Frankie Moscatiello, Savannah Bananas are Bronx-bound
Rocky Point’s Frankie Moscatiello will lastly stay his dream of taking part in professionally at Yankee Stadium this weekend. Only he will not be in pinstripes. He’ll be wearing an all-yellow uniform of the barnstorming Savannah Bananas.
The fashionable Bananas take over Yankee Stadium this weekend with two video games scheduled towards the Party Animals in Banana Ball Championship League play. Game 1 is scheduled for 7 pm on Saturday and Game 2 is at 3 pm on Sunday. Tickets, priced between $40 and $100 when bought by way of the Bananas’ lottery system, are accessible on the secondary market at greater than double the face worth, as of Tuesday afternoon. A handful of premium seat and suite tickets are accessible through the Yankees’ website.
“It’s been a blast,” Moscatiello informed Newsday. “The fan experience has been incredibly rewarding, and the team is like one big family. We’re all having a great time playing the game we love.”
The Bananas are at the moment 10-1 within the six-team league which incorporates the Indianapolis Clowns, Texas Tailgaters, Loco Beach Coconuts, Firefighters and Party Animals.
“It’s everything I thought it would be and more,” Moscatiello stated. “It’s the coolest place to play. It’s like playing pick-up wiffle ball. It’s so much fun.”
Savannah Bananas’ Malachi Mitchell does a flip whereas jogging residence to attain towards the Firefighters. Credit: AP/Lindsey Wasson
Savannah Bananas rightfielder Reese Alexiades makes a catch between his legs towards the Firefighters. Credit: AP/Lindsey Wasson
Two weeks in the past, the Bananas, who began in 2016, celebrated the groups’ five hundredth straight sell-out. Last month, they performed to sold-out crowds at Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans, Petco Park in San Diego, and Anaheim Stadium. After this cease in Yankee Stadium, the Bananas head out to Truist Park in Atlanta on May 8-10.
Moscatiello, who wears No. 99, had eliminated the celebration of his personal pitching on his thirtieth birthday March 27 in Anaheim Stadium, residence of the Los Angeles Angels.
“The fans were awesome in Anaheim and had so much energy,” Moscatiello stated. “We in turn reciprocated that energy with choreographed dances and all kinds of flips and tricks.”
The constructive fan expertise has been a staple of the Bananas’ success. The fan-friendly interplay consists of signing autographs, working into the group to take images and being accessible. It is a vital ingredient to the crew’s reputation.
“We’re signing autographs and interacting with fans everywhere we play,” he stated. “You watch the Yankees and see Aaron Judge, but how many people actually have the chance to meet him. We make sure the experience includes fans meeting players.”
Frank Moscatiello. Credit: Moscatiello Family
Moscatiello stated he’s having the time of his life. After an eight-year grind in baseball, he has discovered a cushty place on this journey with the Bananas.
The former Newsday All-Long Island selection in 2014 at Rocky Point went on to play at St. Thomas Aquinas and earn Pitcher of the Year in 2017 and 2018. He was a Division II All-American in 2017.
“We’re not in the baseball business,” stated Bananas co-owner Jesse Cole. “We’re in the entertainment business.”
They do it nicely. People go bananas for them.
ABOUT THE SAVANNAH BANANAS
who: An exhibition barnstorming baseball crew from Savannah, Georgia (residence subject, Grayson Stadium).
What: They play a variation of baseball referred to as Banana Ball, which emphasizes showmanship, fan participation and quick-paced video games. Players have dance routines, comedy sketches and different leisure between innings and through video games. They are usually in comparison with the Harlem Globetrotters.
Banana Ball: There are six groups with a lot of gamers having minor league and faculty expertise.
Routines: Players have walk-ups and pre-pitch dances which have tons of of thousands and thousands of views throughout social media. Scoring celebrations can embody the followers the place gamers run into the group and dance.
what else: Savannah has the world’s tallest hitter and pitcher in Dakota “Stilts” Albritton who stands 10 toes tall … Bananas proprietor Jesse Cole at all times wears a yellow tuxedo.
WORLD TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
2021: The Bananas performed two video games in Atlanta in entrance of sellout crowds on their first barnstorming “tour.”
2022: The tour expanded to seven cities and 14 video games (all sellouts).
2023: The Bananas expanded the tour to 80 video games, together with a world match towards the Aussie Drop Bears from Australia.
2024: The Bananas performed their season opener at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, and performed video games in 5 MLB stadiums.
2025: The Bananas performed video games in three NFL stadiums and 17 MLB stadiums. On April 26, 2025, the Bananas and the Party Animals performed in entrance of 81,000 followers at Clemson.
2026: The Bananas are 10-1 and have offered out each venue to date this season.
