It's in the blood

Cody Scarpetta's blood, that is. At least according to this Rockford Register-Star story.

The Scarpettas never stop pitching.

Not to themselves. And not to others. Rockford’s first family of pitching keeps baseball all in the family, even when they are passing it on to others, as they showed Sunday with a pitching clinic at Guilford High School.

“I’m glad our kids are involved in it. I mean, that’s our life, so it’s good,” said Dan Scarpetta, the second-highest drafted baseball player in Rockford history.

Scarpetta and his brother, Dennis, another former minor league pitcher, have coached or conducted clinics for years. But this clinic was proposed by their sons Cody (Dan) and Brett (Dennis). Dennis’ other son, Hononegah senior Ryan Scarpetta, helped out, making this a five-Scarpetta clinic.

“Every time I come home, my dad works with me,” said Cody, an 11th-round draft pick in 2007 who pitched at Class A and AA last year and is on the Milwaukee Brewers’ current 40-man roster. “I’ve caught his lessons since I was 8 years old and grew up with the whole teaching thing.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with young kids. It’s a good feeling to see them connect with what you are telling them. Hopefully, they will learn something and be able to take that into their pitching or baseball routine.”

Cody was 4-11 with a 3.43 ERA for the Rattlers in 2009.