Anthony Varvaro

Anthony Michael Varvaro (October 31, 1984 – September 11, 2022) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves, and Boston Red Sox from 2010 to 2015. After Varvaro's baseball career, he became a police officer with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Anthony Varvaro
Varvaro with the Atlanta Braves in 2014
Pitcher
Born: (1984-10-31)October 31, 1984
Staten Island, New York, U.S.
Died: September 11, 2022(2022-09-11) (aged 37)
Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 24, 2010, for the Seattle Mariners
Last MLB appearance
April 28, 2015, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
Win–loss record7–9
Earned run average3.23
Strikeouts150
Teams

Amateur career

Varvaro was from the West Brighton neighborhood of Staten Island, a borough of New York City, and played in Little League Baseball in West Shore.[1] He attended Curtis High School in Staten Island and played for the school's baseball team.[2] He graduated in June 2002.[1]

Varvaro attended St. John's University, where he played college baseball for the St. John's Red Storm. In 2004, his junior year, he had a 9–3 win–loss record and a 2.32 earned run average (ERA) while recording 115 strikeouts in 85 innings pitched.[1] He played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League after the season.[3][4] In 2015, he underwent Tommy John surgery.[1] Varvaro graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.[5]

Professional baseball career

Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners selected Varvaro in the 12th round of the 2005 MLB draft.[6] He appeared in five games with the Peoria Mariners in 2006, his first professional season. In 2007, Varvaro played for the Single-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, making 22 appearances, and 21 starts. He led the Timber Rattlers with 112 strikeouts.[7]

Varvaro spent the 2008 season with the Class-A High Desert Mavericks, appearing in 30 games, 24 of them starts.[8] In 2009, Varvaro split the season with the Mavericks and the Double-A West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. He made it to the Southern League All-Star Team. Varvaro participated in the Arizona Fall League playing for the Peoria Javelinas.[9][10] He was placed on the Mariners' 40-man roster on November 20.[11]

Varvaro began the 2010 season with the Diamond Jaxx, and after playing in the Southern League's all-star game, the Mariners promoted him to the Tacoma Rainiers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League.[12] On September 22, 2010, the Mariners promoted Varvaro along with four others following the conclusion of Tacoma's season.[13]

Atlanta Braves

On January 13, 2011, the Atlanta Braves claimed Varvaro off waivers.[14] He began the 2011 season with the Gwinnett Braves of the Triple-A International League and was promoted to the major leagues in July 2011 to make a few appearances out of the bullpen before being returned to Gwinnett.[15] He was recalled on September 1, 2011.[16] Varvaro compiled a 2.74 ERA in the 123 appearances he made from 2013–14, as he pitched in varied situations, from long relief to right-handed specialist roles.[17] He was designated for assignment on December 15, 2014.[18] In four years for Atlanta, he pitched to a 2.99 ERA.[19]

Boston Red Sox
Varvaro with the Red Sox

On December 17, 2014, Varvaro was traded to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for minor leaguer Aaron Kurcz.[20] He allowed five runs in 11 innings for the Red Sox and was designated for assignment by the Red Sox on April 29, 2015. He then was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs on May 3.[21] However, the Cubs discovered a torn flexor tendon in his pitching arm. As a result, Varvaro was returned to the Red Sox and required season-ending surgery, being subsequently placed on the disabled list on May 24.[22] He was released after the 2015 season.[23]

After recovering, the Red Sox announced they had signed him to a minor league contract on December 15.[24] In 2016, Varvaro was assigned to Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox.[25] He posted a 3–2 record with a 2.83 ERA and one save in 18 relief appearances, striking out 31 batters while walking 13 in 28+2⁄3 innings of work.

Police career

Varvaro retired from baseball in June 2016 to begin police training with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He became a Port Authority police officer in December 2016.[26][27] He was assigned to the World Trade Center Command. After five years, he was transferred to the Port Authority's police academy to become an instructor.[5][28]

Personal life

Varvaro married Kerry Thomson in 2011.[29] They had four children.[30] He was a member of the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame's Class of 2019.[31]

Varvaro died in a head-on collision with a wrong-way driver in Jersey City, New Jersey, a short distance from the Holland Tunnel, early on September 11, 2022.[32] He was on his way to serve at the World Trade Center Command in commemoration of the September 11 attacks when the accident happened.[33] He was 37.

References
  1. Regina, Nick (May 19, 2019). "Islanders Who Made It To The Pros: Anthony Varvaro's journey from West Brighton to the Big Leagues". Staten Island Advance. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  2. Martin, Dan (May 31, 2001). "Varvaro Gem Puts Curtis In The Semis". Nypost.com. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  3. "Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League" (PDF). capecodbaseball.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 7, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  4. "2004 Harwich Mariners". thebaseballcube.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  5. Egbert, Bobby (March 17, 2022). "From the bullpen". American Police Beat. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  6. "Seattle Mariners' Varvaro ventures into new territory in Triple-A". silive.com. July 20, 2010. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  7. "2007 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  8. "2008 High Desert Mavericks Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  9. Mariners prioritize long-term prospects tdn.com
  10. The Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League will be loaded with top M's prospects Archived August 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine seattletimes.com
  11. "Ezequiel Carrera: Mariners add six to 40-man roster". Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
  12. "Anthony Varvaro, Curtis HS product, promoted to the Seattle Mariners". silive.com. September 23, 2010. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  13. "Mariners add four to Major League roster". Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  14. Bowman, Mark (January 13, 2011). "Braves claim right-hander Varvaro off waivers". MLB.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  15. Palladino, Ernie (January 27, 2012). "Staten Island pitchers conditioning together for 2012 Major League Baseball season". Staten Island Advance. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  16. Odum, Charles (September 1, 2013). "Atlanta Braves: Hudson and homers are winning combo". Rome News-Tribune. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  17. Bowman, Mark (December 15, 2014). "Varvaro's Braves tenure may be at an end". MLB.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  18. "Callaspo, Braves finalize 1-year deal". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 15, 2014. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  19. Mauriello, Troy. "Blasts from the Past: Former Johnnie trades in his cleats for a badge". Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  20. Calcaterra, Craig (December 17, 2014). "The Red Sox acquire Anthony Varvaro from the Braves". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  21. "Cubs claim pitcher off waivers". ESPN.com. Associated Press. May 3, 2015. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  22. "Island big leaguer Anthony Varvaro going under knife, season over". SIlLIVE.com. May 23, 2015. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  23. "According to Gordon: Rehabbing Anthony Varvaro OK with free-agent status". silive.com. November 22, 2015. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  24. Smith, Christopher (December 15, 2015). "Boston Red Sox rumors: Anthony Varvaro, Sean O'Sullivan, Chris Dominguez among minor league signings". The Republican. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  25. "Anthony Varvaro reassigned to Triple-A by Red Sox". silive.com. March 29, 2016. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  26. O'Brien, David (December 10, 2016). "Ex-Braves reliever joins men in blue". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on December 10, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  27. D'Angelo, Bob (December 10, 2016). "Former MLB pitcher graduates from police academy". Austin American Statesman. Archived from the original on December 11, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  28. "Former MLB pitcher Anthony Varvaro dies in car crash on way to 9/11 memorial". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 11, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  29. "Anthony Varvaro, Kerry Thomson are married". Staten Island Advance. December 24, 2011. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  30. Morgan, Joe (July 27, 2014). "Varvaro returns from paternity list; Schlosser optioned". MLB.com. Archived from the original on December 17, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  31. "After two-year pandemic hiatus, Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held Nov. 19". silive.com. November 2, 2021. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  32. "Port Authority Officer Who Pitched In MLB Killed By Wrong-Way Driver On NJ Turnpike". DailyVoice.com. September 11, 2022. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  33. "Former Braves pitcher dies in auto accident". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. September 11, 2022. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
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