Geovany Soto and Joey Votto! Is that right? Do they rhyme?

Don't look now baseball fans (and people who should appreciate the sport more like the ubiquitous and eponymous Lisa H), but it seems that the Italian-American community might be coming on strong in America's pasttime through these two new guys.

Ba da boom!

If Andrew Dice Clay were performing, he would lay down a blue streak for these two fellow Amerigo paisani...

Dice Clay is Italian-American, right? Does the Pope like bratwurst? (I used to say "does the Pope like spaghetti?", but now that we have had two non-Italians in the Vatican in a row it has me rethinking the trite question. No offense to anyone by that. I think it's an attempt at levity.)

But anyway, these two guys appear to be the real deal, at least so far this season.

Geovany Soto has been pounding the ball for the Cubbies, and maybe the answer to the "maldicion del chivo" (that is Spanish for curse of the goat; my Italian is very limited).

He is a catcher, too, I believe, which is always good to see for production. Go Cubs! Kielbasa the curse!

Mr. Votto (I would like to know if it rhymes with Soto, a la songs sung in falsetto sotto voce by Adam Sandler: Opera Man!) made a statement today for the Reds by belting three homers in its runaway win.

Tre hom ronne, bambini!

En un matche! UNO. Que potenza! Que linguini!

Now THAT is Italian.

Well, American, really.

This is a baseball thing.

OK, Lisa? It's a great game. Most football players like it.

'Nuff said.

And speaking of Italian and baseball, who was the best Italian-American ball player of all time?

Joe DiMaggio? Yogi Berra?

Certainly the former had better numbers and romantic hype, while the latter inspired more witticisms and cartoon characters.

But if you think about it, our culture and history would not be the same without these three things, dedicated to Votto three dingers (powatzos) today:

1. Baseball.

2. Italian-Americans. Yeah, I'm talkin' ta you!

3. Italinan-American ball players.

So, forza Votto and Soto!

Now that I think of it, it is more likley that Soto is Latino, but who cares? Then again, maybe both of them are only 1/16 Italian, both of them might be Mexican or Puerto Rican. Does it matter?It's the thought that counts. Celebrate our diversity and fascinating mix of identities in baseball and America.

Si! That we can ALL capisce, no? Tutto!

Bona fortuna y ciao amici.

Clinch