Domingo Guzman

Domingo Serrano Guzman

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 210 lb.

• Debut September 9, 1999
• Final Game June 7, 2000
• Born April 5, 1975 in San Cristobal, San Cristobal, D.R.

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Biographical Information

Domingo Guzman pitched two years in the majors, 9 in the minors, one in Taiwan and seven in Japan.

Minor Leagues

He signed with the San Diego Padres in 1993 and debuted that year in the Dominican Summer League. In 1994, he was 8-4 with a 4.11 ERA for the AZL Padres, making the Arizona League All-Star team as the top right-handed hurler. He tied Matt Clement and Steve Woodard for the AZL lead in wins.

Guzman had a rocky 1995 with the Idaho Falls Braves, with a 6.66 ERA. He had a 2-1 record and 11 saves. In 26 innings, he allowed 25 walks but struck out 33. He still tied for the Pioneer League lead in saves. Baseball America rated him as the league's #6 prospect, two spots ahead of Kelvim Escobar.

In 1996, Guzman was 0-5 with a 12.63 ERA for the Clinton Lumber Kings with a WHIP over 2. He was 4-2 with a 4.13 ERA for Idaho Falls, with over a strikeout per inning. The 1997 season saw improvement for the young Dominican - 4-5, 3.19 in 12 games for Clinton with 91 K in 79 innings and 3-2, 5.45 in six games for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (over a K per inning). His five complete games led the Padres farmhands.

Guzman had a 1-1, 3.74 record in four games for Rancho Cucamonga in 1998 and 5-2, 4.50 with a save in 12 games for the Mobile BayBears. In 1999, he pitched for Mobile (1-2, 6 Sv, 5.47 in 41 games) before joining San Diego as a September call-up.

Major Leagues and last time in the minors

On September 9, 1999, Guzman debuted against the Montreal Expos, replacing Donne Wall, and retired Brad Fullmer on a grounder to first, Guzman getting the putout. He finished 0-1 with 12 runs allowed (all earned) in 5 innings for a 21.60 ERA.

In 2000, he pitched for Mobile (2.08 ERA in 14 games), the Las Vegas Stars (3-5, 1 Sv, 5.97 in 43 games) and the Padres, allowing one run with two hit batsmen, a walk and a hit to actually lower his ERA to 19.50. He would not return to The Show.

Guzman pitched 11 games for the 2001 Portland Beavers, going 1-2 with a save and a 6.75 ERA. He struck out 16 in 17 1/3 innings, though.

Asia

Guzman joined the China Trust Whales early in 2001 and was 5-8 with a save and a 2.97 ERA in 25 games. He then signed for 2002 with the Yokohama BayStars, going 5-5 with a 2.79 ERA. He led Yokohama's starting pitchers in ERA, beating out fellow gaijin Shane Bowers and Chris Holt as well as Daisuke Miura. Only reliever Takashi Saitoh had a lower ERA on the BayStars staff.

Guzman was less effective in 2003, posting a 8-12, 4.69 record with 171 hits allowed in 163 2/3 innings, though his control was far better than it had been in the earlier part of his career, walking 35. He tied five other pitchers for the Central League lead in shutouts (2) but also led in runs (90) and tied Masanori Ishikawa for the most earned runs allowed (80).

Guzman moved to the Chunichi Dragons and was 10-5 with a 3.76 ERA to help them to the CL title in 2004. He was the clear #3 starter behind Kenshin Kawakami and Masahiro Yamamoto. He started game three of the 2004 Japan Series and got a no-decision in a 10-8 loss to the Seibu Lions. In game seven, he faced off against Takashi Ishii but was roughed up for five runs in the third and lost a 7-2 decision. Domingo was 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA in the Series; he wasn't the only Chunichi starter to struggle as Yamamoto was even worse.

A shoulder injury derailed Guzman's 2005. He only pitched 3 games (1-2, 4.85) and four in 2006 (2-2, 3.93). Chunichi released him in August.

Guzman remained in Japan for 2007, signing with the Rakuten Golden Eagles. On September 1st, Guzman issued a Nippon Pro Baseball-record four balks in a game, 3 in the 3rd inning. Only 7 pitchers had previously been charged with 3 in a game in NPB history. Only Terry Ley had been called for three in an inning. Guzman flipped off the third base umpire after the last balk and was ejected before he could extend his record. Amazingly, another Dominican had set an all-time NPB balk record less than two weeks earlier: Esteban Yan had set the single-season record. Yan had also been ejected after conflict with an umpire. Guzman was fined $50,000 for his actions. He was 2-4, 5.01 in 11 games (10 starts), but still returned for a 7th and final season in NPB, again with Rakuten, in 2008. He pitched 23 times, including 16 starts, logged 102 1/3 innings and posted a decent ERA of 3.87, but his record was only 2-7. His final appearances as a professional were in winter ball in the Dominican League with the Leones del Escogido in 2009-10.

Sources: 1995-2004 Baseball Almanacs, Japan Baseball Daily.com by Gary Garland, Pat Doyle's Professional Baseball Player Database