Dane Sardinha

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Dane Sardinha

Detroit Tigers — No. 70
Catcher
Born: April 8, 1979 (1979-04-08) (age 29)
Honolulu, Hawaii
Bats: Right Throws: Right 
Major League Baseball debut
September 6, 2003 for the Cincinnati Reds
Selected MLB statistics
(through 2007)
Batting average     .000
Home runs     0
Runs batted in     0
Teams

Dane K. A. A. Sardinha (born April 8, 1979 in Honolulu, Hawaii) is a Major League Baseball catcher in the Detroit Tigers organization. Sardinha currently plays for the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate Toledo Mud Hens.

Contents

[edit] Personal life

Sardinha has two younger brothers, both of them baseball players. One of his younger brothers, Duke, is an infielder in the Colorado Rockies organization and his youngest, Bronson, is an outfielder in the Seattle Mariners organization.

Sardinha is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu, Hawaii.

[edit] College career

Sardinha played college ball at Pepperdine University. In 1999, he batted .365 with 15 home runs and 63 RBIs. Baseball America selected him as a Third Team College All American catcher and he was also a West Coast Conference All-Star. In 2000, his junior season, he played just as well as he had done in his sophomore season. He batted .353 with 17 home runs and 72 RBIs. Baseball America selected him as a First Team College All American catcher, was the West Coast Conference Player of the Year, and was once again a West Coast Conference All-Star catcher.

[edit] Major League Baseball draft

The Kansas City Royals originally drafted Sardinha in the 2nd round (59th overall) of the 1997 Major League Baseball draft. However, he did not sign with them. Sardinha was selected again in 2000, this time by the Cincinnati Reds, as a 2nd round draft pick (46th overall).

[edit] Professional career

[edit] Cincinnati Reds

Sardinha did not play in the 2000 season because he did not sign with the Reds until September 1, 2000. He signed a major league contract, uncommon for recent draft picks.

In 2001, Baseball America rated Sardinha as the best Reds catching prospect, as the 4th overall prospect in the Reds organization, and was also ranked 74th overall. He began his professional career in 2001, playing for the advanced Single-A Mudville Nine. Playing in 109 games, he batted .235 with 9 home runs. A poor season offensively, he had a good season defensively, throwing out 38% of baserunners attempting to steal. This was second best in the California League.

Sardinha advanced to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts in 2002. 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. Also, he was selected as the best defensive catcher in the Southern League.

In 2003, 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. Outrighted off the roster on July 30, he had his contract purchased by the Reds on September 1, when major league rosters expanded. On September 6, 2003, he made his major league debut 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 outrighted off the roster and accepted an assignment to Double-A.

Sardinha spent his first full season at the Triple-A level in 2004, playing for the Louisville Bats. As the Bats lone representative at the All-Star game, he played in a total of 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 2005, batting .353 with one home run in 10 games. He did not make the roster because the Reds had no use for a third catcher. Sardinha spent the majority of the season at Triple-A and played in a total of 86 games, batting .224 with 10 home runs. From June 12 to June 14, Sardinha was on the active roster when Jason LaRue was on the bereavement list, attending a funeral. On June 14, he made his first and only career start to date 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. To date, Sardinha hasn't played in a major league game since June 14, 2005.

On April 1, 2006, Sardinha was designated for assignment and was later outrighted to Triple-A on April 5. Sardinha spent another entire season for the Bats, batting .175 with two home runs in 71 games. His .175 batting average is a career low for him. A bust as a former top Reds prospects, he became a minor league free agent after the season.

[edit] 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 2007 season for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. He played in 117 games and batted .202 with 10 home runs. Becoming a minor league free agent after the season, on November 20, 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 2008 season in Triple-A Toledo.

[edit] External links