Posts Tagged Michele Vassalotti
The Boys of Summer – Our Florida Adventures at Spring Training – Part 3
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, Spring Training on April 3, 2024
For day three of our baseball adventure, we headed west in Ft. Myers to Lee Health Sports Complex which was spring training home to the Minnesota Twins and year-round to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. After parking in front of the stadium, we proceeded to a small group of security guys as I needed to find out their bag policy for the game that afternoon. I had used my clear bag at the two Boston games, even though the Red Sox still had a relaxed policy of a small purse and sealed bottle of water allowed. It was a good thing I checked at the Twins complex as I found myself in a return trip to the car. No bags were allowed – not even a clear one. After re-organizing, it was amazing what all I could fit in four jean pockets and under my baseball cap! I had to laugh as sometimes Rick would pawn off his program, purchased merchandise, rain gear, ballpark peanuts and glasses to my clear bag. Not that day! Our ponchos stayed in the car.
The batting cages were adjacent to the stadium. Several fans were peering through the chain link as one batter hit balls being thrown by a coach. I recognized my former Red Sox fantasy baseball catcher immediately. I turned to the man next to me. “Is that Christian Vázquez?” I inquired. “Yeah, but he doesn’t do any autographs or pictures.” The fan was right! Despite the clamors for Vázquez, he ignored everyone and eventually left the cage. “See? That’s what happens when you win a World Series!” the fan called out. No one else came out so we headed to the Practice Fields.
We spotted a group of players doing stretching on a field to the left of the walkway. Straight ahead was the area where pitchers warmed up before heading to the practice fields on the right. We started towards the pitching area and were met by a sign on the fence “Authorized Personnel Only.” Instead, I went back to where they were stretching and leaned on a fence by the water cooler. I hadn’t been there long when a gal named Asja Morello, the Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Mighty Mussels and a guy with a clipboard came over to refill bottles. I chatted with the guy briefly about my friend, pitcher Michele Vassalotti. I shared how the Twins tried to get him in a trade last June when he was in High-A Wisconsin, but the Brewers parted with Tanner Floyd instead. Despite very good performances in the World Baseball Classic and European Championships last year and most recently with the Cardenales who went to the Venezuelan Championship, surprisingly he remains unsigned by any US team. The Cardenales’ only win in the finals went to Vassalotti. The guy with the clipboard planned to share the update at their next meeting.
A few minutes later, a player came over. “Hi! What level are you?” I asked. “I’m AA Wichita,” he replied as he filled his bottle. “Nice. I work for an A club – the Carolina Mudcats.” It turned out that one of his friends he grew up with in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, played for the Mudcats a couple of seasons ago. I knew immediately who the friend was – Joe Gray Jr! His dad, Joe Gray Sr. and I used to share high 5s every time his son launched a homerun at our games! Also attending our games was Justin Finn, Joe’s financial advisor out of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The player smiled. “Justin is my guy too! I’m Regi Grace, Jr.” Another small world moment but the talk ended. It was time for Regi to get back to stretching. I laughed as I started back to the stadium when I spotted several fans walking by the “Authorized Personnel Only” sign and proceeding into the restricted area. Not me!
I met up with Rick at the security checkpoint. As I approached the magnetometer, I emptied my pockets of anything that might compromise my walkthrough. When I collected my cell phone, Canon pocket camera, ID/wallet on a metal belt loop clip and car keys on another belt loop clip, I whispered to the same security guard from our initial arrival. “It sure would have taken less time to screen my clear plastic bag” and winked at him. As in the previous two days, I saw a scout I knew from Mudcats visits. This game it was Cory Melvin, former scout with the Brewers and now with the Yankees. I also met Jose Almonte who scouted for the Marlins.
The former World Champion Atlanta Braves were the visiting team and got off to an exciting start in the top of the inning. The third batter, Braves Matt Olson, launched a 418 foot home run which scored Michael Harris II who was on base. The Twins answered with their own arsenal; three homeruns, two in the fourth inning by Ryan Jeffers and Will Castro followed by one in the fifth, compliments of former Guardians Carlos Santana. Rick moaned what could have been if Santana had stayed with his team. We also saw one of Vassalotti’s teammates from Team Italy, Braves David Fletcher. He had an infield single and a stolen base. Final of the game was the Twins edging the Braves 4-3. After the game, we took the walkway above the bullpens around the ballpark. Beyond center field, the walkway overlooked a small pond with an ominous sign about feeding and harassing alligators!
For our last night in Ft. Myers, Rick chose Two Meatballs in the Kitchen for dining. The place was packed since some restaurants in the area were closed Mondays and it was very noisy. There was no doubt that they served Italian food as the place reeked of garlic. We both had a house salad of Romaine, mixed greens, olives, cucumbers, croutons, carrots, celery, tomato with a house Italian dressing. I decided on Luigi’s Favorite Pasta. It was baked rigatoni, a meatball, ricotta, and Bolognese sauce, topped with mozzarella. The plate was much larger than a dinner plate and atop the rigatoni was a single gigantic meatball resting on the pasta and sauce. The meatball was almost the size of my knife blade! Rick had the Linguine with Clams sautéed in fresh garlic and olive oil. Our dessert was the other half of last night’s carrot cake. I could feel the pounds growing on me and vowed to be more disciplined the next day!
To be continued
Building for a Future in the MLB – There’s No Rest in Professional Baseball – Part 3 of an Exclusive with Pitcher Michele Vassalotti
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, Baseball European Championship, Minor League Baseball, WBC on February 10, 2024
Several of my followers have asked for an update on my friend and pitcher Michele Vassalotti. What better time to write one than on the one-year anniversary from when Team Italy announced the World Baseball Classic roster. Despite his young age of 22 and only having accomplished A ball in the minors, Vassa had been invited by Team Italy to pitch on the world stage just a few weeks later.
Thanks to an online company out of Ireland, I was able to watch Team Italy’s games in Taiwan. The downside was keeping up with the day and time change! I found myself sipping hot, green tea at 3AM while I watched MLB Hall of Famer Mike Piazza manage the Team Italy lineup to a successful run for a trip to the second round of the WBC in Japan. Vassalotti did not disappoint! In his four innings, he held Team Panama to just one run and a hit. One of his three strikeouts was Tampa Bay Rays Christian Bethancourt who also threw his bat in frustration against the dugout wall after Vassalotti pitched him into a double play out his next at bat. The one hit he gave up was a homerun by LA Dodgers prospect Jose Ramos, but Vassa came right back at Ramos again two innings later with a strikeout.
There was no rest after the almost two weeks in Taiwan and Japan as well as the travel back to the US. Because the WBC was held during spring training, Vassa immediately reported to the final two weeks of Brewers spring training in Arizona. Then it was on to Appleton, Wisconsin for a summer of High A ball. In my years of watching baseball, I would describe High A as the most challenging of all levels of minor league baseball. It is the level where most players are too good for A ball, but not developed enough for AA. An injury to the shortstop in July stifled the team with much less experienced players being rotated to the position. I felt like I was re-living my brother’s Little League games watching terrible batting and horrible fielding that led to longer innings by the pitchers. A silver lining in the dark cloud was June 16 when Vassa was awarded Pitcher of the Day for Brewers Farm System when he faced 9 batters in 3 perfect innings of relief. When the season ended, Vassalotti became a free agent.
He headed back to Venezuela just to unpack and repack for his next assignment for Team Italy in the 2023 Baseball European Championship. Training games were held in Trieste, Northern Italy near the Slovenia border and then it was on to Třebíč in the Czech Republic for the tournament with fifteen other teams. In the media for the tournament, Team Italy described the Italian-Venezuelan pitcher as the “Player with the greatest perspective and future.” The most memorable highlight of that stint was not on the field, but meeting up with his sister, Fefi, who he had not seen for six years.
After the two weeks in Europe, he again was not idle long. It was time to try out for the Cardenales de Lara of Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in winter ball. His hard work throughout the year and a velocity in the 90s landed him a spot on the roster. It was a season of being mentored by several major league coaches and pitchers. He made the most of each outing. He regained confidence in his nasty slider – a pitch that left many of the batters he faced including MLB’s Yasiel Puig, befuddled. The Cardenales made it to the championship but ran into a hot Tiburones de La Guaira team out of Caracas. Vassa pitched no-hit ball in middle relief and obtained the only Cardenales win in the championship. The Tiburones went on to Miami and got the MLB exposure in the Caribbean Series.
What happens now for Vassalotti remains an unknown. As a couple of agents explained to me, it’s a bad year to be a minor league free agent, especially one in Venezuela. Shohei Ohtani’s delayed-signing created a log jam of other MLB and MiLB free agents waiting to see what team and salary he signed for. The political climate between the US and Venezuela coupled with the State Department’s Level 4 – Do Not Travel Advisory, prevents American scouts from traveling to Venezuela where they could observe players in action. Vassalotti has an Italian passport and ESTA so getting to the US is not a problem. However, you can’t just walk into spring training and ask for a tryout like they do with football. For now, Michele is weighing all options out there like playing in Mexico, Japan, Independent League in the US or Venezuelan summer ball but his goal remains to be back in Major League Baseball someday as he should be.
The Boys of Summer – Return to Spring Training – Part 4
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, College Basketball, Minor League Baseball, Spring Training on July 30, 2023
The Boys of Summer – Return to Spring Training – Part 4
It was the last day at spring training and a long, full day ahead of us as we would be leaving on an all-nighter back home. Our morning started with a quick complimentary, full breakfast at the hotel. Midway through eating, a chunk of my strawberry waffle went airborne as I cut it and landed in the middle of the table. I quickly scooted the large piece over to Rick’s side of the table while he was looking at his phone – he was none the wiser!
Just like the previous day, we made it to the Brewers practice field before 9:30 to avoid parking fees. We discovered in the two months we were out there, of the ballparks we went to, that was the only team who charged for parking. As we walked up the sidewalk to the practice fields, one of our favorite baseball families – the Avinas – were ahead of us. In addition to Jace’s parents and brother Austin, his grandparents – Kathy and John Flamm – on his mom Jenny’s side, had made the trip to Arizona. The entire family was so excited to be at his first spring training experience.
The familiar sound of cleats on the pavement began and excitement was in the air as the young prospects were all still vying for the final spots on team rosters for Biloxi AA, Wisconsin High A, Carolina A and the Brewers Arizona Complex League rookies. The correct swing and connection of the ball to the bat were imperative as the coaches looked on. Hurlers were tweaking their specialty pitches with future battery-mates. After the workouts, they dispersed to practice fields where they would play visiting minor league teams while some would be playing with the big-leaguers in the Rockies/Brewers game at the adjacent ballpark or because it was a split-squad day, others went to Glendale to play the Dodgers at Camelback.
We had tickets to the Rockies and Brewers matchup. We were thrilled to see several former Mudcats – Noah Campbell, Zavier Warren, Hendry Mendez, Robert Moore, Alex Hall and our friend, Michele Vassalotti at that game. Unlike the rest of the week where I wore my baseball attire, this day I was wearing my University of Houston T-Shirt. My #1 Cougars were playing in the NCAA March Madness against #5 Miami in the Sweet 16 later that afternoon. After the game, plans were to head straight to dinner with Vassalotti and watch the match-up at Dave and Buster’s. In the 3rd inning, I turned to watch a foul ball go by close to us and right behind me was a guy in a Houston Cougars T-Shirt! 4,507 people in attendance at a baseball game in Arizona – what were the odds of a fellow Cougar sitting behind right me??
Starter Corbin Burnes gave up 5 runs with 10 hits in his 5 innings and the Milwaukee bats never caught up. Towards the end of the game, we moved down on the grass near right field and overlooking the bullpen where Vassa was waiting his turn to possibly pitch. Unfortunately, the Brew Crew came up on the short-end of the 9 – 4 score and we didn’t get to see him pitch in relief. After the game, Michele suggested that we meet him out front. He wanted to shower there as we were going straight to dinner and to watch my Cougars game. Rick and I headed to the front of the building to wait. After several minutes, Rick noticed that they were locking the gates to the practice fields where he was parked. He high-tailed to the parking lot. “I’ll find you guys!” So, I’m there and no Michele yet. Players started to trickle out of the building and get on the bus. I walked over to the bus and Darrick, the driver, confirmed that it was the players bus back to the hotel. He also knew Vassalotti. “He’s one of my favorite players,” he claimed. “He’s mine too,” I said with a smile.
Michele came out and told Darrick he wouldn’t be on the bus. Still no Rick. He had passed the entrance once and was looping around a second time. It was almost game time for my Cougars. By now the bus had left. I told Michele that the navigator should have gone with Rick. “Mr. Rick will find us,” he assured me and he finally did. Dave and Buster’s sport bar was packed since it was a Friday and several games were on including the woman’s college basketball games. I spotted a table right below the Houston and Miami game. I looked up at the huge screen. It was already in the 2nd half and it was apparent there would be no Elite 8 for my team. There would be no complimentary massage for me either at my chiropractor’s office in their bracket contest. I had entered the day coasting in first place and plummeted with Houston’s loss since I had them picked as winning the tournament. Yes, while others go for the big-bucks bracket contests, I would have been happy with a massage! Maybe next year!
The Boys of Summer – Return to Spring Training – Part 3 –
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, Spring Training on July 17, 2023
The final days of spring training in Arizona proved to be our favorites. Typical of most vacations, we tried to cram as much as we could in the last two days. By now, we had a routine down and were at the minor league practice fields for the Milwaukee Brewers by 9:30AM to avoid paying for parking. Some of the players were already doing stretches, checking assignments and mingling with fans. I experienced my own adrenalin rush from the sound of the cleats on the pavement between the batting cages and the practice fields. Since we are in our third season with the Carolina Mudcats, the Brewers A affiliate, we knew several of the players by name and even better, they referred to us as “Michele Vassalotti’s US family!”
My first stop was the batting cages where I watched Jace Avina take his swings. I met Jace last season in Kannapolis a couple of weeks after his call-up from the Arizona Complex League. When he took his stance in the batting cage, he emitted confidence with every swing. After he was finished, Jace come over to the door and gave me a quick hug. As I leaned in the doorway of the building, a player was positioned at the door with a sheet in his hand listing the four minor league teams of the Brewers and which field each player was practicing on that day. I was all eyes and ears as each player checked in with him. “I work for the Mudcats. Where do you play?” I asked. He responded, “I’m David Tofu – I’m a coach for Wisconsin.” I laughed. It reminded me of the time when I asked NASCAR driver Timmy Hill what he did with the team.
Adjacent to the batting cage building was a fenced-in area where another coach, Charlie Greene, was operating a machine which threw balls to the catchers. One of the catchers stood from his crouched position and flipped his mask up. It was one of the Mudcats catchers from last season – Jose Sibrian. I waved and he nodded back, then returned to his crouched position. Greene shouted out frequent reminders to the catchers – “Make sure where the Rawlings is!” I continued to watch in awe the flexibility of the catchers as they worked. Catching is truly the hardest defensive position in baseball!
There was more activity on the main walkway as the players started dispersing to the four playing-fields we had access to. Jace’s dad Armando texted me that the family including Jace’s biggest fan, his brother Austin, had arrived and were at one of the fields waiting for Jace’s group to start. For the next couple of hours, I felt like a “Kid-in-a-candy-store” bouncing from field to field watching the minor leaguers vying for positions at different minor league levels which would be assigned by the following week. Every pitch thrown, every at bat taken and every defensive play was being scrutinized by team managers, coaches and development personnel including Bob Miscik and Quinton McCracken.
At noon, we headed walked over to the American Family Fields gate and attended a game between the Brewers and the Padres. It was a gorgeous day for baseball and fans were scattered throughout the grass above the outfield. While I will pass on hot dogs in any ballpark, I could not resist having a brat! And it was awesome! In the 7th inning stretch after singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”, the fans sang “Roll Out the Barrel!” The Brewers won 4 – 2. It was double-header time for us as we headed to Goodyear Park where there was an evening game with the Cincinnati Reds hosting the Seattle Mariners. We had been at so many games there between our February and March visits, GM Bruce Kessman joked about me coming to work there for spring training 2024. As I was mentally calculating costs of a short-term rental and what to do for transportation, I heard a booming “No” in my ear! Rick had no sense of adventure even if it was my fantasy!
The game was brutal for the Cincinnati fans. Seattle scored FIFTEEN runs in the first four innings. We were just about “baseballed-out” for the day so we headed back to Glendale. I called Michele enroute and we planned to meet for dinner. When we got to his hotel, I called him from our car. A sleepy-sounding voice answered. He apologized saying he was really tired and just wanted to go back to sleep. Trying to contain my disappointment, I replied that we understood and we would see him the next day. I hung up and turned to tell Rick about the change in plans. Rick was trying to contain his laughter. Michele was standing outside our car holding his phone to his ear and laughing as he mimicked in his Spanish accent what I said. It was a fun ending to a great day!
The Boys of Summer – Return to Spring Training – Part 2
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, Spring Training on May 7, 2023
Arizona continued to battle providing us with good weather as the second day started with overcast skies and below normal temperatures. My decision was either look cute and be cold or to layer and look twenty pounds more than I was! I chose the latter. Our first stop was Camelback Ranch-Glendale, home to the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers. We had tickets to the White Sox-Royals early afternoon game.
We arrived a few hours before game time and proceeded to the practice fields. As we were greeted by Stephanie at the practice field gate, we could see the practice field behind her was under water. “We had quite a storm last night, but the main ballpark should be OK for playing,” she revealed. We visited a few minutes with her and found out that she and her husband were both retired and living in the Chicago area, but every February and March, Arizona became their home. They both loved baseball and were White Sox diehards so working at spring training was a fun way to earn extra income.
As we proceeded down the muddy pathway, we saw another practice field with workers trying to remove the water. We were just about to retreat back to the car when I spotted two White Sox players coming out of a building and proceeding down a walkway below us, to more practice fields. They looked up and waved. Rick was busy talking to another worker as I zipped by him and proceeded down to a fence by the walkway where several men were lined up with huge notebooks of baseball cards! I could tell this was the place to be! And what did I have for the players to autograph – — my Lotta Sports T-Shirt which only had Michele Vassalotti’s autograph and some Cleveland players.
The men were a pain as they attempted to monopolize the players with numerous cards to sign in each book and I was elbowed into the corner. Polite patience turned out to be my benefit as several players came over to me first instead of the shouting men. I was a kid in a candy store and my T-Shirt quickly loaded up with signatures. One of the last players to come out was no stranger — Joe Kelly, former Boston Red Sox relief pitcher. I almost didn’t recognize him as he wasn’t wearing the dorky glasses he wore when pitching for Boston.
Joe looked towards the line of us. As he signed, more fans infiltrated the area. By now I had people standing against me so there wasn’t room to even move. I left my cramped corner and moved to the other end of the fence. Much to my dismay, he appeared to be ready to leave. I shouted, “Hey Joe Kelly!” and waved. He came over to me. “Oh, there you are!” I laughed and responded, “You are one popular guy!” as he signed the cuff of my shirt. Joe turned out to be the nicest of all the White Sox players or maybe I was just partial to him being a former Red Sox.!
Near the entrance to Camelback Park, there was a pretty lake which separated the White Sox and Dodgers practice fields. Once inside the gates, there was a tree-lined pavilion which served as home to a giant statue of Frank Thomas AKA The Big Hurt, former first baseman for the White Sox in the 90s and early 2000s. Since I had already met several of the White Sox players at the practice field, I headed over to the left field side where some of the Royals were already stretching. The playing surface in the outfield was set down about 12 feet from the stands. It was fun yelling down to the players as they came out of the clubhouse alley. What can I say — baseball brings out the child in me!
By the time the game started at 1:05, the sun was attempting to override the cloud cover. The grassy areas in the outfield were sprinkled with fans on blankets taking in the ballgame. Our seats overlooked the on-deck circle for the White Sox. I was thrilled to see one of my former Red Sox favorites, Andrew Benintendi, batting for Chicago. It was a nice surprise because last year he was with the Yankees so I couldn’t allow myself to like him. Royals Bobby Witt Jr. wasn’t at the game since he was still in Miami at the World Baseball Classic for Team USA. Throughout the game, there were a lot of pitching and player changes as this was the week of determining who would play where. Kansas City edged the White Sox 4 – 3.
It was a doubleheader day for us since there was an evening game at Goodyear Park with the Cincinnati Reds hosting San Diego Padres. We would be seeing the Reds the next night also so I opted for the Padres side while the players stretched. The Padres bused in during peak traffic so they arrived a little later than normal. Because of this, they only had time to warmup instead of mingling with the fans. I spotted two familiar faces doing their pre-game ritual. The first was my hero of several years of fantasy baseball, Nelson Cruz. The other was former Texas Rangers Rougned Odor. I almost didn’t recognize him. He had gone from scraggly hair and beard to clean-shaven with a short haircut. Our seats were on the second row behind home plate. Behind us were several scouts. Vassalotti’s teammate at Team Italy, Brett Sullivan, was catching for the Padres. The game was going quickly with San Diego having several three up, three down innings and the Reds spitting out a run in the first inning and another in the second inning when the Reds did a double steal including Homeplate by Spencer Steer.
We only stayed half the game as we were going on ten hours of baseball and I was running on a tray of French fries at the first game. We swung by the hotel and picked up Michele. We voted for something close so Michele suggested Burros & Fries in the Glendale Entertainment Complex across from the hotels. I had a huge stuffed burrito and I believe it’s the best Mexican fast food I’ve ever had! As we gathered our empty plates up to leave, Rick grabbed his drink cup and slammed it down into my drink cup. There was just one small problem. Mine was still half full of water and it went all over the table and me!! It was time to call it a night!
The Boys of Summer – Return to Spring Training – Part 1
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, Spring Training, WBC on April 23, 2023
It was a return to Spring Training in March when the weather was supposed to be nicer. Minor leaguers were vying for promotions and most importantly, a celebration of our friend Michele Vassalotti’s performance in the World Baseball Classic was in the making. By taking a flight at oh-dark-thirty and thanks to gaining three hours on a time change, we were at the Brewers complex by mid-morning. Skies were very overcast and according to my weather app, rain was in the forecast. We peeked into the batting cages, then watched players at the practice fields stretching. We finally spotted a familiar frame briskly walking towards us. It was Vassalotti. “I’m pitching in the big field this morning! Come see me!” and off he sauntered. I looked at my watch. We were good for an hour and a half before we needed to head to Goodyear Park for the afternoon game. Within minutes, we were seated with scouts and some family members watching a closed scrimmage of the Brewers. After Michele’s successful inning, we left.
Our next stop was at the general offices of the Cleveland Guardians which was located on the road to the practice fields. We were to meet up with Fletcher who was a friend of our boss at the Mudcats. While waiting on “Fletch,” Rick, who was raised west of Cleveland, stood in awe as he viewed a historical wall mural of Indians baseball. For him, as well as the other die-hards, it is still the Indians and the “G” word is not allowed! We then headed across to Goodyear Stadium to watch the visiting Dodgers vs. Cleveland. Sprinkles began and normally I would have said, “Not today.” However, when I saw the LA line-up, I quickly got to my seat which was on the fourth row adjacent to the Dodgers dugout and donned my Red Sox poncho.
Clayton Kershaw was the starting pitcher for the Dodgers. The North Texas native still had his “stuff” throwing in the persistent drizzle. After witnessing his work, I no longer looked at him as an adversary; I appreciated even more what a master he was at his craft. Midway through the game, the rain picked up and the fans in front of us got their umbrellas out which are allowed at Goodyear Park. For the most part, I could position myself and view the game between two of their umbrellas. I couldn’t complain as their umbrellas kept my legs and feet dry. However, when the rain let up, one of the guys positioned his umbrella back to fold it and you can guess where all the rainwater went! All over me!! It was a good time to leave, but not before meeting Bruce Kessman, GM of the Goodyear Ballpark and Player Development Complex. The former flight attendant manager came out in me and I complimented him on the personnel of all levels at the ballpark. What a great springtime gig that would be I thought to myself.
After a brief nap, it was time to finalize plans for dinner. Since we would be celebrating Vassalotti’s World Baseball Classic appearance, we chose an Italian restaurant north of Glendale. Michele brought his Team Italia jersey. The jersey had a soft feel to the material and it was so exciting knowing that I was holding a jersey that had been worn in the World Baseball Classic! During dinner, Vass discussed his experience playing in Taiwan and Japan for Team Italy. He agreed with me that the hardest game was Game 2 when they played against Chinese Taipei. It was definitely a home game for the Chinese Taipei with 37,000 spectators, cheerleaders on the dugouts and a guy banging a drum. All the noise happened while Team Italy batted and of course, quieted when the “home” team was at bat.
We then talked about Game 3 – Italy and Panama. I remembered that one so well. I had gotten a text from Michele that he had been named the starter for Team Italy. He had not pitched in the starting role since 2021 for the Carolina Mudcats. Last season, he was very successful in long-relief and as a closer. Ironically, his number with Team Italy was “37” which was also his number as a starter in 2021. Against Panama, I witnessed an improved starter with great command over his pitches. His velocity had also improved from the 80s to the mid-90s. He pitched four Innings allowing only one hit – a homerun to Jose Ramos, two walks and three strikeouts. His confidence did not waiver after the longball and he struck out Ramos the second time he faced him. Unfortunately, the bats for Team Italy were quiet and bullpen gave up another run making it 2 – 0 loss. It was because of allowing only the two runs in that game and a 7 – 1 upset over favored Team Netherlands in Game 4, that Team Italy emerged a victor in a 4-way tie of the pool and moved on to the quarterfinal in Japan! Sadly, the team was no match for Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan who eventually also won the tournament. According to Michele, a positive they took away was scoring runs against both Ohtani and Yu Darvish.
Rick motioned towards the people dining at the table adjacent to us and the reminiscing ended when I burst into laughter. It was the group who were in the row in front of us at the rainy game earlier in the day. Seated right behind Michele was the umbrella culprit! We took it as a sign to end our evening!
Check out Vassalotti in action against Panama!! https://www.mlb.com/video/michele-vassalotti-s-solid-outing
The Boys of Summer – Adventures at Spring Training – Arizona Fun in February – Part 3
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, Spring Training on April 2, 2023
Our final day was the Royals at the Guardians so we were going to see Bobby Witt, Jr again. Rick was decked out in his Indians attire as were many Cleveland fans. We headed over to the practice fields but it was harder to get to see the players since the closest that fans could get was at chain-linked fence at left field. I had to squint to see who was batting. According to Andy and Rick, two older guys that we met, they used to have the practice fields very open to fans but it changed after COVID. We saw Josh Naylor bat and then go over to the right field fence to take pictures with fans. Figures. We were on the wrong side! A little boy next to me belted out, “Stephen Kwan!” The leadoff player headed our way! After the boys got his autograph, I timidly asked for a picture with him and he obliged.
The Goodyear Park was our favorite of the three ballparks. The parking was free and they permitted purses in as well as sealed bottled water. When I was leaving the restroom, our usher was in there and she said, “It will be very sunny in the seats you are in and you’re going to need sunscreen.” I was glad she said something but unfortunately, I didn’t have sunscreen with me. She pointed to a dispenser adjacent to the restroom door. Complimentary sunscreen! I coated my nose with it and headed out. The guys from the practice field, Andy and Rick, were on the concourse on the lookout for us. “We’re going to show you where you can get player pictures and autographs.” The area was the rail between first base and right field. I got my picture made and my Lotta Sports T-shirt autographed by several players including Jose Ramirez, Josh Naylor, his brother Bo and a few pitchers. I was a kid in a candy store! When Josh Bell came out to warm up, the fans went crazy yelling for his autograph – me included! A guy next to me said, “Forget it. He doesn’t sign.” Well, guess who came over and signed!?! Josh Bell! He was bigger than life! During the game, Cleveland’s David Fry was brought in to pitch hit. A voice boomed from a few rows behind us, “Hit it to Colleyville!” That’s where Fry was from and also home of Bobby Witt, Jr. as well as a town away from where we lived in Grapevine, Texas. Unfortunately, the former Indians players were scalped in their game getting beat 12 – 6 by the Royals.
We headed back to Tempe to meet up with Michele for dinner. We had asked him what kind of foods he liked and he responded anything but Thai. He loved sushi so Rick found a seafood restaurant in Tempe that had several sushi dishes. Michele was amazing with the chopsticks! We had a real nice dinner and we discovered our waiter had played baseball. I think he told us it was in high school but he got injured pitching so he didn’t get to play after that. After dinner, I asked Michele to sign my T-shirt. “It’s all Cleveland players!” “Well, I just started it! They’ll be more!” We both laughed and he signed it.
We dropped Michele off his hotel and wished him the very best. The next day he was leaving for Taiwan to play in the World Baseball Classic! Little did he realize, that Taiwan would not be his only destination in the WBC journey or did he….
The Boys of Summer – Adventures at Spring Training – Arizona Fun in February – Part 2
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, Spring Training on April 2, 2023
The following morning Michele posted that his “Nonna” (grandmother on his mother’s side) had passed away. Sadness filled my heart for him since he was thousands of miles away from home and unable to grieve with his family in Venezuela. Rick and I headed out to Surprise where the Kansas City Royals were hosting the Milwaukee Brewers. We had a little time to kill before the game started so we headed over to the practice fields where I was hoping to see Bobby Witt Jr. in batting practice. We were very lucky that we met a guy named Gerald and his dad who were regulars at all the Royals spring training games. They showed us exactly where the KC practice fields were. When we got over there, I still wasn’t seeing any of the players that I wanted to see namely Bobby Witt Jr. so went up to a guy who looked like he knew what was going on. It turned out he really did know – he was J.J. Picollo, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Royals! I introduced myself and did a capsule version of how I knew Witt, Jr’s dad from when I worked the Texas Ranger charters when I was with Delta. JJ didn’t think Bobby Sr. was at spring training yet. About that time, Gerald ran up and said, “Bobby Witt Jr. is taking BP (batting practice) over there!”
As we watched BP, a group of fans congregated at the fence rail near the gate leading out. At one point, I saw JJ talking to Witt, Jr. After Bobby’s group finished, they proceeded along the fence line. The fans only wanted autographs and pictures of one player – Bobby Witt, Jr.! We patiently waited while he progressed towards the gate out where we were. Finally, he got to us and I quickly explained my connection to his dad. “No, my dad won’t be here until next month.” He kind of chuckled because I guess this was new for him having somebody not want his autograph or picture! “Oh well …” I responded with disappointment in my voice. “Could I please get a picture with you anyway?” so then he really laughed.
By now it was almost game time so we headed over to the ballpark. The starters for both teams were to play almost half the game and then be replaced by minor leaguers. We saw some of our former Mudcats in the Brewers dugout. A young lady in sunglasses sat down next to us. I looked over at the very attractive gal. She smiled and said, “Do you remember me?” I laughed and said, “I know you… don’t I?” She laughed and removed the shades. It was Hedbert Perez’s girlfriend who had attended many Mudcats games both home and away. Hedbert batted in the fifth inning. “BAM!!” as the bat connected with the ball. The rocket was launched!!! Homerun!!! As we were standing up cheering and yelling, I turned around to congratulate her and she wasn’t there!! Hedbert crossed the plate all smiles. The Brewers won big over Kansas City 10 to 4!
The Team Italy special fundraiser dinner was at Tomaso’s restaurant in Scottsdale. We had looked into supporting the fundraiser and were going to surprise Michele. Well, the surprise was on us with the price tag to attend – five hundred dollars a plate!! Instead, I reserved a table in the main dining room. We got all dressed up in our nice clothes. It was a beautiful small restaurant and it had been years since I saw tablecloths and linen napkins at an eating establishment! We were sitting there looking over the menu and all of the sudden the whole team Italy started streaming through the main restaurant in a line of blue suits all going to the private dining room. Every once in a while, a person that was eating in the main dining room would get up and take pictures. I had my camera ready and knew the minute Michele came in because he was so tall he towered over most of the team. I slowly positioned to get a picture and he stopped!! “Don’t stop! I don’t want to get you in trouble!” He laughed and proceeded to the back. It was one of the best, if not the best, meals I’ve ever had! I had the five-layer lasagna and a very good salad. For dessert I could not turn down the temptation of the caramel cheesecake. It was amazing! Meanwhile Team Italy players had started to trickle out with some coming out for a breather or to use the restroom. When Michele came out, we were already finished with dessert and they still hadn’t gotten to their main course!! Their dinner was being done by numerous courses and I was thankful I wouldn’t be digesting dinner at 11PM which was 2AM my time!!
The Boys of Summer – Adventures at Spring Training – Arizona Fun in February – Part 1
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, Spring Training on April 2, 2023
For true baseball fans, there is no better experience than attending spring training. The atmosphere is somewhat more relaxed than the regular season. Players are reunited with last season’s teammates while others meet new faces on a different team. Spring training is for fans of all ages with some multi-generations making the event an annual affair. This year, the Phoenix area was home not only to Major League Baseball’s Cactus League, but also some of the teams preparing to play in the World Baseball Classic, baseball’s biggest global tournament. It was a no-brainer where this baseball enthusiast wanted to be in February!
As luck would have it, over half the country was having weather issues from snow to tornados and we were trying to fly on standby! The parking situation at the airport should have been another indicator that the trip out there might have issues. After circling seven levels of the parking garage, we found the last parking spot on the rooftop. We just missed getting seats on the Atlanta flight, but were able to get on a flight to Salt Lake City and would be at least at the right end of the country for our final destination, Phoenix. The passenger next me was at the emergency exit and there was no seat in front of him. He ordered two Bloody Marys when the flight attendants came through with the beverage cart. He had just mixed his first one, when he decided to cross his legs. His tray table tilted dumping the Bloody Mary on his pants. His gold jeans had turned into a reddish-gold color and were soaked! The flight attendant quickly offered napkins to stop the mix from going on me and then retrieved galley towels and soda for the cleanup. Thanks to her quick response, I was spared my clothes getting soiled. Our area smelled of Bloody Mary mix for the next four hours!
After four hours of sleep — but who’s counting — we caught a flight down to Phoenix from Salt Lake City the next morning. We left the snow-covered Utah mountains hoping to have sunshine and nice warm temperatures like Arizona is known for. However, when we landed, we discovered that Arizona was having their coldest weather in years! Like a good girl scout, I came prepared with a jacket, thermal vest, wool socks and long johns!
The first part of the day was spent at American Family Fields, home of the Milwaukee Brewers. There was a Split Squad game with half of the Brewers hosting the Oakland A’s and the other half of the team over at the Colorado Rockies. Unfortunately for poor Milwaukee, it was a very one-sided game. Oakland got off to a fast start scoring four runs in the top of the first inning; the Brewers starting pitcher was pulled without making an out. The Milwaukee bats were very silent until the third inning when Luis Urias hit a homerun. By the sixth inning, it was six to one Oakland over Milwaukee with little hope in sight. We decided to head over to the other side of Phoenix to Scottsdale where we knew former Carolina Mudcats Sal Frelick and Michele Vassalotti were working out with Team Italy for the World Baseball Classic.
When we arrived at Notre Dame Prep Academy, we saw a handful of fans watching several players taking batting practice. As we walked towards the practice field, we came upon a security guard near first base. I explained we were there to see a particular player who was a pitcher and he asked if we were family. I laughed and I answered, “Kind of… Michele refers to us as his U.S. family.” He escorted us to a building across the parking lot. Inside were several players in a weight room while trainers monitored their workout. A weight trainer named Simone came over so I explained why we were there. Michele smiled and waved when he saw us quietly observing from the corner of the room. Christian Scafidi, one of the most accomplished pitchers at Penn and a grad transfer to Notre Dame, introduced himself to us. When he told me he was a free agent pitcher, I suggested he contact the Boston Red Sox. “We need all the help we can get!” He laughed and wiped his forehead, then went back to a machine. I was exhausted just watching the different drills and wished my pounds would be affected by just viewing.
When it was time for the team to head back to the hotel, we walked over to the team bus while Michele ran to the field to grab his gear. Outside the bus stood Mike Piazza, manager of Team Italy. Still sporting his infamous mustache, I could picture him in catcher’s gear. I was in awe of being there right next to the Hall of Famer and I think I mumbled something like, “I used to love to watch you catch” and “Congratulations on managing team Italy.” Also with him was Gianmarco Faraone, GM for the Italian Federation. Thankfully before any more exchanges were made, Michele ran up and bound up the bus stairs followed by the two men.
A few hours later, we took Michele and his roommate Ricardo Paolini, also from Venezuela, to dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse. As we got ready to order, Michele helped Ricardo by explaining some of the menu since Ricardo’s English was a little limited. When I ordered the garlic shrimp, Michele looked at me in disbelief and said, “Shrimp in a steakhouse!?! You’re supposed to order steak in a steakhouse!” We all got a good laugh out of that statement. He was right; it was not the best shrimp I’ve ever tasted! After dinner the boys wanted to stop by Target to pick up a few things they needed for a dinner honoring Team Italy the next evening. After three turns in the parking lot, we arrived at Target and headed back to the men’s department where Michele started on a search for a belt. He stopped at the shoes and picked up a pair of black shoes. “Well, I do have white shoes at the hotel.” He set the shoes back down and we went to an end display of belts where he immediately found one which he liked. Meanwhile, Ricardo had wandered off. We called out his name. There was no response. We went up and down the aisles in the men’s section. I thought I saw him so I headed down another aisle. Now I’m following a guy through the store and calling out, “Ricardo… Ricardo” and he’s not turning around. I finally caught up with him and I said, “Ricardo!” and the guy turned around. It wasn’t him and it was then I realized I had lost the rest of the group!! Nothing like getting lost in Target just minutes before closing!
The Boys of Summer – The Off-Season Journey – Part 2 of an Exclusive with Pitcher Michele Vassalotti
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, Exclusives, Minor League Baseball on February 22, 2023
The day after the Carolina Mudcats season ended, Michele Vassalotti arrived at Raleigh-Durham airport to return to his homeland, Venezuela, for the offseason. It wasn’t hard to spot him as he and several other ballplayers came down the steps from TSA. They were all tall and several were wearing their Milwaukee Brewers jackets. Michele wanted to grab a sandwich and coffee first. When ordering, the cashier asked him for his name. “Mike,” he replied, then turned to me and said, “It’s easier this way in the US.” I laughed and said, “You should hear what they do to Carlotta!” We both laughed.
While waiting in the gatehouse for boarding, we heard the agent announce about the flight being near full to JFK and the need to gate-check large roller bags at no extra charge. I looked at Michele’s which looked like it was ready to give birth and suggested taking his up to the podium. “Oh, it will fit,” he stated. I laughed to myself and thought of how many times I had heard that when I was a flight attendant. As predicted during boarding, the gate agent tagged his bag. He looked back at me. “It will be in the jetway at JFK. Trust me,” I assured him. “Now, don’t ring your flight attendant call button!” He laughed and headed down the jetway. A couple of hours later, I received a text. “I have arrived in New York City. That’s the button you mentioned?” followed by laughing emojis. Next was a picture of the panel above his seat. The following day, he finally arrived in Caracas.
The rest of September was spending time with his family, helping his dad who has a shoe business, celebrating his grandpa’s birthday and having dental surgery. He also took a mental and physical break from baseball with one exception — following Albert Pujol’s run for his 700th homerun! The break didn’t last long as he found out he had been chosen to pitch for Venezuela mid-October in the WBSC U23 Baseball World Cup!
The tournament was in Taiwan. There was a twelve-hour difference in time and they were a day ahead of us. I found myself up at 3AM in my jammies and sipping green tea while watching his games. Michele was awesome. He pitched relief in three games shutting down the batters from top ranked Japan and Chinese Taipei as well as Puerto Rico. Although the Venezuelan team fell short in tournament play, Vassalotti did not disappoint with a 0.00 ERA, giving up only 2 hits and 4 walks. He stuck out 4. According to the game announcers, there was speculation that Japan and Chinese Taipei might be thinking of pursuing the right-hander to pitch for their countries!!
November brought World Cup soccer action and it was my turn to amaze Michele with my picks in a contest sponsored by Fox Sports. I went through the tournament in the mid-90 to high-90 percentile. I only suffered two upsets by Croatia and Belgium. I was headed to the quarter-finals in the top 99 percentile and a million-dollar prize might become a reality! Vass shared in my excitement and provided a list of suggestions of how to spend my money buying homes in Iceland, Spain and Italy. I was ready! But like many dreams, this one came to an abrupt end when Portugal benched their best player, Cristiano Ronaldo, and the team was upset by Morocco. I finished in the 92 percentile.
Meanwhile in Venezuela, Michele had put his personal life on hold and was back in an intensive training program. Determined to improve and excel, he surrounded himself with qualified mentors. His coach, Victor Aguirre of New Performance, spent endless hours working with his pitching mechanics and ways to improve his durability. Physical therapist Gerardo Figueroa ensured he was conditioning correctly and sports psychologist Itamar Cabrera focused on the mental aspect. Thanks to Instagram, I could view his sessions and watch his progress. I witnessed a change in his style, delivery and speed. He exuded confidence.
The discipline, determination and hard work paid off. Recently Michele was named by Team Italy to participate in the World Baseball Classic in March. It’s his second stint with Team Italy as he was on the team in 2017 during World Cup play in Thunder Bay, Canada. There will be workouts soon in Arizona before Team Italy heads to Taiwan for the first round of play for their Pool A. Also in their pool are the Netherlands, Cuba, Panama and no stranger to Vassalotti, Chinese Taipei!
'lotta sports 