Dennis Sarfate DFA

[weams]

Gary Thorne. Sar Fart "A"

[CSB Jack]

If I recall correctly, Meredith still has an option remaining. I like Cla and hope he stays in the organization, but he could have started the year in the minors. Then, he, Lebron or Perrault could've been recalled to replace Sarfate if he struggled to start the season.

I think it wouldn't matter if a guy had an option left. When a guy gets optioned, he stays on the 40-man roster, but gets "optioned" to the minor league team instead of being on the 25 man active roster. So someone had to come off the 40-man roster to make room for Tejada.

I was actually hoping that Sarfate would come into ST and at least pitch well enough to make a trade then, if nothing else. If he did not make the 25 man roster he had to be DFA'd at the end of ST anyway if he was out of options.

[JTrea81]

Sarfate says he's "not mad at anyone" but clearly seems extremely upset by this news in Roch's latest:

"I'm not mad at anyone," he said. "They gave me two years in the big leagues and I thank them for it. It's been a great two years. My daughter was born there, I met a lot of awesome people, I love the city of Baltimore, and the organization is definitely going in the right direction. I wish I could be part of it."

Also it appears the Orioles will waive him and not try to deal him:

"I know it's a business. They said they hoped that I'd get claimed so I can go to a big league team, but they also hope they can retain my rights and I could go to Triple-A or make the club out of spring training."

[Fan of Newhan]

I think it wouldn't matter if a guy had an option left. When a guy gets optioned, he stays on the 40-man roster, but gets "optioned" to the minor league team instead of being on the 25 man active roster. So someone had to come off the 40-man roster to make room for Tejada.

I was actually hoping that Sarfate would come into ST and at least pitch well enough to make a trade then, if nothing else. If he did not make the 25 man roster he had to be DFA'd at the end of ST anyway if he was out of options.

Yeah, I understand that an "option" doesn't take someone off the 40 man roster. I guess I should have been more specific. What I was trying to say is that if there's a roster crunch at the end of spring training, Meredith and Sarfate could have both stayed in the organization, with Cla moving to the minors and Dennis getting a chance with the big league team.

[Frobby]

Sarfate says he's "not mad at anyone" but clearly seems extremely upset by this news in Roch's latest

Wouldn't you be upset? I know I would be, if I were in his position. And it does kind of suck that they dragged him out to Fanfest. However, if he isn't claimed, I hope he elects to stay in the organization.

[Fan of Newhan]

Sarfate says he's "not mad at anyone" but clearly seems extremely upset by this news in Roch's latest:

Also it appears the Orioles will waive him and not try to deal him:

The only reason I thought DFAing Sarfate made sense is if they thought he was more tradeable than other players. If they're not even going to try to make a deal, this decision looks worse.

[tntoriole]

I'm not pleased, but I understand it. He does have great stuff, but at some point, you have to have better command than he showed. I wish him good luck, and I won't be surpised to see him do well.

I would be extremely surprised if he did well....he lacks the requisite trait for a successful major league pitcher...command the ball in the strike zone and, secondarily, be able to mix speeds while doing so...He had no better stuff than Daniel Cabrera or Ryne Duren for that matter...and he will meet the same end....unsuccessful because he can't throw strikes that are not in the middle of the strike zone.

I am glad to see that the Orioles have improved enough to recognize that this guy is not going to help anybody win games.

[mikezpen]

Sarfate pitched very well in September and in the winter league. I can't believe they let him go and keep a couple of minor league first basemen that haven't a prayer.

[El Gordo]

Sorry...thought eye-rolling implied sarcasm. My bad!

I don't know about you, but when I put my curser on that emticon I get a sign that says rolleyes(sarcastic).

[wildcard]

Say what you want about Dennis, but you can't take this away from him.

His last three year major league totals as a reliever are:

5-2, 3.59 ERA, 95.1 IP, 69 H, 63 W, 105 SO, .207 average allowed

Those are pretty darn good totals. I would think good enough to be claimed. And he is right. There are pitchers on the 40 man roster that do not have numbers as good.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=6234&type=pitching3&three=1

Good luck Dennis. We will catch you when you come back to town.

[Frobby]

Say what you want about Dennis, but you can't take this away from him.

His last three year major league totals as a reliever are:

5-2, 3.59 ERA, 95.1 IP, 69 H, 63 W, 105 SO, .207 average allowed

Those are pretty darn good totals. I would think good enough to be claimed. And he is right. There are pitchers on the 40 man roster that do not have numbers as good.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=6234&type=pitching3&three=1

Good luck Dennis. We will catch you when you come back to town.

He's not out of the organization just yet. For our sake, I'm hoping he's not claimed.

[wildcard]

He's not out of the organization just yet. For our sake, I'm hoping he's not claimed.

With numbers like that and a 97 mph fastball its hard to think he will not be claimed.

[JTrea81]

With numbers like that and a 97 mph fastball its hard to think he will not be claimed.

Yeah instead of trying to screw around with him being a starter, they should have just left him in the bullpen for the middle innings.

He was one of our best pitchers at stranding inherited runners at one point.

[Three Run Homer]

I'm sorry, but this is just an idiotic move. He's far from the least valuable player on our 40 man roster. He has had success in our bullpen the last two years when healthy. He looked very good in September and is apparently pitching well in Winter Ball. He has more potential to be valuable than Meredith or Albers, not to mention the various pieces of flotsam and jetsam currently on the 40 man roster.

This makes no sense to me.

[Tony-OH]

I'm sorry, but this is just an idiotic move. He's far from the least valuable player on our 40 man roster. He has had success in our bullpen the last two years when healthy. He looked very good in September and is apparently pitching well in Winter Ball. He has more potential to be valuable than Meredith or Albers, not to mention the various pieces of flotsam and jetsam currently on the 40 man roster.

This makes no sense to me.

I'm not sure where this is coming from but I've read this several times now. Sarfate was topping out at 92-93 MPH in September and batters hit .286 off him. He allowed 20 batters to reach base in 12.2 IP.

Add to the fact we have Lebron, Mickiolio, Merideth, Berken, Hernandez, Albers and Gabino as replacements for him just on the 40-man roster. In Norfolk, Miller, Hoey, Ouellette, Perrault, and Tanaka all come to mind as additional right-handers that could be as good or better.

Could we have parted ways with Hughes instead? Possibly, but we have way more redundancy in right-handed middle relievers than we do power hitting 1B/DH types.

He's a good depth guy, but he's no big loss if he's signed by someone else.