admin“Nice to meet you. I’m Lucas Ercoli. I am in charge of marketing and publicity for the Czech national team.”
An e-mail sent to inquire about a written interview with the Czech national team returned with a reply that began like this. He introduced himself as a marketing and PR manager for the Baseball Association, but Ercoli is actually a national team pitcher who wears the number 63 on the baseball field. He is also a hero who saved the Czech Republic from the brink of elimination in the German qualifier held last September.
The Czech Republic suffered a 7-21, 14-point loss in the 7th inning against Spain in the first game, putting it on the verge of elimination as soon as the preliminary round began. The next opponent is France, led by Major League Baseball coach Bruce Bochy. It was a team composed of an American-born minor league career player and an American college prospect from mainland France, Leo Jiminian.
The Czech Republic, made up of players from their own country and from their own league, defeated France 7-1 and succeeded in surviving. Ercoli started this game and pitched four scoreless innings. It was a good fight that made them forget the rout the day before.
Ercoli was given the opportunity to start in recognition of his achievements in the Czech Extraliga. If you look at the documentary ‘Small Country, Big Dream’ (Malá země velké sny), which depicts the process of the Czech national team entering the WBC, Ercoli was already prepared.
Catcher Martin Servenka, one of the few Czechs with experience in American professional baseball with a minor league All-Star career, proves this. “I trusted Ercoli completely. He was a pitcher who had pitched well for a long time in the extra league,” he said. I saw Ercoli’s pitching and pitching and believed in him.” 바카라
The Czech Republic started a generational change by appointing coach Pavel Hadim ahead of the WBC qualifiers. Ercoli, who had not been given a chance under manager Mike Griffin, asked manager Hadim ahead of the qualifiers that he wondered if he was a pitcher capable of playing an important game.
“I couldn’t imagine throwing for the national team,” he said. “I asked the manager last summer if I was a top 6 pitcher on the team. If not, it was because I had to work on the public relations team. I needed to clear my mind.” . Head coach Hadim selected Ercoli for the national team, and Ercoli was able to get on the mound to protect the Czech Republic’s dream.
Ercoli’s dream does not stop at qualifying for the finals. ‘Two Way’ Ercoli, who still represents the Czech Republic as a publicist and baseball player, will pitch in the WBC next month.
On the other hand, the Czech Republic, which only sent players from its own country to the German preliminaries, reinforced its strength for the finals. Former major leaguer Eric Sogard, Arizona prospect pitcher Boris Bezerka and college baseball prospect infielder Willie Escara joined the final roster.