Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • WS24

WS-24 PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE Sports Moon native has own field of dreams By Jason Mackey Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Courtesy photos Bob Mariano spent 15 years in the Giants organization as a hitting instructor, minor league manager and pro scout, helping develop talent that won three World Series. Bob Mariano, left, and his brother, Jack, posed for a picture at the ballfield in Moon- crest. Bob Mariano was learning to swing a bat as a young boy with his father standing behind him. Baseball lifer Mariano hopes for homecoming With one phone call, and perhaps a suc- cessful job interview, Bob Mari- career could come full circle. If it does, a dilapidated baseball field in Moon Mooncrest neighbor- hood could benefit.

Now 62 and living in Fountain Hills, Ariz. about 20 miles outside of Scotts- dale Mariano, a Moon Township native and baseball lifer, has been forced to re-as- sess his career after he recently found out that his contract as a pro scout with the San Francisco Giants will not be renewed. His plans for the future? would be nice to get back to Pitts- burgh, to tell you the Mariano said. Even though he recently sent Pirates general manager Neal Huntington his re- sume, return home to finish a charmed career in baseball would involve much more than work. As a kid, Mariano spent countless sum- mer days playing pickup baseball on that sandlot-style field, located at the intersec- tion of Mooncrest Drive and Old Thorn Run Road.

But over the years, there been many improvements made. Weeds are ev- erywhere. The backstop is (even more) rusty. even tell a field Mariano said. Soon, if Mariano has his way, that could change.

Mariano has been working with Faith Community Christian Church, which purchased the land where the field sits a few years ago, to raise enough money to transform the field into a multi-use facil- ity, for softball and Little League games but also a mentorship program run through the Felician Sisters. While it would be extremely tough to build a baseball complex from scratch on a salary, Mariano hopes to work with Major League Baseball and the Pirates to potentially procure grant money and nudge the project along. The next step will be a trip to Pitts- burgh in late November, when Mariano will meet with a few Moon Township su- pervisors and Pastor Thomas Bracken, who resisted the urge to sell the land be- cause he thought someone like Mariano might come along. As for career, he has such a diverse background that he could do al- most anything to help a major league club. After college, Mariano played six sea- sons in the minor leagues and bounced around at a couple positions, though mostly played third base, in the New York and Baltimore systems.

From there, he wore a few more hats, from minor league coach to manager to roving hitting instructor, including a cou- ple of stints in the majors. The most nota- ble for run for Mariano was with the Giants, when he helped develop some of the young talent that won the World Ser- ies in 2010, 2012 and 2014. someone said going to spend 15 years with the Giants and win three World Series, I would have said Mariano said. think ever be done again, doing what we did. We kept a lot of core guys together.

Today, you just see The first seven of those years were spent as a hitting coordinator, working with Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt, Pablo Sandoval, Joe Panik and others throughout the minor- league system. Mariano also managed four years in Class AAA and spent the past four as a pro scout. done pretty much Mariano said. still have the passion to teach. Hit- ting is my forte, but I love managing, too.

Whatever options are available, look- ing at Throughout his 38-year career in pro baseball, Mariano also spent time with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los An- geles Dodgers. One of his previous big- league stints came in 2003, when Mariano remembered driving from the airport to PNC Park on the same Moon Township roads where he used to take the bus to school. went to PNC Park, played the Pirates for a three-game series, and I was one of the hitting Mariano said. was a big But with the Giants going in another direction with their scouting staff and Mariano looking ahead to next, he has been thinking more about another Pirates-related memory: All the times when he and his friends would skip school and attend games at Forbes Field instead. always been a Pirates fan at Mariano said.

still like to keep doing this for a couple more years, which is why it would be nice to get back. like to do this with the Pirates. still in good shape for my age. A lot of guys let themselves go. been in player development.

The players keep you Young enough to rebuild his childhood field? Mariano thinks so. really like to see this come to frui- tion if I he said. just about me. we get this done, everybody is going to have their fingerprints on Jason Mackey: zette.com and Twitter.