Lenny DiNardo



Age: 25
Born: September 9, 1979
Hometown: Miami, Florida
High School: Santa Fe High School (FL)
College: Stetson University
Height: 6-4
Weight: 190
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Drafted: 3rd round, 2001 by Mets, 102nd overall (selected #295/10th round by Red Sox in 1998).
Acquired: Rule 5 Draft from the Mets, December 2003.


Scouting Report: Soft-tossing lefty with incredible GB/FB ratio last year of 3.67 in Pawtucket. DiNardo throws a cut fastball, a slider, an occasional change up, and possibly a curve.

Projected to start the season in Pawtucket, but may be replace Bronson Arroyo for the Red Sox as long man/spot starter out of the bullpen. FWIW, Theo, after the Arroyo/Pena trade, said: "We like Lenny DiNardo, Jonathan Papelbon, and Jon Lester, who may be ready to help us at the end of the season. I still think we have enough pitching depth but don’t hold me to it if we’re scrambling for bodies in June."

PECOTA projects DiNardo at a 4.78 ERA for 2006.

Baseball Cube
Sox Prospects

2006 ST Stats
Updated with 3/28/06 performance: 1IP 3H 3R 2BB 2K.

1-0
10 2/3 IP
12 H
5 R (all earned)
1 HR
4 BB
7 K
4.22 ERA

WBC Stats
0-1 in one game vs. Venezuela
2 2/3 IP
4 H
2 R (both earned)
0 HR
2 BB
0 K
6.75 ERA

Notes: Venezuela 2-hit the Italian team in this game. DiNardo committed a balk and threw a wild pitch; in both cases, a runner advanced to second and promptly scored on a single.


2005 Boston Stats
0-1 (8 games)
14 2/3 IP
13 H
6 R (3 ER)
1 HR
5 BB
15 K
1.84 ERA
9.21 K/9
3.00 K/BB
2.08 G/F

2005 Pawtucket Stats
6-3 (23 games)
108 2/3 IP
109 H
51 R (38 ER)
7 HR
35 BB
93 k
3.15 era
7.70 k/9
2.66 k/bb

2004 Boston Stats
0-0 (22 games)
27 2/3 IP
34 H
17 R (13 ER)
1 HR
12 BB
21 K
4.23 ERA
6.83 K/9
1.75 K/BB
3.17 G/F


Minor League Stats

Lenny describing himself in April 2005:

RSN: The 2004 Baseball Prospectus said you have a great change-up, but it's hard to see you surviving without good breaking stuff. Do you agree with that assessment?

LD: That's not really accurate. I actually throw very few change-ups. I go mostly with cut fastballs and sliders. That said, I have worked on my change this spring, and think I've improved it. Two big parts of pitching are feel, and muscle memory, and that’s where the improvement has come from.

RSN: What about velocity? How hard are you throwing?

LD: To be honest, I didn't look at a gun once this spring. I'm not the type of pitcher who should worry about stuff like that. I'm not an Embree or a Timlin, throwing the ball by people. I move it around and sink it to get hitters out.

Thanks! I looked for this interview (since I remember reading it when you originally posted), but couldn't find it.

Hmmm, no link, but IIRC that was why the Mets (Norfolk) had him as 'petering out in June' as a starter and he was said to have been overthrowing his curve for his 1st DL stint with us. Which started in ST of '04, so I'm not really sure if you would be able to find a link to that. BUT then again, that could have just been a really good Rule V excuse?!

First, thanks, Country Sinker, for the DiNardo/curveball recollection.

Second, Lenny was unimpressive tonight in the Sox' generally unimpressive showing against the Reds (12 hits, 5 runs, 3 errors -- bleah):

1IP 3H 3ER 2BB 2K

Brings his ERA for the spring to 4.22, and when I turned 'EEI on after I left the gym, Castiglione mentioned a balk. And they noted that Nipper's visit to the mound was lengthy and more of a one-sided lecture. On the next pitch, DiNardo gave up an RBI single.

Lenny DiNardo breaks camp with the Sox, presumably sticking until Wells comes off the DL for his April 12 start at Fenway. Lenny finishes his spring with a 4.22 ERA in 10 2/3 innings (7K).

Given Wells' trip back to the DL, it looks like Lenny might stick with the big club a little longer, so this will be my last update unless/until he goes back to Pawtucket. After DiNardo's second major league start, his numbers so far this year look like this:

As a Starter
0-0, 5 IP (pitch count of 80), 2 ER, 6 H, 1BB, 1 K = 3.60 ERA

As a Reliever
0-0, 5 1/3 IP (2 games), 2 ER, 9 H, 1 HR, 1 BB, 4 K = 3.38 ERA

Overall
0-0, 10 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 15 H, 1 HR, 2 BB, 5 K, 19/7 gb/fb = 3.48 ERA

I'll reopen when/if Lenny goes back down.

-Brandon