Italy Shooting for a Major League Baseball Game in 2011
There was a report that the Red Sox were considering Australia for 2010 and now comes a report that Rome, Italy would like to host a major league baseball game for 2011. http://www.mister-baseball.com/2011-mlb-season-opener-rome-possibility/, reports that the recently elected President of the IBAF Ricchardo Fraccari will be traveling to New York to discuss this issue.
Of course, going to New York to discuss bringing two major league teams to Rome, Italy to play a major league game and getting major league baseball to committ to the plan are two different issues. However, at a time when Europe is considering expanding its baseball program to a European League, this would certainly seem to be a propitious time to have a couple major league teams come to Europe to play major league baseball to help promote the game. Perhaps Alex Liddi (Italy) will be ready to make the Mariners roster by 2011 and the schedule can include the Seattle Mariners play the Minnesota Twins, who by then will have Loek Van Mil (Netherlands) in their bullpen.