Dennis Scott Sarfate (born April 9, 1981) is an American former professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the 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 ...
. He played for the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
,
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
, and
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) and the
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The is a professional baseball team based in Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan. They compete in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda ...
,
Saitama Seibu Lions
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based north of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Seibu Railway, wh ...
, and
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. They compete in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) as a member of the Pacific League.
The team was formerly known as the Nankai Hawks and was based in Osaka. ...
of
Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''.
Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...
(NPB). While an average reliever in the MLB, Sarfate became one of the greatest
closers in NPB history after moving his career overseas. Sarfate holds several NPB records, including most
saves in a season and most by a foreign-born pitcher. As of 2020, his 234 career saves rank fifth-most in NPB history. He is a 3×
NPB All-Star, a 3× Pacific League
saves leader, a 5×
Japan Series
The Japan Series ( , officially the Japan Championship Series, ), also the Nippon Series, :File:2014_JS_logo.png is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a best-of-seven series ...
Champion, won the
Japan Series Most Valuable Player Award
The is given to the player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the Japan Series, which is the final round of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) postseason. The award was first presented in 1950.
The series follows a b ...
, won the
Pacific League MVP Award, and won the
Matsutaro Shoriki Award
Matsutaro Shoriki Award is named in honor of Matsutarō Shōriki, the owner of the Yomiuri Shimbun, whose achievements earned him the label of the real parent of present day Japanese professional baseball. The prize was founded in 1977.
It is pres ...
.
Early life
Sarfate was born in
Queens, New York
Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long I ...
, to Dennis Sarfate and Linda Williams.
He has two sisters, Jaime and Jennifer.
Amateur career
Sarfate graduated from
Gilbert High School in
Gilbert, Arizona
Gilbert is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, located southeast of Phoenix within the city's metropolitan area. Incorporated on July 6, 1920, Gilbert was once known as the "Hay Shipping Capital of the World". It is the fifth-larg ...
in 1999.
He was an
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
n and First Team All-State, after going 10–2 with a 1.75 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 81 innings in his senior year.
He was the ''
Scottsdale Tribune
The ''East Valley Tribune'' is a newspaper concentrated on cities within the East Valley region of metropolitan Phoenix, including Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, and Queen Creek.
Formerly a daily newspaper, the ''Tribune'' resulted from t ...
'' Pitcher of the Year in 1999.
The
Texas Rangers selected Sarfate in the 15th round (465th overall) of the
1999 MLB draft.
He did not sign, enrolling in college. He attended
Arizona State University
Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
in 2000, majoring in sports psychology, and
Chandler-Gilbert Community College in 2001.
Professional career
Milwaukee Brewers
The
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
selected Sarfate in the ninth round (268th overall) of the
2001 MLB Draft. In 2003, while pitching for the Single-A
Beloit Snappers
The Beloit Sky Carp are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Beloit, Wisconsin, and play their home games at ABC Supply Stadium. They previously played at Harry C ...
in the
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
, he was 12–2 with a 2.84 ERA in 26 starts, and 140 strikeouts (second in the league) in 139.2 innings.
He made his MLB debut on September 3, 2006, striking out three batters in 1.1 scoreless innings against the
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
. Sarfate pitched in eight games for the Brewers, with a 4.32
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA), and 11 strikeouts in 8.1 innings.
[
]
Houston Astros
The Brewers traded Sarfate to the Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
on September 11, 2007, for cash considerations. After beginning his professional career as a starter, Sarfate spent 2007 as a relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue (medical), fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection (sports), ejection, or for other strategic ...
. He made seven relief appearances for Houston, and was 1–0 with a 1.08 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 8.1 innings.
Baltimore Orioles
On December 12, 2007, the Astros traded Sarfate along with designated hitter/left fielder Luke Scott, pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the 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 ...
s Matt Albers and Troy Patton
Troy Jamieson Patton (born September 3, 1985) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres. Patton attended Tomball High School in Tom ...
, and third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
Michael Costanzo to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada ( Tejeda; born May 25, 1974) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for six teams, most notably the Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles, befor ...
.
Sarfate also began 2008 as a relief pitcher. On July 28, 2008, he was moved to the Orioles' starting rotation. He returned to the bullpen after just four starts, in which he went 0–2 while allowing 18 runs in just 15 innings. Overall, in 57 games, he was 4–3 with a 4.74 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 79.2 innings.
Sarfate began 2009 in the Orioles' bullpen, but was placed on the disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
in May after posting a 6.39 ERA in eight appearances. He was activated in September, and pitched much better, posting a 3.48 ERA over 12 relief appearances. Overall, he was 0–1 in 20 relief appearances with a 5.09 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 23 innings.
In 2010, Sarfate pitched with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...
, where he was 2–2 with 20 saves (tied for seventh in the International League) and a 2.73 ERA in 47 games, as he struck out 72 batters in 56 innings. He was named an MiLB Organization All Star.
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
In 2011, Sarfate signed with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The is a professional baseball team based in Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan. They compete in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda ...
of Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
's Central League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consist ...
. Sarfate quickly became one of the top closers in Japanese baseball. He was a 2011 All Star. In 2011 he was 1–3 with 35 saves (second in the Japan Central League) and a 1.34 ERA in 57 games. In 2012, he was 2–5 with nine saves (ninth in the league) and a 2.90 ERA in 47 games.
Saitama Seibu Lions
He spent one season with the Saitama Seibu Lions
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based north of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Seibu Railway, wh ...
in 2013. Sarfate was 9–1 with 10 saves (seventh in the Japan Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series. It currently consis ...
) and a 1.87 ERA (eighth) in 58 games (seventh).
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
In 2014, Sarfate joined the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. They compete in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) as a member of the Pacific League.
The team was formerly known as the Nankai Hawks and was based in Osaka. ...
, and got the final save of the 2014 Japan Series. He was a 2014 All Star. For the season he was 7–1 with 37 saves (second in the Japan Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series. It currently consis ...
) and a 1.05 ERA (third) in 64 games (third).
In 2015, Sarfate closed out the 2015 Japan Series as well, as the Hawks won their second championship in a row. For the season he was 5–1 with 41 saves (leading the league) and a 1.11 ERA (fourth) in 65 games (third).
During the 2016 season, Sarfate recorded 43 saves, a new record for most single-season saves in the Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series. It currently consis ...
. He was named a 2016 All Star. For the season he was 0–7 with a 1.88 ERA (seventh in the league) in 64 games (second).
On April 2, 2017, Sarfate recorded his 178th save in Japan, setting a new record for most saves by a foreign pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''.
Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...
history. The record was previously held by Marc Kroon
Marc Jason Kroon (born April 2, 1973) is an American former right-handed relief pitcher. He served as the closer for the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Central League.
Career
He was drafted 72nd overall by the New York Mets in 1991. The Mets traded h ...
of the Yomiuri Giants
The are a Japanese professional baseball team competing in Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, they are one of two professional baseball teams based in Tokyo, the other being the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. They ...
(177). On July 4, 2017, Sarfate recorded his 200th save, becoming the sixth pitcher in NPB history to reach that threshold and the first foreign pitcher. On September 5, 2017, Sarfate earned his 47th save of the season, breaking the record for most single-season saves in Japanese baseball history. He finished the season leading the league with 54 saves, as he was 2–2 with a 1.09 ERA (fourth in the league) in 66 games (second). Sarfate earned two saves and a win in the 2017 Japan Series, and won the Japan Series Most Valuable Player Award
The is given to the player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the Japan Series, which is the final round of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) postseason. The award was first presented in 1950.
The series follows a b ...
. He won the Pacific League MVP. He also received the Matsutaro Shoriki Award
Matsutaro Shoriki Award is named in honor of Matsutarō Shōriki, the owner of the Yomiuri Shimbun, whose achievements earned him the label of the real parent of present day Japanese professional baseball. The prize was founded in 1977.
It is pres ...
, for the year's greatest contribution to Japanese professional baseball.
Sarfate had season-ending surgery on his right hip in April 2018, after pitching six innings. He missed the 2019 season as well. His 234 career saves rank fifth-most in NPB history.
On October 14, 2020, Sarfate underwent hip reoperation and spent the 2020 season in rehabilitation. On November 30, 2021, Sarfate announced his retirement from professional baseball, having missed the past three seasons due to injury.
References
External links
NPB.jp
- Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarfate, Dennis
1981 births
Living people
American sportspeople of Italian descent
American expatriate baseball players in Japan
Arizona League Brewers players
Baltimore Orioles players
Beloit Snappers players
Bowie Baysox players
Chandler–Gilbert Coyotes baseball players
Christians from New York (state)
Frederick Keys players
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks players
Hiroshima Toyo Carp players
Houston Astros players
Huntsville Stars players
Jewish American baseball players
Jewish Major League Baseball players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Milwaukee Brewers players
Naranjeros de Hermosillo players
American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Nashville Sounds players
Nippon Professional Baseball MVP Award winners
Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers
Norfolk Tides players
Ogden Raptors players
Saitama Seibu Lions players
Scottsdale Scorpions players
Sportspeople from Queens, New York
Baseball players from New York City