After missing a year of ball I had a bounce back campaign in 2002 going 5-2 with a 3.16 ERA out of the pen. One of my better seasons of my pro career.

Following the ’02 Steelheads season I decided to pack my bags and head to a land I knew nothing about. I spent 7 weeks in Taiwan playing in the TML also known as the Taiwan Major League playing for Kaoping Fala. That season, 2002, we made it to the Championship as I earned the only victory in a best of 5 series.

2003 came with not a lot of expectation. I planned on returning to Indy ball without hesitation. Then in January I received a phone call about going to Italy and playing in their professional baseball league…2 months later I had my bags packed and was on a plane headed for the Malpensa airport in Milan. 2003 was an amazing year as I made the Italian National team and participated in Honkbal week in Holland followed by the European championship. Top two teams qualify for the 2004 Olympics which were being held in Greece. Italy went 5-0 beating the host country, Holland in a rain out make up game in which both of us were 4-0 and had already qualified for the Olympics. This game was strictly for bragging rights.

Following the Italian season I once again joined the Italian national team and headed to Cuba to participate in the 2003 Baseball World Cup. 2 weeks of games in which I pitched against Russia, Korea, Nicaragua and Taiwan. An amazing experience of a lifetime that I never even knew existed.

I saw myself making the Italian Olympic team and participating in the 2004 Athens Olympic games. I pitched against Japan, the Dutch and finally the gold medal winning Cubans. A once in a lifetime opportunity, once again, that I never even knew could happen to me. Incredible! With me returning stateside fresh from the Olympics I found myself preparing for yet another milestone in my career. It was a fall afternoon as my dad prepared to catch one of my bullpen sessions, the first one in about 2 years. This bullpen had a little more meaning to it, it was in front of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Western Cross checker along with our area scout. 2 months later I signed my first contract with an affiliated team. Dad was stellar behind the dish that day.

I made the AA Arkansas roster as a reliever. About two months into the season I was in the starting rotation alongside a few future Big Leaguers in Jared Weaver, Ervin Santana, and Joe Saunders. I finished the year 9-7 with a 3.71 ERA finishing in the top 10 in ERA in the Texas League.

Winter I headed to the Caribbean and Puerto Rico for some Winter Ball playing for Manatei. Tom Gamboa was my manager.

After 7 years of dating my college girlfriend, I married my softball-playing fiancée, Megan Wlodarczyk on January 8th, 2005.

I made my first World Baseball Classic team, representing team Italia. In a bracket with Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Australia. I got to pitch against Venezuela in which I faced 6 batters giving up 1 run on a solo home run to a guy named Miguel Cabrera.

I made the AAA Salt Lake City roster once again as a reliever. Two weeks into the season I found myself in the rotation once again alongside Jared Weaver, Joe Saunders, Ervin Santana and Dustin Moselely, all Big Leaguers.

Winter I decided to head to Venezuela and play for Pastora De Los LLenos of the Venezuelan winter league. My Manager just happened to be ex-Big League manager (Phil Regan) of the Baltimore Orioles when Cal Ripken Jr. broke the Iron Horses consecutive games played record. I picked his brain a little.

I was headed to Big League Camp. A chance to show the big dogs what I can really do. After a month in camp I was sent back to Minor League camp to prepare for the upcoming season back in Salt Lake City AAA. This was my best year as a starter going 10-7 and leading the PCL in innings pitched with 180. Once again I saw myself headed back down for some good ol’ Winter ball in Venezuela. This time I was headed to the tropical island “Isla De Margarita”. This was an absolute great time for me and my wife to spend 3 months together, and it was on a Caribbean island!!

Was the second year that I was going to Big League camp with the LAA. This time I had something to prove…I was sent down again a little over half way thru, on my Birthday, which later I realized was the second year in a row. Oh well, back to minor league camp to prove myself. Heading back to Salt Lake AAA for the third straight year pitching out of the bullpen as well as in the starting rotation.

I was a free agent heading to my second World Baseball Classic representing Italia. This time we were headed to Toronto along with Canada, Venezuela and USA. Once again I faced 6 batters from team Venezuela including Miguel Cabrera who hit another Homer off of me…Lucky.

Following the Classic I signed a minor league contract with the Florida Marlins and headed to Jacksonville Fl. of the AA Southern League. By far my best year posting a 1.10 ERA with a 7-1 record over 65.2 innings in 52 games. A streak of 39 scoreless innings was mixed into the middle of the year.

Headed back to Big League camp with the Marlins. Once again I was sent down but this time it was a day after my birthday. But I was headed back to AAA in the great city of New Orleans!

Was released from the Marlins Organization July…4 weeks later I signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks and was headed to Reno NV and their AAA affiliate. Posting a 1.93 ERA through 11 games I finished my professional baseball career after 10 years.

I started my coaching career with the Northbay Redbirds of Santa Rosa Ca. Started with an 11U team from 2011-2012 and eventually moved to the 10U team from 2013-2014.

The 2013-2014 season saw the boys compete in 10 tourneys reaching the championship game 6 of the 10, winning 5 of 10 and never finishing below 3rd place in any of the tourneys.

The boys finished the 2014 Spring season ranked #1 in Northern California, #1 in the Western Region and #6 in the nation in the 10U AAA level.

We have just welcomed Lucca Vivian Star Olenberger to our mix. Born March 11.

After 7 years of dating my college girlfriend, I married my softball playing fiancée, Megan Wlodarczyk on January 8th, 2005.  We have one amazing son, Rocco (born Oct. 8, 2013) who might be the coolest guy I know…but wait, we have just welcomed Lucca Vivian Star Olenberger to our mix.  Born March 11, 2015.  Every great man has an amazing woman by his side and Megan is nothing shy of the perfect woman for me.  She traveled to Little Rock Arkansas in 2005 then continued the adventure all the way to a “not so stable” Venezuela to cheer me on.  From Toronto Canada for the WBC to Jacksonville Fl for another season.  We enjoyed the beautiful golf courses in Park City Ut. while I was playing in Salt Lake City and continued onto sipping daiquiri’s on the streets of NOLA.  During the ups and downs of playing professional baseball, she was always there as the voice of reason and my calming other half.   We shared 10 years together in pro baseball that I could not have done without you Megan.  Thank you and I love you.