“Ladies and gentlemen, your starting pitcher... Playwright Marc Palmieri!”?

After a successful run of his new play, Poor Fellas, that started performances at the Off-Broadway Phil Bosakowski Theatre June 1, Marc Palmieri and the rest of his team will hit the locker room. The show will close June 24.

Pitcher-turned-playwright and actor Palmieri was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays, but before he ever set foot on the mound at the SkyDome, he left the stadiums to pursue the prosceniums. Shortly thereafter, he had sold his first play, Telling You, which was made into a film starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Now, he is tossing up his Off-Broadway debut.

Fellas consists of six vignettes about love, solitude, and knowledge. Here’s the starting lineup: Prologue - a Catholic schoolboy gets an introduction to the disappointments in love, Rocks - a pitcher is forced to face his future, Tough Guys - two friends look introspectively at their lives, The Departure of Brian O’Callahan - a man makes himself believe he’s an alien on a mission, Makin’ Sense of Nothin’ - a construction worker and his friend stand at a gravesite -- his own; and to close out the evening, Poor Fellas - two friends discuss the findings of some spying one did on the other’s ex.

Directed by Tony P. Pennino (whose Story of an Unknown Man is set for production this fall) the play runs at the Phil Bosakowski Theatre, 354 West 45th St. (between 8th and 9th) until June 24. For tickets, call Smarttix at (212) 532-8887 or visit www.smarttix.com. For more info on the show, visit the Poor Fellas website at www.offbway.com/poorfellas. -- by Ernio Hernandez