GREEN BAY – The Greater Green Bay Blue Ribbons Baseball Club announced the hiring of Anthony Sottile as the team’s manager for the 2021 season.
Sottile (pronounced so-TEAL), is a native of Carol Stream, Illinois, and is currently enrolled at Marian University in Fond du Lac, where he’s worked as a pitcher and an outfielder for the Sabres.
A team captain and honorable mention all-conference selection during his senior season at Glenbard North High School, Sottile made his college debut in 2018, appearing in 17 games, but a season-ending injury in 2019 and a COVID-19-shortened season in 2020 limited his college playing time over the past two seasons.
A familiar face to Blue Ribbons fans, Sottile spent the summer of 2019 pitching at Joannes Stadium for the De Pere Dodgers, going 2-2 with a 2.91 ERA over 34 innings, before hurling for the rival Menasha Macs in the Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League last summer.
“I’m excited to be back in Green Bay,” Sottile said. “In 2019 when I played for the Dodgers, the great atmosphere at the ballpark, as well as the teammates I played with, made it a great summer. Playing in Green Bay was the best summer baseball experience I’ve had in my playing career.”
During his previous stint in Green Bay, Sottile was able to play under Luke Gajewski, who managed the Ribbons in 2020, and his predecessor, long-time Blue Ribbons skipper, Denny Ruh.
Sottile said he’ll take things he learned from both former managers while mixing in some of his own styles.
“Playing under Luke and Denny was a great experience,” he said. “Luke did a great job managing games and helping our players find success as a collective team. Denny had a passion for the game, and he enjoyed being at the ballpark. I’m a player’s coach who looks toward building relationships with players so I can help them develop to their best ability. I’ll be able to assist players with the mental side of baseball to help them succeed.”
Sottile will get his chance to make his mark with a young, but a talented club, when they take the field later this month.
“I’m excited to start the season,” said Sottile, “I’m looking forward to helping build a program based on the development of players and having an enjoyable atmosphere. The roster is full of talent, and I’m excited to see what the players bring to the park every day.”
The Blue Ribbons open their season Friday, May 21, when they travel to Appleton, then kick off their home schedule May 26 when they host Appleton at Joannes for a 7:30 p.m. game.
Editor’s note: To read a story on Yuta Kudoh, a 2020 Blue Ribbons player from Japan, CLICK HERE.