Looks like Dr. Larry and Steve Thurmer have put together another good roster for this month’s AAU International Tournament, an East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, Southern team with a Latin flavor. Coach Steve Thurmer is a St. Louis lawyer who played for the ISC World team, St. Louis GMAC for a number of years (and could still be playing according to some). Steve has a long history in fastpitch and the ISC — his father ran the St. Louis Browns team during the 1970’s. Dr. Larry Mastrogianakis is a longtime player and sponsor who always seems to land a talented group of players.
(the caption in Spanish says: Sebastian Gervasutti, of Argentina, one of the best pitchers at the Pan American Games, shown here with his bronze medal)
Gervasutti, Brown, Johnson, Palazzo, Darling, Gray, Brannin, Mastrogianakis and Felix all played on the ASA team that finished second at last year’s ASA Major National Tournament in South Bend, Indiana, with a 7-2 record, getting to the title game before falling to Circle Tap. Florida Fastpitch forced Circle Tap to the “if” game pounding out 16 hits and four homer enroute to a 15-3, five inning win in the first championship game. Florida Fastpitch has finished second in the last two ASA Major tournaments.
So Cal fans will recognize several of their players, including both members of their pitching staff — Sebastian Gervasutti (or “Seabass” as his teammates call him) is the young Argentine pitcher who pitched so well for Team Rainey in their final season, beating higher ranked teams along the way. Most recently, Sebastian pitched his home country’s team to a bronze medal at the Pan American Games in Hermosillo, Mexico. He’ll team up at the AAU with Sonny Perkins, who pitched with last year’s AAU Champions, Team USA, and has also pitched for Team Rainey, as well as Albaugh, Iowa with fellow Team USA teammate Terry Luster. Another member of last year’s AAU champion will also join the Florida squad, Landy Rodriguez, who was recently named “Male Athlete of the Year” by USA Softball. Rodriguez, who hails from West Haverstraw, New York, had an outstanding 2006 AAU tournament, hitting .529 with five home runs, seven RBI and finishing near the top in MVP voting. So Cal Bomber fans will get a good look at Landy — he’s among the newest members of the 2007 team.
Florida Fastpitch AAU roster:
( pitchers in bold)
Sebastian Gervasutti
Sonny Perkins
Steve Mitchell
Mike Brown
Brad Johnson
Larry Mastrogianakis
Matt Palazzo
Tommy Gray
Matt Darling
Tom Owen
Ron Brannin
Landy Rodriguez
Mike Armitage
Lauro Felix
Jody Summerlin
Steve Thurmer (Coach)
