Giansanti Is Indeed 'Playing in Peoria'

The average midwestern city of Peoria, Ill., has been historically viewed as a test case launch in the entertainment industry. Bob Dylan, Phil Collins and Metallica are among the acts that drew positive reviews there in their debuts en route to stardom.

So "Will it play in Peoria?" means that if you were a hit in middle America, you had a chance to make it big in major markets. 

The question holds special meaning for former Montville High School athletic standout Anthony Giansanti.

Giansanti, 22, is in his second season of professional baseball, his first full year with the Peoria Chiefs, a Chicago Cubs Class A affiliate.

The Montville High '06 grad ranks second on the team in home runs (11) and RBIs (51), while batting .235 as a left fielder. He's excelled defensively with a league-leading 18 outfield assists. And he's one of the few Chiefs to earn playing time every day, as he has produced enough and avoided injuries to log 400 at bats in 107 games.

Recently, Giansanti was viewed to have the "best outfield arm" in a poll of Midwest League managers published in Baseball America. Clearly, he's showing some of the tools that major league baseball scouts covet.

"I've never played this much baseball in one season, not even close," Giansanti said by phone recently. "It's very important I that I stay focused and finish strong in the last 25 games. It's the dog days of August and my body is starting to wear on me, but all minor league teams are looking for players who can remain consistent, get themselves in good shape in the off-season and take care of themselves."

Those who haven't seen him lately might not recognize Giansanti at first glance. The electrifyingly quick 170-pound shortstop and quarterback at Montville now carries 205 well-placed pounds on his 6-foot frame.

"I concentrated on getting bigger and stronger in the off-season, bulking up to 210," Giansanti said. "I played at 190 last year. This year, the balls I hit to the gap and off the wall last year are now going over the fence."

Peoria's team leader has 21 home runs. Giansanti, with his 11, is the only other Chief with more than five in the Midwest League, which is known as a pitcher's circuit in long-season Class A baseball. Last year in his first pro season, he hit three homers the in Arizona Rookie League and none at Peoria in 100 combined at bats.

Giansanti, the New London Day's first Player of the Year in football and baseball as a MHS senior, enjoyed a standout four-year career at Division I Siena College, batting .323 lifetime with 28 homers. He was drafted in the 49th round as a junior by Oakland but bypassed the offer in order to finish college. Then, he was undrafted after his senior year but signed a free agent contract with the Cubs.

Emerging as a Class A starting outfielder in his first full season, Giansanti has already given the Cubs than their money's worth.

"The Cubs' organization looks for people to play the game the right way, and I pride myself on doing that," Giansanti said. "I've always grown up loving baseball and I've worked all my life to get to this point."

Peoria might not rank as a prime vacation spot for a single 22-year-old. "There is so much flat land and corn, you really need a destination to seek," Giansanti said. "Sometimes it feels like you're driving around in circles. Growing up in Connecticut, you're so close to the coast and halfway between New York and Boston, you get spoiled."

Peoria is halfway between Chicago and St. Louis, but three hours away from both. The community, however, supports its baseball team considerably better than, say, Norwich does its minor league squad.

"We have a lot of loyal fans, drawing about 3,000 a game," Giansanti said. "The Midwest League has a long history. The team has a great marketing department, offering giveaways and fun theme nights every game. It's a great atmosphere to play in here."

Blessed as a terrific athlete, Giansanti is trying to find his niche in pro ball. He struggled at third base at the start of the season, making six of his 10 errors this year in the first two weeks. He's settled in at left or right field, but has also used his strong right arm to mop up as a relief pitcher, striking out four in three innings to go with a 2.70 ERA.

He hopes to finish strong to elevate his batting average, weighed down by too many 0-for-3s.

"I would like to be more consistent batting average-wise," Giansanti said. "I hit .310 last year but was advised to show more power this year."

Giansanti, who turns 23 in late September, hears the Cubs have plans for him. Next season could be a pivotal one for him in terms of his future moving up the organizational ladder. He is in the third tier of seven steps to the Major Leagues: rookie league, short-season Class A, long-season Class A (Peoria), Advanced Class A, Class AA, Class AAA and MLB.

Peoria just finished a three-game with the Clinton (Iowa) Lumberkings, where former Fitch standout and Giansanti friend, Matt Browning, is an infielder/designated hitter. Both are in their second pro seasons after sterling college careers.

"I've heard the Cubs have plans to turn me into a catcher," Giansanti said. "They may send me to fall instructional league to work on my catching. Depending on how fast I develop and depending on how many outfielders they bring in, that will dictate where I go next year."

But for now, Giansanti is satisfied with playing in Peoria."To put on a uniform and play baseball in front of adoring fans every day," Giansanti said, "this is a dream come true."