John Valentin

He was considered too small to play for a Division I college baseball program, yet John Valentin became one of the best-hitting middle infielders in the majors between 1992 and 1999, putting up impressive numbers for the Boston Red Sox. He won the Silver Slugger Award in 1995, hit for the cycle in 1996, and led the American League in doubles in 1997. Previously, in 1994, Valentin became the 10th major-leaguer and the second Red Sox player to turn the rare unassisted triple play. Over the course of his 11 seasons in the majors (1992-2002), 10 with the Red Sox, he batted .279 with an OPS of .814.

John William Valentin was born on February 18, 1967, in Mineola, New York. His parents, Arnold and Davina (née Olivera) Valentin, came to the United States from Puerto Rico when they were 16. They lived in New York until moving to Jersey City, New Jersey after Valentin and his older brother, Arnold Jr. were born. His father was a truck driver for Goya Foods, while his mother not only worked in a factory stuffing toys but also did everything a mother does while his father was away on the road.

Growing up, Valentin’s family were avid New York Mets fans and were supportive of his athletic path in baseball. It started at the age of 10 in Little League, where he pitched and played shortstop. Davina loved baseball because her father did, and it stuck with her. When she knew her sons were good at it, she did everything in her power to let them play and give them a chance to do their best. She was their biggest fan.1

Young John grew up and played in a neighborhood where not only his brother, but all the other kids were older than him. To play with them, he had to try to be just as good – and that motivated him, as did seeking to outdo his older brother.  Even today, the Valentins have family competitions in whatever they do. This really instilled John’s work ethic when he was young.2

As Valentin got better at baseball through grammar school and St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, he and his mother both felt that he had a chance to play in college. While John was being recruited his senior year, Seton Hall University –in nearby South Orange, New Jersey – came to see him play. The assistant baseball coach from Seton Hall told St. Anthony’s coach Mike Hogan that Valentin was too small to play for a Division I program like Seton Hall.3 At the time, he was 5-foot-7 and 150 pounds, but a growth spurt in college brought him to 5-foot-11 and 160. Nevertheless, he felt he could play at that level – it was just another challenge to overcome.

Seton Hall offered another attraction: older brother Arnold Valentin Jr. – his mentor, to whom he looked up – was attending for academics. John felt he could play there, but if he didn’t make it, he would still get his degree from a good school along with his brother. Thus, he chose to attend Seton Hall and try to make the baseball team as a walk-on player.4

Valentin also played for a storied basketball program at St. Anthony’s, coached by the legendary Bob Hurley, whose program was considered one of the best in the country. Seton Hall basketball coach PJ Carlesimo had seen him play at St Anthony’s and when he saw Valentin at Seton Hall, he approached him about going out for the basketball team as point guard.5  However, Valentin was only interested in playing baseball.

As a walk-on at Seton Hall during the 1985 fall season, Valentin became the starting shortstop. Initially, he made the B team but had an opportunity to play on the A team that fall for a week when the starting shortstop hurt his arm.  Given the opening, Valentin impressed the coaching staff with his defense. At that point he became the regular shortstop and batted ninth; the former starting shortstop, who was also the team captain, became the designated hitter. Valentin ended up playing well his freshman year, batting .327.

In his sophomore year, head coach Mike Sheppard felt he did not have to play Valentin all the time because he would have him in the program for two more years. Instead, Sheppard had a senior whom he wanted to showcase at that position for major league scouts. Seton Hall won the Big East title that year, but Valentin lost his starting job at an important time – sophomore year is when a player gets the chance to be invited to the Cape Cod League during the summer. 6

As a result, Valentin had to play somewhere else that summer – but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Instead of the Cape Cod League, he played in the Jayhawk League in Arkansas, where he was noticed by the U.S. Olympic team coaches: the University of Miami’s Ron Fraser, Mississippi State University’s Ron Polk, and Louisiana State University’s Stanley “Skip” Bertman. Valentin ended up doing well in the Jayhawk League, which earned him an invitation to be on the 1988 Olympic squad. As a result, he missed the fall of his junior year to practice and play in Cuba in the 1987 Intercontinental Tournament. Even so, he had a great spring season for Seton Hall in 1988, hitting .392 with a .618 slugging percentage, scoring 64 runs, and driving in 52.

In Valentin’s three seasons at Seton Hall (1986-88), the team went 116-52, winning the Big East championship in 1987. Two fellow Pirates were subsequently major-leaguers, Mo Vaughn – his future teammate in Boston – and Craig Biggio. Valentin himself earned third-team All-America and All-Big East honors. His collegiate career concluded with a .322 batting average and 121 runs scored.7

Red Sox scout Matt Sczesny recommended that Boston draft Valentin, which it did on June 4, 1988, in the fifth round. He had the chance to play in the Olympics but felt that having the opportunity to turn professional was more important at that time, so he signed with the Red Sox.

Valentin’s first assignment was the Elmira Pioneers in the New York-Penn League. Although his defense was strong, the adjustment from the aluminum bat in college to the wood bat in pro baseball presented challenges – he hit just .217 in 250 plate appearances. During the offseason, Valentin worked relentlessly to hit with a wood bat, and the hard work paid off. In 1989, when he went back to spring training, he played well and was assigned to Winter Haven in the Florida State League. Although considered a pitcher’s league, Valentin was up for the challenge.  After hitting .270 in the first half of the season, Valentin was sent to the Lynchburg Red Sox in the Carolina League (also Class A). With Lynchburg he hit just .246 but slugged eight home runs after going deep just five times in the first half of the season. Valentin was confident that he would be promoted to Class AA the following season.8

Going into spring training in preparation for Double-A, Valentin was looking forward to playing for the New Britain (Connecticut) Red Sox. However, he had trouble getting untracked in the chilly early-season weather and also had trouble adjusting to the hard-throwing, but often wild pitchers he was facing.9 Valentin found this experience humbling; he learned a lot during that season, in which he hit just .218 with two homers in 94 games.

Valentin still played well on defense and caught the eye of manager Butch Hobson. “He took a liking to me,” Valentin said, “Because I was this tough little kid from the east coast. That even though I struggled hitting I played hard, and I played a good shortstop, which he was very happy about.”10

For 1991, the Red Sox promoted Hobson to manage their top affiliate, Triple-A Pawtucket. (Rhode Island). He wanted Valentin on his team. However, the organization did not think the prospect (by then 24) was ready, so he continued to play in New Britain. But as it turned out, the PawSox shortstop got hurt, leading to a call-up for Valentin – which was supposed to be for only one week. Even so, Hobson told him that if he played well, he would fight for him to remain on the team. In his first game, Valentin homered; he had multiple hits that week. Hobson made good on his promise, although the Boston organization told Valentin that if they saw him struggling in Pawtucket, he would be sent back to New Britain. Naturally, this put a lot of pressure on Valentin, who met the challenge by batting .264 with 9 homers and 49 RBIs.  “I was extremely proud of myself,” Valentin said. “I was happy, Hobson was happy, and the Red Sox were happy.”11

When the Red Sox promoted Hobson to be their manager in 1992, Valentin was invited to big-league camp. It was an opportunity to showcase his skills – and Hobson wanted him on the team. Despite the skipper’s endorsement, the Red Sox still had veteran Luis Rivera at shortstop.  Hobson told Valentin to go down to Triple-A and continue to play well. Back in Pawtucket, he hit .260 with nine home runs – more power than Rivera – in 97 games.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox were not playing well, and neither was Rivera. The organization noticed Valentin was showing some pop in Triple-A; the PawSox manager, former Red Sox star shortstop Rico Petrocelli, was impressed with Valentin’s play and gave his endorsement.12 On July 27, a few weeks after the All-Star Game, Valentin was promoted to the majors. As soon as he arrived at Fenway Park, Hobson told him that he would be the starting shortstop that night. “Go show them what you got,” said Hobson.13 Thus began an 11-year career in the majors.

 Facing the ace of the Texas Rangers’ pitching staff, Kevin Brown, Valentin was hitless in his first three at-bats. The Red Sox were behind in the bottom of the eighth and had runners on first and third with one out when Valentin faced reliever Terry Mathews. With the count 2-2, Mathews threw a high fastball that Valentin hit up the middle for an infield single, scoring the lead runner Jody Reed, giving the Red Sox the lead. Boston went on to win, 7-5.

“It was a great memory that I will never forget,” said Valentin. “My relationship with Butch Hobson is a great one and as a young player it’s always great to have a coach or manager be in your corner. It goes a long way.”14

Valentin’s first major-league home run was a grand slam on August 22, 1992, off Seattle’s Mike Schooler in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Reed, Herm Winningham, and Eric Wedge.15 The grand slam tied the game at 7-7, and the Red Sox went on to win, 10-8. In 58 games that season, he had a .276 batting average, 51 hits (including 13 doubles and five homers), one stolen base, and a fielding percentage of .963.

Rivera was still with Boston in 1993, but Valentin started 138 games at short that year and would remain the regular there through 1996. Valentine batted .278 in 1993 with 11 homers and 66 RBIs.

In 1994, Valentin missed a month in May and early June after suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee and undergoing arthroscopic surgery. When he returned, he was ready for everyday play again.

The unassisted triple play is one of the rarest feats in major-league baseball, with only nine between 1909 and 1993. Yet, on July 8, 1994, Valentin achieved this rarity in the top of the sixth inning against Seattle.16 Playing shortstop, he caught Marc Newfield’s line drive (first out), then ran and stepped on second base before Mike Blowers could return (second out). After that, he tagged Keith Mitchell, who was attempting to advance to second base (third out). The players ran off the field, but the Mariners’ play-by-play announcer, Dave Niehaus mistakenly exclaimed, “Wait a minute … wait a minute. That’s only two outs.”17

Valentin, too, was confused. After the game, he said, “The irony is that I thought there was one out. After I caught the line drive and touched second, I saw the scoreboard over the first base dugout. It had a big 0 next to outs. For good measure, I tagged Keith, who was chugging toward me from first.”18

What often goes unnoticed is that Valentin led off the next inning with a home run, starting a four-run rally to give Boston the lead and eventually the win. A little over a month later, the Major League Baseball strike canceled the remainder of the season.

The 1995 season was clearly Valentin’s best. He exhibited potent offensive stats with a .298 batting average, a career-high 27 home runs, and 37 doubles; his 20 stolen bases and 81 walks were also personal bests. Early in the season, on May 2, he and teammate Mo Vaughn each hit grand slams against the Yankees in the Bronx, which accounted for all the runs in Boston’s 8-0 victory.

Despite having a great season and winning the Silver Slugger Award, Valentin was not selected to the All-Star team. Nor did he win a Gold Glove, despite a .973 fielding percentage (Omar Vizquel had a lock on the award in the AL from 1993 through 2001). Valentin was ninth in the AL MVP voting – Vaughn was the winner, as the two Seton Hall men helped lead Boston to its first division title since 1990. 

With MLB’s realignment, 1995 was the inaugural year for the Division Series. One of the two American League Division Series (ALDS) featured the Red Sox (86-58), the Eastern Division champion, versus the Central Division champion Cleveland Indians (100-44). Game One was the first extra-inning game in ALDS history, with Cleveland winning 5-4 in 13 innings after a rain delay. In six plate appearances, Valentin walked twice and had two hits, including a home run, with two RBIs. Over the three games in the series, which was swept by Cleveland, Valentin had 15 plate appearances finishing with a .250 batting average, a .400 on-base percentage, and .583 slugging percentage.

The 1996 season was Valentin’s last as the regular at shortstop. In late August, the Red Sox called up touted prospect Nomar Garciaparra; as a result, Valentin played third base for the first time in the majors. 

One highlight of Valentin’s 1996 came on June 6, when he hit for the cycle against the White Sox at Fenway.19 It was also the first time since 1931 that a game featured one player hitting for the cycle and another player on the same team hitting into a triple play.20

Batting second, Valentin smacked a fly ball deep to left field for a two-run homer, giving Boston a 2-1 lead. Pitcher Joe Magrane walked the next two batters; however, nobody expected the inning to end the way it did. Tim Naehring came to the plate with nobody out and then hit into a 5-4-3 triple play. Valentin added a triple to center field in the third, a line-drive single to short left in the fourth, and a line-drive double into the left-field corner in the sixth, all off Magrane. The Red Sox won, 7-4, and Valentin was 4-for-4.

Valentin played throughout 1996 with a torn rotator cuff and labrum in his left shoulder, along with a torn left ring finger tendon. He finally left the lineup in late September, sitting out the last nine contests. Both injuries were repaired during the offseason.

In 1997, Valentin appeared in 143 games. With Garciaparra entrenched at shortstop, Valentin moved to second base. He shifted again when third baseman Naehring suffered his career-ending elbow injury later that season. Valentin continued his strong offensive production, leading the AL in doubles with 47.

During the 1998 season, Valentin again primarily played third base. He developed tendinitis in his left patellar tendon, the result of wear and tear from being an everyday infielder since 1992, playing every pitch on his toes on the assumption that the ball would be hit in his direction. Consequently, he played in pain all season. Cortisone shots provided only short-term relief; what he needed was rest, but he was not one to complain that something was bothering him, so he played through the pain, icing the knee every night for the entire season. 21 Struggling at the plate for most of ’98, he finished with a .247 batting average, yet still managed to hit 23 home runs and drive in 73 RBIs. He also had a .964 fielding percentage in 153 games.22 These statistics were not up to his standards, however.

Valentin made it to the postseason for the second time in 1998 as the Red Sox finished second in the AL East with a 92-70 record – 22 games behind the first-place New York Yankees, a juggernaut that year. The Red Sox got the AL wild card and faced the Central champion, Cleveland, in the ALDS. Although Boston lost the series, three games to one, Valentin had a strong postseason with a .467 average in 15 at-bats. 

By then 31, Valentin rested during the offseason, aiming to have a better year in 1999.  The injuries, though, began to take their toll; he remained affected by his left patellar tendinitis. Valentin was given another cortisone shot in the knee in the hope that it would alleviate the problem. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and he spent time on the disabled list in early September. However, Valentin was active again for the tail end of the season – and the 1999 postseason, which Boston made again. With rest and physical therapy, he was able to play well in the playoffs.

The Red Sox met Cleveland in the ALDS for the third time since 1995. They lost the first two games, then rebounded to win the next three, with a big hand from Valentin. In Game Three, he had a solo homer to give Boston the lead. After Cleveland tied the game again, his two-run double put the Red Sox in front for good. In Game Four, they pummeled the Indians 23-7 at Fenway, racking up 24 hits, setting playoff records for the most hits and runs scored in a game.  The 16-run margin also set a record; Valentin led the charge with four hits, including a double, two home runs, and seven RBIs. He drove in two and scored two in Boston’s 12-8 victory in Game Five. Overall, he drove in 12 runs in the three wins.

Valentin continued to hit well in the ALCS against the Yankees, batting .348 (8-for-23) with another homer – but the Red Sox lost the series in five games. “The Curse of the Bambino” would not end for another five years.

After playing only 10 games early in the 2000 season, Valentin was sidelined on May 30 for the rest of the season as his ailing left patellar tendon betrayed him. At home against the Kansas City Royals, while trying to field a routine ground ball, he ruptured the tendon. He had surgery to reattach it to his kneecap.23

Working hard to come back healthy, Valentin began experiencing pain in his right heel and was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, which was a result of overcompensating for the left knee. As a result, in 2001 he was limited to 20 games in May and June – mainly playing short again in the absence of Garciaparra (injured wrist). That was Valentin’s last year with the Red Sox, who declined a club option on him at the end of the season, making him a free agent.

While living in New Jersey in 2002, Valentin received an offer to play for the Mets. Even though he missed playing in Boston, it was great to play in front of his family – all passionate Mets fans – and sleep in his own bed. He made a respectable comeback, batting .240 with 3 homers and 30 RBIs in 114 games as a reserve infielder and frequent pinch-hitter. After a mediocre season, the Mets fired manager Bobby Valentine.24 The new skipper, Art Howe, decided to clean house, with Valentin one of the players let go. 

In 2003 Valentin received an invitation to spring training from the Baltimore Orioles, but did not make the 25-man roster. In the winter of 2003-04 he returned to the field in Puerto Rico as a “native” player because his parents had been born there. After playing that winter for the Caguas Criollos, in 2004 Valentin received another spring training invitation, this time from the Houston Astros. Again, he did not make the team; at that time, he decided to retire.25

“I was ready anyway. It was a good run and a privilege to be a major leaguer,” said Valentin.26

After retirement as a player, he tried his hand in the restaurant business. In 2005. Valentin opened an Italian-Mediterranean establishment called Julia’s (after his grandmother). It closed permanently in 2010.27

Valentin remained close to baseball by coaching and managing in the Mets and Dodgers systems.28  He began this phase of his career in 2006 as the hitting coach of the Double-A Binghamton team in the Mets’ minor-league system. He then spent eight years in the Dodgers organization, three at the major-league level. In 2007 he was hitting coach for the High-A Inland Empire 66ers. The 66ers’ manager, Dave Collins, resigned for personal reasons after the 2007 season, and Valentin took his place in 2008, guiding the team to the playoffs with a wild card berth.29 Valentin was named manager of the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts for their 2009 season, leading them to a 65-74 record.  After one season at the helm of the Lookouts, he was relegated back to hitting coach for the 2010 season.

Valentin was elected to the Red Sox Hall of Fame in the spring of 2010. Previously, in 1996, his alma mater, Seton Hall University, had inducted him into its Hall of Fame.30 

Valentin moved up to the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, as their hitting coach for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, helping them win the division title in 2012. He then joined the Dodgers at the top level from 2013 to 2015 as the assistant hitting coach, working with Mark McGwire.

After the 2015 season, Valentin moved back to New Jersey. There, in 2016, he met and was offered a job by the CEO of Northeast Financial Network (NEFN), an agency of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Since joining NEFN, he has served as Managing Director of the Sports Division. He trains, mentors, and develops former athletes in financial literacy, empowering them to excel in the financial services industry.31

Valentin was married on October 5, 1991, after the Triple-A season, to Aurea Marie Valentin. They have two children: Justin John (born March 13, 1995) and Kendall Marie (born on August 12, 1996).

In 2024 Valentin rejoined the Houston organization as a special minor-league advisor.

When asked to describe the highlight of his outstanding career, Valentin said it was an honor to put on the uniform on the big-league stage.

“Playing professional baseball is a privilege,” he said “Not many people get to be a pro. Playing Major League Baseball is even more of a privilege, it’s also an honor. Baseball is also a humbling sport because if you fail seven out of 10 times at bat, you are considered a very good player.”32

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to John Valentin for interviews on July 1, 2024, August 4, 2024, August 22, 2024, and October 4, 2024.

This biography was reviewed by Rory Costello and David Bilmes and fact-checked by Ray Danner.

Photo credit: John Valentin, Trading Card Database.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball-Reference.com.

Notes

1 John Valentin, telephone interviews with Diane MacLennan, July 1, 2024, August 4 and 22, 2024, and October 4, 2024 (hereafter Valentin-MacLennan interview).

2 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

3 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

4 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

5 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

6 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

7 Seton Hall University – 1996 Hall of Fame. https://shupirates.com/honors/hall-of-fame/john-w-valentin/213

8 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

9 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

10 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

11 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

12 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

13 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

14 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

15 Tom Brunansky & John Valentin slug out a win for the Red Sox. https://fenwayparkdiaries.com/1992%20red%20sox/sox%2008-22-1992.htm

16 Nick Cafardo, “John Valentin’s unassisted triple play carried Red Sox, shortstop also blasts home run”: Boston Globe, July 9, 1994. https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/1994/07/09/john-valentin-unassisted-triple-play-carries-red sox/B76HqI6B5JO3XgUsGjxH2O/story.html

17 July 8, 1994 –Shortstop John Valentin turns an unassisted triple play on Marc Newfield’s line drive due to runners on first and second running on the pitch. At timestamp: 0:16, the Seattle’s broadcasters are confused thinking there are only two outs. The video shows each unassisted out in slow motion playback. (Video). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXJuw4Rd0ck  (last accessed October 30, 2024)

18 Baseball Almanac – Autograph of the week: John Valentin, https://www.baseball-almanac.com/autoweek/aut2000n.shtml

19 Valentin hits for the cycle, MLB.com, (Video), https://www.mlb.com/video/valentin-hits-for-the-cycle-c1874809083

20 Mike Huber, “June 6, 1996: A rare déjà vu: Boston’s John Valentin hits for the cycle while teammate hits into triple play,” SABR Games Project, https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/june-6-1996-a-rare-deja-vu-bostons-john-valentin-hits-for-the-cycle-while-teammate-hits-into-triple-play/\

21 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

22 Associated Press, “Around the Majors: Knee Injury Ends Valentin’s Season,” Los Angeles Times, June 1, 2000: 6.  https://www.mlb.com/player/john-valentin-123608?stats=career-r-fielding-mlb&year=2024

23 Associated Press “Knee Injury Ends Valentin’s Season,”, Los Angeles Times, June 1, 2000. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jun-01-sp-36295-story.html

24 Rafael Hermoso, “Mets Fire Valentine to Close out a Dismal Season,” New York Times, October 1, 2002. https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/01/sports/mets-fire-valentine-to-close-out-a-dismal-season.html

25 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

26 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

27 Dan Newman, “Red Sox vet Valentin steps up to a new plate,” CentralJersey.com, April 19, 2005. https://archive.centraljersey.com/2005/04/19/red-sox-vet-valentin-steps-up-to-a-new-plate

28 “John Valentin,” NJsports.com. (2021). https://www.njsportsheroes.com/johnvalentinbb.html

29 “Baseball coach: John Valentin,” https://jerseydugout.com/coaches/john-valentin/

30 Seton Hall University – 1996 Hall of Fame, https://shupirates.com/honors/hall-of-fame/john-w-valentin/213

31 Valentin-MacLennan interview.

32 Valentin-MacLennan interview.