Lenny DiNardo

From SoSH

Leonard Edward "Lenny" DiNardo (born September 19, 1979 in Miami, FL), is a left-handed finesse pitcher who pitched for the Red Sox from 2004-2006, compiling a record of 1-3 with a 5.53 ERA in 81.1 innings.

Contents 1 Overall Career 2 Moment in the Sun 3 Trivia 4 Transactions 5 External Links

Overall Career

Dinardo is a 1998 graduate of Santa Fe HS in Florida, after which he was drafted by Boston in the 1998 Amateur Draft in the 10th round. However, he did not sign; instead he attended Stetson University (FL) for three years before being drafted by the Mets in the third round of the 2001 Amateur Draft. He pitched his way to his first pro win on August 10, 2001, playing for the Mets' short-season single-A Brooklyn club, against Vermont. He spent the following season in low-class A , before splitting 2003 between High-A and AA. That offseason, he was selected by the Red Sox in the 2003 Rule 5 Draft, returning to the organization that originally drafted him.

Dinardo spent most of 2004 shuttling between the two homes of the Rule 5 draftee, the bench and the DL, but made his debut in style on April 23 at The Toilet, retiring Sheffield, Shemp, and Williams in order to close out the game, an 11-2 win. In 2005, he proved useful as both spot-starter and reliever down the stretch, hurling 7 shut-out innings in his last four appearances.

DiNardo pitched for Italy in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

DiNardo was less effective in the major league rotation in 2006, and has been the DL since May 22 with neck strain and unexplained numbness in his fingers. On July 13 he was transferred to the 60-day DL to make room on the 40-man roster for Craig Breslow, and the next day DiNardo was assigned to Pawtucket on rehab.

On February 14, 2007, the Oakland Athletics claimed DiNardo off waivers.

Like Abe Alvarez and countless others, DiNardo is frequently compared to Jamie Moyer, as he also is a lefty soft-tosser. DiNardo throws a slider and cutter, and the occasional changeup.

Moment in the Sun

• One day he will get to go halfsies on a pizza and some domestic beer.

Trivia

• DiNardo pitched in the 2006 World Baseball Classic for Italy, in spite of the fact that he had never actually been to that country. (His great-grandfather emigrated from Italy in 1915).

Transactions

• June 2, 1998: Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 10th round of the 1998 amateur draft, but did not sign.
• June 5, 2001: Drafted by the New York Mets in the 3rd round of the 2001 amateur draft. Player signed July 14, 2001.
• December 15, 2003: Drafted by the Boston Red Sox from the New York Mets in the 2003 rule 5 draft.
• December 21, 2004: Granted Free Agency.
• December 21, 2004: Signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Red Sox.
• February 14, 2007: Selected off waivers by the Oakland Athletics from the Boston Red Sox.

External Links

• TheBaseballCube.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Lenny Dinardo at ESPN.com