Staten Island's DeSalvo hopes for happy return

The New Castle native will pitch today's doubleheader opener against Mahoning Valley.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Growing up, Matt DeSalvo held the New York Yankees and their legendary stadium in high regard.
Then in May, he signed with the perennial powerhouse baseball organization and beamed at the thought of pitching in the Bronx.
"Just hearing about New York City and rumors about Yankee Stadium, with the whole city rumbling when a game is going on ..." DeSalvo said.
Signed as a free agent, DeSalvo was assigned to the Staten Island Yankees of the Class A short-season New York-Penn League, and Saturday night he returned to his native region.
Starting pitcher
The 1998 Union High graduate, who grew up in New Castle, Pa., was scheduled to start the Yankees' game against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at Cafaro Field.
Rain washed out the game and forced a seven-inning doubleheader today at 2:05 p.m. DeSalvo was still scheduled to start the opener.
Standing outside the clubhouse Saturday, with 20-some relatives and friends hanging over the fence yelling his name, DeSalvo remembered his first appearance in professional baseball -- as a Yankee.
"I'm thinking, 'Here we go,' " he laughed. "You're in New York with the greatest fans and it's so emotional throughout the game.
"All I was thinking was not to give up a run and they [the fans] would have nothing to boo about," he added. "I ended up making a good name for myself so far up there."
In nine starts this season, DeSalvo, a 6-foot, 170-pound right-hander, is 2-3 with a 1.84 earned-run average.
"As you go up, it gets harder to get guys out. People are paid to play this game," DeSalvo said. "So you can't make mistakes. Here, if you hang a curveball, it can easily be in the trees."
College career
As a pitcher at Marietta College, a Division III school in southern Ohio, DeSalvo had hopes of being drafted after his junior season. That didn't happen. Then as a senior, he underwent knee surgery that sidelined him for more than eight weeks, putting a professional career on hold again.
Upon recovering, he made the most of his return to the game, going 13-2 with a 1.31 ERA at Marietta this season. Still, he didn't get drafted but soon began conversing with professional teams.
"I had around seven teams contact me, and we got into a bidding war," DeSalvo said. "The Yankees won it, and they proved to be the best team for me."
Ups and downs
The season certainly has been eventful for DeSalvo. In a game against the rival Brooklyn Cyclones, a New York Mets affiliate, he was involved in a bench-clearing brawl after hitting a batter with a pitch.
"A lot of people think that was on purpose because of the circumstances that lead up to that," said DeSalvo, who was suspended for seven games. "If a guy crowds the plate, you brush him back. That's baseball.
"The pitch got away from me, and one thing led to another."
Because he has so many familiar faces wanting to see him, DeSalvo admitted feeling "butterflies" in taking the mound against the Scrappers.
Five years ago, he was at Cafaro Field watching current Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia. Now, it is DeSalvo following in those same footsteps with those same big-league dreams.
Scrappers notes
The Indians promoted catcher Clint Chauncey to the Double-A Akron Aeros with Josh Goldfield, who will rehab his right shoulder there.
In 23 games with the Scrappers, Chauncey batted .241 while throwing out 29 percent of baserunners attempting to steal.
Goldfield only played in two games for Mahoning Valley. He tore his meniscus during spring training and continues to work his way back to good health.
richesson@vindy.com