Dale Burgo saw four seasons in Red Sox system, high-A
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After a successful enough first season in the minors, Dale Burgo told his hometown Fall River Herald News in March 1989 his hopes for Year 2.
"I feel great ... I'm pitching well and my main goal for the season is to move up from wherever I start the season," Burgo told The Herald News.
Burgo ended up playing an abbreviated year at single-A Lynchburg. He then played two more seasons. He topped out at high-A.
Burgo's career began in 1988, signed by the Red Sox as a free agent out New Bedford High School in Massachusetts.
Burgo started with the Red Sox at single-A Winter Haven. He went 6-16 on the year over 30 outings, 26 starts. He had a 3.86 ERA.
He moved to Lynchburg for 1989. He saw nine starts, limited by elbow problems. He then played 1990 between Winter Haven and the rookie Gulf Coast League. He saw another nine starts that year.
Burgo returned to regular duty for 1991 at Lynchburg. That August, Burgo picked up the final eight outs of a win, five by strikeout, The Lynchburg News and Advance wrote.
"That was certainly one of my better outings," Burgo told The News and Advance then. "I just really wanted to throw strikes and keep them under control."
Burgo saw 36 games in relief that year. He went 3-5, with a 2.96 ERA and nine saves to end his career.
Burgo then returned home and soon started work in corrections. He also got into coaching. He spoke to South Coast Today about his experiences.
"The program was a lot of street kids, and Dale was very much involved," his wife Lorena told the paper. "When these kids were getting arrested and brought into juvenile court, he was going with them.... To this day, a lot of those kids that he helped out in court will call him. … He's still very much involved with those kids."
- Fall River Herald News, March 16, 1989: Ryan, Burgo hope to be teammates in Sox organization
- Lynchburg News and Advance, Aug. 19, 1991: L-Sox hurlers spark victory over Durham
- South Coast Today, June 25, 2020: Buddy's Best: Where are they now?
Made the Majors:1,482-31.7%
Never Made Majors:3,192 -68.3%-X