Dan Serafini
Encyclopedia
Daniel Joseph Serafini is a left-handed Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
who is currently a free agent and coach/owner of Throw Like a Pro Baseball Academy.
when the Minnesota Twins
selected him as the 26th overall pick. He was drafted right out of Serra High School.
He began his professional career after signing with the Twins when he played for the rookie league team, the GCL Twins
. He played in 8 games in 1992 and posted a 1-0 record with a 3.64 ERA. In 1993, he played for the Fort Wayne Wizards
, the Twins Single-A team. He made 27 starts and posted a 10-8 record with a 3.65 ERA. He played for the Fort Myers Miracle
, the Twins High-A team, in 1994. He made 23 starts and had a 9-9 record with a 4.61 ERA. While with the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats
in 1995, he was an All-Star in the Eastern League. Overall while with the Rock Cats, he went 12-9 with a 3.37 ERA. He also made one relief appearance for the Salt Lake Buzz, the Twins Triple-A affiliate, in 1995.
as the 76th-ranked prospect in the minor leagues. He made his major league debut on June 25 against the New York Yankees
. He started the game and pitched 4.1 innings, gave up 5 runs, and got the loss. It was his only major league game of the year and pitched for the Salt Lake Buzz in the remainder of the 1996 season.
He pitched in the major leagues for the Twins in parts of the 1997 and 1998 seasons. His contract was purchased by the Chicago Cubs
from the Twins on March 31, 1999. He played for the Cubs for the majority of the season, going 3-2 with a 6.93 ERA
in 42 games (4 starts). That year, he also made two starts for the Iowa Cubs
, the Cubs' Triple-A team.
In the 1999 offseason, on December 22, he was traded to the San Diego Padres
for minor league
outfielder
Brandon Pernell. He pitched in 3 games for the Padres and recorded an 18.00 ERA. He also played for the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s
in which he had a 6.88 ERA in 26 games (4 starts). He was then traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates
for minor league pitcher Andy Bausher on June 28, 2000, and was assigned to Triple-A Nashville
. He made 7 starts for the Nashville Sounds, in which he went 4-3 with a 2.68 ERA. His performance earned him a callup to the Pirates major league club and he pitched in the rotation from August 5 until the end of the season, making 11 starts in which he went 2-5 with a 4.91 ERA.
He was released by the Pirates on March 20, 2001. He was signed to a minor league contract by the San Francisco Giants
on March 27. He began the year with the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies
, but was released on April 24. He was then signed to a minor league contract on May 8 by the New York Mets
. He played for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides
before being released on August 5. He signed another minor league contract two days later, this time with the Milwaukee Brewers
. He played for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians
for the rest of the 2001 season and was granted free agency on October 15.
Serafini signed with the Anaheim Angels on November 3, 2001, but was released on March 28, 2002 before the season began. He did not play in 2002 and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals
on November 14, 2002. He began the 2003 season for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds
but was released on April 21, 2003, after going 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 3 games (2 starts). He then went to play in the Mexican League. His contract was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds
on August 25, 2003 from the Mexican League. He played in his first major game since 2000 when he started a game for the Reds on August 26 against the Milwaukee Brewers. After 4 starts in which he went 0-3 with a 6.27 ERA, he was put into the bullpen
for the remainder of the 2003 season. He went 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 10 games for the Reds in 2003. Following the season, he was granted free agency on October 4.
From 2004 to 2007, Serafini pitched in Japan
. He played for the Chiba Lotte Marines
in 2004 and 2005, and the Orix Buffaloes
in 2006 and 2007.
Serafini returned to major league baseball in the United States
on July 31, 2007, when he signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies. He was assigned to the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox
. He played in 11 games (3 starts) for the Sky Sox. He went 0-1 with a 3.48 ERA. On September 4, 2007, when rosters expanded, his contract was purchased by the major league club. The next day, he played in his first major league game since 2003, when he came in to pitch against the San Francisco Giants. He was used as a left-handed specialist for the Rockies. He pitched in just 3 games in his callup and had a 54.00 ERA in 1/3 innings. He became a free agent after the 2007 season.
On November 27, 2007, Major League Baseball
suspended Serafini 50 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the league's joint drug prevention and treatment program. Serafini blamed the suspension on taking the substances in Japan for medical reasons as prescribed by Japanese doctors, and states he stopped taking them when he entered the US.
Serafini spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons with the Sultanes de Monterrey in the Mexican League.
In 2010, Serafini played for the Cañeros de Los Mochis
in the Mexican Pacific League, the Bridgeport Bluefish
of the Atlantic League
, and then appeared for Mexico in the February 2011 Caribbean Series.
area. He offers baseball players customized personal training, focused on preventing injury and the areas of mechanics, pitching, fielding, and batting.
. The station broadcast an extended interview with the blogger without realizing its error.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
who is currently a free agent and coach/owner of Throw Like a Pro Baseball Academy.
Minor league career
Serafini was a first round draft pick in the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft1992 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1992 Major League Baseball draft.-Other notable players:*Raúl Ibáñez, 36th round, Seattle Mariners...
when the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
selected him as the 26th overall pick. He was drafted right out of Serra High School.
He began his professional career after signing with the Twins when he played for the rookie league team, the GCL Twins
Gulf Coast League Twins
The Gulf Coast League Twins are the Rookie "A" Level Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. The team plays in Fort Myers, Florida, at the Lee County Sports Complex....
. He played in 8 games in 1992 and posted a 1-0 record with a 3.64 ERA. In 1993, he played for the Fort Wayne Wizards
Fort Wayne Wizards
The Fort Wayne TinCaps are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the San Diego Padres, that plays in the Midwest League. They won their first Midwest League Championship in 2009.-History:...
, the Twins Single-A team. He made 27 starts and posted a 10-8 record with a 3.65 ERA. He played for the Fort Myers Miracle
Fort Myers Miracle
The Fort Myers Miracle is the Class A Advanced minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club, currently managed by Jake Mauer. Home games are played at the Lee County Sports Complex in Hammond Stadium, which has a capacity of 7,500, and opened in...
, the Twins High-A team, in 1994. He made 23 starts and had a 9-9 record with a 4.61 ERA. While with the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats
New Britain Rock Cats
The New Britain Rock Cats are the Double-A minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club. They compete in the Eastern League and play their home games at New Britain Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut.-History:...
in 1995, he was an All-Star in the Eastern League. Overall while with the Rock Cats, he went 12-9 with a 3.37 ERA. He also made one relief appearance for the Salt Lake Buzz, the Twins Triple-A affiliate, in 1995.
Major league career
In 1996, he was rated by Baseball AmericaBaseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
as the 76th-ranked prospect in the minor leagues. He made his major league debut on June 25 against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. He started the game and pitched 4.1 innings, gave up 5 runs, and got the loss. It was his only major league game of the year and pitched for the Salt Lake Buzz in the remainder of the 1996 season.
He pitched in the major leagues for the Twins in parts of the 1997 and 1998 seasons. His contract was purchased by the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
from the Twins on March 31, 1999. He played for the Cubs for the majority of the season, going 3-2 with a 6.93 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 42 games (4 starts). That year, he also made two starts for the Iowa Cubs
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
, the Cubs' Triple-A team.
In the 1999 offseason, on December 22, he was traded to the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
for minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Brandon Pernell. He pitched in 3 games for the Padres and recorded an 18.00 ERA. He also played for the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
in which he had a 6.88 ERA in 26 games (4 starts). He was then traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
for minor league pitcher Andy Bausher on June 28, 2000, and was assigned to Triple-A Nashville
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
. He made 7 starts for the Nashville Sounds, in which he went 4-3 with a 2.68 ERA. His performance earned him a callup to the Pirates major league club and he pitched in the rotation from August 5 until the end of the season, making 11 starts in which he went 2-5 with a 4.91 ERA.
He was released by the Pirates on March 20, 2001. He was signed to a minor league contract by the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
on March 27. He began the year with the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a minor league baseball team based in Fresno, California. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League , is the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club. The Grizzlies play in Chukchansi Park , located in downtown Fresno and built in 2002...
, but was released on April 24. He was then signed to a minor league contract on May 8 by the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. He played for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides
Norfolk Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a minor league baseball team in the Triple-A International League. They play at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia. Since 2007 they have been a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles; prior to that, they had a 38-year affiliation with the New York Mets.-Franchise history:The...
before being released on August 5. He signed another minor league contract two days later, this time with the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He played for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
for the rest of the 2001 season and was granted free agency on October 15.
Serafini signed with the Anaheim Angels on November 3, 2001, but was released on March 28, 2002 before the season began. He did not play in 2002 and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
on November 14, 2002. He began the 2003 season for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
but was released on April 21, 2003, after going 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 3 games (2 starts). He then went to play in the Mexican League. His contract was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
on August 25, 2003 from the Mexican League. He played in his first major game since 2000 when he started a game for the Reds on August 26 against the Milwaukee Brewers. After 4 starts in which he went 0-3 with a 6.27 ERA, he was put into the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
for the remainder of the 2003 season. He went 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 10 games for the Reds in 2003. Following the season, he was granted free agency on October 4.
From 2004 to 2007, Serafini pitched in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He played for the Chiba Lotte Marines
Chiba Lotte Marines
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by the Lotte conglomerate.-History:...
in 2004 and 2005, and the Orix Buffaloes
Orix Buffaloes
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo....
in 2006 and 2007.
Serafini returned to major league baseball in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on July 31, 2007, when he signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies. He was assigned to the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox are a minor league baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team's colors are red and blue. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Colorado Rockies...
. He played in 11 games (3 starts) for the Sky Sox. He went 0-1 with a 3.48 ERA. On September 4, 2007, when rosters expanded, his contract was purchased by the major league club. The next day, he played in his first major league game since 2003, when he came in to pitch against the San Francisco Giants. He was used as a left-handed specialist for the Rockies. He pitched in just 3 games in his callup and had a 54.00 ERA in 1/3 innings. He became a free agent after the 2007 season.
On November 27, 2007, Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
suspended Serafini 50 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the league's joint drug prevention and treatment program. Serafini blamed the suspension on taking the substances in Japan for medical reasons as prescribed by Japanese doctors, and states he stopped taking them when he entered the US.
Serafini spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons with the Sultanes de Monterrey in the Mexican League.
In 2010, Serafini played for the Cañeros de Los Mochis
Cañeros de Los Mochis
The Cañeros de Los Mochis are a Mexican baseball team in the Liga Mexicana del Pacífico. They play in Los Mochis in the state of Sinaloa. They won the league championship in 1984 and 2003....
in the Mexican Pacific League, the Bridgeport Bluefish
Bridgeport Bluefish
The Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the Atlantic League
Atlantic League
Atlantic League may refer to one of the following professional sports leagues:* Atlantic League , a professional baseball league active from 1896 to 1900* Atlantic League , a professional baseball league active in 1914...
, and then appeared for Mexico in the February 2011 Caribbean Series.
Current activities
Dan currently owns the Throw Like a Pro Baseball Academy in the Sparks, NevadaSparks, Nevada
Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States, located east of Reno, Nevada. The 2010 U.S. Census Bureau population count was 90,264. Sparks is often referred to as half of a twin city .-Geography and Climate:...
area. He offers baseball players customized personal training, focused on preventing injury and the areas of mechanics, pitching, fielding, and batting.
WCCO Error
In July 2006, a Cubs fan with a blog entitled Serafini Says was mistaken for the actual Dan Serafini by the radio station which broadcasts Twins gamesWCCO-AM
WCCO is a radio station located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. The station broadcasts on a clear-channel frequency and is owned by CBS Radio. The station's studios are located in downtown Minneapolis, while its transmitter is located in Coon Rapids, Minnesota.With 50,000 watts of power, WCCO's...
. The station broadcast an extended interview with the blogger without realizing its error.