Can-Am Brockton Rox

Cucurullo battles through for Rox

by Melissa Chodan
July 14, 2005 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Brockton Rox


Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali once said, "The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road."

Ali believed that much of the game was mental and your outcome on the stage depended much on your physical and mental preparation prior to the actual contest.

In no sport does that concept hold more true than in baseball. The rigors of the sport can seem endless as it is a hard fought struggle to sign with an organization or club, let alone reach the top of the podium.

As a result, athletes find themselves struggling to keep motivated and press on to follow their dreams, which at times can seem very out of reach.

Matt Cucurullo, the free-swinging outfielder of the Brockton Rox, is one of the many independent baseball players who can identify with that scenario.

Cucurullo, 22, has encountered injuries, slumps and setbacks while overall remaining productive and determined and is patiently waiting for his chance in affiliated ball.

While he says that playing baseball is the greatest job in the world, he has learned that all the situations off the field require resilience just to make the on the field opportunity possible.

"Seriously, you can't get discouraged cause this game is full of disappointment," Cucurullo said, "getting released, getting injured, missing a couple games due to injury and another guy steps in, does well and now you find yourself on the bench. Just really perseverance and trust yourself and give it everything you've got."

After a sub par season last year with the Elmira Pioneers where he hit .258 in limited action, he has rebounded with the Rox and is having a breakout season.

In 28 games so far this year, Cucurullo is batting .325 and has knocked in 13 RBI. He also presents a stolen base threat to his opponents as he has been successful in all six steal attempts this season.

Cucurullo has proven that he can produce but he also brings many intangible qualities to the game. His speed, throwing arm and overall desire amplify his skills and knowledge of baseball. Cucurullo thinks it's those immeasurable qualities that will help him stand out to scouts.

"I think it's going to be my intensity and my will to do whatever it takes to succeed," Cucurullo said. "If you watch me play, I think I play the game hard and I listen and I want to get better."

Cucurullo likens his approach to baseball to that of Chicago Cubs' outfielder Corey Patterson.

"The way he's built, the way he plays the game," Cucurullo said, "not to say I'm as good as Corey Patterson, ... but straight up tools and how the game is played, he's very aggressive, he likes to swing, I don't walk very often. He bats lefty, throws righty. I bat lefty, throw righty."

Cucurullo has made great strides just to get where he is now. A graduate of Manhattan College, where he played for four years, Cucurullo had a dismal freshman year for the institution, batting .174.

"I was actually the worst hitter in the league, I had the lowest batting average in the league my freshman season and it was a tough year," Cucurullo said. "I was embarrassed. My confidence was at an all time low. The ball looked like a golf ball."

He added: "My coach had a lot of confidence in me and kept me in the lineup and even through the struggles he let me get all my errors and mistakes out of the way and the next three years I grew up a little bit physically and also knowing the game right and things started happening for me."

Cucurullo came back in his sophomore campaign to hit .370 with 36 RBI and stole 25 bases. He followed up in his junior year with equally impressive numbers, batting .365 with 36 RBI and 15 stolen bases.

His senior year, Cucurullo was faced with a potentially devastating blow- he tore his left hamstring in the second game of the season. Ultimately, he decided to play through the injury as a designated hitter. Much of his speed was replaced with power.

He ended his final collegiate season with a career high nine homeruns and 52 RBI while batting .350 and still maneuvering 15 stolen bases.

Despite his success and ability to come back from injury, Cucurullo was overlooked by affiliated organizations and he now plans to use the opportunity the Rox gave him to prove himself as a ballplayer.

"The draft came, I went undrafted," Cucurullo said. "I was upset but luckily some professional teams, independent organizations called and I went that route."

He added: "Hopefully, I stay healthy here, put up numbers and just play the way that I know I can play and hopefully things will fall into place."

Check out the Brockton Rox Statistics



Canadian American League Stories from July 14, 2005


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