Yorman Bazardo
Encyclopedia
Yorman Osorio Bazardo is a right-handed Major League Baseball
pitcher
who is currently a free agent
.
. Bazardo got his break in 2000, when the Florida Marlins
signed him as an undrafted free agent
. His first season in the organization was in 2001, when he played for the now-defunct VSL Marlins in the Venezuelan Summer League
, going 7-2 with a 2.43 ERA
. The Marlins moved him up to the single-A Jamestown Jammers
in 2002, where he posted a 5-0 record with a 2.72 ERA and six saves. In 2003 he was promoted to the single-A Greensboro Bats and used primarily as a starter
. Although he had a mixed record (9-8) his ERA remained a low 3.12. Typical was a game in August against the Hagerstown Suns
in which he allowed just two runs over eight innings in a 2-0 loss.
2004 found Bazardo with the single-A Jupiter Hammerheads
, where he went 5-9 with a 3.27 ERA; again, he suffered from a lack of run support and frequent errors which allowed unearned runs to score. At the end of the year the Marlins added Bazardo to their 40-man roster. A further sign of the Marlins' confidence came in 2005, when Bazardo was invited to spring training
, although he did not make the cut and was optioned to the double-A Carolina Mudcats
. On May 26, 2005 Bazardo was called up by the Marlins to replace struggling relief pitcher
Logan Kensing
. Marlins manager Jack McKeon
acknowledged that it was something of a gamble: "Who's to say he's not another Willis
? Let's find out. Let's see if he can handle the situation. Some can't. Some can." Bazardo was rocked in his one relief appearance; giving up five runs (four of them earned) in 1⅔ innings, and the next day he was optioned to Carolina.
Bazardo stayed with the Mudcats through the end of July, going 8-7 with a 3.99 ERA, when he was traded with Mike Flannery to the Seattle Mariners
for Ron Villone
.
where he went 3-1 with a 4.28 ERA. In 2006 he was named Missions pitcher of the year after going 6-5 with a 3.64 ERA in 25 starts. He was also named to the Texas League
post season all-star team. Over the winter Bazardo played in the Venezuelan Winter League, where he was 2-0 with a 1.78, and threw six shutout innings in the Caribbean World Series
. The Mariners added Bazardo to their 40-man roster, but designated
him for assignment after acquiring veteran pitcher Jeff Weaver
. Rather than lose him outright, the Mariners traded Bazardo to the Detroit Tigers
for outfielder
Jeff Frazier
on February 7, 2007.
where he spent most of the 2007 season, posting a 10-6 record with an ERA of 3.75. Bazardo was called up several times in 2007 to fill in for the injury-plagued Tigers, cobbling together a 2-1 record with a 2.38 ERA in 11 appearances.
Bazardo began the 2008 season with the Tigers, but was designated for assignment
after giving up eight runs over three innings in three appearances. After clearing waivers Bazardo rejoined the Mud Hens. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
. Assigned to their AAA affiliate, the Round Rock Express
, Bazardo was named a Pacific Coast League
midseason All-Star. On August 8, the Astros purchased Bazardo's contract, and he pitched in ten games for Houston through the end of the season, making six starts. He pitched in the minors for Houston in 2010 before becoming a free agent.
. He was released on June 16, 2011.
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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who is currently a 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....
.
Florida Marlins
Growing up, Bazardo played in Venezuelan youth leagues, where one of his competitors was future teammate (on two different major league clubs) Miguel CabreraMiguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres nicknamed "Miggy", is a Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed....
. Bazardo got his break in 2000, when the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
signed him as an undrafted 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....
. His first season in the organization was in 2001, when he played for the now-defunct VSL Marlins in the Venezuelan Summer League
Venezuelan Summer League
The Venezuelan Summer League is a minor league baseball rookie league which operates in Carabobo and Aragua states, Venezuela.The VSL was created in 1997, after several operational years of the Major League Baseball's academies in the country...
, going 7-2 with a 2.43 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...
. The Marlins moved him up to the single-A Jamestown Jammers
Jamestown Jammers
The Jamestown Jammers are a minor league baseball team in Jamestown, New York, United States. The team is the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Miami Marlins and plays in the New York - Penn League...
in 2002, where he posted a 5-0 record with a 2.72 ERA and six saves. In 2003 he was promoted to the single-A Greensboro Bats and used primarily as a starter
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
. Although he had a mixed record (9-8) his ERA remained a low 3.12. Typical was a game in August against the Hagerstown Suns
Hagerstown Suns
The Hagerstown Suns are a Minor League Baseball team based in Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. They play in Municipal Stadium, which was opened in 1930 and seats 4,600 fans....
in which he allowed just two runs over eight innings in a 2-0 loss.
2004 found Bazardo with the single-A Jupiter Hammerheads
Jupiter Hammerheads
The Jupiter Hammerheads are a minor league baseball team based in Jupiter, Florida, named for the hammerhead shark.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Miami Marlins major-league club....
, where he went 5-9 with a 3.27 ERA; again, he suffered from a lack of run support and frequent errors which allowed unearned runs to score. At the end of the year the Marlins added Bazardo to their 40-man roster. A further sign of the Marlins' confidence came in 2005, when Bazardo was invited to 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...
, although he did not make the cut and was optioned to the double-A Carolina Mudcats
Carolina Mudcats
The Carolina Mudcats are a minor league baseball team based in the eastern suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the Carolina League, are the Single-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians major-league club beginning in 2012.-History:...
. On May 26, 2005 Bazardo was called up by the Marlins to replace struggling 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...
Logan Kensing
Logan Kensing
Logan French Kensing is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.-Florida Marlins:...
. Marlins manager Jack McKeon
Jack McKeon
John Aloysius McKeon , nicknamed Trader Jack, is a former Major League Baseball manager. In 2003, he won a World Series with the Florida Marlins...
acknowledged that it was something of a gamble: "Who's to say he's not another Willis
Dontrelle Willis
Dontrelle Wayne Willis , nicknamed "The D-Train", is an American professional baseball pitcher. Willis is notable for his success during his first few years in the league and for his unconventional pitching style, which includes a high leg kick and exaggerated twisting away from the batter...
? Let's find out. Let's see if he can handle the situation. Some can't. Some can." Bazardo was rocked in his one relief appearance; giving up five runs (four of them earned) in 1⅔ innings, and the next day he was optioned to Carolina.
Bazardo stayed with the Mudcats through the end of July, going 8-7 with a 3.99 ERA, when he was traded with Mike Flannery to the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
for Ron Villone
Ron Villone
Ronald Thomas Villone Jr. is a Major League Baseball left-handed relief pitcher who is currently with the Somerset Patriots. He has not been on the same team for more than two years in his major league career and due to his many baseball travels, some of his teammates have affectionately referred...
.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners assigned Bazardo to the Double-A San Antonio MissionsSan Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
where he went 3-1 with a 4.28 ERA. In 2006 he was named Missions pitcher of the year after going 6-5 with a 3.64 ERA in 25 starts. He was also named to the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
post season all-star team. Over the winter Bazardo played in the Venezuelan Winter League, where he was 2-0 with a 1.78, and threw six shutout innings in the Caribbean World Series
Caribbean World Series
The Caribbean Series , also called the Caribbean World Series is the highest baseball tournament at club level in Latin America. The league winners from the Winter Leagues of Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela participate in the tournament...
. The Mariners added Bazardo to their 40-man roster, but designated
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...
him for assignment after acquiring veteran pitcher Jeff Weaver
Jeff Weaver
Jeffrey Charles Weaver is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has pitched in the majors for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, St. Louis Cardinals, and Seattle Mariners...
. Rather than lose him outright, the Mariners traded Bazardo to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for 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...
Jeff Frazier
Jeff Frazier
Jeffrey Keith Frazier is a Major League Baseball outfielder currently with the Washington Nationals organization.-Amateur:...
on February 7, 2007.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers sent Bazardo to 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...
where he spent most of the 2007 season, posting a 10-6 record with an ERA of 3.75. Bazardo was called up several times in 2007 to fill in for the injury-plagued Tigers, cobbling together a 2-1 record with a 2.38 ERA in 11 appearances.
Bazardo began the 2008 season with the Tigers, but 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...
after giving up eight runs over three innings in three appearances. After clearing waivers Bazardo rejoined the Mud Hens. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
Philadelphia Phillies
In December 2008, Bazardo signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was subsequently released by the organization in April 2009.Houston Astros
On January 7, 2009, Bazardo signed a minor league contract with the Houston AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. Assigned to their AAA affiliate, the Round Rock Express
Round Rock Express
The Round Rock Express is a class Triple-A Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team in Round Rock, Texas, owned by RSR Sports and founded by Reid Ryan, son of Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. The team is affiliated with the Texas Rangers, for whom Nolan Ryan serves as the president and...
, Bazardo was named a Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
midseason All-Star. On August 8, the Astros purchased Bazardo's contract, and he pitched in ten games for Houston through the end of the season, making six starts. He pitched in the minors for Houston in 2010 before becoming a free agent.
Minnesota Twins
On November 14, 2010, Bazardo signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota 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...
. He was released on June 16, 2011.