Michele Toriaco

Michele Toriaco

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 11", Weight 165 lb.

• Born August 2, 1970 in Monza, Monza e Brianza Italy

Biographical Information

Michele Toriaco pitched for 11 seasons in Serie A1 and appeared in the Olympics.

Toriaco debuted with Modena in 1997, going 10-4 with a 5.38 ERA. He was four wins shy of the league lead. The Italian Baseball and Softball Federation lists him with only 51 hits allowed in 103 2/3 IP and 47 walks, but that does not jibe with a 5.38 ERA; either the ERA or hit total is likely wrong. One of two lefties on Italy's staff for the 1997 Intercontinental Cup (along with Massimiliano Masin), he went 0-2 with a 8.64 ERA, striking out none in 8 1/3 IP.

In '98, Toriaco had a 5-5, 5.74 record with 3 saves, allowing a .323/.431/.532 batting line. He was 0-2 with 11 runs (4 homers) in 1 2/3 IP in the 1998 Baseball World Cup, losing to Japan and the Dominican national team. Only Byung-hyun Kim, Chun-Yang Tsao and Glen Morris lost more games in the event. He did not have the highest ERA as South Africa's Robert George and Barry Armitage were higher. He fell to 5-5, 7.00 in 1999 with a .326/.384/.489 opponent line. Toriaco remained .500 in 2000 at 6-6, 4.31. He tossed four shutout innings in the 2000 Haarlem Baseball Week. He made Italy's team for the 2000 Olympics, giving up nine runs (six earned), ten hits (three homers) and two walks in 4 1/3 IP, taking a loss in his only game; only Roberto Cabalisti had a higher ERA for the Azzurri. His only outing, though, was a start against the mighty Cuban national team, with the homers being delivered by Orestes Kindelan, Oscar Macias and Yobal Duenas.

Toriaco bombed with Modena in 2001 (1-9, Sv, 9.10, .363/.435/.529 allowed) but was better in 2002 at 4-9, 4.99 with two saves and a .310 opponent average. He posted his first winning record in six years in 2003 by going 8-7 with a 4.89 ERA and .314 opponent average. He won his lone decision in the finals as Modena fell to Bologna. In 2004, the 33-year-old posted a 6-7, 4.11 record with only 21 walks in 96 1/3 innings.

Toriaco moved to Parma for 2005 and had his best year at 10-3, 2.29 with a .235/.290/.333 opponent line. He tied for third in the league in wins, one off the pace and ranked 9th in ERA. Remaining with Parma, Michele ended his career with seasons of 2-6, 4.13 in 2006 and 5-1, 3.79 in 2007.

Overall, Toriaco was 64-64 with six saves and a 4.88 ERA in 192 games in Serie A1.

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