Joe Valentine Stats & Scouting Report

IP	45.0
ERA	6.80
WHIP	1.844
BB/9	7.4
SO/9	7.8

Full name Joseph John Valentine
Born 12/24/1979 in Las Vegas, NV
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Jefferson Davis CC
Debut 08/24/2003
Drafted in the 26th round (789th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 1999.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Valentine has seen his name on the transaction wire more than most minor leaguers, but he soon may find a home in the Cincinnati bullpen. After nearly making the Tigers bullpen in 2002 as a major league Rule 5 selection, he's been involved in deadline deals in each of the last two seasons. He made his major league debut for the Reds in August. Valentine's fastball tops out at 96 mph with good life, and his slider features hard, late biting action. Command always has been an issue, as he works with a long arm action and full-effort delivery. He needs to work on his path to the plate because he tends to over-rotate and fall off toward first base. Some scouts would like to see more separation in velocity between his two pitches. Valentine profiles as a closer but could be relegated to a lesser role if his control doesn't improve. He'll have a shot to make the big league bullpen in spring training.
The White Sox lost Valentine to the Tigers in the 2001 Rule 5 draft, then got him back when he showed little command in spring training with Detroit. He led the minors with 36 saves in 2002, then came to Oakland in the Keith Foulke/Billy Koch trade. Valentine held opponents to a .173 average and has allowed just 89 hits in 160 innings over the last three seasons. There's no subtlety with Valentine. He's a fastball/slider pitcher who can hit 96 mph, and he keeps hitters off balance by busting heat inside when they appear too comfortable. There are nights when his slider is filthy, and his pitches complement each other well. Valentine can be wild and has averaged nearly a walk per two innings as a pro. Because he is so tough to hit, the walks rarely come back to haunt him. Few minor league closers turn into major league closers, but Valentine could be an exception. Foulke becomes a free agent after the 2003 season, so Oakland could look to Valentine as soon as 2004. He should make his big league debut at some point in 2003.
Valentine's mid-90s fastball was the reason the Tigers wanted to pick up Valentine from the Expos in a straight cash deal, after Montreal took him fourth overall in the major league Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings. He'll have to stick on Detroit's 25-man roster all season, or else be exposed to waivers and then offered back to Chicago for half of the $50,000 draft price. A closer who posted 22 saves and a 1.79 ERA in Class A last year, Valentine will have to skip two levels to the big leagues, but he might have the stuff to do it. He has a good slider to go with his fastball. He lacks command at times, and he's going to have to do a better job of getting ahead of hitters in the majors. The jury is out on Valentine's makeup. He carries himself in a manner that some find cocky, while others just see him as confident.

Minor League Top Prospects

Valentine tied the league saves record of 36 set just last year by former Baron Edwin Almonte. Valentine initially wasn't destined for the SL, as the Expos took him in the major league Rule 5 draft last winter and immediately sold him to the Tigers. When Detroit couldn't keep him on its big league roster, the White Sox reclaimed Valentine. He overpowered SL hitters with his mid-90s fastball and his slider, holding them to a .173 average and a lone home run. Valentine can be wild at times, though that didn't prevent him from closing out games. "He's a power pitcher and he's got the perfect makeup," Backman said. "He's smart and he wants the ball in the close games. He's everything you'd want in a pitcher."