Tag: San Diego Padres

Former Twins pitcher Dan Serafini found guilty of murder

Dan Serafini

Dan Serafini was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (26th) of the 1992 MLB June Amateur Draft from Junipero Serra HS (San Mateo, CA). Serafini debuted with the Twins on June 25, 1996 in the second game of a DH at the Metrodome against the New York Yankees.

Serafini was the Twins starter and pitched 4.1 innings (80 pitches) allowing 5 earned runs on 7 hits, 2 hits while striking out one Yankee batter. Serafini was the losing pitcher in a Yankee 6-2 win. That was the only game Serafini pitched for the Twins in 1997 and he appeared in 6 games in 1997. He 1998 he made the Twins starting rotation starting 28 games with a 7-4 record with a 6.48 ERA. Serafini was a hit-to-contact pitcher with questionable control as he struck out 46 and walked 29 in 75 innings. On March 31, 1999 he was purchased by the Chicago Cubs. Serafini finished his career with the Twins with a 9-6 record and a 5.88 ERA in 35 games. Serafini pitched 105.2 innings allowing 129 hits while striking out 62 and walking 42.

Serafini went on to pitch for the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and finished his big league career with the Colorado Rockies in 2007 appearing in 3 games. That same year, he was suspended for 50 games for using performance-enhancing drugs. Serafini apparently still had hopes of pitching in the majors and hung around in the minors through 2013 and pitching in Mexico, China and Japan.

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Sean Burroughs dies at the age of 43

Sean Burroughs was born on September 12, 1980 in Atlanta, Georgia and passed away unexpectedly at the age of 43 of cardiac arrest on May 9, 2024 after dropping off his son at a Little League baseball game at Stearns Park in Long Beach, California.

The Burroughs name means baseball royalty in Long Beach. Sean threw back-to-back no-hitters to help Long Beach to consecutive Little League championships then went on to star at Long Beach Wilson High just like his father Jeff. Each was drafted in the first round: Jeff Burroughs by the Washington Senators in 1969; Sean by the San Diego Padres in 1998.

Sean appeared on the David Letterman show at 12 and in Sports Illustrated at 21. He won a gold medal, playing for Tom Lasorda and Team USA in the 2000 Olympics. He made his major league debut in 2002 and, two years later, had the walk-off hit that made the Padres winners in the first regular-season game played at Petco Park. He would go on to play five years in the Major Leagues before falling out of baseball from 2008 through 2010. He talked with ESPN about his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction during that time, and his recovery and return to the game became a national story.”I just didn’t have the drive or the passion,” Burroughs told ESPN in June 2011 of his decision to walk away from the game. It’s been an incredible journey. It really has, It was just a year ago I was eating cheeseburgers out of garbage cans and living in Motel 6.”

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Twins fans might not recognize their team

Minnesota Twins fans might not recognize their team this season when they go out to Target Field. The Twins have so many new players you will need to spend a few bucks and buy a scorecard just so you know who is playing where. Twins fans are already wondering who secretly snuck in during the dark of night this off-season and bought this Twins team from the Pohlad’s and has told Derek Falvey and Thad Levine to get off their butts and start putting together a winning team, money is no object. How else do you explain the Twins signing Carlos Correa to a three-year deal at $35.1 million per year? And the trades? What the heck is going here in fly over land?

The rumors were running wild last night as I went to bed that the Minnesota Twins and the San Diego Padres were talking let’s make a deal. The Padres have an excess of starting pitchers and the Twins are in need of starters so it looks like a match made in heaven. When I got up this morning I found out that a deal had indeed been consummated with the Twins getting starting right-handed pitcher Chris Paddack and right-handed reliever Emilio Pagan from San Diego in return for closer Taylor Rogers and first baseman/outfielder Brent Rooker. The Twins will also receive a player to be named later and will send cash to San Diego in the deal. That cash amount apparently covers all of Rogers salary but $700,000 in 2022. Rogers can become a free agent after the 2022 season.

Taylor Rogers

Lots of Twins fans are not happy to see Rogers, the Twins closer traded. Rogers was the Twins 11th round pick in the 2012 draft, the same year the Twins drafted Byron Buxton, Jose Berrios and Tyler Duffey. Rogers made his big league debut in April of 2016. Rogers has been a solid reliever ever since and he took over the closing chores in 2019. Rogers was named to his first All-Star team last season but suffered a finger injury in late July and he missed the rest of the 2021 season. Rogers has a twin-brother Tyler who pitches for the San Francisco Giants.

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