RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan College Athletic Department will highlight former Jasper baseball standouts during the summer tracking their progress within their respective minor league organizations.  The series will keep fans up to date in the Jaspers' quests to reach the Major Leagues.  The third installment features Matt Rizzotti who is playing within the Philadelphia Phillies organization. 

The education of Matt Rizzotti

By Ronak Patel 

Manhattan Jaspers Coach Kevin Leighton stated during the 2010 baseball season that ex-Jaspers hitting great Matt Rizzotti "was the Barry Bonds of the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)."

Now in his third full and fourth overall season within the Philadelphia Phillies organization, Rizzotti (2005-07) is inflicting the same headaches to professional pitchers that he once did to MAAC pitchers.

Rizzotti, who was picked by the Phillies in the sixth round of the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft, is hitting .382 with 11 home runs and 38 RBIs for the Reading Phillies, the organization's Double-A affiliate.

"I attribute it to hard work," said Rizzotti about his hot start to the season. "I worked extremely hard in the offseason with my trainer (Joe Stolzer), who also happens to also work for the (Manhattan College) basketball team.

"I have never worked so hard in my life, so coming into the season prepared; it felt like I could take anything on."

Rizzotti began the year at Class A Clearwater, where he played in 101 games last season, hitting .263 with 13 home runs and 58 RBIs.  The Floral Park, N.Y., native was at Clearwater for only 31 games this season-he was hitting .358 with a homer and 10 RBIs-before his call up to Reading.

"(It was) probably the best feeling in the world," said Rizzotti of his call-up. "I had never been moved up during a season and wanted nothing more to happen this year than that.

"I was trying my hardest to get moved and get noticed, and it somehow worked.  For weeks before it happened, I had this whole plan on if they moved up, how I was going to tell my dad so he would get the optimal excitement; I did just fine on telling him!"

At Reading, Rizzotti teamed up with Domonic Brown, one of the Phillies' most highly touted prospects.  Brown was called up recently to the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.  Brown's approach rubbed off tremendously on Rizzotti.

"Brownie is a great player to be around," said Rizzotti. "He does everything right and there is not a bad word that can be said about him.  He is great to watch as a baseball player because he stays so consistent with everything in his game and that is what every baseball player wants in their own game."

Consistency with every detail is something Rizzotti strives for as he molds himself into a top prospect.  He has the hitting down to a science, but it will be his defense that will garner attention from the team's hierarchy.

"I have a routine," said Rizzotti of learning the nuances of first base. "It consists of a total of about 25 minutes a day.  First part is that my manager comes out and hit me about 20 to 30 picks at first base-picks and throws in the dirt are the hardest things first basemen have to deal with.  Then I grab balls by taking them at all different depths in the infield.  And finally, I come off the bag for a bunch of ground balls as if I was holding a runner on to turn a double play."

But make no mistake, Rizzotti has created attention with his prolific bat.  Recently, he hit homers in four straight games, and his slugging percentage at Reading is .637.

"Matt is one of the best hitters we've had, if not the best hitter we've had here (at Manhattan)," said Leighton. "He's just a pure hitter; he could hit for average, hit for power and he put a lot fear in the opposing coach, pitcher and defense.

"He was one of those guys that made everyone else better because he was in the lineup and got pitched to differently."

Even though he's one home run off his career high in the Minor Leagues-Rizzotti has hit 12 homers this season-he doesn't try to swing for the fences when he strolls to the plate.

"Hitters get in trouble when they try and do too much with a pitch they are given," Rizzotti said.  "I can't swing hard and try and hit a home run.  It's just not in my bag of tricks. 

"But what I do have is the ability to stay level.  That means I don't get out of sync to much. I try and keep it one level all the time.  Whether it's a hard-throwing pitcher or slow-thrower, or a 2-0 count or a 0-2 count, I try and stay the same."

Rizzotti, who keeps close tabs on his alma mater and ex-teammates, has a very simple approach at the plate.

"I am the easiest hitter around," said Rizzotti. "When I say easiest I mean my approach is so simple.  It consists of three parts: One, hands back and away from your body.  Two, lean back on your back leg.  And three, stay behind the ball (keep all your weight behind the ball).  That's probably as simple as you can get unless you just go with the old fashioned 'grip it and rip it' approach."

Rizzotti's breakout this season has been impressive, but he knows that in order to continue it, he will have to work on his craft day in and day out.

"When you get higher and higher into the ranks of baseball, you get to know yourself very well," said Rizzotti. "You know on a given day what's working for you and what's not.  And whatever isn't working for you on that day; that's what you have to harp on and work at to get it back to how you know it should feel."