Danny Valencia hopes to rebound in 2012

Danny Valencia may smile more per minute than any other player in the Minnesota Twins’ clubhouse, like a kid living the dream of being a pro baseball player.

Last year, those smiles were fewer and farther between.

“This game is very humbling,” Valencia said. “It’s a tough game, it’s a hard game. It’s a game of adjustments.”

Valencia has already had to make a few adjustments, starting last year with his expectations. The third baseman made a quick impression on the Twins in his major league debut in 2010, hitting .311 after getting called up and .394 with runners in scoring position, best in the American League. He finished third in voting for the AL Rookie of the Year honors.

But 2011 hit hard for the Twins as they dropped from AL Central champs to dead last with 99 losses. It hit similarly hard for their rising star at third base.

“Last year was tough because we got used to winning so much in 2010, and to come into 2011 and not play the way we need to play was definitely disappointing,” Valencia said. “It was definitely frustrating.”

Valencia experienced a similar dip from the year before, watching his batting average drop from .311 to .246 over his first whole season, adding 15 home runs and 72 RBI. His struggles carried over to defense, where he committed 18 errors.

It was disheartening for Valencia, and worrisome for a Twins organization hoping he could be the next big star to follow in former MVPs Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer’s footsteps.

“He’s got a lot of talent,” said Twins general manager Terry Ryan. “I think that’s the apparent visual of him. He can do everything most third basemen that make all-star teams can do. He can hit a long way, he can really throw, he’s a better runner than you’d think. He’s certainly athletic enough to play the position.”

But Valencia got frustrated with his inconsistent production and his team’s spiral downward, and the frustrations manifested on the field and in the clubhouse.

“Sometimes it was about taking your bat out to the field, or sometimes it was how you’d react to a bad call,” Ryan said. “Sometimes it was about what was written, and players, some react better than others. How you fit into a clubhouse and all that stuff. A couple of years ago, when he came up here, you didn’t hear much of that about him because we were winning a lot. Last year, some stuff might have come out because we weren’t winning.”

But Valencia is smiling again this spring, with the hopes of a breakout for himself and a return to glory for his team. Though the Twins have struggled at the plate, Valencia has shown some encouraging signs, knocking out home runs two home runs in the last four games to lead the team in the statistic this spring.

And Valencia is starting to show that enthusiasm again.

“I try to be in good spirits. I try to have fun,” Valencia said. “I’m getting paid to play a game. And this game’s predicated on failure, so to get the best out of all the failure and to deal with it throughout the season, you’ve got to loosen it up and have a little fun with it.”

He’s focusing now on improving every outing with the belief he can be the next homegrown star for the Twins.

“I think so,” Valencia said. “I feel that way. I have confidence in my abilities. But until then, I’m a role player. I’ll do my best to help my team, drive in runs, play good defense, and let our so-called ‘big boys’ do what they do.”


(news-press.com)