"(Former Phillie) David Bell, who is now my manager in Triple-A, calls me in the office, I'm not thinking anything of it, it's just funny how everything works. He closes the door and he's crying, because we had been though a lot together the last couple of years, and he said, 'You're going to the big leagues.' I was like, 'You're kidding me, right?' So we had an awkward hug for about a good minute of just embracing each other and celebrating via tears." (Mike Costanzo on being promoted to the Reds in 2012)

Michael A. Costanzo (born September 9, 1983 in Philadelphia, PA) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds. He played college baseball for Coastal Carolina University, and was named an All-American in his junior year. In 2004, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Mets of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Mike was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies with pick #65 in the second round of the 2005 Major League Baseball draft. In 2006, Mike spent the season in High-A in Clearwater, where he was named Florida State League's Top defensive 3rd baseman. In 2007 Costanzo played for the AA-Reading Phillies in the Eastern League, and hit 27 Home runs with 86 RBI earning him a spot in the Eastern League All-Star game.

On November 7, 2007, Mike, along with Michael Bourn and Geoff Geary, was traded to the Houston Astros for Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett and on December 12, 2007 he was traded for the second time in 34 days to the Baltimore Orioles along with Luke Scott, Matt Albers, Troy Patton and Dennis Sarfate for Miguel Tejada. The Orioles released him on April 2, 2010 and he signed with the Cincinnati Reds on May 13, 2010.

Costanzo was called up to the majors with the Cincinnati Reds for the first time on May 12, 2012 and in his first Major League at bat, he hit a sacrifice fly to left field, which scored Ryan Hanigan from third base. On May 19, 2012 Costanzo got his first Major League Hit off of New York Yankees pitcher Iván Nova. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter retrieved the baseball and tossed it into the Reds dugout. On June 6, he was optioned back to Triple-A Louisville. On August 1, Mike was designated for assignment and never appeared in MLB again.

Costanzo represented Team Italy in the 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classic, and he was inducted into the Coastal Carolina University Hall of Fame in fall of 2012. Mike became owner of The Mike Costanzo Farmers Insurance Agency in Springfield PA after leaving baseball.

(excerpted from Italian Baseball League Blog, Baseball Almanac, BR Bullpen & Wikipedia)