Danny Valencia taps into veterans during workouts

BLAINE, Minn. -- Twins third baseman Danny Valencia has spent the past couple of weeks working out in Miami and getting in some swings alongside some well known Major Leaguers -- including the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada and Melky Cabrera of the Royals.

For Valencia, it's been an opportunity to learn from some of the veterans in the game while he prepares for his second season in the big leagues.

"It's always nice to pick guys' brains, especially Posada," Valencia said. "You get the catcher's standpoint, which I think is helpful. I can do that with [Joe] Mauer. To hear an opposing catcher's point of view, it helps you out a lot."

Valencia said he's also taken the opportunity to work on his defense with Rodriguez at third base, and that the Yankees third baseman has been very receptive to helping him out. But in addition to talking to players he's been working out with, Valencia said he's also been in constant communication this winter with Twins starter Carl Pavano.

"He really gives me his perspective on my hitting, what he thinks I should do and how I should think at the plate," Valencia said. "Here's a guy with lots of years in the big leagues. He knows a lot. When I first came up, I sat next to him on the bench a lot and listened to him analyze hitters, and talk about his game plan for the next day, when he's facing these guys.

"I've been in contact with him and we've discussed my hitting a bunch. Toward the end of the year, I was hitting more home runs but I was striking out more -- and he said he thought maybe I was getting a little too pull happy. He said, 'When you're going good, you're hitting the ball the other way, and that gets you going.' And I was able to go out there and do that a couple times."



(mlb.com)