Jordany Valdespin

Jordany Valdespin

Valdespin with the New York Mets
Miami Marlins
Second baseman / Outfielder
Born: December 23, 1987
San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 23, 2012 for the New York Mets
Career statistics
(through 2014 season)
Batting average .218
Home runs 15
Runs batted in 52
Teams

Jordany V. Valdespin (born December 23, 1987) is a Dominican professional baseball player in the Miami Marlins organization. He previously played for the New York Mets, where he drew controversy for incidents of unsportsmanlike conduct. He was suspended for 50 games during the 2013 Biogenesis baseball scandal.

Professional career

New York Mets

Valdespin began his professional career in 2007, playing for the DSL Mets.[1] That year, he hit .245 with one home run and 16 RBIs in 43 games. In 2008, he played for the GCL Mets, hitting .284 with three home runs and 22 RBIs in 34 games.[1] He split 2009 between the DSL Mets, GCL Mets, Brooklyn Cyclones and Savannah Sand Gnats, hitting a combined .298 with four home runs, 28 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 67 games.[1] He split 2010 between the St. Lucie Mets and Binghamton Mets, hitting a combined .272 with six home runs, 41 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 93 games.[1] In 2011, Valdespin hit .294 with 17 home runs, 60 RBIs and 37 stolen bases in the Mets minor league system.[1]

Jordany Valdespin with the Binghamton Mets in 2011

2012 season

On April 23, 2012 Valdespin was called up for the second game in a doubleheader versus the San Francisco Giants. In his debut Valdespin pinch hit for Manny Acosta in the eighth inning. Valdespin started his first major league game on April 27, playing left field and batting eighth against the Miami Marlins. While pinch hitting on May 7, Valdespin collected his first major league hit, home run and RBI on a three-run home run against Jonathan Papelbon of the Philadelphia Phillies to break a tie in the ninth inning.[2] That same hit made Valdespin the first player to ever record his first hit as a home run off a player who has 200 or more career saves. On July 24, he broke a Mets franchise record by hitting his fifth pinch-hit home run of the season, off of Ryan Mattheus of the Washington Nationals.[3] On August 26 Valdespin was optioned to Triple-A but was recalled on September 4.

2013 season

Valdespin made the Opening Day roster for the New York Mets and was set to platoon in center field with Collin Cowgill.[4] On April 24, 2013, Valdespin hit a walk off grand slam, the first in Mets history since Kevin McReynolds hit one on June 25, 1991 against the Montreal Expos.[5]

On July 15, 2013, Valdespin was sent down to the AAA Las Vegas 51s after hitting only .188 that season, leading to a confrontation with manager Terry Collins in which Valdespin referred to his skipper by an expletive before demanding to be placed on the disabled list. This followed several incidents of showboating, most recently on May 11 and 12 when he hit celebrated a home run while down four runs in one game, then was hit by a pitch during a pinch hit appearance the next day in retaliation, giving the appearance that manager Collins sent him up there to teach him a lesson.[6][7][8]

On August 5, 2013, Valdespin was suspended for 50 games from baseball for using performance enhancing drugs obtained from Biogenesis.[9] Valdespin was reinstated on September 25, 2013, and assigned to Triple-A.[10] After the season, Valdespin was non-tendered by the Mets, making him a free agent.

Miami Marlins

On December 20, 2013 Valdespin signed with the Miami Marlins on a minor league deal.[11] He was called up to the Marlins on July 19, 2014.[12] He was outrighted off the roster on October 10, 2014.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Jordany Valdespin". Mets.com. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  2. ↑ DiComo, Anthony (May 7, 2012). "Valdespin shocks Pap as Mets rally past Phils". MLB.com. Mets.com. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "Valdespin sets Mets record for pinch-hit homers". MLB.com. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  4. ↑ Montgomery, Will (18 December 2012). "Mets acquire Cowgill; still a hazy outfield situation in Flushing". HudsonValey.com blogs. Dow Jones Local Media Group. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  5. ↑ Chen, Albert (25 April 2013). "Valdespin completes Mets' comeback with walk-off grand slam". The Strike Zone - SI.com. Time. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  6. ↑ Mike Puma (July 15, 2013). "Mets’ Jordany Valdespin rips manager Terry Collins after demotion". New York Post. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  7. ↑ Price, Bill (2013-05-14). "Mets manager Terry Collins loses it over Jordany Valdespin mess, and Zack Wheeler will visit doctor". NY Daily News. Retrieved 2014-07-30.
  8. ↑ "Mets' Jordany Valdespin reportedly called manager Terry Collins a cocksucker, demanded to be placed on disabled list - Amazin' Avenue". Amazinavenue.com. Retrieved 2014-07-30.
  9. ↑ Castillo, Jorge (5 August 2013). "Jordany Valdespin, Cesar Puello among 12 players to accept suspensions for Biogenesis connections". Star-Ledger (New Jersey). Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  10. ↑ Dicomo, Anthony (25 September 2013). "Mets reinstate Valdespin, return him to triple-A".
  11. ↑ Source: Spin non-tendered
  12. ↑ Feldman, Jacob (20 July 2014). "MARLINS NOTEBOOK: Miami Marlins hoping Jordany Valdespin can be answer at second base". Miami Herald. Retrieved 30 July 2014.

External links