[SPEAKER_02]: Episode one, ninety-four.
[SPEAKER_02]: We see what's happening down on the farm and talk with current pitcher for the Altuna Curve.
[SPEAKER_02]: Alessandro, Eccolani.
[SPEAKER_02]: You're listening to the Bucco Banner podcast, brought to you by the Just Baseball Media Network.
[SPEAKER_02]: Q to music.
[SPEAKER_03]: Welcome back to another episode, down on the far.
[SPEAKER_03]: Got some stuff to talk about.
[SPEAKER_03]: Thought we might have a trade by now to discuss outside of Cam Devaney, who we had on last episode.
[SPEAKER_03]: Find an interview.
[SPEAKER_03]: But today, he's got a really special guest in my opinion.
[SPEAKER_03]: Alessandro Orcalani with the Al tuna curve.
[SPEAKER_02]: Scott's been waiting for this one for a long time.
[SPEAKER_03]: I have to have the hat ready.
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh my god, do you know you have your glove on you as well?
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's in my car.
[SPEAKER_03]: We got softball tonight.
[SPEAKER_02]: We have softball tonight and Scott and I of course have custom made gloves, custom made softball gloves because why not?
[SPEAKER_02]: I have mine in just our team colors, which are blue and yellow and Scott ordered an Italian flag on his
[SPEAKER_02]: Not just one Italian flag on his glove, two Italian flags on his glove.
[SPEAKER_03]: Brand forty four gloves, right?
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, forty four and the forty four on the wrist has an Italian flag across it and then there's a tie in flag along the thumb, I think, or the pinky on one of the other parts of the glove.
[SPEAKER_03]: So, yeah, I mean, and it has the light blue for the team of Zori, like, you know, like that kind of flows with our color, right?
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I agree.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's an amazing sense.
[SPEAKER_03]: Like I didn't go in saying, I wouldn't be tying up, but I was like, it makes sense.
[SPEAKER_02]: They gave you the option.
[SPEAKER_02]: That's all that matters.
[SPEAKER_02]: They gave you the option and you weren't going to pass up that opportunity.
[SPEAKER_02]: So good for you.
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm happy for you.
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm excited for this interview later on in this episode.
[SPEAKER_02]: We have some stuff happening down in the farm real quick.
[SPEAKER_02]: Garrett McMillan, Jack Branigan, Joaquin Tahada.
[SPEAKER_02]: placed on the full season I.L.
[SPEAKER_02]: Brandigan underwent right shoulder laboral repair surgery.
[SPEAKER_02]: So he is out for the year.
[SPEAKER_02]: We were talking about it.
[SPEAKER_02]: I think a week ago, like we haven't heard about McMillan in a while as well.
[SPEAKER_02]: So that makes sense that they're put on the I.L.
[SPEAKER_02]: Garrett was having a good year.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, he was.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, he was.
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know what the specifics are on Garrett, but Brandon again, you don't really love to hear a shoulder.
[SPEAKER_03]: I'd rather hear an elbow over shoulder, a leg drum.
[SPEAKER_03]: It seems like a big deal.
[SPEAKER_03]: So they anticipate him being fully ready for next season and making a full cover of the soft season.
[SPEAKER_03]: So we'll see, but I always like tend to get, I don't know, nervous when I hear shoulder stuff.
[SPEAKER_03]: And we also have some draft stuff to talk about here before we get into our recaps.
[SPEAKER_03]: But Seth Hernandez signed for slightly under Sloan.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think it was like seven point two five million.
[SPEAKER_03]: The slot was seven point five.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I could be slightly off there.
[SPEAKER_03]: But yeah, I got our first round pick in and really excited about that.
[SPEAKER_03]: Signed all, but I think three high school guys that we selected in this track.
[SPEAKER_03]: And one being the second round pick, which was interesting.
[SPEAKER_03]: Angel Cervantes are on-house, Cervantes.
[SPEAKER_03]: Sorry if I'm pronouncing that incorrectly is fulfilling his commitment to UCLA out of Southern California high school.
[SPEAKER_03]: He was a guy that Murph was really high on a lot of draft guys were high on due to his fastball characteristics and the plus change up.
[SPEAKER_03]: Looks like he's going to be going to UCLA.
[SPEAKER_03]: The deadline is today, I believe, right?
[SPEAKER_03]: The twenty eighth.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I think it's now passed.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think it was five o'clock Eastern time.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's five thirty as we're talking right now.
[SPEAKER_03]: Also Connor Hamilton is going to Vanderbilt.
[SPEAKER_03]: And I believe the last one is Nick Frusko, who's who's twenty-thrampic.
[SPEAKER_03]: I believe he's going to Clemson.
[SPEAKER_03]: It could be wrong there, but they were able to sign McLean, McLean moody.
[SPEAKER_03]: promising, projectable arm out of Arkansas, who's committed Arkansas, and then Carter Boost out of Minnesota high school that was committed in Nebraska.
[SPEAKER_03]: So, got those guys in the laid-around state and come away completely empty handed on the prepside.
[SPEAKER_02]: Are you at all concerned that surround this?
[SPEAKER_02]: There's events.
[SPEAKER_02]: Did it sign?
[SPEAKER_02]: No, because this happens.
[SPEAKER_02]: Sure.
[SPEAKER_02]: Just a second round, second round high school.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, be a little bit more certain that you're going to be able to lock that up.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, but apparently the pirates don't always draft guys.
[SPEAKER_03]: I've apparently, this isn't just the pirates who do this.
[SPEAKER_03]: They don't always draft guys that.
[SPEAKER_03]: they were necessarily, they had a deal with.
[SPEAKER_03]: Sure.
[SPEAKER_03]: So maybe maybe serve on things to deal with someone else, but he sounds like if you're going to pass up on two million dollars, I don't think you get more than five hundred K and NIA for college baseball to be honest with you.
[SPEAKER_03]: If you're passing up on that two million, you're probably really willing to, you really wanted to go to college and John Savage is one of the best college coaches in baseball.
[SPEAKER_03]: UCLA is going to create program.
[SPEAKER_03]: Rock Chaloski is probably going to be the one one pick next year.
[SPEAKER_03]: They're, they're, they're in filter.
[SPEAKER_03]: So
[SPEAKER_03]: Really good program and opportunity for him to be a weekend starter and really grow as a really young prep guy.
[SPEAKER_03]: He was only seventeen on draft day.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I'm not too too surprised.
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, it sucks.
[SPEAKER_03]: But at the same time, we get that caught pick next year and I'm much deeper class.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I'll take it.
[SPEAKER_02]: There you go.
[SPEAKER_02]: Baba Chandler.
[SPEAKER_02]: has looked good in the month of July.
[SPEAKER_02]: He's got a two nine five ERA in July.
[SPEAKER_02]: Scott and twenty one and one third innings pitch.
[SPEAKER_02]: What are the chances that we see Bubba right after the trade deadline?
[SPEAKER_03]: I would be shocked if we get deep into August for that same Bubba.
[SPEAKER_03]: Like seriously, I don't
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't see a world where that's possible unless he's hurt.
[SPEAKER_03]: Because we see one of, if not a couple of Keller, Heenie, falter.
[SPEAKER_03]: I know that's not talked about it a lot, but like, could be moved.
[SPEAKER_03]: It seems like the conversation around Mitch Keller has really faded recently on the possibility of him getting dealt.
[SPEAKER_03]: But you'd have to think that there's an opportunity for these guys at O viaos coming back.
[SPEAKER_03]: You got Chandler coming up.
[SPEAKER_03]: Good use, Harrington.
[SPEAKER_03]: Harrington, you may as they be this year, hasn't been fantastic and AAA, but you know, has shown that he can be a back-end guy.
[SPEAKER_03]: So they have options, and Chandler being the top one with the most upside, I would be very surprised if we don't see him by some point for a second leg August.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
[SPEAKER_02]: Also Charles Hayes is tweeting everything happens for a reason right now.
[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm not earlier.
[SPEAKER_02]: I was about to send that to you.
[SPEAKER_02]: And I don't know what that's about.
[SPEAKER_02]: But I'm very curious to key.
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm keeping my eyes on Twitter right now because it's that time of the year where anything can happen at any moment.
[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm itching for the pirates to make a move.
[SPEAKER_02]: And he Brian Hayes has been on that short list.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, he has been.
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know.
[SPEAKER_03]: We're getting to a point where like they haven't done anything.
[SPEAKER_03]: And I know what what happens on trade deadline day, but I'm
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm kind of surprised that there hasn't been another move outside of Adam Freish so far.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I'm a little bit nervous just with this front office that we come out of this trade deadline with nothing.
[SPEAKER_03]: Like we did this off season.
[SPEAKER_03]: We deemed it the most important off season.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then we deemed this one of the more important trade deadlines to really turn things around.
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm nervous in that aspect, but yeah, Brian Hayes is definitely, I don't know what he's going to bring back, but you'd think they might package it when someone like a Haney or a Keller or even a Bednor, right?
[SPEAKER_03]: We'll see.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, as we go through these game recaps, I think we're going to notice that there's a lot of names that could potentially be moved in certain deals going forward, but as we mentioned on our major league episode, the only way the pirates are going to get better.
[SPEAKER_02]: is one building from within which they've told you a billion times and establishing that core from the guys that they draft and the guys that they move through their system, but two making trades and trying to fit certain windows to capitalize on the assets that you have right now.
[SPEAKER_02]: If they do not do that, the only other option is to go spend money.
[SPEAKER_02]: Again, the only other option is for Bob Nutting to go spend money in the off season.
[SPEAKER_02]: Scott, what are the chances of that?
[SPEAKER_03]: Very slim.
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, I don't think they're going to spend significantly more than they already are.
[SPEAKER_03]: And what does that get you, right?
[SPEAKER_03]: So, you know, we see a lot of comments like go get an impact batting you off season, go do this new off season, but they haven't done that and over and over again, they've showed us if they're not going to do that.
[SPEAKER_03]: The chance to get an impact bat is at the deadline here.
[SPEAKER_03]: Like you could go trade a picture to the dodging, maybe get Alex Freeland here's a top in-field prospect.
[SPEAKER_03]: You could get a no-in case from the cubs, you could get a Spencer Jones, but you're not getting those guys in free agency.
[SPEAKER_03]: Guys are that type of upside.
[SPEAKER_03]: And that's why I tend to lean towards getting improving here at the deadline rather than the office.
[SPEAKER_03]: Just because I'm trying to be realistic here and what I think this team will do.
[SPEAKER_03]: Right.
[SPEAKER_02]: And as we go through this, these are the guys right now, that could potentially impact this team moving forward.
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's, I use impact.
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, I don't want to emphasize that word too much because impact.
[SPEAKER_02]: is going to be very, very little with the guys that we have currently outside of a handful that could potentially contribute in late twenty twenty six, maybe twenty twenty seven if they're even is a season.
[SPEAKER_02]: So again, adding to this group that we're about to go through and just strengthening
[SPEAKER_02]: The system is the only way this team is going to get better.
[SPEAKER_02]: We're adding upper level bats that are almost ready for the major league level or that have some type of experience.
[SPEAKER_02]: I cannot emphasize that enough.
[SPEAKER_02]: It's drive me crazy dude that we have having this conversation.
[SPEAKER_02]: And I know we're going to go the off season and I know I'm renting now, but I know we're going to go into the off season and we're going to have our dream players that we want.
[SPEAKER_03]: And we're going to have that episode with Noah Hiles and he's going to have a strength in the hope.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I'm telling us that we're going to get a dollars car seat.
[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm not telling you not to have a fun option and hope for the best, but if we're just looking at it in the history of the Bob Nutting Pirates, that's not going to happen.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Scott, I'll get us kicked off here with Indianapolis, first the Toledo Mudhens, the Triple A affiliate for the Tigers who are going to be making some moves.
[SPEAKER_02]: And I believe they made a move for Chris Patrick today.
[SPEAKER_03]: and Randy Dobnek, Kelly Windsor.
[SPEAKER_02]: All right.
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, Indianapolis at sixty one and forty Billy Cook seven for twenty six on the week.
[SPEAKER_02]: He's been hot.
[SPEAKER_02]: Three home runs.
[SPEAKER_02]: Ten RBI's six walks.
[SPEAKER_02]: Nick York two for four one run two RBI's.
[SPEAKER_02]: Cam Devaney, friend of the show five for seventeen two runs four walks seven case.
[SPEAKER_02]: What's not shown in this stat line is the magician that he is.
[SPEAKER_02]: at the short stop position his average right now sits at two seventy one Tuesday Thomas Harrington went five and two thirds one earned two walks seven case Billy Cook hit his six home run on the year when's it all in holderman who is continuing his stint in triple eight went one and one third one hit one earned two walks three cases ERA right now sits at eight
[SPEAKER_02]: Six, four, Darry Mariah, one and one, third, one walk, three strikeouts, and then Billy Cook hit his seventh home run on the year three RBIs.
[SPEAKER_02]: Thursday, Bubba Chandler, one, five and two, third, four hits, two earned two walks, seventh strikeouts.
[SPEAKER_02]: Eddie Yene has fifth save on the season.
[SPEAKER_02]: His ERA is at two, three, eight.
[SPEAKER_02]: Billy Cook hit another one on Friday, his eighth, and then Saturday, Hunter Barco took the mound two innings, two hits, one earned four walks, one K.
[SPEAKER_02]: Sorry, Maretta, again, one inning, one hit, one walk, three case.
[SPEAKER_02]: His ERA is at two, seven, six.
[SPEAKER_02]: Sunday, Thomas Harrington, four, and one third, three hits, four earned two walks, four days, two home runs, given up.
[SPEAKER_02]: And then Nick York went two for four with two RBIs, which brings us to Altuna.
[SPEAKER_03]: Tuna, they were home against a Chesapeake Bay Sox, Orioles to play affiliate, and the weekend, forty six and forty nine overall, termar one for seven with two k's.
[SPEAKER_03]: He actually didn't play the second half of this week because of an injury that is unknown at this point.
[SPEAKER_03]: Bitch jab for parating with a triple, a walk in a stolen base.
[SPEAKER_03]: Omar Alfonso, two for seventeen, two doubles, and five k's.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's Merlin Verdez, Valdez, one for nine with a triple in an RBI, one walk, five k's.
[SPEAKER_03]: Tuesday, Valentina Norris, one in two thirds, no hits, one walk, two k's in relief, chase, bound one for three with a double.
[SPEAKER_03]: When's they just in mece, the Bethel Park native,
[SPEAKER_03]: Uh, two innings, no hits for K's.
[SPEAKER_03]: He has two, seven, four year eight out of relief.
[SPEAKER_03]: And I'll tune in that.
[SPEAKER_03]: That alternate bullpen is nasty.
[SPEAKER_03]: Nick Simillo, two for four with his eighth homeer of the year.
[SPEAKER_03]: Ovietto makes another start on Thursday.
[SPEAKER_03]: Five innings, four hits.
[SPEAKER_03]: Oneer, no walks, five K's, two, sixteen year eight in the minor so far, working his way back up.
[SPEAKER_03]: Ryan Harbidman, one innings, no hits to K's and Mitch Jeb went one for three with a triple.
[SPEAKER_03]: Friday and twenty-killy five inning seven hits four earned one walk for K's two eighty four year ERA in double A. Brandon Bidwag gave up his first turn run of the year two innings three hits one earned three K's points six ERA for the Aussie.
[SPEAKER_03]: Wilbur do tell on Saturday five innings four hits one earned three walks five K's better outing from Wilbur.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's really about this one for three of the trip one in RBI.
[SPEAKER_03]: and then the cap off the week, put you channeling three innings, two hits, no earned, two walks, three k's, what Jason Bell and his fifth home right here, and had three RBIs.
[SPEAKER_03]: Adam, take his into Greensboro.
[SPEAKER_02]: Greensboro, Hobbyart Rebus went four for twenty four on the week.
[SPEAKER_02]: His average is at two sixty seven, Connor Griffin man, Ken for twenty three five runs with a double a triple to our BIs two walks, only three strikeouts and five more stolen bases.
[SPEAKER_02]: His average is at three twenty three.
[SPEAKER_02]: Got to start making the argument that he needs to be challenged more.
[SPEAKER_02]: I really think it's going to be sooner rather than later that we see him in Altuna.
[SPEAKER_02]: got to get him different looks here will tailor for for seventeen two runs two walks one r b i four walks three k's adding two forty six Tuesday Carlson read one five innings two earned one walk three k's kind of don't got to win three for five with a double two r b i's
[SPEAKER_02]: Wednesday, pains, stumbo, five innings, three hits, one earned no walks, four k's and polanco, two for three with two home runs to RBI's.
[SPEAKER_02]: Christian Curtis, five and two thirds, four hits, one earned two walks, five k's on Thursday and then Connor Griffin, one for five with a double two RBI's and two stolen bases.
[SPEAKER_02]: Friday, kind of Delgado hit his talk home run on the year.
[SPEAKER_02]: Saturday, Dominic Parachi, four innings, two hits, no earn, one walk five.
[SPEAKER_02]: Kays and then Connor Griffin again, two for four with his night teeth, stolen bag and another triple.
[SPEAKER_02]: Sunday, Connor, we grief six innings, seven hits, two earned, no walk seven, Kays.
[SPEAKER_02]: And then Griffin again, two for five with his twenty-a-th stolen bag on the season.
[SPEAKER_02]: Let's go to Brandon den.
[SPEAKER_03]: Rainton, they were, they had a two-part of this week.
[SPEAKER_03]: They played the Clearwater Threatures to start off the week, the low AFLA for the fillings, and then they finished off the weekend with the Janine Blue Jays at home.
[SPEAKER_03]: White Samford, six-fraight teen, a double triple three-walks, two-cays, and three-storm bases.
[SPEAKER_03]: You're Donney Davis, son, to seven for twenty-one, a double two-RBI, and three-storm bases.
[SPEAKER_03]: This is at forty on the year.
[SPEAKER_03]: Tony Blanco Jr., two for seven, two walks.
[SPEAKER_03]: He's hitting three hundred and Edward Florentino, five for twenty one, three homers, five RBIs, one walk nine, K's.
[SPEAKER_03]: Let's go to Tuesday, Matt Ager, the UCSB, Goucho, five innings, two hits, one earned two walks, three K's, David Matomo, one earned a third, no hits, one walk, one K.
[SPEAKER_03]: Wednesday, Johnny Severino was one for three with a double on RBI, still sitting at the Mendoza line, batting average wise, and then Friday due to Thursday being rained out.
[SPEAKER_03]: Carlos Castillo, five innings, three hits, no-one, two walks, five keys, got the ERA around four.
[SPEAKER_03]: and Edward Forrant, you know, two for five with his fifth home of the year, two RBIs.
[SPEAKER_03]: Saturday's Andrew Meath, the command is what he struggles with here, two thirds of an inning, no hits, one on three walks, one K, David Matoma, one on inning, no hits, two K's, of Forrant, you know, hits another home run, his six on the year.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then Sunday, for, you know, third straight game, he has seven homerons on the air.
[SPEAKER_03]: One RBI, he has an average of two eighty three to close out the week.
[SPEAKER_03]: This is a guy that's gaining not just attention within the prior organization, but national attention as a prospect super excited for him.
[SPEAKER_03]: Player the week.
[SPEAKER_03]: Man, this is tough.
[SPEAKER_03]: You had Billy Cook, had a big week.
[SPEAKER_03]: You had Edward Farrantino, had a big week, but it's really hard not to go with the number one prospect in all of baseball, Connor Griffin, man.
[SPEAKER_03]: ten for twenty three, a double a triple two RBIs, five stolen bases.
[SPEAKER_03]: I believe he's got twenty now in Greensboro.
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, this is the best prospect in baseball.
[SPEAKER_03]: They really hit big on that draft last year in the first round and he's what three or four times a Bucco banner mildly player the week so far this year, just killing it.
[SPEAKER_03]: And like you said, Adam, he might need a challenge here sometimes soon.
[SPEAKER_02]: also some defensive highlights from him.
[SPEAKER_02]: Did you see that way he made a short saw?
[SPEAKER_03]: Yes.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes.
[SPEAKER_02]: And athlete, man, all around what a player Connor Griffin is.
[SPEAKER_02]: Let's take a break right here and then we will be back without tuna pitcher, Alessandro or Kalani.
[SPEAKER_02]: Let's go.
[SPEAKER_02]: Joining us now on Bucco Banter is current pitcher for the Altuna curve, Alessandro or Kalani.
[SPEAKER_02]: Welcome to the show.
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much, guys.
[SPEAKER_03]: Thank you.
[SPEAKER_03]: Alexandra, welcome on, man.
[SPEAKER_03]: Let's just jump right into it.
[SPEAKER_03]: You're from San Marino.
[SPEAKER_03]: A small micro state inside of Italy.
[SPEAKER_03]: Talk about what you're introed.
[SPEAKER_03]: How did you learn about baseball and talk about playing baseball growing up in San Marino?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so I'm from San Marino.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a little country inside of Italy.
[SPEAKER_01]: And, you know, everything like
[SPEAKER_01]: playing baseball for me was just like an hobby after school, whatever.
[SPEAKER_01]: So there are no many baseball fields there.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I had one like two minutes away from my home.
[SPEAKER_01]: So it was pretty easy for me.
[SPEAKER_01]: And with me growing up, I felt like can be something more than a hobby.
[SPEAKER_01]: And now it's my work and try to keep going.
[SPEAKER_02]: When did you start getting recognized by professional scouts, or what age did you think, like, hey, I can actually do this?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think when I was twelve, then twelve, I took my Italian passport too.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I was going to play with the Italian team too.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I had more opportunity to get to see by the scout with some tournament, European tournament.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think like to help yourself, I started to go more around with the deleting and see it all in Europe.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I have more opportunity to get see by scouts.
[SPEAKER_03]: Do you think baseball is growing in Italy?
[SPEAKER_03]: For me, especially, I have my grandfather was from Abruzzo, so I watched the World Baseball Classic team all the time.
[SPEAKER_03]: And I would wake up at like four a.m.
[SPEAKER_03]: to watch him in twenty twenty three when they were playing in Taipei.
[SPEAKER_03]: And it seems like the excitement around the team has grown over the years.
[SPEAKER_03]: Do you see that as someone that's from?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think like using two, three years that
[SPEAKER_01]: In Italy, like the baseball is growing, it's growing.
[SPEAKER_01]: Just like in the thinking about all the people that can reach major league or can sign a contract or can go play college.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think the mind of the Italian may just get open up more a little bit more to baseball.
[SPEAKER_01]: So they are starting late to find all the way to getting the USA to play baseball.
[SPEAKER_02]: What was the biggest transition coming from San Marino to the States to play baseball?
[SPEAKER_02]: Was it just a workload playing every day?
[SPEAKER_02]: Conditioning, what did you find was the biggest challenge?
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so before sign was like when when I signed the contract, I had like some thinking about my head and I thought the difficult one was like the intense of the training in whatever, but when I came there,
[SPEAKER_01]: When I came here in America, it was like the last, like the intense, so like the intense in the training and the practice and whatever, wasn't like really as difficult, I was thinking about.
[SPEAKER_01]: But like the most important difficult thing for me was like the culture, you know, all different, didn't like any language.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I wasn't speaking English and Spanish.
[SPEAKER_01]: When I get there, the first year, I was just trying to speak English and Spanish because if I wasn't like learning, I wasn't able to speak with anybody.
[SPEAKER_01]: So the biggest one was like, yeah, like all the different type of culture.
[SPEAKER_03]: Absolutely.
[SPEAKER_03]: That's a good segue because I was going to talk about the food comparison.
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, when I go to, when I've been to Italy, it's the best food I've ever had in my life.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_03]: Talk about going from Italy to the US and adapting to the culture.
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, you go, you go from San Reino to Altuna and having Altuna pizza.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: No, he's, yeah, the food is like the second most difficult things.
[SPEAKER_01]: But like after the years you just get used to it and you just eat normal, but for sure when they go after a season when they go back home, I'm really happy about the food.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, absolutely.
[SPEAKER_02]: I'll just wonder what about just from the pitching perspective.
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, you pitch it.
[SPEAKER_02]: the the rookie ball level, Braden Ken Greensboro, Altuna, what's been the biggest difference between jumping from low A to high A to double A in terms of facing headers?
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think like the best the bigger jump was this year from IA to W because I I'm seeing like the the hitters are way different.
[SPEAKER_01]: They they use they are more like focus on that but they are more prepared on the but
[SPEAKER_01]: They don't miss a lot and they don't swung at that pitch.
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's all the mentality.
[SPEAKER_03]: What would you say you've been working on the most this season in Artuna?
[SPEAKER_01]: So this season, I worked a lot of my fastball up in the zone because
[SPEAKER_01]: For one month, there wasn't able to get the first go up.
[SPEAKER_01]: So all my other pitches were, they were, they were, they were working like with left efficiency and I'm working a lot with my chains up and now it's pretty good.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm really happy.
[SPEAKER_01]: So now one month and up left to go.
[SPEAKER_01]: So just want to finish strong.
[SPEAKER_02]: What's the VLO at on the fastball and what other pitches are we working with?
[SPEAKER_02]: Like what do you mean like yeah, you're how fast are you throwing right now?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, right now is like average like ninety three average and with max ninety six is you Nice and what other what are your secondary so you said you have a change up?
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I'm change up a cotter and Slyther and where you always where you always throwing those pitches or did you develop them in in the pirates organization?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, you know, for like every when it came to the pirates, I had basically nothing like I was throwing like some off pitch, but it was something that I was trying to learn myself, you know, so it wasn't really great.
[SPEAKER_01]: When I came here, it was true that it was young.
[SPEAKER_01]: So everything I am right now is thanks for the of the pirates.
[SPEAKER_03]: Was there a picture that you grew up watching in Italy?
[SPEAKER_03]: Like, I know baseball's not big in Italy, but is there someone that you grew up and you were like, you really looked up to and motivated you to be a baseball player coming from San Reino?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, like honestly, like, can be like, weird little bit, but I never had like a pizza because before it was a cancer.
[SPEAKER_01]: And so my kids, yeah, I feel a bit so pretty.
[SPEAKER_01]: I was spied up for Italy, you know, with that nationality.
[SPEAKER_01]: but I really like Microsoft, so I thought it was my favorite player when it was young.
[SPEAKER_02]: You mentioned trying to get the fastball up in the zone a little bit more.
[SPEAKER_02]: Is that something that you guys have realized looking at data or analytics on a day to day basis?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's like basically like every day with pitch, we do a board pen or game, whatever, the day after we have all the analytics, all the information you have to need to
[SPEAKER_01]: to grow up, to improve yourself.
[SPEAKER_01]: So, my, my, my possible, if I use up in the zone, had more chance to offpits, to get swamped, to get me more.
[SPEAKER_03]: That's not true.
[SPEAKER_03]: How about when things are not going well?
[SPEAKER_03]: Like, I know I pitched in college myself and things sometimes don't always go well, especially during a long season.
[SPEAKER_03]: How do you handle that the tough times on the map?
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's just, uh, whenever you have an outing and it's going bad, you just have to be like, you have to flush it more quick as possible.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's the only way.
[SPEAKER_01]: Flush more quick as possible and just working every day to improve yourself to the next outing.
[SPEAKER_03]: Can't think about it too much.
[SPEAKER_01]: No, I think they're thinking about outing bad outings or whatever they kill you like you're in your bed in the night thinking about these and can't go to sleep.
[SPEAKER_01]: before you can flush it, it's better it is.
[SPEAKER_02]: Absolutely.
[SPEAKER_02]: Do you have a certain approach that you take on the mound?
[SPEAKER_02]: Do you have a mentality or a certain mindset that you live by every time you take the ball?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, like, it's not a lamentality.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's like my character, how I am.
[SPEAKER_01]: Every time I'm trying to do the hitter, like it's the last nine innings, tie the game.
[SPEAKER_01]: this type of thing.
[SPEAKER_01]: So try to put the max effort on each speech.
[SPEAKER_03]: Oh, Sandra, what would it mean for you to make it to the big leagues and potentially be the first Sam Reno born player in Major League Baseball?
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll be a dream, dream come true, you know?
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's something that you do sacrifice on it to reach the dream.
[SPEAKER_01]: So all my life is going to be like living the dream.
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm leaving the dream right now, of course.
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm on the right way to get there.
[SPEAKER_01]: So keep working every day.
[SPEAKER_01]: Be here with body and with the mind, because it's the more important things.
[SPEAKER_03]: Absolutely.
[SPEAKER_03]: The world baseball classic, too.
[SPEAKER_03]: Have you been, has that been a dream of yours, too, to play on that team come twenty twenty six?
[SPEAKER_01]: For sure.
[SPEAKER_01]: There's another big dream.
[SPEAKER_01]: A lot of big name next year there.
[SPEAKER_01]: Other three of you know.
[SPEAKER_03]: Absolutely.
[UNKNOWN]: Absolutely.
[SPEAKER_02]: Alejandro, we appreciate you joining the show.
[SPEAKER_02]: One question that we ask every player in the Pirates organization is do you have a teammate or someone that you've played with in the Pirates organization that is really wowed you or you look at them and you say, wow, that's a professional baseball player that person's at the next level.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think like the original only one, like I think every day, like all my teammates, they come to the field and do their work, everyone wants to improve themselves.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think like everyone, I don't have like a name.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's a great answer.
[SPEAKER_01]: Same genre.
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, thank you.
[SPEAKER_03]: Great answer.
[SPEAKER_03]: Awesome.
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, appreciate you coming on Alexander this is great.
[SPEAKER_03]: We're excited for you, man.
[SPEAKER_03]: We're gonna try to get out to Al tuna again at some point before the end of the season, but keep killing it and best of luck, man.
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much, guys.
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you.
[SPEAKER_00]: You're welcome.
[SPEAKER_00]: by the police.