Dane Sardinha
Encyclopedia
Dane Kealoha A. A. Sardinha (born April 8, 1979 in Honolulu, Hawaii
) is an American
professional baseball
catcher
who is a free agent.
named him a "Super 25 preseason selection," while Baseball America
named him a third-team All-American. Fresno State University and Pepperdine University
recruited him, and he was drafted by the Kansas City Royals
in the second round. Sardinha then attended Pepperdine from 1997-2000.
In , as a sophomore, Sardinha batted
.365 with 15 home runs and 63 RBI
. Baseball America selected him as a Third Team College All American catcher and he was also a West Coast Conference
All-Star. In , his junior season he batted .353 with 17 home runs and 72 RBIs. Baseball America selected him as a First Team College All American catcher, he was the West Coast Conference Player of the Year and, again, a West Coast Conference All-Star catcher.
between $1 million and $1.5 million on the advice of agent Scott Boras
, but the Royals topped out at $750,000. Sardinha was selected again in 2000, this time by the Cincinnati Reds
, as a 2nd round draft pick (46th overall). In lieu of a bonus the Reds signed Sardinha to a six-year contract with a guaranteed payout, regardless of whether he made it to the majors. As part of the deal the Reds placed Sardinha on the 40-man roster.
, second best in the California League
.
Sardinha advanced to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts
in . He was a selection for the Southern League
All-Star game and batted .206 with 4 home runs for the season. Despite a poor season offensively, he had another good season defensively, again throwing out 38% of baserunners attempting to steal. Looking to improve the offense side of his game the Reds sent Sardinha to the Arizona Fall League
, where he went on an offensive tear with the Scottsdale Scorpions
.
In , Sardinha missed the first month and a half of the season due to a torn lateral collateral ligament in his left knee. He played the entire minor league season at Double-A again, batting .256 with 3 home runs in 72 games. Taken off the roster on July 30, Sardinha hit .315 for the remainder of the season and was called up to the Reds on September 1, when major league rosters expanded. On September 6, 2003, he made his major league debut in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals
. Coming into the game as a pinch hitter
for an injured Jason LaRue
, he batted 0-2 with a strikeout
and caught the final four innings of the game. It was his only game of the 2003 season. On October 10, 2003, he was taken off the roster and accepted an assignment to Double-A.
Sardinha spent his first full season at the Triple-A level in , playing for the Louisville Bats
. As the Bats lone representative at the All-Star game, he played in 89 games, batting .262 with 9 home runs. On November 19, 2004, his contract was purchased by the Reds again.
Sardinha had a strong spring training
in , batting .353 with one home run in 10 games but did not make the opening day roster. Sardinha spent the majority of the season at Triple-A and played in 86 games, batting .224 with 10 home runs. From June 12 to June 14, Sardinha was called up to the Reds when Jason LaRue was on the bereavement list. On June 14, he made his first career start against the Boston Red Sox
, going 0-3 with one strikeout. On August 8, Sardinha suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, ending his 2005 season.
On April 1, 2006, Sardinha was designated for assignment
and was later outrighted to Triple-A on April 5. Sardinha spent another season for the Bats, batting .175 with two home runs in 71 games. His .175 batting average was a career low. After the season, he became a minor league free agent
.
, appearing in 117 games with a batting average of .202 with 10 home runs. In November 2007, the Tigers re-signed him to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
With two catchers on the Tigers active roster, Sardinha began the season in Triple-A Toledo. The Tigers purchased his contract on June 25 to replace the injured Brandon Inge
. On June 29, 2008 against the Colorado Rockies
, Sardinha got his first career major league hit, a two-RBI triple
off pitcher Matt Herges
. Sardinha returned to Toledo once Inge returned from the disabled list, but was recalled to the Tigers when Iván Rodríguez
was traded to the New York Yankees
.
Sardinha became a free agent on October 30, 2008, and re-signed with the Tigers in November. Sardinha spent part of the first half of the season with Detroit as the backup catcher, but after hitting .097 over 12 games was designated for assignment
to make room for rookie pitcher Alfredo Figaro
. In October 2009, Sardinha was granted free agency.
, he was called up to the Phillies to replace Scott Mathieson
before a game with the Minnesota Twins
on June 19. On June 24, Sardinha hit his first Major League home run against Cleveland Indians
reliever Héctor Ambriz
. On June 30, he hit his second home run against his former team, the Cincinnati Reds. On July 10, he was designated for assignment as Carlos Ruiz was activated from the disabled list.
The Phillies purchased his contract on April 29, 2011. He was outrighted to Triple-A on June 24, after making 43 plate appearances for Philadelphia and recording a .219 batting average. He elected free agency on October 10.
in Honolulu, Hawaii
and Pepperdine University
. Sardinha has two younger brothers, both baseball players. Duke is an infielder
in the Colorado Rockies
organization and his youngest, Bronson
, is an outfielder
also in the Colorado Rockies
organization.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
who is a free agent.
College career
Sardinha was a high school standout; prior to his senior year, USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
named him a "Super 25 preseason selection," while Baseball America
Baseball 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...
named him a third-team All-American. Fresno State University and Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
recruited him, and he was drafted by the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
in the second round. Sardinha then attended Pepperdine from 1997-2000.
In , as a sophomore, Sardinha batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.365 with 15 home runs and 63 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. Baseball America selected him as a Third Team College All American catcher and he was also a West Coast Conference
West Coast Conference
The West Coast Conference is an NCAA collegiate athletics conference consisting of nine member schools across the states of California, Oregon, Utah and Washington....
All-Star. In , his junior season he batted .353 with 17 home runs and 72 RBIs. Baseball America selected him as a First Team College All American catcher, he was the West Coast Conference Player of the Year and, again, a West Coast Conference All-Star catcher.
Professional career
The Kansas City Royals drafted Sardinha in the second round (59th pick overall) of the Major League Baseball draft, but Sardinha did not sign. Then one of the most sought-after prospects in the country, he demanded a signing bonusSigning bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive to the employee, e.g., if the annual salary is lower than he or she desires...
between $1 million and $1.5 million on the advice of agent Scott Boras
Scott Boras
Scott Boras is an American sports agent, specializing in baseball. He is the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency based in Newport Beach, Calif. that represents roughly 175 professional baseball clients, including many of the game's highest-profile players...
, but the Royals topped out at $750,000. Sardinha was selected again in 2000, this time 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....
, as a 2nd round draft pick (46th overall). In lieu of a bonus the Reds signed Sardinha to a six-year contract with a guaranteed payout, regardless of whether he made it to the majors. As part of the deal the Reds placed Sardinha on the 40-man roster.
Cincinnati Reds
Because of his late signing, Sardinha sat out the remainder of the season. In , Baseball America rated Sardinha as the best Reds catching prospect, the 4th best overall prospect in the Reds organization, and 74th overall. He began his professional career in 2001, playing for the High-A Mudville Nine. Playing in 109 games, he batted .235 with 9 home runs. Though he struggled offensively, Sardinha had a good season defensively, throwing out 38% of baserunners attempting to stealStolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
, second best in the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
.
Sardinha advanced to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
in . He was a selection for the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
All-Star game and batted .206 with 4 home runs for the season. Despite a poor season offensively, he had another good season defensively, again throwing out 38% of baserunners attempting to steal. Looking to improve the offense side of his game the Reds sent Sardinha to the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
, where he went on an offensive tear with the Scottsdale Scorpions
Scottsdale Scorpions
The Scottsdale Scorpions are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League located in Scottsdale, Arizona. They play their home games at Scottsdale Stadium....
.
In , Sardinha missed the first month and a half of the season due to a torn lateral collateral ligament in his left knee. He played the entire minor league season at Double-A again, batting .256 with 3 home runs in 72 games. Taken off the roster on July 30, Sardinha hit .315 for the remainder of the season and was called up to the Reds on September 1, when major league rosters expanded. On September 6, 2003, he made his major league debut in a game against 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...
. Coming into the game as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
for an injured Jason LaRue
Jason LaRue
Michael Jason "Rusty" LaRue is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals and St...
, he batted 0-2 with a strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
and caught the final four innings of the game. It was his only game of the 2003 season. On October 10, 2003, he was taken off the roster and accepted an assignment to Double-A.
Sardinha spent his first full season at the Triple-A level in , playing for the Louisville Bats
Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...
. As the Bats lone representative at the All-Star game, he played in 89 games, batting .262 with 9 home runs. On November 19, 2004, his contract was purchased by the Reds again.
Sardinha had a strong spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in , batting .353 with one home run in 10 games but did not make the opening day roster. Sardinha spent the majority of the season at Triple-A and played in 86 games, batting .224 with 10 home runs. From June 12 to June 14, Sardinha was called up to the Reds when Jason LaRue was on the bereavement list. On June 14, he made his first career start against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, going 0-3 with one strikeout. On August 8, Sardinha suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, ending his 2005 season.
On April 1, 2006, Sardinha was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
and was later outrighted to Triple-A on April 5. Sardinha spent another season for the Bats, batting .175 with two home runs in 71 games. His .175 batting average was a career low. After the season, he became a minor league free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
Detroit Tigers
On December 15, 2006, the Detroit Tigers signed Sardinha to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Sardinha played the entire season for the Triple-A Toledo Mud HensToledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
, appearing in 117 games with a batting average of .202 with 10 home runs. In November 2007, the Tigers re-signed him to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
With two catchers on the Tigers active roster, Sardinha began the season in Triple-A Toledo. The Tigers purchased his contract on June 25 to replace the injured Brandon Inge
Brandon Inge
Charles Brandon Inge is an American professional baseball infielder for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed....
. On June 29, 2008 against the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, Sardinha got his first career major league hit, a two-RBI triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
off pitcher Matt Herges
Matt Herges
Matthew Tyler Herges is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher.Herges is an alumnus of Illinois State University and is the brother-in-law of former Major League Baseball player Todd Hollandsworth....
. Sardinha returned to Toledo once Inge returned from the disabled list, but was recalled to the Tigers when Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez Torres , nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Major League Baseball catcher...
was traded to 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...
.
Sardinha became a free agent on October 30, 2008, and re-signed with the Tigers in November. Sardinha spent part of the first half of the season with Detroit as the backup catcher, but after hitting .097 over 12 games was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
to make room for rookie pitcher Alfredo Figaro
Alfredo Fígaro
Alfredo Fígaro [fee'-gah-ro] is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball. He made his Major League Baseball debut on June 20, 2009 with the Detroit Tigers.-Detroit Tigers:Fígaro was not drafted in the 2006 MLB Draft and signed with the...
. In October 2009, Sardinha was granted free agency.
Philadelphia Phillies
On January 7, 2010, Sardinha signed a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training with Philadelphia. After beginning the season with the Lehigh Valley IronPigsLehigh Valley IronPigs
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a minor league baseball team that plays in the International League. The IronPigs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The team plays their home games at Coca-Cola Park, which is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
, he was called up to the Phillies to replace Scott Mathieson
Scott Mathieson
Scott William Mathieson is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent....
before a game with 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...
on June 19. On June 24, Sardinha hit his first Major League home run against Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
reliever Héctor Ambriz
Héctor Ambriz
Héctor Ambriz is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Cleveland Indians organization.Ambriz attended Valencia High School in Placentia, California and the University of California, Los Angeles, where he played for the UCLA Bruins...
. On June 30, he hit his second home run against his former team, the Cincinnati Reds. On July 10, he was designated for assignment as Carlos Ruiz was activated from the disabled list.
The Phillies purchased his contract on April 29, 2011. He was outrighted to Triple-A on June 24, after making 43 plate appearances for Philadelphia and recording a .219 batting average. He elected free agency on October 10.
Personal life
Sardinha is a graduate of Kamehameha SchoolsKamehameha Schools
Kamehameha Schools , formerly called Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate , is a private co-educational college-preparatory institution that specializes in Native Hawaiian language and cultural education. It is located in Hawaii and operates three campuses: Kapālama , Pukalani , and Keaau...
in Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
and Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
. Sardinha has two younger brothers, both baseball players. Duke is an infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
in the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
organization and his youngest, Bronson
Bronson Sardinha
Bronson Kiheimahanaomauiakeo Sardinha is a Major League Baseball outfielder.-Career:Sardinha was drafted directly out of Kamehameha High School in the 1st round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft...
, is an 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...
also in the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
organization.