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] Like the country's association football team and other national teams, the national baseball team is known as the Azzurri ("the Blues"), and wears traditional Savoy blue on its uniforms.[2][3]
Italy debuted its national team at the inaugural European Baseball Championship in 1954, which it won. Since then, the team has won nine gold medals at the tournament, 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.
In the 2006 Intercontinental Cup, held in Taichung, Taiwan from November 9 to 9, 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.
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.
The 2009 Baseball World Cup took place from September 9–27. Seven European countries, including Italy, hosted and participated 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.[6] 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.[7][8]
Mario Chiarini is the captain of the national team since 2010
At the 2010 Intercontinental Cup, Italy gained the first medal in the history of the tournament, beating Chinese Taipei 4–3 in the bronze medal game,.
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.[9] With Canada, the U.S.A. & Venezuela completing Pool C, it was arguably the toughest pool in the 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.[10] 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 Reeddoubled inDaniel Murphy to give the Mets a 3–2 victory.[11]
MLB pitcher Jason Grilli represented Italy in the 2006 & 2009 WBC
Italy was again shut out by Venezuela in their first 2009 WBC game, 7–0 on March 7. StarterMark 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.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14]
Again considered a heavy underdog at the 2013 World Baseball Classic, Italy won its first two games in Pool D, 6–5 with a 9th-inning comeback over Mexico[15] and 14–4 over Canada[16] 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.
Under Mike Piazza
Mike Piazza was named the manager of the national team in 2019, replacing Gilberto Gerali, who resigned when Italy failed to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Piazza, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, had previously played for Italy at the 2006 Classic, and served as the team's hitting coach at the 2009 and 2013 WBCs. As part of his contract, he exercises control over all of the national federation's youth development system.[17] His debut as Italy's manager was planned for the 2021 World Baseball Classic, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the 2021 European Baseball Championship held in Piedmont, the Azzurri defeated Spain to earn the bronze medal, after having lost to Israel in the semifinals. Piazza, who left partway through the tournament for his father's funeral, was replaced on the bench by Doriano Bindi.[18][19]
Piazza has come under criticism for relying extensively on Italian Americans and other players from the Italian diaspora, particularly in the World Baseball Classic. However, Piazza has defended the practice, telling Italian media in 2024 that "sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward." He added that "my dream is to develop a native Italian in every position. Then we can have a player with dual citizenship here and there, but mainly a squadra tricolore. That is the goal."[20]
Results and fixtures
The following is a list of professionalbaseball match results currently active in the latest version of the WBSC World Rankings, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.[21]
Team Italia competed in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006,[22] 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.[23]
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.
^No medals awarded; tournament was a demonstration sport only
^Totals only include years 1992 to 2020, 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.
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.[25][26]
Italy's best finish in the Amateur World Series was fourth place, 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 Baseball 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.
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.
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