JAMES (JIMMY) SERRANO...attended the University of New Mexico after graduating from Grand Junction's (CO) Central High School.
2005
SUMMARY: Pitched exclusively in Triple-A, plitting the season between the Athletics and Reds organizations, posting a combined record of 12-7 with a 3.84 ERA (69 ER/161.2 IP) in 28 starts...averaged nearly a strikeout per inning pitched, fanning 159 in 161.2 innings between Sacramento and Louisville...began the season in Sacramento, where he went 8-3 with a 3.91 ERA in 16 starts before being released by the A's...signed a minor league contract with Cincinnati July 2 and reported to Louisville, going 4-4 with a 3.75 ERA in 12 starts over the remainder of the season...won 3 of his final 4 starts with Sacramento, going 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA (3 ER/27.0 IP)...then posted wins in his first 2
starts with the Bats, allowing just one run in 11.0 innings in those 2 contests.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Limited opposing batters to a combined .197 (31-for-157) average with runners in scoring position, including a .148 (9-for-61) mark with runners in scoring position and 2 outs...with the River Cats, went 5-2 with a 2.64 ERA (17 ER/58.0 IP) in 9 starts at home and 3-1 with a 6.09 ERA (23 ER/34.0 IP) in 7 road starts...fared
differently with the Bats, going 1-3 with a 5.79 ERA (18 ER/28.0) in 5 starts at home and
3-1 with a 2.38 ERA (11 ER/41.2 IP) in 7 starts on the road...struck out 8 or more
batters in a start 6 times, including a season-high 10 K's June 18 vs. Colorado Springs.
2004
Made his major league debut with 10 appearances (5 starts) for the Kansas City Royals after his August 7 promotion from Double-A Wichita, where he converted to a starter and went 3-1 with a 1.96 ERA (14 ER/64.1 IP) in 11 starts...struck out 140
batters in 129.1 innings between Triple-A Omaha, Wichita and Kansas City, an average of 9.7 strikeouts per 9 innings...began his big league career with 5 starts for Kansas City,
going 0-1 with a 5.26 ERA (15 ER/25.2 IP) before moving to the bullpen...posted a 1-1
record and 2.57 ERA (2 ER/7.0 IP) in 5 games out of the pen...made his big league debut
with a start the night of his promotion August 7 vs. Anaheim, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits in
4.2 innings...notched his first M.L. win with 3.0 innings of scoreless relief September 7 at
Detroit...began the season with Triple-A Omaha, going 1-1 with a 5.01 ERA in 16 games
(all but one in relief)...with Wichita, was named Texas League Player of the Week for the week of June 14-20...tossed 7.0 hitless innings to earn the win June 18 vs. El Paso and worked 6.0 hitless frames to win the 2nd game of a doubleheader June 30 at Midland...struck out a season-high 12 in 8.0 shutout innings June 25 vs. Arkansas...tossed
a 7.0-inning, complete game shutout in Game 2 of a doubleheader July 25 vs. El Paso.
2003
Began the season in the Mets system with Triple-A Norfolk, going 1-2 with a 2.39 ERA (13 ER/49.0 IP) in 27 relief appearances before his July 5 trade to Kansas City...finished the season with 19 outings for Triple-A Omaha, going 3-2 with 3 saves
and a 3.21 ERA (10 ER/28.0 IP)...had 75 strikeouts in 77.0 innings between the 2 stops...went 1-0 with 2 saves and a 1.08 ERA (1 ER/8.1 IP) on the road for Omaha.
2002
Appeared in 53 games out of the bullpen for Triple-A Norfolk, striking out 76 batters in 74.0 innings of work...marked his 5th consecutive season with more strikeouts than innings pitched...fared far better against left-handed hitters, limiting them to a .222 (22-for-99) batting average compared to a .328 (66-for-201) mark by righties.
2001
Spent the majority of the season with Double-A Harrisburg, ranking 4th in the Eastern League with 20 saves, 42 games finished and 12.24 strikeouts per 9 innings (73 K's in 53.2 IP)...also ranked 5th among league relievers with a .160 opponents
batting average...earned an August 16 promotion to Triple-A Ottawa, where he closed the season by going 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 9 outings, fanning 11 in 8.0 innings.
2000
Pitching for Harrisburg in his first Double-A campaign, tied for 3rd in the Eastern League with 55 appearances and tied for 4th with 16 saves...his 16 saves led all Montreal minor leaguers...limited foes to a .234 batting average and recorded 80 strikeouts in 75.0 innings, an average of 9.6 strikeouts per 9 innings.
1999
Ranked 2nd among Florida State League relievers with 11.13 strikeouts per 9 innings (career-high 118 K's in 93.0 IP) and finished 3rd with a .168 opponents batting average...allowed an average of 8.06 base runners per 9 innings, the 5th-best mark
among FSL relievers...did not allow an earned run for 43.2 consecutive innings from May 13-July 12, the longest such streak in the minor leagues in 1999.
1998
Excelled with short-season Single-A Vermont to begin his professional career, allowing just one earned run in 7.2 innings (1.17 ERA) over 7 appearances to earn a promotion to Single-A Cape Fear of the South Atlantic League...with 8 saves between the
2 stops, ranked 4th among Montreal farmhands.
