Cut and pasted from ChicagoSports.com

 

Valentin nearing his own magic number

 

By Teddy Greenstein

Tribune staff reporter

 

August 19, 2003, 11:08 PM CDT

 

Jose Valentin isn't about to break out a calculator over the final few weeks of the season.

 

But his agent might.

 

Valentin has a somewhat unusual stipulation in his contract: If he reaches 575 plate appearances, he will be under contract next season at $5 million.

 

Actually, Valentin's magic number is 573. His contract vests with 1,100 combined plate appearances in 2002 and 2003, and he had 527 last season.

 

Valentin entered Tuesday with 453, putting him on pace to finish with 587.

 

"Hopefully I can reach that number, but right now I'm just thinking about winning," he said.

 

"If you make the playoffs and win, that makes everybody happy. The people up there [in the front office] would probably give you a gift, like: 'OK, we'll [pick up] your contract.'"

 

Even if he doesn't hit 573 plate appearances, Valentin could re-sign with the Sox, but likely at a cheaper price. Valentin, who turns 34 in October, is making $5 million this season.

 

"If they want to keep me, I'll stay here," he said. "I want to stay, but if not, I'll take my chances."

 

If Valentin doesn't return, the Sox would have to go on the market to replace him. They have no suitable replacement in the minors.

 

Tim Hummel is hitting .282 with 15 homers at Triple-A Charlotte, but he is viewed more as a utility infielder.

 

Valentin's .239 batting average is off a bit from previous years, but his production—18 homers, 51 RBIs—remains solid.

 

And his defense has been far more dependable than in the past.

 

Valentin committed 36 errors in 2000 for a .950 fielding percentage that ranked last among American League shortstops.

 

After committing nine errors in the first 43 games this season, Valentin has just five miscues in the last 83 games.

 

Valentin no longer has to worry about playing third base or the outfield. And he gets tips from first-base coach Rafael Santana, the starting shortstop for the 1986 World Champion Mets.

 

"When I make a mistake," Valentin said, "he asks me what I feel like I did."

 

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I haven't heard anyone here talk about this, which indicates to me that it's not a well-known fact. I wonder if the Sox are going to give Graffy more playing time down the stretch to avoid him getting the 573 PA that he needs? IMO, that would be wrong to do if they did it solely for that purpose.

 

Here's a link to the actual story

I actually saw where someone mentioned this clause on the board a few nights ago. That was the first I had heard of it, or remember hearing of it. That article does confirm it, though.

Jose's a hard guy to love, because of the errors, and a hard guy to dislike, because he usually is balls-out on the field. He's a leader with a few flaws.

 

The Sox would be penny foolish to jerk him around in a pennant race, and the team would not miss that signal. So if he's healthy, they better not sit him in situations he would normally play.

as long as this team remains in the race, valentin needs to play.

 

to sit him out to save money would do nothing but alienate more players -- a tactic Sox management employs too often.

It has been talked about a few times, I don't think it is well known, but it is known. Being so close I wonder if they will bench him at all, Comiskey style so that he doesn't get it?

It has been talked about a few times, I don't think it is well known, but it is known.  Being so close I wonder if they will bench him at all, Comiskey style so that he doesn't get it?

Ditto. However, don't look for Valentin to get to his "magic number" based on two things.

 

1.) He is batting deeper in the order as of late; and

2.) TinkerBell just won't let that happen. Tinkering is his crack.

I don't think he'll get that clause to kick in, unless he gets extremely hot. Otherwise the Sox will be playing Graffy more and more.

 

The big thing I like is the few number of errors Jose has made lately (Knock on Wood).

 

Unfortunately at the plate he is very unproductive unless he's on a hot streak. At 5 mill a year, thats way too much to pay Jose. I could see bringing him back at 2 mill and letting him platoon with someone, but anything more then that would be ridiculous, imo.

 

But if he earns it by kicking butt down the strecth and helping the Sox go deep then I got no problem with it.

Cut and pasted from ChicagoSports.com

 

Valentin nearing his own magic number

 

By Teddy Greenstein

Tribune staff reporter

 

August 19, 2003, 11:08 PM CDT

 

Jose Valentin isn't about to break out a calculator over the final few weeks of the season.

 

But his agent might.

 

Valentin has a somewhat unusual stipulation in his contract: If he reaches 575 plate appearances, he will be under contract next season at $5 million.

 

Actually, Valentin's magic number is 573. His contract vests with 1,100 combined plate appearances in 2002 and 2003, and he had 527 last season.

 

Valentin entered Tuesday with 453, putting him on pace to finish with 587.

 

"Hopefully I can reach that number, but right now I'm just thinking about winning," he said.

 

"If you make the playoffs and win, that makes everybody happy. The people up there [in the front office] would probably give you a gift, like: 'OK, we'll [pick up] your contract.'"

 

Even if he doesn't hit 573 plate appearances, Valentin could re-sign with the Sox, but likely at a cheaper price. Valentin, who turns 34 in October, is making $5 million this season.

 

"If they want to keep me, I'll stay here," he said. "I want to stay, but if not, I'll take my chances."

 

If Valentin doesn't return, the Sox would have to go on the market to replace him. They have no suitable replacement in the minors.

 

Tim Hummel is hitting .282 with 15 homers at Triple-A Charlotte, but he is viewed more as a utility infielder.

 

Valentin's .239 batting average is off a bit from previous years, but his production—18 homers, 51 RBIs—remains solid.

 

And his defense has been far more dependable than in the past.

 

Valentin committed 36 errors in 2000 for a .950 fielding percentage that ranked last among American League shortstops.

 

After committing nine errors in the first 43 games this season, Valentin has just five miscues in the last 83 games.

 

Valentin no longer has to worry about playing third base or the outfield. And he gets tips from first-base coach Rafael Santana, the starting shortstop for the 1986 World Champion Mets.

 

"When I make a mistake," Valentin said, "he asks me what I feel like I did."

 

------------------

 

I haven't heard anyone here talk about this, which indicates to me that it's not a well-known fact.  I wonder if the Sox are going to give Graffy more playing time down the stretch to avoid him getting the 573 PA that he needs?  IMO, that would be wrong to do if they did it solely for that purpose.

 

Here's a link to the actual story

SHHHHH!! KEEP THIS QUIET OR REINSY WILL MAKE SURE MANOS SITS OUT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

This will be hilarious to watch.

The cheap Sox will start sitting him.

Media should keep an eye on this and blast JR if it happens.

As reputedly cheap the Sox have been over the years, I cannot see them sitting Valentin for that reason as long as we are in the thick of the race. If Reinsdorf or Williams orders this done, then JR might as well pack up his bags, sell the team and get out of Chicago.

The X-factor in all this is Joe Crede. If his foot injury doesn't heal soon, Valentin is going to have to play. If Crede is out for another few games, Valentin will get the plate appearances he needs without much problem.

I'm surprised they havent been sitting Jose all season to avoid paying him that much. It is way too much. But we will need a shortstop next year. If the Sox are satisfied to have Jose here next year, they ought to give him a compromised contract now for 2004.

At least the guy has cut down more on his errors this year and he's still one of the best clutch players we got, e.g 3 homers vs Kansas City. However, unless his average goes up quite a bit, there's no way we bring him back for the 6 mil, i'm thinking maybe 2 mil with incentives.