Baseball player
Mike Borzello
|
---|
Borzello with the Cubs in 2016
|
Coach
|
Born:
(
1970-08-14
)
August 14, 1970
(age 53)
Yonkers, New York
, U.S.
|
Bats:
Right
Throws:
Right
|
|
---|
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|
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Michael Ross Borzello
(born August 14, 1970) is an Italian-American
professional baseball
coach
who has worked for the
New York Yankees
,
Los Angeles Dodgers
,
Chicago Cubs
and San Diego Padres of
Major League Baseball
(MLB).
In June 1991, Borzello signed with the
St. Louis Cardinals
.
[1]
After five years as a minor league catcher in the Cardinals organization, he became a bullpen catcher/batting practice pitcher and charted games for the
New York Yankees
. From 2008 to 2010, he was a
Los Angeles Dodgers
catching instructor.
[2]
From 2011 through 2021, he served as a catching/strategy coach and associate pitching coach for the Chicago Cubs.
Early life
[
edit
]
Borzello was raised in
Tarzana, Los Angeles
.
[3]
He is of Italian descent.
[4]
He grew up in the game of baseball and is the
godson
of former Major League manager and Hall of Famer
Joe Torre
.
[5]
[6]
His sister, Keri Borzello, was an NCAA Women's College World Series participant in 1994, as a catcher and first baseman for the Missouri Tigers. She later transferred to UCLA after a career ending rotator cuff injury.
Early in his life, a then-12-year-old Borzello had been serving as a
batboy
for the
Atlanta Braves
- at that time, managed by Torre - and found himself in the middle of a series of brawls between the Braves and the visiting
San Diego Padres
on August 12, 1984, at
Atlanta?Fulton County Stadium
. "When the fans started throwing stuff and jumped onto the field, I was like, 'OK, I gotta get out of here,' Borzello later said.
[7]
Career
[
edit
]
Borzello graduated from
Taft High School
in
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles
, California and was a baseball player during his college years at
California Lutheran University
.
[6]
He played as a
catcher
in
Minor League Baseball
in the
farm system
of the
St. Louis Cardinals
organization from 1991 through 1995, never getting above class A.
[8]
In 1995, after his playing career ended, Torre offered him a job with the
New York Yankees
as a
bullpen catcher
and
batting practice
pitcher
.
[6]
Borzello earned four
World Series rings
with the New York Yankees during the 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000 seasons. During his time in pinstripes he went to 6 World Series. When Torre left the Yankees for the Dodgers after 2007, he brought Borzello with him as catching instructor going to the NLCS in 2008 and 2009 ultimately losing to the Philadelphia Phillies both years.
[9]
In 2012, Borzello left the Dodgers to join the Cubs as a catching instructor/strategist and associate pitching coach.
[10]
He earned another World Series ring with the Cubs in the
2016 World Series
. He was ejected for the first time in his career on August 29, 2020 (along with
Cubs
manager
David Ross
,
Reds
manager
David Bell
, Reds Designated Hitter
Joey Votto
, and Reds Left Fielder
Jesse Winker
).
[11]
[12]
He was suspended for 1 game for his actions.
[13]
[14]
He was ejected again in Pittsburgh by Greg Gibson after Kris Bryant was hit by a pitch. Overall, Borzello coached under four different Cubs managers:
Dale Sveum
,
Rick Renteria
,
Joe Maddon
, and
David Ross
.
[
citation needed
]
On October 6, 2021, Cubs general manager
Jed Hoyer
announced that Borzello was departing the organization. In 2023 Borzello joined the San Diego Padres as an advance scout.
[
citation needed
]
Borzello was named pitching coach for Team Italy in the 2023 WBC where they defeated Cuba and the Netherlands before ultimately losing to eventual tournament champion Japan
[15]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Root, Hiljus Sign to Play Pro Baseball"
.
Los Angeles Times
. June 13, 1991.
- ^
"With a friend like this . ."
Los Angeles Times
. March 29, 2008.
- ^
"From the Bushes to Yankee Bullpen"
.
Los Angeles Times
. August 21, 1997.
- ^
"Italy to begin World Baseball Classic preparation in the US"
.
World Baseball Softball Confederation
.
- ^
Borzello was born in New York and raised in L.A. He attended University of New Mexico and graduated with a B.A. In Communication Arts from California Lutheran University
[1]
[
dead link
]
- ^
a
b
c
DAVE DESMOND (August 21, 1997).
"From the Bushes to Yankee Bullpen"
.
Los Angeles Times
. Retrieved
April 24,
2013
.
- ^
NC Times
Archived
April 18, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
retrieved March 10, 2011
- ^
"Mike Borzello Statistics (1991-1994)"
. The Baseball Cube
. Retrieved
April 24,
2013
.
[
permanent dead link
]
- ^
"Manager and Coaches | dodgers.com: Team"
. Losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com
. Retrieved
April 24,
2013
.
- ^
"Cubs announce 2012 coaching staff"
.
- ^
"MLB Ejections 39-43 - Lentz, Bellino (CHC-CIN)"
.
- ^
"Cubs and Reds clear benches during doubleheader; Cincinnati wins Game 2 on walk-off wild pitch"
.
- ^
"Cubs' Mike Borzello receives one-game suspension after ejection at Reds"
.
RSN
.
- ^
"Cubs Catching Coach Mike Borzello Suspended After Benches-Clearing Incident vs. Reds"
.
- ^
Taylor, Brett (October 6, 2021).
"Long-Time Chicago Cubs Strategy Coach Mike Borzello Will Not Be Returning"
.
Bleacher Nation
. Retrieved
October 6,
2021
.
External links
[
edit
]