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Must-Read From the Washington Post

Rotblatt Aug 27 2005 10:37 AM

Career Minor Leaguer is Defying the Law of Averages [url]http://news.yahoo.com/s/washpost/20050825/ts_washpost/career_minor_leaguer_is_defying_the_law_of_averages[/url] The Times has an article about him too, but this one is much, much better. Here are his minor league stats: http://www.sports-wired.com/players/profile.asp?ID=7021 Looking at the stats, he either was terrible defensively or given a bum rap by Baltimore. His numbers were pretty good for a middle infielder, but not having much speed or pop probably hurt him. Still, it looks to me like he should've earned a promotion to AA at age 23 after his 96 season (.752 OPS) or at least after his 97 season (.815 OPS). Instead, he didn't get the call till midway through 98 where he did okay in 87 AAA AB. In 99, he posted a .867 OPS in AA and was STILL sent back to AA the following year, in which he posted a .874 OPS. Finally got to AAA for good in 2001, where he posted a .712 OPS. In 2002, .887 with a .356 BA at the age of 29. Then he went to Japan and played for Chiba Lotte, posting a .809 OPS. Bobby V. took over and canned him, and he went to KC, then Montreal AAA, doing okay but not great. This season: .388 AVG/.460 OBP/.579 SLG/1.039 OPS in 363 AB. I hope he comes up to stay in September and beats the shit out of the ball.

Edgy DC Aug 27 2005 10:55 AM

It's probably not so much that Valentine canned him, but that teams, by the rules, have only so much room for gaijin, and Valentine --- for bettter or for worse --- had already committed to the guys he had recruited. Amazing story. One of the main reasons the minors are disproportionately populated by latinos is that it pays for them to keep going until their offers run out. Not so much for educated Americans, which makes his situation all the more remarkable. Good find.

smg58 Aug 28 2005 12:08 AM Re: Must-Read From the Washington Post

Rotblatt wrote: I hope he comes up to stay in September and beats the shit out of the ball. Against Philadelphia and Florida, that is. But you always have to root for somebody like that.