanent legal resident of the nation or territory the team represents.
  • The player was born in the nation or territory the team represents.
  • The player has one parent who is, or if deceased was, a citizen of the nation the team represents.
  • The player has one parent who was born in the nation or territory the team represents.[5]

2006

Italy competed in Pool D, which included Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Australia. All games during round one for Pool D were played at The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Italy secured an impressive 10–0 win over Australia in its first game, invoking the mercy rule after seven innings. However, they dropped their next two games to Venezuela, 6–0, and the Dominican Republic, 8–3, and failed to qualify for the second round of the tournament.

2009

With only ten players on their roster with any major league affiliation, Italy was a heavy underdog in Pool C of the 2009 World Baseball Classic.[6] With Canada, the U.S.A. & Venezuela completing Pool C, it was arguably the toughest pool in the WBC.

MLB pitcher Jason Grilli represented Italy in the 2006 & 2009 WBC

Prior to the start of the WBC, Italy played two spring training games against the Washington Nationals and New York Mets. Italy trailed through most of the game against the Nationals until Chris Denorfia and Michael Costanzo drove in a run apiece in the seventh inning, and an eighth-inning two-run home run by Valentino Pascucci tied the game at six. A ninth-inning walk-off three-run home run by Roger Bernadina capped off a late rally in the Nats' 9–6 victory over Italy.[7]

Against the Mets, Italy led 2–0 going into the ninth inning. Cory Sullivan hit a two-run home run to tie the game at two, and Jeremy Reed doubled in Daniel Murphy to give the Mets a 3–2 victory.[8]

Italy was again shut out by Venezuela in their first 2009 WBC game, 7–0 on March 7. Starter Mark DiFelice held Venezuela scoreless through the first four innings; however, Venezuela immediately took advantage of Italy's less experienced bullpen, exploding for 4 runs in the fifth.[9]

Against Canada on March 9, Italy pulled off one of the more surprising upsets in the 2009 WBC, winning 6–2, and eliminating the heavily favored Canadian team. Italy led 3–0 heading into the fourth inning, until Canada jumped on starter Dan Serafini for two runs. With the bases loaded and only one out, reliever Chris Cooper struck out Peter Orr, then got Chris Barnwell to fly out to center to end the threat, and keep Italy in the lead. In all, Italy's bullpen pitched six innings without giving up a run.[10]

With this victory, Italy faced their nemeses, Venezuela, a second time. After three scoreless innings pitched by Italian starter Adam Ottavino, Venezuela again dominated Italy's bullpen, scoring four runs in the fourth, and five in the fifth to win 10–1, and eliminate Italy from the World Baseball Classic.[11]

Chicago Cubs farmhand Alex Maestri was the first Italian-born pitcher to sign with a Major League team

2013

Again considered a heavy underdog, Italy won its first two games in Pool D, 6–5 with a 9th-inning comeback over Mexico[12] and 14–4 over Canada[13] in a game called in the 8th inning due to the mercy rule. They lost both games in Round 2 against the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, thus eliminating them from the tournament.

2017

Italy National Baseball Team roster
PlayersProvisional rosterCoaches
Pitchers
 Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

 Manager
  •  5 Marco Mazzieri

Coaches


After a win 10–9 against Mexico, and defeats 11–10 against Venezuela, and 9–3 against Puerto Rico, Italy clinched qualification for the next WBC in 2021.

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record Qualification
Year Host Round Position W L RS RA
1984 United States Preliminary 5th [lower-alpha 1] 1 2 11 33 1983 European Baseball Championship
1992 Spain Preliminary 7th 1 6 25 62 1991 European Baseball Championship
1996 United States Preliminary 6th 2 5 32 59 1995 European Baseball Championship
2000 Australia Preliminary 6th 3 4 33 43 1999 European Baseball Championship
2004 Greece Preliminary 8th 1 6 19 58 European Qualification Tournament
2008 China did not qualify 7th, 2007 European Baseball Championship
Total [lower-alpha 2] 4/5 7 21 109 222
  1. ↑ No medals awarded; tournament was a demonstration sport only
  2. ↑ Totals only include years 1992 to 2008, during which baseball was an official medal sport.

Italy failed to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing for the first time since baseball became an official Olympic sport in 1992. Italy's best finish in an Olympics is sixth place, which they did in both 1996 and 2000. The first time an actual baseball tournament was held at an Olympics in 1984, Italy finished with a 1–2 record, with its only victory coming against the Dominican Republic. There was no official placing as Baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics was a demonstration sport.

At the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting on July 8, 2005, baseball and softball were voted out of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, becoming the first sports voted out of the Olympics since polo was eliminated from the 1936 Summer Olympics.[14]

Because Team Italy finished in the top five in the 2019 European Baseball Championship it moved on to the 2020 Olympics qualifiers, in Italy September 18–22.[15][16]

IBAF Amateur World Series, Baseball World Cup, and WBSC Premier12

     

Italy's best finish in the Amateur World Series has been fourth place, which they did in 1974. In 1986, the event became known as the International Baseball Federation's (IBAF) World Cup. Italy's best finish in a Baseball World Cup is also fourth place, which they did when they served as the host nation in 1998. Italy also hosted the 1978 and 1988 games. The 2009 IBAF World Cup was hosted by Europe. It was the first time in history the World Cup was hosted by a whole continent rather than an individual country.

2007 IBAF World Cup

On November 9, 2007, Italy handed the U.S.A. team their only loss in Team U.S.A.'s route to win the 2007 Baseball World Cup in Taiwan. It was the U.S.'s first loss to Italy in 21 years and the first time it ever lost to Italy with professional players, as the team consisted of Major League Baseball players and top minor league prospects.

Both Italy and Panama ended up with 3–4 records in the 2007 games; however, Panama's 5.85 run ratio versus Italy's 4.73 placed them in fifth place while Italy settled for sixth.

2009

MLB catcher Francisco Cervelli again represented Italy in the 2017 WBC

The 2009 Baseball World Cup took place from September 9–27. Seven European countries hosted and participant in the tournament of 22 teams. The event was made up of five groups consisting of four teams each, for a total of 20 teams. Italy (Bollate, Bologna, Codogno, Florence, Godo, Macerata, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, San Marino, Torino, Trieste, Verona, and Vicenza) and Netherlands (Rotterdam, Haarlem and Amsterdam) serve as hosts of the 16 teams of the second round (September 14–20), and therefore received first round byes. The groups were as follows:[17]

The group Italy hosted in the second round included Australia, Canada, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles and the U.S.A.. Italy's first three match-ups against Chinese Taipei, Mexico, and Australia all resulted in losses. Their first victory came against Japan on September 18. Italy lost two more to Canada and the U.S.A. before winning their final game against Netherlands Antilles. Italy finished the second round with a 2–5 record, and were eliminated.[18]

Italy hosted the final round from September 22–27 in Grosseto, Nettuno, Anzio, Matino, Caserta, Messina, Palermo and Rome, consisting of eight teams.[19] Team USA won the gold medal game of the 2009 IBAF World Cup in Nettuno 10–5 over Cuba.

Intercontinental Cup

  • 1973 : 6th
  • 1975 : 7th
  • 1977 : did not qualify
  • 1979 : did not qualify
  • 1981 : did not qualify
  • 1983 : 4th
    

The Intercontinental Cup is another international baseball competition sponsored by the IBAF. Italy hosted the first ever Intercontinental Cup in 1973, and finished in sixth place. Italy's best finish ever was third place, which they did in the 2010 games.

2006

In the tournament held in Taichung, Taiwan November 9–19, 2006, Italy finished sixth. They secured an impressive 13–3 victory over Chinese Taipei in their first game of the tournament, however, they lost their next three match-ups to Netherlands, Cuba, and Australia (13 innings). After coming back with a victory against the Philippines, Italy lost their next two to Japan and South Korea to end the round robin first phase of the tournament with a 2–5 record.

Italy came back to beat South Korea in the first game of the following round, 8–3. In the battle for fifth place, Italy lost to Australia, 3–2.

2010

Mario Chiarini is the captain of the national team since 2010

Italy beat Chinese Taipei 4–3 in the bronze medal game, gaining the first medal in its International Cup history.

European Baseball Championship

     

The European Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Europe, governed by the WBSC Europe. Italy won the inaugural European Baseball Championship in 1954. It is currently held every other year in odd-numbered years with a total of 30 European Baseball Championships having been played.

Italy has won nine gold medals in the European Baseball Championship, with their most recent being in 2012. In total, Italy has won 27 medals (16 silver, 3 bronze). The only country to have fared better is the Netherlands (21 gold, 7 silver). Italy served as the host nation for the 1956, 1964, 1971, 1979, 1983, 1991, and 1999 games.

2009 European Baseball Championship

Italy qualified for the 2009 European Baseball Championship from the 2007 competition. The other qualifiers were Netherlands, Great Britain, Spain, Germany, France, and Sweden.

Qualification for the 2009 European Baseball Championship was held from July 7 to July 12, 2008, with 23 nations vying for the remaining five spots. Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece and Ukraine were the winners.

However, the tournament was delayed to 2010. Italy won it 13 years after their last victory.

2019 European Baseball Championship

Team Italy competed in the 2019 European Baseball Championship, coming in second and winning the silver medal. Among the players competing for it were John Andreoli, Chris Colabello, Filippo Crepaldi, Murilo Gouvea, Luis Lugo, Alessandro Maestri, Drew Maggi, Giuseppe Mazzanti, Sebastiano Poma, and Alessandro Vaglio.[20]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "The WBSC World Ranking". WBSC. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  2. ↑ Mayer, Michael (13 November 2019). "Mike Piazza to Manage Team Italy in 2021 WBC". metsmerizedonline.com. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  3. ↑ "Italy in the WBSC Ranking (Men's baseball)". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "World Baseball Classic". Archived from the original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
  5. ↑ "Dan Serafini Wins One For Team Italy". 10 March 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
  6. ↑ "Italy World Baseball Classic Team Page". Archived from the original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
  7. ↑ "Italy drops exhibition opener vs. Nats". Archived from the original on 12 March 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
  8. ↑ "Italy lets victory slip away late vs. Mets". Archived from the original on 13 March 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
  9. ↑ "Italy watches Venezuela slip away". Retrieved 11 March 2009.
  10. ↑ "Bravissimo: Italy boots out Canada". Retrieved 11 March 2009.
  11. ↑ "Italy sees its Classic dreams end". Retrieved 11 March 2009.
  12. ↑ "Italy Saves Its Best for Last". Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "Tuscan Raiders: Italy Serves Up Desert Surprise". Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  14. ↑ "Singapore 2005: 2012 Olympic Sport Vote". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 18 March 2007.
  15. ↑ "Retired, shmired | Jewish Baseball News". Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  16. ↑ "MLB Monday (August 26-September 1, 2019) | Jewish Baseball News". Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  17. ↑ "IBAF announces groups for first round of 2009 Baseball World Cup" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
  18. ↑ "IBAF Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) Page". Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  19. ↑ "IBAF World Cup 2009 in Europe". Archived from the original on 24 March 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
  20. ↑ Statistiken baseball-em.de
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