Bobby Valentine
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[edit] Biography
Bobby Valentine (Robert John Valentine) was born on May 13, 1950 in Stamford, Connecticut. He made his Major League debut on September 2, 1969 for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1971, his rookie year, he hit .249 with 1 home run and 25 RBI. Valentine played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels, San Diego Padres, New York Mets and Seattle Mariners over the course of his 9 year career.
[edit] Managerial Career
[edit] Antics as Mets Manager
Valentine earned a reputation to bend the rules in creative ways. During a 1999 game, after being ejected, he snuck back into the dugout -- wearing a fake nose and mustache. Valentine was caught, and given the obvious lack of obfuscation (see the picture at the left), no one was surprised. He was suspended for a few games for his brazen disregard for the rules.
In 2000, right before the Mets fired most of Valentine's coaching staff (and subsequently went on a wild winning streak), Valentine spoke students at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. At the event, he made comments about then-Mets general manager Steve Phillips and former players Bobby Bonilla and Rickey Henderson, while also commenting on the league's handling of John Rocker's inflammatory comments. A student -- only addressed as "Brad34" -- posted his take on Valentine's comments on the web, and a firestorm broke out, as word spread of Valentine's criticisms. When it all came to a boil, "Brad34" admitted that he made up most of the quotes.[1]
Valentine's antics did not end there. Per one blog, he also would use Shea Stadium's proximity to LaGuardia Airport as a way to gain a strategic advantage:
- According to Julio Franco, the Mets had a pickoff play they would run when there were multiple men on base and one of them was on second. Valentine would call the play from the dugout, then the pitcher and fielder would wait for a plane to pass overhead. When they heard the plane, the fielder would immediately break for second base and the pitcher would do his quick spin pickoff move. The noise from the plane would prevent the runner from hearing his base coach yell "back". Franco said the play actually worked a couple of times.
[edit] Statistics
[edit] Batting Stats
| Year | Team | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG | OBP | SLG | 2B | 3B | BB | SO | HBP | SH | SB | IBB | GDP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | LA | N | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | LA | N | 101 | 281 | 32 | 70 | 1 | 25 | .249 | .287 | .310 | 10 | 2 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 9 |
| 1972 | LA | N | 119 | 391 | 42 | 107 | 3 | 32 | .274 | .319 | .335 | 11 | 2 | 27 | 33 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 11 |
| 1973 | CAL | A | 32 | 126 | 12 | 38 | 1 | 13 | .302 | .323 | .397 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1974 | CAL | A | 117 | 371 | 39 | 97 | 3 | 39 | .261 | .308 | .329 | 10 | 3 | 25 | 25 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 7 |
| 1975 | SD | N | 7 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .133 | .316 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | CAL | A | 26 | 57 | 5 | 16 | 0 | 5 | .281 | .323 | .316 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1975 | Total | 33 | 72 | 6 | 18 | 1 | 6 | .250 | .321 | .319 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1976 | SD | N | 15 | 49 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 4 | .367 | .436 | .449 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1977 | SD | N | 44 | 67 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 10 | .179 | .253 | .269 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 1977 | NY | N | 42 | 83 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 3 | .133 | .191 | .181 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1977 | TOT | N | 86 | 150 | 13 | 23 | 2 | 13 | .153 | .220 | .220 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 1978 | NY | N | 69 | 160 | 17 | 43 | 1 | 18 | .269 | .346 | .331 | 7 | 0 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 1979 | SEA | A | 62 | 98 | 9 | 27 | 0 | 7 | .276 | .405 | .337 | 6 | 0 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Total | NL | 402 | 1046 | 111 | 263 | 8 | 93 | .251 | .306 | .316 | 36 | 4 | 84 | 92 | 5 | 22 | 12 | 4 | 36 | |
| Total | AL | 237 | 652 | 65 | 178 | 4 | 64 | .273 | .328 | .342 | 23 | 5 | 56 | 42 | 4 | 13 | 15 | 1 | 13 | |
| Total | 639 | 1698 | 176 | 441 | 12 | 157 | .260 | .315 | .326 | 59 | 9 | 140 | 134 | 9 | 35 | 27 | 5 | 49 |
[edit] Fielding Stats
| Year | Team | POS | G | GS | INN | PO | A | ERR | DP | TP | PB | SB | CS | PkO | AVG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | LA | N | SS | 36 | 22 | 212.1 | 43 | 80 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .961 |
| 1971 | LA | N | OF | 11 | 9 | 79 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1971 | LA | N | 3B | 24 | 23 | 198.1 | 17 | 50 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .905 |
| 1971 | LA | N | RF | 9 | 8 | 65 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1971 | LA | N | 2B | 21 | 20 | 179.2 | 49 | 45 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .959 |
| 1971 | LA | N | CF | 2 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1972 | LA | N | 2B | 49 | 43 | 395.1 | 110 | 132 | 6 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .976 |
| 1972 | LA | N | SS | 10 | 10 | 91 | 23 | 32 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .948 |
| 1972 | LA | N | RF | 4 | 2 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1972 | LA | N | 3B | 39 | 38 | 311.1 | 20 | 81 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .878 |
| 1972 | LA | N | CF | 8 | 5 | 47 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1972 | LA | N | OF | 16 | 8 | 95 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1972 | LA | N | LF | 5 | 1 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1973 | CAL | A | OF | 8 | 7 | 56.2 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1973 | CAL | A | CF | 7 | 7 | 53.2 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1973 | CAL | A | SS | 26 | 25 | 226 | 38 | 72 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .948 |
| 1973 | CAL | A | LF | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1974 | CAL | A | OF | 61 | 58 | 451 | 113 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .950 |
| 1974 | CAL | A | 3B | 15 | 15 | 130 | 5 | 32 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .881 |
| 1974 | CAL | A | LF | 61 | 58 | 451 | 112 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .950 |
| 1974 | CAL | A | DH | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1974 | CAL | A | SS | 36 | 22 | 219 | 42 | 82 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .954 |
| 1974 | CAL | A | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1975 | SD | N | OF | 4 | 4 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1975 | SD | N | LF | 4 | 4 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1975 | CAL | A | DH | 13 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1975 | CAL | A | 3B | 2 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .750 |
| 1975 | CAL | A | 1B | 3 | 2 | 19 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .958 |
| 1975 | CAL | A | RF | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1975 | CAL | A | OF | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1975 | CAL | A | LF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1975 | Total | LF | 5 | 4 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| 1975 | Total | OF | 6 | 4 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| 1976 | SD | N | LF | 7 | 5 | 40 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1976 | SD | N | RF | 5 | 5 | 34.2 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1976 | SD | N | OF | 10 | 10 | 74.2 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1976 | SD | N | 1B | 4 | 3 | 35.2 | 37 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1977 | SD | N | 3B | 10 | 7 | 60.2 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .947 |
| 1977 | SD | N | SS | 10 | 1 | 39.2 | 11 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .962 |
| 1977 | SD | N | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1977 | NY | N | 1B | 15 | 9 | 82 | 94 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1977 | NY | N | SS | 14 | 8 | 78.2 | 9 | 29 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .974 |
| 1977 | NY | N | 3B | 4 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1977 | TOT | N | 1B | 16 | 9 | 83 | 95 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1977 | TOT | N | 3B | 14 | 7 | 69.2 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .955 |
| 1977 | TOT | N | SS | 24 | 9 | 118.1 | 20 | 43 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .969 |
| 1978 | NY | N | 2B | 45 | 33 | 278.1 | 76 | 92 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .977 |
| 1978 | NY | N | 3B | 9 | 7 | 59 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .905 |
| 1979 | SEA | A | LF | 7 | 5 | 45.1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1979 | SEA | A | DH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1979 | SEA | A | OF | 15 | 12 | 99.1 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1979 | SEA | A | 3B | 4 | 3 | 28 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .933 |
| 1979 | SEA | A | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1979 | SEA | A | RF | 8 | 7 | 54 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1979 | SEA | A | 2B | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1979 | SEA | A | SS | 28 | 7 | 86.2 | 11 | 23 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .971 |
| Total | 2B | 120 | 96 | 861.1 | 235 | 271 | 14 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .973 | ||
| Total | CF | 17 | 13 | 114.2 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | ||
| Total | OF | 127 | 108 | 891.2 | 218 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .974 | ||
| Total | 3B | 107 | 94 | 807.1 | 54 | 208 | 31 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .894 | ||
| Total | DH | 19 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | ||
| Total | RF | 27 | 22 | 176.2 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | ||
| Total | 1B | 23 | 14 | 137.2 | 155 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .994 | ||
| Total | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | ||
| Total | LF | 86 | 73 | 600.1 | 137 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .960 | ||
| Total | SS | 160 | 95 | 953.1 | 177 | 332 | 23 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .957 |
[edit] Transactions
- Selected by Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1st round (5th pick overall) of the free-agent draft (June 7, 1968).
- Traded by Los Angeles Dodgers with Frank Robinson, Bill Singer, Mike Strahler and Billy Grabarkewitz to California Angels in exchange for Andy Messersmith and Ken McMullen (November 28, 1972).
- Traded by California Angels with a player to be named later to San Diego Padres in exchange for Gary Ross (September 17, 1975); San Diego Padres received Rudy Meoli (November 4, 1975).
- Traded by San Diego Padres with Paul Siebert to New York Mets in exchange for Dave Kingman (June 15, 1977).
- Released by New York Mets (March 26, 1979).
- Signed by Seattle Mariners (April 10, 1979).
- Granted free agency (November 1, 1979).
[edit] Trivia
Son of Ralph Branca



