Before They Played for Pay... Mike Costanzo
Mike Costanzo, 3B, Cincinnati Reds
This story appeared in June of 2002 after Mike, soon thereafter named the Daily News Player of the Year, helped Archbishop Carroll win the Catholic League championship. He then attended Coastal Carolina and was the Phillies' second-round pick in the 2005 draft. The 2012 season was Mike's third in the Reds' organization and his eighth pro season. He was recalled May 12 and made his MLB debut May 13, lofting a sac fly as a pinch-hitter in a 9-6 win over Washington. Thus, he became the first city-leagues product to appear in a major league game since 2001 -- pitchers Bob File (Judge) and Mike Koplove (Chestnut Hill Academy).
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Carroll Routs La Salle for Title
By Ted Silary
Mike Costanzo played for the Phillies last weekend.
More accurate, he played in front of Phillies' scouts at Veterans Stadium as part of an invitation-only, predraft workout.
"It was fun. I think I played pretty well," Costanzo said. "I fielded, threw... I think they were really impressed with my arm."
Fine, but let's get to the important stuff. Any homers?
"Close. Very close," he said, smiling. "I hit one to the warning track in right-center. I wish I'd hit this one down there."
This one was the bomb Costanzo launched yesterday at La Salle University while leading Archbishop Carroll High past La Salle, 16-0, yes, 16-0, for its second consecutive Catholic League baseball championship, as well as its third in four years and fifth in seven.
The homer wasn't needed, seeing as how it didn't come until the second inning, when the Patriots were well on their frolicking way, thanks to a five-run first. But, man, was it ever majestic.
The two-run shot, which provided a 7-0 lead, had the trademark look of a major-league Big Fly. The ball sailed high and deep and had no trouble clearing the 10-foot fence at the right edge of centerfield.
And it wasn't Costanzo's only plate statement. In all, the senior third baseman, a lefthanded hitter bound for Coastal Carolina, went 4-for-4 with a walk, two doubles, the homer and five RBI.
The CL record for RBI in a title game is six by St. James' Art Gorga in 1965. The Bulldogs needed every one, too, as they edged Father Judge, 12-11. The winning-margin record was doubled from eight; Archbishop Ryan beat Carroll, 12-4, in '80, and Bishop Neumann beat Judge, 10-2, in '60.
"This is unbelievable," he gushed. "There's nothing like winning a championship. We're always confident in championship games, since we're 5-0 [since '96]. We take no prisoners at championship time. Carroll's a dynasty. It's an unbelievable program. We're like the Yankees, everybody says."
Fran Murphy, Carroll's fourth-year boss and an assistant before that, called Costanzo the best hitter he has coached at Carroll.
"And I've coached some good ones, including our first-base coach, Mike Fuchs [a two-time Daily News co-Player of the Year as a slugging catcher]," Murphy said. "His numbers are eye-popping. He broke all the single-season records held by [Fuchs] and he's up there for some career records, too."
Costanzo finished the season with 54 RBI in 28 games. He hit .529 (46-for-87) with 10 doubles, two triples and 14 homers. He was 6-for-7 in Carroll's two playoff games with three doubles and a homer.
On the mound, Frank Gailey posted a three-hitter with one walk and six strikeouts. The junior lefty faced just 24 batters.
"I kept telling myself, 'It's baseball. Anything can happen,'" Gailey said.
Said Costanzo: "I wanted the ball today, but I understood. I'm just so glad Frank Gailey's on our team."
While Murphy declined to compare and contrast his three title teams, he was obviously feeling ecstatic about what they had accomplished.
"The one thing all three did, I feel, was play their best game of the season in the championship game," he said. "That says a lot. When your team does that, it makes you feel really good as a coach."