John Valentin
Encyclopedia
John William Valentin is a former shortstop
and third baseman
in Major League Baseball
. He played most of his major league career with the Boston Red Sox
, with his final season being for the New York Mets
. He batted and threw right-handed. He is currently the hitting coach of the Albuquerque Isotopes
in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League
.
, where he played with another future Red Sox player, Mo Vaughn
, before starting his professional career in the Red Sox minor league system in . He first played in a major league game in .
and Mets
, Valentin had a .279 batting average
, and accumulated a total of 1093 hits
. He hit 124 career home run
s, and had 558 runs batted in
.
On July 8, 1994, Valentin turned the 10th unassisted triple play
in MLB history, in a game against Seattle Mariners
. In the 6th inning, Valentin playing shortstop, caught Marc Newfield's
line drive, tagged second base before Mike Blowers
could return to tag up, and tagged out Keith Mitchell who had been attempting to advance to second base.
His best season was , when he batted .298 with 27 home runs, 37 doubles
, 20 stolen base
s and 81 walks
. Valentin finished ninth in the American League
MVP
voting, and helped lead the Red Sox to its first division title since 1990. Valentin had a .971 fielding percentage
in his first three years as a shortstop for the Red Sox.
On June 6, , he hit for the cycle
. During the season, Red Sox prospect Nomar Garciaparra
battled for the spot of shortstop with Valentin, who had held the position for his entire career. Garciaparra took over the shortstop position in 1997, forcing Valentin to second base
. Later that season, he shifted to third base after the regular third baseman, Tim Naehring
, was injured. Valentin spent three more seasons with the Red Sox (playing only a total of 31 games the last two years) before ending his career with the Mets.
(the High-A minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers
) as hitting coach for the 2008 season. Shortly after accepting this assignment, manager Dave Collins
resigned for personal reasons, and Valentin was promoted to manager of the 66ers http://www.ie66ers.com/66ers/archive/index.html?article_id=664. On Friday, October 31, 2008, he was named manager of the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League (AA). After one season at the helm of the Lookouts he was demoted to hitting coach for the 2010 season. In 2011, he was promoted to the coaching staff of the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
.
Valentin has been a resident of Holmdel Township, New Jersey
. He also owns Julia's Restaurant in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He played most of his major league career with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, with his final season being for the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. He batted and threw right-handed. He is currently the hitting coach of the Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
.
College career
Valentin attended Seton Hall UniversitySeton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
, where he played with another future Red Sox player, Mo Vaughn
Mo Vaughn
Maurice Samuel 'Mo' Vaughn , nicknamed "The Hit Dog", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played from 1991 to 2003...
, before starting his professional career in the Red Sox minor league system in . He first played in a major league game in .
Professional career
In 11 seasons with the Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, Valentin had a .279 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, and accumulated a total of 1093 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
. He hit 124 career home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, and had 558 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
.
On July 8, 1994, Valentin turned the 10th unassisted triple play
Unassisted triple play
In baseball, an unassisted triple play occurs when a defensive player makes all three putouts by himself in one continuous play, without any teammates touching the ball . In Major League Baseball , it is one of the rarest of individual feats, along with hitting four home runs in one game and the...
in MLB history, in a game against Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. In the 6th inning, Valentin playing shortstop, caught Marc Newfield's
Marc Newfield
Marc Alexander Newfield is a former Major League Baseball player from to for the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and Milwaukee Brewers....
line drive, tagged second base before Mike Blowers
Mike Blowers
Michael Roy Blowers is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and first baseman. He is an alumnus of Bethel High School in Spanaway, Washington, Tacoma Community College and the University of Washington...
could return to tag up, and tagged out Keith Mitchell who had been attempting to advance to second base.
His best season was , when he batted .298 with 27 home runs, 37 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 20 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s and 81 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
. Valentin finished ninth in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
voting, and helped lead the Red Sox to its first division title since 1990. Valentin had a .971 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
in his first three years as a shortstop for the Red Sox.
On June 6, , he hit for the cycle
Hitting for the cycle
In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
. During the season, Red Sox prospect Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar Garciaparra
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra is a former Major League Baseball player. After playing parts of 9 seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played third base, first base, and designated hitter for the Oakland Athletics, first base and third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and...
battled for the spot of shortstop with Valentin, who had held the position for his entire career. Garciaparra took over the shortstop position in 1997, forcing Valentin to second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
. Later that season, he shifted to third base after the regular third baseman, Tim Naehring
Tim Naehring
Timothy James Naehring is an American former professional baseball infielder with the Boston Red Sox...
, was injured. Valentin spent three more seasons with the Red Sox (playing only a total of 31 games the last two years) before ending his career with the Mets.
Post-playing days
In January 2008, Valentin joined the Inland Empire 66ers of San BernardinoInland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino
The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino are a minor league baseball team in San Bernardino, California, United States. They are the Class A – Advanced affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and play in the California League...
(the High-A minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
) as hitting coach for the 2008 season. Shortly after accepting this assignment, manager Dave Collins
Dave Collins
David S. Collins is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball from to .Collins is one of three players to have made it to the major leagues who played for the storied Rapid City Post 22 American Legion baseball program in Rapid City, SD...
resigned for personal reasons, and Valentin was promoted to manager of the 66ers http://www.ie66ers.com/66ers/archive/index.html?article_id=664. On Friday, October 31, 2008, he was named manager of the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League (AA). After one season at the helm of the Lookouts he was demoted to hitting coach for the 2010 season. In 2011, he was promoted to the coaching staff of the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
.
Valentin has been a resident of Holmdel Township, New Jersey
Holmdel Township, New Jersey
Holmdel Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 16,773. Holmdel Township was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 23, 1857, from portions of Raritan Township .Holmdel is a suburb of...
. He also owns Julia's Restaurant in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
Atlantic Highlands is a Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey in the Bayshore Region. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,385...
.