Volcanoes' Trebelhorn to coach for Italy

KEIZER, Ore. -- Salem-Keizer Volcanoes manager Tom Trebelhorn has been selected to coach the Italian National Team in the World Baseball Classic, to be held from March 5-23.

The World Baseball Classic features the best players from 16 countries, with four teams each in four first-round cities -- Tokyo, San Juan, Toronto and Mexico City. Quarterfinal competition will be held in San Diego and Miami, with the semifinals and finals to be held at Dodger Stadium on March 23.

Trebelhorn will coach third base on the staff of Italian manager Marco Mazzieri, formerly a coach with the Bellingham Mariners in the Northwest League. Longtime Indians, Orioles and Seattle Mariners manager Mike Hargrove and ex-Major League superstar Mike Piazza will join Trebelhorn on the Italian staff.

In 1989, Piazza played for the Salem Dodgers.

Italy will join Venezuela, Canada and the United States in Pool C in Toronto, with play beginning March 8. Said Volcanoes president Jerry Walker, "It is a tremendous honor to have a Volcanoes manager so respected worldwide and selected for this outstanding coaching honor."

Trebelhorn guided the Volcanoes to their third consecutive Northwest League Western Division title in 2008. Recently, the team announced that "Treb" will return as manager for the 2009 season.