成人大片 grad in dream job with Toronto Blue Jays
成人大片 grad Anthony Lucchese grew up in a family of sports fans. He says his Italian 鈥渘onna鈥� has no idea how baseball works 鈥� but she watches every Jays game. Today, Lucchese spends nearly every day with the team as a video analyst, and does similar work for the Italian national baseball team. He's pictured above at the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo courtesy of Anthony Lucchese)
Ever watched a Jays game and see them challenge a close play?
If so, you鈥檝e seen 成人大片 grad Anthony Lucchese, Bachelor of Commerce 鈥�19, in action.
As quality assurance analyst, advance scouting/video with Canada鈥檚 only MLB team 鈥� now in the running for a World Series title for the first time in more than 30 years 鈥� Lucchese has a job that comes with serious pressure.
Whenever there鈥檚 a close call on a play 鈥� whether it鈥檚 a runner sliding into home or a catch at the wall 鈥� he鈥檚 the one who decides if the team will challenge it or not.
And he has only 15 seconds to make the call.
The stakes? There鈥檚 only one challenge allowed per game in the regular season, and two during playoffs.
A successful challenge, he says, feels good.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a nice feeling when we have a play overturned,鈥� he said, noting that a successful challenge can reverse an 鈥渙ut鈥�, or get the team a base hit.
鈥淲hen coaches and players acknowledge it 鈥� it makes me feel part of the team,鈥� added Lucchese, who players, coaches and staff affectionately call 鈥淐heese.鈥�
Above, during a game this past September, a New York Yankees player was ruled 鈥渟afe鈥�, but after reviewing the play and examining it at the above angle, 成人大片 grad Anthony Lucchese successfully challenged the ruling and had it overturned to 鈥渙ut鈥�. (Photo courtesy of Anthony Lucchese).
Staying cool under pressure
For some, the pressure would be too much. But not for Lucchese.
鈥淚 mean, it鈥檚 a good thing to have 鈥� it shows that the work you鈥檙e doing is important,鈥� he said.
He says preparation is critical. Before each game, he studies the plays and every camera angle to ensure he鈥檚 ready. For away games, that means new stadiums and camera angles to study and assess.
His efforts pay off.
鈥淭he key to being good at the job is, like, you kind of have to have a slow heartbeat. Honestly, if I had an Apple Watch on during a game, you鈥檇 laugh, because it would be like I鈥檓 barely breathing,鈥� he laughed.
After seven years with the team, including two in this replay role, he鈥檚 learned to thrive under pressure.
鈥淧eople probably won't believe this, but I'm most relaxed when I do replay. I'm in my element. It鈥檚 like, that's where I was meant to be.鈥�
Turning edits into insights
In addition to calling a challenge during a game, Lucchese records the games, edits the footage, develops internal reports for coaches and players to prepare for upcoming games, analyzes video and data on opponents to help gain an advantage, and analyzes video and data on the Jays players themselves to help with player development.
Uploading 20 different iPads with everything from various reports on opponents to video of the opposing pitcher is also a big lift on game day.
鈥淚f you see a coach with an iPad, chances are, they鈥檙e looking at something one of my colleagues or myself analyzed for them,鈥� he says, also praising the team of analysts who work hard to ensure coaches are as prepared as possible each game.
Born for baseball
Similar to Vladdy Guerrero Jr. 鈥� who鈥檚 鈥淏orn ready鈥� comment became a Blue Jays catchphrase 鈥� it seems Lucchese, too, was born for this.
In fact, he was born into a family of hockey and baseball fans.
鈥淢y parents watch every [Jays] game, whether they're at the stadium or watching on TV if we're on the road,鈥� he says. 鈥淓ven my 90-year-old Italian 鈥榥onna鈥�, who doesn't speak much English and has no idea how baseball works 鈥� she watches every game.鈥�
Growing up near the Rogers Centre, Lucchese attended games as a kid. Now he鈥檚 on the road with the team all year.
鈥淭he coaches and the players are like family to me. I鈥檓 with them everyday, at every game, both home and away. So like, for this to happen, it's pretty cool鈥� The last time they were in the World Series, I wasn't even born yet,鈥� he said.
Above, a childhood photo of Anthony Lucchese in a Toronto Blue Jays jersey. Today, he鈥檚 living his dream as a video analyst for the organization. (Photo courtesy of Anthony Lucchese)
How he got here
While Lucchese seems destined to work in baseball, his experience in the sport didn鈥檛 start on the diamond.
鈥淚 got into it from playing fantasy baseball with my buddies from high school. I was like, this would be fun to try as a career. And then I kind of fell into it,鈥� he said.
The process to land the job? Pretty straightforward.
鈥淚 just applied,鈥� he said, adding, 鈥淚f anyone ever wants to apply for a job, but they鈥檙e not sure they have the experience, just apply. You never know. I鈥檓 living proof.鈥�
That advice is partly why Lucchese 鈥� a humble guy who normally shies from the spotlight 鈥� agreed to this interview.
He says he faced big challenges in university, and he wants others to know that if they鈥檙e in the same position, there鈥檚 hope.
Success isn鈥檛 always a straight line
With a passion for baseball, Lucchese was more a student of the game than anything else.
Academics didn鈥檛 come easily.
鈥淟ike, if you have access to my GPA, you鈥檇 probably cry. I know my mom did,鈥� he joked.
But overcoming those challenges made him more 鈥渄ependable鈥� and 鈥渁 better person.鈥�
鈥淚 look back and I鈥檓 like, 鈥業 learned a lot of important things鈥�,鈥� he said.
It鈥檚 a message he wants other students struggling with lower grades to hear.
鈥淢aybe there's somebody in the same shoes that I was in... Maybe they鈥檒l read this and think, 鈥榃ell, he turned out okay, so, like, there's probably a good chance for me too.鈥�"
Superstitions and the World Series
When it comes to predictions for the World Series Championship title, Lucchese stays cool 鈥� and honours his superstitions.
鈥淚 sit in the exact same chair. Like, sometimes the cleaners at night will jam them up a little bit and I'll go back and try to find the exact same chair I sat in for the last game they won,鈥� he said.
His clothing matters too.
鈥淲hatever pair of socks we won with, I'll wear the next day. Obviously it gets washed. I'm not gonna wear stinky socks. That'd be gross,鈥� he laughed. He also wears the same hat and sits in his chair at the exact same time.
鈥淚 know it鈥檚 meaningless, but to me, it means something. Maybe it will help us win. You gotta do your part.鈥�
While he won鈥檛 predict the outcome, he says what matters most is seeing how far the team has come.
鈥淟ast year, we were in last place. To be where we are now, I've never seen togetherness like this. I鈥檓 talking about the players, the coaching staff, whether it's a trainer, the strength guy or the video guy like me.鈥�
鈥淗onestly, I鈥檓 so happy for everyone who鈥檚 making it to this point for the first time, from the coaches to the players,鈥� he said.
Overall he says the experience is a dream.
鈥淚 take a step back sometimes, and I'm like, "Yeah, this is pretty cool. I鈥檓 so lucky.鈥�