Angeloni draws attention from MLB scouts

By: Mary Doman

Posted: 4/30/09

Some call him "primetime." Some, like his roommate Marco Simmons, call him a battler. Some, like his great-grandmother, call him Cezare, though others would say Chez. The one thing that senior pitcher Chez Angeloni is most proud to be called, though, is Athlete of the Week. "Being Athlete of the Week is a great honor," Angeloni said.

Even greater than throwing six complete games this season and taking six Haverford victims with strikeouts on Saturday? Greater than winning the Most Outstanding Player award at the NCAA championships last year? "That was lame," he said.

Maybe Athlete of the Week means so much to Angeloni because, according to him, the News-Letter took him out to dinner at Ruth's Chris before our interview. "It was delicious. I got a filet mignon," he claimed. Unfortunately, there is no proof to support Angeloni's claim.

Nor is there any proof that he's invincible to scratches, scrapes and prank jokes. Also, I haven't seen any evidence that he is a "human lie detector." And, lastly, I did not observe the "latent homosexuality rechanneled into aggression" that he says exists between him and Simmons (who participated in the interview). It appeared to me like they were just average friends.

But Angeloni is no average guy. Though he claims that he "doesn't have any secrets," Angeloni is full of mystery. When asked if he was lying about his ability to bite through metal, he said "I never lie, but I do fib. Sometimes."

So his words could be true or false, but I can offer some hard facts about Angeloni that are as unbelievable as fiction. In 2008, he only allowed, on average, 4.8 runs per game against him as a pitcher (ERA). He held a 9-0 record last season and earned a spot on the NCAA All-Star team. He's 4-2 this season, with an impressive 4.68 ERA. Major league recruiters have scouted him at games. And, believe it or not, he once purchased a parakeet and put it between assistant coach Steve Duncan's bed sheets.

"I felt more accomplished with the parakeet than I ever have in my baseball career," he said about the bird, which he named The Blue Terror. Unfortunately The Blue Terror is no longer with the Blue Jays, as Angeloni returned it to the pet store after it had served its duty. "I just felt bad for the family that bought it next," he said.

We may never know what the fate has in store for the Blue Terror, but we have an idea of what the future holds for our beloved Blue Jay. Angeloni hopes to play in the minor leagues after graduation. "It's looking good so far," he says about his chances of being drafted.

Another thing that's looking good is Angeloni's wardrobe, which Simmons describes as similar to Michael Corleone's style, from The Godfather II. Not only does Angeloni compare to Corleone on the outside, but Simmons believes that the Godfather can be found in Angeloni's personality as well. "He's a great leader and a hard worker," Simmons said about his teammate. Just like Corleone, I guess.

If Angeloni could be anyone, though, it wouldn't be the Godfather. It'd be Inspector Gadget, who, according to him, should not be labeled as an inspector but rather as a superhero. Despite his incredible arm at the mound, he says his pitching skills are nothing compared to "go go gadget arm." "If I could have any superpower, I'd have go go gadget arm," he said, followed by an arm extension. "See? If my arms could go like Inspector Gadget's, I could reach that wall," he said, pointing to a wall 50 feet away.

So Angeloni might not be Inspector Gadget, or Michael Corleone or a minor league baseball player . . . yet. But it's undeniable that this Blue Jay has the talent to pull off one of these futures; and, of course, a good prank or two along the way.