Costanzo pursues Phillies dream

READING, Pa. -- Like many budding athletes who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, Mike Costanzo wanted to "be like Mike."

But in Costanzo's case, it wasn't Michael Jordan he wanted to emulate, it was Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt.

Now, as the starting third baseman for the Double-A Reading Phillies, Costanzo is within reach of his lifelong dream. And when we say "lifelong," that is not an exaggeration.

From the day his parents brought an infant Mike Costanzo home from the hospital, wrapped in a tiny Phillies jacket, his fate seemed sealed.

"I don't remember it, of course, but I have plenty of pictures of me wearing it in the basket thingie," Costanzo laughed, when asked about his homecoming ensemble. "It was an old-school Phillies jacket made for a newborn."

Born and raised in Springfield, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia, it was Schmidt whom Costanzo emulated when he and his friends played ball in the neighborhood. And though he was the typical multisport athlete for awhile, serving as the quarterback at Archbishop Carroll High School in nearby Radnor as a freshman and sophomore, by the time he began his junior year he knew what he wanted to do and dropped the other sports to focus exclusively on baseball.

"I always wanted to be a baseball player," he said, "and went to Veterans Stadium three times a week with my dad."

Costanzo left the chilly northeast when college rolled around after he was offered a scholarship to play at Coastal Carolina in Myrtle Beach, S.C., part of the Big South conference.

"I went there on a visit, and I loved it," he said. "What's not to like about Myrtle Beach?"

Costanzo was named the Big South Baseball Player of the Year in both his sophomore and junior years, and was the conference's overall Male Athlete of the Year in 2005, when he hit .379 with 16 homers and went 8-1 with a 2.13 ERA and 14 saves on the mound.

That performance did not escape the attention of his hometown team's scouting department when his draft year, 2005, rolled around. Though the Phillies didn't have a first-round pick that year, losing it to the Yankees as compensation for signing pitcher Jon Lieber, they knew who they wanted to take with their eventual first pick.

"The morning of the draft they called me and said, 'If you're there for the 65th pick, we're going to take you,'" he recalled. He tried not to get too excited, however, as he watched the draft unfold on his computer, surrounded by family and friends. "I've heard draft nightmares, so I tried to keep cool and when the 65th pick came around and they took me, it was unbelievable."

Costanzo began his pro career that summer at Class A Short-Season Batavia (N.Y.) of the New York-Penn League. He hit .274 with 11 homers and 50 RBIs in 73 games and followed that up with his full-season debut at Class A Advanced Clearwater in the Florida State League in '06, batting .258 with 14 homers and 81 RBIs.

Costanzo has a live bat with good power potential, and while he's not a burner on the bases, he's a smart enough baserunner not to be a liability. His blue-collar work ethic has translated into improved defense each year, as well. The Phillies love that work ethic and his makeup, and who can blame them?

This year, Costanzo's playing for Reading has been a dream come true for his family. He has been able to live at his apartment in Springfield, a few minutes away from his parents and a 45-minute drive from the ballpark.

And while he has enjoyed that perk, his family has loved it. His parents have not missed a home game at FirstEnergy Stadium, and most of the time there is a sizable -- and vocal -- Costanzo cheering section. On Opening Night, he estimates he had a crowd of more than 100 friends and family.

"There's no pressure, just excitement," he said. "It's fun coming out here knowing everyone has your back."

Though Costanzo has gotten off to a slow start at Reading, hitting .228 in his first few weeks, he's not too worried. Slow starts are part of his pattern. In 2005, he batted .195 in June of his pro debut and .327 that August. In 2006, he hit .240 in April and again .327 in August. Plus, he already has eight homers and 22 RBIs.

While Costanzo has his eye pretty firmly on the prize that awaits him down the road at Citizens Bank Park, he has more on his mind than just the future. His recent past is figuring prominently in his 2007 season.

A close friend, Dominic D'Alicandro, was killed in a motorcycle accident this past October, and Costanzo has dedicated his '07 campaign to Dominic's memory. With that in mind, he put in extra work on conditioning over the offseason, losing weight and adding muscle, and reported to Spring Training not merely a month early but in the best shape of his life.

"It was a huge loss," Costanzo said, "and I felt it would be fitting to play this season in memory of him."