Athletes are challenged on a daily basis. The obstacles they overcome on the field are what define their legacies as athletes. But it’s the hurdles they climb off the field that define them as human beings. Such is the case with Saugus native Dario Pizzano, who’s learned plenty about mental toughness through the past few months.
Pizzano spent the first seven seasons of his professional baseball career in the Seattle Mariners organization. He felt he needed a fresh start and landed a minor league contract with the New York Mets for the 2019 season. Through the early stages of spring training, Pizzano started to feel pain from a nagging sports hernia he suffered during the offseason.
“I thought I could control it,” Pizzano, 28, said. “Once we got to spring training and were lifting and all that, it started to flare up. It just kind of got worse. It affected everything because it was on my right thigh. That’s my push-off leg for my throw, it affected my swing. I’m an outfielder, I have to run. Any time I tried to run even a slight jog, I felt an effect.”
Pizzano was assigned to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies, where his stint lasted just 35 games before the organization released him in June. He batted .226 with three home runs and 15 RBI in 115 at-bats.
“I did everything I could in the spring,” Pizzano said. “They just have a lot of older, more experienced players on the team. I just started slow and started to press, ‘I’m 28 years old and I’m in Double-A. I have to perform.’ I had more walks than strikeouts. There were good things there. But the average wasn’t where it needed to be. I got released and I’ve never experienced anything like that. It’s really hard.”
Shortly after his release, Pizzano tried his hand at the independent leagues. He signed with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League but played just 12 games before parting ways with the team. From there, Pizzano decided to take a step back and focus on healing his wounds. He started the rehab process three weeks ago.
“It affected my play but that’s not why I didn’t perform with the Mets,” Pizzano said. “I talked with my agent about it. We decided to take care of it now. It’s a tough decision to deal with it. It’s tough being in an apartment while my friends are all playing baseball. It’s not something I’m used to. I just have to move on from it.
“I have to break it down and start from scratch. It’s a lot of mobility stuff, hip flexor training. You have to build the muscles in that area and take the strain off the injured area.”
So far, so good.
“I feel a lot better,” Pizzano, a Malden Catholic graduate, said. “It’s a process, of course. It’s always frustrating. A lot of athletes are impatient. They might ask ‘Why isn’t it better today?’ I feel great. I’m definitely making progress and getting better.”
Pizzano hopes to land a spot on the Italian National Team for the 2020 Olympic Qualifiers in September. He carries Italian heritage from both parents.
“We decided there’s no use in trying to push through this with independent ball,” Pizzano said. “My best bet is to try and play for Team Italy. I’ve been in the process of getting all the documents. It’s a long process, it’s hard to get dual-citizenship.
“Playing at 50-70 percent wasn’t going to help. We decided to shut it down, get it fixed and get ready for the Olympic Qualifiers. After that, I’m looking to play winter ball because I’ve missed so many games. A lot of guys get signed out of winter leagues.”
Although things haven’t gone the way Pizzano hoped, he isn’t throwing the towel on his lifelong dream. Those who’ve reached the Major Leagues have defeated obstacles along the way and that’s where Pizzano draws inspiration.
“When you’re going through it, you seem lonely,” Pizzano said. “It gives me some peace of mind knowing that at some point every athlete has gone through something like this. They keep going, work through it and it makes them stronger. It’s another chapter in my future book that I’ll write.
“I’m working through it, continuing to be positive and following the plan ahead of me. It’s attainable. The positive thing is I’ve played with and against so many guys who’ve had different paths to the majors. If you just stick it out, keep posting numbers and keep playing the game, your opportunity will arrive. That keeps me positive.”
