Posted on Wed, Jun. 08, 2005

On Baseball | Draft pick Costanzo is Philly's kind of guy

By Jim Salisbury

Inquirer Columnist

When Mike Costanzo was a newborn, his parents took him home from Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital wearing a little red Phillies jacket.

Oh, you don't believe us?

Show 'em, Mike.

"I actually wore this," said Costanzo, reaching into his pocket and producing the tiny garment for all to see.

Yesterday, the young man who was seemingly born to be a Phillie became a Phillie.

The team made the 21-year-old Delaware County native its first pick in the Major League Baseball draft.

The slugging third baseman, who starred at Archbishop Carroll and Coastal Carolina University, had hoped he would end up with the team he grew up rooting for.

When his name was called in the second round, at No. 65 overall, the roof nearly blew off the Costanzo family home in Glen Mills.

"The whole place erupted," he said. "You have no idea how big of a Phillies fan I am. I'm an enormous Phillies fan. It runs in my blood. This is a dream come true."

Asked to describe himself as a player, Costanzo was succinct: "I'm a lefthanded power hitter," he said.

You can live with that, right?

Costanzo has been coming to Phillies games for as long as he can remember. His father's company has season tickets. Last night was his first game as a Phillies draft pick. He spent the hours before the game touring the clubhouse and meeting players. ("He's a second baseman," wise guy Billy Wagner teased Chase Utley.)

Costanzo also appeared at a news conference. Something tells us you're going to like this kid. He's big, strong, handsome, personable and well-spoken.

He's also one of you. Joe Carter's home run broke his heart. But he felt better when he attended the Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Mike Schmidt and Richie Ashburn in 1995.

Asked to describe his playing style, Costanzo went right for the heart of Philadelphians.

"I hustle," he said. "I'll dive in the stands for balls. I have a big commitment for the game."

We knew you'd love that.

Even though Costanzo has another year of college eligibility, he's signing.

"I can't wait to play for the Phillies," he said. "Hopefully, I'll be signed by tomorrow. I'm not pulling a J.D. Drew. I'm not doing that to this team or this city."

Costanzo's adviser, David Pasti, expects a quick signing. Last year, the 65th overall pick received a bonus of $575,000.

"I'm from Rockville, Md., and I'm not leaving until it happens," Pasti said.

Mike Costanzo Sr. saw a ballplayer in his son from the beginning.

"He used to take his baseball bat and hit the balls off the Christmas tree," Mike Sr. said. "We had to put all the balls up high on the tree."

Mike Jr. is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound lefthanded hitter who throws righthanded. He also pitched and played first base at Coastal Carolina, but the Phillies drafted him as a third baseman, and that's where he'll stay.

"It's the position I've wanted to play my whole life," he said. "I was a big Mike Schmidt fan."

Costanzo worked out for Phillies scouts as a senior in high school, but chose to go the college route. He opened eyes with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League last summer, hitting .256 with eight homers. He tied for the league lead with 30 RBIs. He hit .379 with 16 homers and 67 RBIs for Coastal Carolina this season. He was twice named Big South player of the year.

Baseball America had Costanzo rated as the 123d best prospect in the draft, but the Phils believe they got a better player than that.

Scouting director Marti Wolever, who loves good hitters and pushed for the team to draft Chase Utley in the first round in 2000, had Costanzo rated first on his personal wish list.

"There was an outside chance he'd be available in the third round," Wolever said. "But when you like what you see, you go get it, and that's what we did.

"He's patient at the plate. He has a chance to have above-average power and be a third baseman of quality."

As much as being selected by the Phillies was the fulfillment of a dream for Costanzo, he said it was only half the dream.

The other half?

"Playing for them and helping them win a World Series for the city," he said.

Costanzo has many miles to cover before wearing a Phillies uniform. He will begin his pro career at Batavia of the New York-Penn League.

If he makes it to Citizens Bank Park, his family won't have a long commute to games. In fact, his father works in the shadow of the ballpark, at RG Respiratory Inc. on Packer Avenue. It's right next to Chickie's and Pete's Restaurant, which just so happens to be Mike Jr.'s favorite place to eat.

"Every time I get off the plane from college, I go there," Mike Jr. said. "Crab fries and mussels."

Sounds like a Philly guy - a Philly guy who is now a Phillie.