When Mike Piazza took over as manager for Team Italy, there was already plenty of excitement: Here was one of the greatest Italian-American ballplayers in history, a bona fide Hall of Famer, who wanted to show just what Team Italy could do at the World Baseball Classic. But before the tournament began, Piazza had another idea, one he called, "Mission Classic."

Piazza's plan was simple, if ambitious: Bring some of the American players with Italian heritage over to the country for a week, where they could meet and train with some of the best Italian-born ballplayers. The MLB players could share their knowledge and experience, while getting to travel through the country and really connect with their family's roots.