Athletics third baseman Danny Valencia is considered day to day after taking a pitch off of the elbow Sunday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Valencia was hit on the elbow pad by a pitch, causing him to leave the game after logging just one at-bat. X-rays returned negative and Valencia told reporters he's fine, but the team is considering him day to day nonetheless.


(cbssports.com)

Danny Valencia always could hit. A’s reliever Dan Otero played against him in high school — and with him on a South Florida travel team after their senior year — and recalls Valencia’s exploits well.

“He could absolutely rake,” Otero said. “Everyone knew who he was. I remember his first batting practice. Here was this tall, skinny kid pumping balls over the fence. It was home run central.”

Valencia, though, didn’t always get love from the scouts, going undrafted out of high school. Even when the Twins took him in the 19th round in 2006, their area scout wasn’t overly impressed with the then-University of Miami third baseman. It took a national cross-checker to suggest him as a possibility.

“I thought I was drafted a lot later than I should have been,” Valencia said. “I felt very underrated and overlooked because I played on a team at Miami where we had a lot of great players.”

That, though, wasn’t necessarily a bad thing - many a ballplayer has fueled his drive to the big leagues with an “I’ll-show-you” attitude. And Valencia has also had to battle the perception that he’s a platoon player.

“You have a huge chip on your shoulder,” he said. “You see certain guys get opportunities year after year while I’ve had to fight for everything, I haven’t been given anything.” That starts with being a 19th round draft pick, you don’t get the opportunities you get if you’re a first rounder.”

Since coming up with the Twins in 2010, Valencia has bounced around, going to Boston in 2012, Baltimore in 2013 and Kansas City and Toronto in 2014. Some suggest this might be because he doesn’t have much of a filter, though Valencia says he’s toned it down in recent years.

“For the most part, I’m a straight shooter. I’m going to tell you how I feel,” he said. “I’m a lot quieter than I used to be. I used to be a lot more outspoken.”

He felt he particularly didn’t fit in Minnesota, and his mother, Mindy, said: “Danny came out of the University of Miami and he had that Miami swagger. And the Twins were so Midwest. He stood out. He’s found other teams since that are better suited to his personality.”

He’s a little reminiscent of former A’s third baseman Josh Donaldson, who became a friend in Toronto — both are competitive and brash and can annoy opponents.

“That’s why I like Josh Donaldson. He’s himself,” Valencia said. “He might rub some people the wrong way, but at the end of the day, do you want to go to war with him? Absolutely. He’s a gamer. He’s ready to play every day.”

And that’s something Valencia prides himself on. He likes to arrive early so he can get in all the work he needs to when it’s quiet and he can focus.

“I take this really seriously,” he said. “You won’t really see me on the couch or playing cards. I hate the feeling of going out there and feeling not prepared. This game is so results driven, but I can live with bad results if I know I was as prepared as possible.”

Much of this no-nonsense approach can be traced to Mindy Valencia.

“She is my toughest critic,” he said. “She definitely pushes me. She made sure I was always working hard on baseball. She never let me be the one who didn’t really work hard.”

Mindy Valencia said her son was plenty competitive on his own, but she does recall throwing bottle caps for him to hit at an early age to help him work on his swing. “I thought he needed to be prepared,” she said. “He had a tee. I took him to a batting coach. The other kids’ parents just had them show up.”

She said her dad, Seymour, was always at Valencia’s games, yelling for him to strike everyone out when he was pitching. “There was always pressure on Danny to be at the top of his game,” she said.

He likes to have his fun, too. Valencia enjoys traveling and went all over Europe last offseason, in part to watch soccer — he’s a Barcelona fan. And he has an inquisitive mind. He’s interested in history and business, among other things.

Valencia has been an asset for the A’s since he was acquired from Toronto for a $20,000 waiver claim. He plays every day, against left-handers and right-handers, batting third or cleanup. He has four homers and 10 RBIs in 12 games, and he’s batting .275, which doesn’t surprise Donaldson.

“He has a rep for hitting lefties, but I think he can hit righties, too,” Donaldson said. “He brings good energy to the park every day and he wants to help the team win.”
The A’s have Valencia under club control for two more years and he believes they are just a few moves from being a playoff team again.

“This is what I’ve always wanted,” he said of his everyday role. “Obviously, I wish it had happened earlier in my career, but at the same time I’m happy I’ve had some limited success to prove the doubters wrong. But it’s hard to change people’s perceptions once they’re set.”


(sfgate.com)

Danny Valencia went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's loss to the Orioles.

Valencia drilled a Chris Tillman offering over the fence in right field in the second inning, giving the A's a temporary 1-0 lead. It's his fourth home run in 10 games since joining the Athletics. On the season, he has 11 home runs, 38 RBI, and a .294/.332/.534 batting line.


(rotoworld.com)

Danny Valencia stayed hot Wednesday, homering against his former team in the loss to the Blue Jays.

Valencia took R.A. Dickey deep for his third homer in six games with the A's and 10th homer in 185 at-bats overall. He's collected an extra-base hit in each game he's played for Oakland, which seems pretty good for a guy thrown away 10 days ago.


(rotoworld.com)

OAKLAND All season, the A’s poor record in one-run games derived largely from the struggles of their bullpen. Those problems surfaced again Sunday, as the A’s took a two-run lead into the ninth inning against the Houston Astros and gave it back in the span of three batters. Only this time, Oakland buried that narrative with a ninth-inning rally of its own, with newest acquisition Danny Valencia playing the hero again.

Valencia’s two-out, bases-loaded single capped the A’s comeback against Houston closer Luke Gregerson and gave Oakland a dramatic 5-4 win, their third in a row over the first-place Astros. In each of those wins, Valencia played a key offensive role, collecting six hits in 11 at-bats and driving in five runs during the series for an A’s team that is mostly still getting to know the 30-year-old journeyman infielder.

The A’s claimed Valencia off waivers last Monday from the Toronto Blue Jays, who designated him for assignment two days earlier. In four games for Oakland he is 7 for 16 with two home runs, and his fifth career walk-off RBI on Sunday ensured his first week in an A’s uniform ended with that uniform dripping from a celebratory Gatorade shower, and with teammates expressing their disbelief over how they acquired him.

“We got a gift-wrapped present from Toronto, I promise you that,” said A’s right-hander Chris Bassitt, who got a no-decision Sunday despite recording a career-high 10 strikeouts in 62/3 innings. “I mean, my goodness. How he got DFA’d is shocking to, I think, every single person on this team, including the coaches and everything. I just don’t know how we got him. He’s unreal.”

In short, the Blue Jays hadn’t seen room for Valencia on their roster after acquiring Troy Tulowitzki and David Price at the trade deadline. For the past three days, though, the A’s have put Valencia in the cleanup spot and reaped the benefits.

Valencia’s fourth-inning home run against Astros right-hander Mike Fiers gave Oakland a 1-0 lead. The Astros tied it in the sixth on daring baserunning by Jose Altuve, who scored from first base on a softly hit double to center field by Carlos Correa. It stayed 1-1 until the eighth, when Billy Burns lined an RBI single past a pulled-in infield and Josh Reddick doubled to give the A’s a two-run lead entering the ninth.

A day before, recently anointed closer Edward Mujica entered a one-run game with a man on first in the ninth inning and secured the A’s first save in nearly a month by retiring three hitters in a row. Sunday, Mujica faced three hitters and didn’t record an out. After Carlos Gomez and Jed Lowrie singled, Mujica left a full-count fastball up to Colby Rasmus, who launched it into the right-field seats. Mujica left to audible boos from the crowd at O.co Coliseum.

Catcher Josh Phegley said he talked with Mujica after the game and Mujica “said he just didn’t feel like he had it today. He felt OK; he just didn’t have a lot of movement and his pitches weren’t sharp … I just told him, ‘We picked you up. We’ve got your back.’”


(sacbee.com)

OAKLAND — Danny Valencia could get used to being a cleanup hitter.

In his second consecutive game at the No. 4 spot in the order for the Oakland Athletics, Valencia delivered an early two-run double to support right-hander Jesse Chavez’s strong start in a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday.

Valencia ripped a two-run double to the gap in right field in the bottom of the first. It came just a day after he belted a home run to back Sonny Gray’s gem in a 3-1 win over the Astros. Valencia finished 2 for 4 on Saturday and is 5 for 12 with three RBIs in three games since the A’s acquired him off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.

“It feels good,” Valencia said. “It feels better when you come through to help the team win, it makes all that much (more) gratifying. It was nice to be out there today, it was nice that we won this game. Jesse did a great job. A team effort today for sure.”


(pressdemocrat.com)

Danny Valencia has only been a member of the Oakland Athletics for a few days, but he's already appreciating the vibe of his new teammates.

Having been picked up by Oakland on a waiver claim from the Toronto Blue Jays earlier in the week, Valencia started in his first game for his new club on Wednesday. 

As he told Trevor Hass of MLB.com, his initial reaction to being DFA'd by Toronto came as a shock: "Never saw that coming." Despite the shock, he's acclimating well to his new organization.  

Valencia, primarily a third baseman/outfielder type, is open to playing wherever Bob Melvin might want to use him, though second base doesn't seem to be his preference. As he told Hass, "I feel all right over there. I wouldn't say that would be a position I'd want to play on a regular basis. I'm a bigger guy -- I'm not as fast as your typical middle infielder -- but if you needed me to hold the position down for a day or two I think I could do it."

Arriving at O.co Coliseum prior to Tuesday night's game with the Baltimore Orioles, Valencia also told Hass of the warm reception given to him by his new teammates: "The guys are great. It seems like a good, fun clubhouse. It's a little bit different in here, but it's definitely going to be a good experience."

In Valencia, the A's hope to have another versatile option for the infield and at the plate, where he excels against left-handed pitching.


(foxsports.com)

OAKLAND -- The A's grabbed infielder/outfielder Danny Valencia off waivers from Toronto on Monday and expect him to join the club on Tuesday.

Also, Oakland reinstated switch-pitcher Pat Venditte from the disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Nashville.

Valencia primarily plays in left field and at third base, but he also has spent time at first base, second base and right fielder.

The 30-year-old veteran is hitting .296 this season, but the Blue Jays, who needed space on their 40-man roster after making several deals before last week's July 31 trade deadline, put him on the designated for assignment list Saturday. Previously he'd played with the Twins, Red Sox, Orioles and Royals.

He hit seven homers and had 29 RBI in 58 games for Toronto this season.

Venditte went on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder and had been on an injury rehabilitation assignment, getting two games with Class-A Stockton and Triple-A Nashville, He gave up no runs for the Sounds in back-to-back relief appearances Friday and Saturday.


(mercurynews.com)

Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reports that the White Sox, Rangers and Orioles have emerged as the most likely destinations for Danny Valencia.

In a bit of a surprise move, Valencia was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Saturday. He is expected to be claimed off trade waivers on Monday, which will give the Jays an opportunity to deal him. Valencia is having a terrific season, slashing .296/.331/.506 with seven long balls and 29 RBI in his 162 at-bats.


(rotoworld.com)

Some baseball observers found it surprising the Blue Jays designated Danny Valencia for assignment Saturday.

The move certainly caught Valencia by surprise. He took to Twitter Saturday afternoon to express his frustration.

I'm pretty upset by the move today. Never really saw it coming. I loved playing here in Toronto! I'm gonna miss all my teammates/brothers!!!

— Danny Valencia (@dannyvalencia19) August 1, 2015

I want to wish the best to everyone here!!! Fans included!! You've been nothing but great and supportive!!!

— Danny Valencia (@dannyvalencia19) August 1, 2015

Valencia’s stats (296/.331/.506, seven home runs and 29 RBI in 58 games) are respectable for a utility player. But Toronto’s acquisition of outfielder Ben Revere from the Phillies on Friday made Valencia the odd man out.

With his ability to play multiple infield and outfield positions, and his offensive pop as a platoon player against lefties, chances are Valencia will draw interest around the league. He is earning $1.675 million this year after going to arbitration this winter.


(espn.com)

Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game. Donaldson had started four straight and 11 of the last 12.

Danny Valencia will start Monday, for the sixth time this season. He's the only player other than Donaldson to start at third base for the Blue Jays this year.

Manager John Gibbons said it was a day off for Donaldson, per Sportsnet.


(cbssports.com)

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Thursday that Danny Valencia will see some time in left field this spring.

Toronto is scrambling all of its internal options to replace Michael Saunders, who was expected to open the 2015 season as the Blue Jays' starting left fielder but suffered a torn meniscus Wednesday when he stepped on an underground sprinkler. Saunders is expected to miss the entire first half. Valencia has never played the outfield at the major league level and is not a good bet to win the job outright, but he could see a bit of action there against left-handed starters if the Jays don't add anybody.


(rotoworld.com)

Blue Jays infielder Danny Valencia had filed for $1.675 million in arbitration. The Jays team filed for $1.25 million. They just had their hearing and Valencia won, the team has announced. It was Toronto’s first actual arbitration case in 18 years. Maybe they were rusty.

Valencia was traded from the Royals to the Jays last season. Overall he hit .258/.296/.371 in 284 plate appearances.


(hardballtalk.com)

Toronto and Danny Valencia have completed their arbitration hearing, with the infielder asking for $1,675,000 and the Blue Jays arguing for $1.2 million.

Arbitrators James Oldham, Sylvia Skratek and Edna Francis are expected to issue their decision Friday, a day after hearing arguments.

The 30-year-old, eligible for arbitration for the first time, batted .258 last season with four homers and 30 RBI in 284 plate appearances for Kansas and Toronto, which acquired him on July 28 for right-hander Liam Hendriks and catcher Erik Kratz. Valencia played first, second and third, and had a salary of $532,500.

Third baseman Josh Donaldson is Toronto's last player in arbitration.

In the first arbitration decision of the year Thursday, the Miami Marlins defeated pitcher Mat Latos, who will make $9.4 million rather than his request for $10.4 million.


(foxsports.com)

Blue Jays infielder Danny Valencia has filed for $1.675 million in arbitration, while the team has offered $1.25 million, Sportsnet reports.

Valencia is in his first season of arbitration eligibility. He hit .258/.296/.371 with four home runs and 30 RBI in 264 at-bats between Kansas City and Toronto in 2014.




(cbssports.com)

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Friday that he plans to give Danny Valencia a shot against right-handed pitching.

"We want to see what he can do," Gibbons said. Valencia has already shown what he can do (or can't do) versus righties in his career, batting .228 with a .623 OPS. Evidently Gibbons needs to see it with his own eyes, though. With Brett Lawrie (oblique) out again, the Jays don't have many options at third base.


(rotoworld.com)

The trade deadline was littered with headline-making trades from the Red Sox dealing Jon Lester to Oakland to Tampa Bay dealing David Price to Detroit. Those long-time players took to the local newspaper to thank the fans, as Lester took an ad out in the Boston Globe to thank Red Sox fans and David Price took out at an ad in the Tampa Bay Times thanking Rays fans.

The Royals were quiet at the trade deadline, but earlier in the week had already made a move sending third baseman Danny Valencia to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for catcher Erik Kratz and pitcher Liam Hendriks. Not to be outdone, Valencia recently took to the pages of the Kansas City Star to express his thanks to Royals fans for a magical ride.




(royalsreview.com)

BOSTON -- The Blue Jays provided some much-needed balance to their lineup Monday afternoon by acquiring infielder Danny Valencia from the Royals in a deal for catcher Erik Kratz and right-hander Liam Hendriks.

Toronto's batting order is predominantly left-handed and there's a void on the right side, especially while Edwin Encarnacion and Brett Lawrie are on the disabled list.

General manager Alex Anthopoulos attempted to help fix that, and while the trade is relatively minor in the grand scheme of things, it does address an area of need.

"We felt like we could use some help from the right side. Danny's had a lot of success," Anthopoulos told reporters during a conference call Monday night. "We've actually inquired about him in the past, just haven't been able to get anything done.

"We've really been trying to find all year -- we've definitely given some guys some opportunities from the Minor Leagues looking for that right-handed bat. He's had success at the big league level doing that and doing it well; it's a good fit for us."

Valencia is a career .265 hitter with a .304 on-base percentage. He was a part-time player with the Royals this season and appeared in 36 games while posting a .282 average and .710 OPS.

The true value of Valencia's game can be found when he faces left-handed pitching. He has a .333 average and .809 OPS vs. lefties, compared to a .227 average and .620 OPS against right-handers.

Valencia likely will see a lot of playing time at third base, at least until Lawrie returns at some point in August from a fractured right index finger. Anthopoulos was non-committal about Valencia's role after Lawrie returns, but the GM did say the Blue Jays have been trying to acquire a player like Valencia since Mark DeRosa retired after last season.

"Ever since we lost Mark DeRosa, we really haven't had anybody necessarily fill in at that spot," Anthopoulos said. "Steve Tolleson has done a nice job. A guy like Danny brings maybe a little bit more power, but we definitely can use -- because of all the left-handed bats we have on the team -- someone else who can help us out."

Kratz likely will welcome the change of scenery after he was shuttled between Toronto and Triple-A Buffalo on multiple occasions this year. He's regarded as a Major League catcher, but found himself third on Toronto's depth chart in part because backup Josh Thole is R.A. Dickey's personal catcher.

The 34-year-old Kratz appeared in 34 games this season and notched three homers and 10 RBIs. He also had three doubles and a .572 OPS, but saw limited action. Kratz is expected to join the Royals as a backup to Salvador Perez.

Hendriks has been enjoying a strong year at Triple-A Buffalo, but struggled during brief appearances in the Major Leagues. Hendriks gives up a lot of deep fly balls, which isn't a recipe for success at Rogers Centre. In three starts this season, he allowed nine runs in 13 1/3 innings.

Anthopoulos' move is far from being the blockbuster trade a lot of fans are hoping for, but the Blue Jays aren't necessarily done adding pieces. While it seems unlikely that the club will be able to pull off a major acquisition, Toronto's GM said he wouldn't rule anything out.

"There's always a chance, but I'd say all 29 other GMs would say the same thing," Anthopoulos said. "It's been very active in terms of phone calls, emails, texts, everyone seems to be exchanging ideas. That's expected. It seems that it's the same it's been the last few years around this time -- things start to ramp up.

"I don't know that I can really handicap what the potential are chances are for another deal. Trades are hard to make and I wouldn't say we're close to anything, but this deal came together fast, so anything can come together fast and we're going to continue to talk to clubs."


(mlb.com)

By dealing for a pair of minor-leaguers in Toronto’s system, Royals general manager Dayton Moore attempted to balance his roster, opened the door for a promotion for former first-round pick Christian Colon and delivered a vote of confidence for rebounding third baseman Mike Moustakas.

The team traded backup third baseman Danny Valencia to the Blue Jays for Class AAA catcher Erik Kratz and right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks. Colon received a call-up from Class AAA Omaha, and will join the club as a backup to second baseman Omar Infante and shortstop Alcides Escobar for the series against Minnesota that starts tonight at Kauffman Stadium.

Kratz replaces Brett Hayes as the backup to Salvador Perez. The Royals designated Hayes for assignment. Hendriks will go to Omaha as a swingman. But as Moore discussed the maneuvers on Monday evening, he focused on both Moustakas and Colon.

“Moose has played very well,” Moore told The Star in a telephone conversation. “We just felt we needed to add some depth to the middle infield. August is a very grueling month, a lot of baseball to be played.

“As you know, it’s very hot in Kansas City. We just need to add some depth there to be able to spell Infante and Escobar from time to time. We felt it was a move that strengthened the depth of our roster.”


(kansascity.com)

The Kansas City Royals moved to within a game of .500 with a 7-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. At 49-50, the Royals are in third place in the American League Central, seven games behind the Detroit Tigers. Mike Moustakas went 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI for the Royals, who played without Eric Hosmer for the second straight game with a hand injury. Moustakas started at third in place of Danny Valencia, who was hit by a pitch on Monday.

As for Valencia, he was hit in the left hand by a pitch in Monday night's game and was not in the starting lineup.   He was available to pinch hit last night but did not enter the game.  Valencia is batting .295 with two home runs and 11 RBI this season.


(sportsinjuryalert.com)

NEWS UPDATE
Valencia (hand) was activated from the disabled list.

ROTOWIRE FANTASY ANALYSIS
After completing his rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha, Valencia will slot back into a platoon at third base with incumbent starter Mike Moustakas, with manager Ned Yost declaring Valencia would get most of the starts against left-handed pitching, Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star reports. Though Moustakas offers the better power potential of the two players, he's been mired in a slump against pitchers of all kinds for much of the last two seasons and has shown little sign of a breakthrough. Should Moustakas' struggles continue to linger, it wouldn't be surprising if Valencia ultimately assumed full-time duties at the position.


(rotowire.com)

Danny Valencia tested his sprained left hand in batting practice Friday, and expects to start a rehabilitation stint as early as Sunday.

Valencia is eligible to rejoin the Royals from the 15-day disabled list Monday in Detroit. He expects to spend a few games with Class AA Northwest Arkansas in the interim.

Valencia never before required a stint on the disabled list. He initially injured his hand May 24 in Anaheim. After sitting out five games, he aggravated the injury.

“Nobody is 100 percent right now,” Valencia said. “As long as I feel like I can compete. Like in Toronto, I was hurt. It got to the point where I felt like I was going to give away at-bats if I kept staying out there.”

His injury accelerated the return from the minor leagues of Mike Moustakas. After an ugly start to his comeback, Moustakas showed signs of progress near the end of the last homestand. He homered Tuesday and supplied a two-hit game Wednesday.

Yost declined to reveal how he would split playing time between the two third basemen when Valencia comes back. But a platoon once again appears likely, with Valencia facing left-handers and Moustakas seeing the bulk of the playing time.

For now, Yost insisted he was only concerned about Valencia avoiding a “relapse” of injury, he said. “You don’t want it to fall back to where it did before.”

Valencia described the injury as “weird.” It occurred while he swung the bat against the Angels. He is still working his way back to full strength.

“I feel like I’m pretty close to being able to do almost everything,” he said. “I’m definitely not there yet. But I’m real close.”


(kansascity.com)

KANSAS CITY -- Royals third baseman Danny Valencia, who has been sidelined since Saturday with a left hand sprain, is confident he'll be ready to play in the upcoming four-game series at Toronto.

"Absolutely," Valencia said. "No doubt about it."

Valencia will have an extensive workout Thursday at Rogers Centre and doesn't expect any complications.

"I feel a lot better than I did a couple of days ago," Valencia said. "There has definitely been progress. I don't have any of the pain I had before. I'm looking forward to getting back on the field."

Manager Ned Yost will monitor Valencia's workout before deciding how to fill out his lineup card in the four-game set.

"If his hand is fine, there's a big possibility that he'll play," Yost said. "I think -- and it's only what I think -- that he'll play in the Toronto series."


(mlb.com)

AHEIM, Calif. — Danny Valencia and the Royals received a dose of good news late on Saturday night, when X-rays on his sore left hand were negative. Valencia feared he fractured the hamate bone, but instead suffered a sprain.

“It’s pretty sore today,” Valencia said Sunday. “Just hopefully it dies down quickly.”

Valencia expects to miss “a few days,” he said. In his absence, Jimmy Paredes will start at third base. He hit .326 with an .843 on-base plus slugging percentage with Class AAA Omaha. He is a switch hitter.

Paredes went one for three Sunday and started the team’s third-inning scoring surge in a 4-3 loss. Both he and Valencia are filling in for regular third baseman Mike Moustakas, who was demoted to the minors on Thursday after a pitiful start to the year.

Valencia injured himself during his last at-bat in the 13th inning on Saturday night. He stayed in the game and doubled to spark the winning rally. He endured plenty of ribbing for his plight the next morning, as an electronic stimulation machine provided treatment for his hand.

“I very highly don’t think it’s a D.L. thing,” manager Ned Yost said.


(kansascity.com)

KANSAS CITY -- Third baseman Mike Moustakas has some plusses and some minuses in the first month of the season.

"Moose is third on our team in RBIs and first in home runs," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He's a great defender at third base."

True enough. Entering Wednesday night's game against the Blue Jays, Moustakas had four home runs and 12 RBIs.

However, Moustakas also had a .155 (13-for-84) batting average and a .226 on-base percentage. In particular, the left-handed batter has struggled against left-handed pitching, going 1-for-11, .091.

Could that mean right-handed-hitting Danny Valencia might get more shots against left-handed pitchers?

"Yes, absolutely," Yost said.

That likely will be the case Thursday night against Blue Jays lefty Mark Buehrle. In his career, Valencia is 7-for-25 (.280), against Buehrle compared with Moustakas' 1-for-8 (.125).

Valencia has hit lefties for a .329 (134-for-407) average in his career; Moustakas has only a .218 (82-for-376) mark against them.

"I imagine we'll see Danny pinch-hitting a little more -- against tough left-handers," Yost said. "Not all of them. We look at matchups. It'll probably just be when we're behind."


(mlb.com)

Danny Valencia did not break his left wrist, as some feared after he was hit by a pitch on Thursday.
Valencia is day-to-day, the Royals announced. The 29-year-old, acquired from the Orioles over the winter, is projected to begin the season as a backup corner infielder. Valencia posted an impressive .304/.335/.553 batting line with eight home runs and 23 RBI in 52 games this past season for Baltimore. The Royals will be wise to only bat him against southpaws.


(rotoworld.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Danny Valencia has fond memories of Kauffman Stadium.

And he should, considering it was the site of his first Major League home run, a grand slam off none other than Zack Greinke, and it triggered a 19-1 runaway for the Minnesota Twins.

"I remember that one," Valencia said. "It was pretty cool. It was a fastball, 3-1 count I think. He challenges up -- he's not afraid to go after guys so you knew what you were going to get -- and I was fortunate enough to get a pitch to hit."

That came in the first inning on July 26, 2010, and the ball landed in the left-field bullpen. Not only that, but Valencia had four of the Twins' 20 hits in what matched the Royals' worst beating in history.

Now Valencia is in the Kansas City clubhouse, hoping to make memories with the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. He has to make the team first, and he is off to a slow start at the plate (3-for-20, .150). But he is a leading candidate to be a backup infielder, perhaps the only backup infielder, on the Royals' 25-man roster.

Third base is the only position Valencia has played in the Majors, but he has played 28 games at first base in the Minors and has been working at second base in training camp.

"Danny's going to be adequate at second," manager Ned Yost said. "His natural position is third, so that's where he's going to be best, and he's going to be adequate at first. That's what you want."

Nothing is decided, of course, but it is possible the Royals could open the season with just one backup infielder. Look at the numbers: nine regulars, probably 12 pitchers, a backup catcher and two backup outfielders in Jarrod Dyson and Justin Maxwell. That makes 24, leaving room for one extra infielder.

If that infielder is Valencia -- and the Royals like the idea of his right-handed bat coming off the bench or as an alternative at first base for Eric Hosmer or at third base for Mike Moustakas -- then they would not have a true shortstop in reserve for Alcides Escobar. Valencia says he can handle that job.

"Am I a Gold Glove shortstop?" Valencia said. "Who you gonna compare me with, a J.J. Hardy or an Escobar? Am I one of those guys? Probably not, but can I do the job and hold down the fort for a game or two games? I'm sure I can."

In case of a real emergency, the Royals can have a shortstop ready to quickly move from Triple-A Omaha.

Always in the background to roster decision-making in Spring Training is the issue of Minor League options. Valencia is out of options, and so is Pedro Ciriaco, a natural shortstop who has been a big league backup there. In the outfield, Dyson, Maxwell and Carlos Peguero are also out of options. So there is a risk of losing any of them if they are not on the Opening Day roster.

Middle infielders need a certain amount of range. Valencia's range?

"I think it's solid; I think it's serviceable," he said. "Am I Escobar? No. But I think I can definitely get over there and play there. I'm faster than I've ever been. This offseason I worked a lot on my speed and agility, so I feel like I move around pretty well."

Valenica, who helped the University of Miami appear in the 2006 World Series, was a 19th-round choice of the Twins in that year's Draft. He surfaced in the big leagues in 2010 and did well enough (.311, 40 RBIs in 85 games) to finish third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.

His slam off Greinke and four total hits came in his 28th game that year and during a hot streak.

"Coming into that, I had back-to-back three-hit games so, coming into that, I was 3-for-5, 3-for-5, 4-for-4, 4-for-5 in four games," Valencia said. "I was like, wow, I've got this thing figured out. You know how baseball is; it's up and down. It's all a process."

The 2011 season was down in terms of average -- Valencia batted .246, but with 15 homers, 28 doubles and 72 RBIs in 154 games. When he sputtered at the start of 2012, he was sent to Triple-A Rochester and in August was traded to Boston.

"I fell into the trap of being one of those guys who have struggled a little bit and started listening to everything because you want to be the coachable guy," Valencia said of his waning days with the Twins. "Some of the things they had me do and implemented into my swing in the offseason going into 2012 didn't really work for me. And it was really hard for me to figure it out that year."

That winter, Boston sent him to Baltimore, and he split last season between the Orioles and Triple-A Norfolk. Valencia said he noticed improvement after he got "back to basics." He had a .286 average for Norfolk and .304 for Baltimore. Between the clubs, he had 22 homers and 74 RBIs in 117 games.

Valencia, 29, has acquired one of those labels that are rampant in baseball: Can hit only left-handed pitchers. In fact last year, among AL hitters with at least 100 plate appearances, he led the league with a .371 average against lefties.

But bring that up, and...

"You're insinuating that he can't hit right-handed pitching," Yost said.

Not exactly true, of course. Valencia's career average of .329 against lefties is 100 points higher than his average against righties. But Valencia has batted nearly twice as often against right-handers and has 21 of his 33 homers against them.

"It started just recently," Valencia said of that label. "You don't get to the big leagues only hitting left-handed pitching. I think it's one of those things where I've had so much success against lefties -- way more success against lefties than righties -- it's easy to say that. But I think last year I felt more comfortable in the limited at-bats I had against right-handed pitching."

And don't forget -- Greinke is a right-hander.


(mlb.com)

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Danny Valencia loves hitting left-handed pitching. He hates the suggestion that’s all he’s about as a ballplayer.

“I didn’t get through the minor leagues hitting only left-handed pitching,” Valencia said.

That’s precisely the attitude Royals manager Ned Yost desires, and Valencia will get his opportunities to contribute beyond what has become his greatest strength in four major-league seasons.

Valencia, acquired from Baltimore in exchange for outfielder David Lough, owns a career .329 batting average against southpaws, with a .367 on-base percentage and .513 slugging percentage.

Those numbers against righties: .229/.269/.360.

But Valencia, who played third base in the majors and first base in college, will get his shot in camp.

“Every time we played against him, he opened our eyes a little bit,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We’ve got to see him in game situations. His numbers suggest he’s a lot better against left-handers, but it’s too early to make a judgment.

“You don’t want to pigeonhole a guy in your mind that he’s only a platoon player. Players continue to develop and get better. If I pigeonholed a player, it takes away from his ability to be everything he can be. You have to let it play out, see exactly what he is.”

Last year in Baltimore, Valencia appeared in 52 games, mostly as a designated hitter. He played six games at third. In 2011, he was the Twins’ regular third basemen, playing 147 games there in his first full major-league season.

Valencia did a short stint with the Red Sox before landing in Baltimore last year, but the Orioles were set on the corners with Manny Machado at third and Chris Davis at first.

“It was going to be tough getting on the field last year,” Valencia said.

So it appears to be this year with Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer on the corners for the Royals. When the Royals made the deal, the idea was for Valencia to be available to spell both. Designated hitter is less of an option with Billy Butler in that role.

Yost said Valencia could play some left field, even second base at spring training.

“We’re going to move guys around,” Yost said.

The second-base hint may be telling. If the Royals keep 12 pitchers and five outfielders, with Butler as the DH and two catchers, they’re likely down to one reserve infielder slot and will need versatility.

Whatever happens, Valencia is up to the challenge. He experienced disappointment coming out of high school in Boca Raton, Fla. Valencia dreamed of playing for Miami, but he wasn’t recruited by the Hurricanes.

He attended North Carolina-Greensboro and made the most of it with a conference player-of-the-year performance. That got Miami’s attention, and Valencia transferred and joined the national power, playing first with Ryan Braun at third. The team reached the College World Series in 2006.

Valencia, a 19th-round selection by the Twins in 2006, climbed the pro ranks quickly, making All-Star teams in the Appalachian League, Midwest League and Florida State League in his first three years. He made his major-league debut in 2010 and singled off the Mariners’ Felix Hernandez in his first at-bat.

Valencia’s first home run later that year was more memorable, a grand slam off the Royals’ Zack Greinke.

A right-hander.

“I take great pride in hitting,” Valencia said. “Against righties and lefties.”


(kansascity.com)

New Royals third baseman Danny Valencia won’t be at FanFest this weekend (he has a prior commitment), but I chatted with him on Monday.

Valencia made his major-league debut with the Twins in 2010 and he was with Minnesota until being traded in 2012. He was dealt to Baltimore after the 2012 season, and last year was mainly a designated hitter for the Orioles (he was DH in 42 of his 48 games and played third base the other six games).

We talked about a variety of subjects, including his first career home run, which was a grand slam against the Royals’ Zack Greinke, and his hitting prowess against Rays’ left-hander David Price (Valencia has a career .750 average against Price — nine for 12).

•  Did the Royals tell you anything in particularly after the trade?
“When I first heard from Dayton (Moore, the Royals general manager), he told me, ‘We always liked the way you played, we definitely can use your bat, you’re going to get playing time.’ Obviously, with Billy Butler there, I’m expecting to play in the field because I won’t DH at all. That was pretty much the extent of it all.”

•  What do you know of the Royals?
“I played against them a bunch when I was with Minnesota. I know they were very young when I played against them, and now it seems the young talent is really meshing well together and they have a group of guys, a good core of guys, very similar to what Baltimore had. It’s definitely an exciting team.”

•  What do you think of Kansas City? Did you get to go out much when you were with a visiting team?
“I’ve always enjoying going to Kansas City. As a player, we stayed on the Plaza. There’s nothing but nice things to say about it. They have nice restaurants there, they have a nice bit of shopping, it’s a really nice Midwest city and I always really, really enjoyed going there.”

•  What can you say about that first career home run?
“It’s funny, because at the time, before I got called up, I hadn’t hit a home run at Triple-A (Rochester) before that grand slam against Greinke. So it was kind of weird. It was in July, I think, when I did it, and I almost forgot what it was like to hit a home run. But it’s something I’ll never forget. It’s one of my better baseball moments that I’ll cherish.”

•  Do you remember what Greinke threw you?
“I want to say it was a 3-2 fastball.”

•  The Royals will be your fourth team in three years. Are there any challenges to switching organizations that frequently?
“I don’t really count my Boston experience (10 games in 2012) as feeling like I was part of the team. I was there for such a short period of time, only a month. It’s definitely different, because you have to meet the guys again and establish these relationships and to some extent you feel a little weird at first. But then you realize that all the guys are very similar and we all have the same goals in mind, so it’s not that tough. But it’s definitely cool to live in different places and play on different teams and be part of different organizations.”

•  You’ve played for Ron Gardenhire, Bobby Valentine and Buck Showalter. Can you share any secrets about those managers?
“Those guys are or were at their positions for a reason. I’ve enjoyed playing for all the managers I’ve played for. I’ve been fortunate enough to play for guys I’ve really respected. Playing for Buck Showalter, I’ve never met a manager who is more prepared than him. It’s definitely nice knowing that you had a manager who is going to put you in the position to be successful. That’s pretty nice to see as a player, that’s for sure.”

•  Finally, what’s your secret for hitting David Price?
“It’s funny, I get asked that a bunch. But there isn’t a reason for that. I always say who says that the next time I face him that he isn’t going to strike me out three times? I’ve been fortunate to get some good pitches to hit and even more fortunate to hit some of those balls, and some of those balls find some holes. It’s just one of those things. Some guys who maybe don’t have as good stuff as David Price get me out a lot easier than a guy who has really good stuff. You see the ball better maybe. But there’s only one way to go and we both know the answer to that one.”


(kansascity.com)

The Orioles announced that they have acquired outfielder David Lough from the Royals in exchange for infielder Danny Valencia.

Valencia, 29, split 117 games between Baltimore and Triple-A Norfolk last season, being recalled to the Major Leagues on May 19.  In 170 plate appearances last year for the O's, he had a .304/.330/.553 slash line to go with eight homers.  The 29-year-old has seen scattered MLB action since a mediocre stint as the Twins' everyday third bagger in 2011, however.  Valencia has spent parts of four seasons in the Major Leagues with Minnesota (2010-12), Boston (2012) and Baltimore (2013). 

Lough, 27, hit .286/.311/.413 in 96 games for Kansas City in 2013, playing all three outfield positions. He finished eighth in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting and led all rookies in WAR, as noted by the O's press release.  The outfielder also finished the season with a stellar 27.3 UZR/150 rating, good for sixth amongst all outfielders in baseball.


(mlbtraderumors.com)

Jen Royle of the Boston Herald reports that the Orioles are exploring options to trade Danny Valencia.

It makes sense to try to sell high on Valencia after he batted a surprising .304/.335/.553 with eight homers in 51 games for the Orioles last season. There's no word on who might be interested, but the Marlins would make a lot of sense since they're looking for a third baseman and Valencia grew up just outside Miami.


(rotoworld.com)

The Miami Marlins have an interest in filling their open third base position despite the presence of in-house options like Donovan Solano and Ed Lucas. The Fish are looking to upgrade at the position, and according to Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun-Sentinel, they could be looking everywhere for any sort of solution.
The Miami Marlins are looking at anything and everything in their quest to upgrade at third base. Among the options they’re considering: Mat Gamel.

A couple of names to monitor on the trade market: Danny Valencia and Josh Harrison. The Orioles like Valencia, a Miami native and product of Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton, as insurance for Manny Machado...

In addition to third, the right-handed hitting Harrison also has spent time at second, short and the outfield. Though he doesn’t bring much power to the table, some in the Marlins’ front office find Harrison intriguing.

The Marlins are indeed searching high and low for potential options. Outside of two of those players being native Floridians (Gamel is from Jacksonville, Valencia is from Miami and was drafted from the University of Miami), these three players have very little in common.

If you are looking for a more defensively-polished player, Danny Valencia may be an option. The former Miami Hurricane played third base primarily in the majors and minors, though he did spend time at first base as well in the minors. He also boasts a career .263/.302/.412 (.311 wOBA) batting line in the majors, making his bat likely better than Gamel's. That line was boosted by 170 plate appearances of excellent ball last season for the Baltimore Orioles, as he hit .304/.335/.553 (.381 wOBA) and hit eight homers in that time frame.

Valencia's issue is that, while he has not been moved to first base in the bigs, he may be on his way. He has been a net negative defender in the majors for his career and spent most of last year at DH for the Orioles. Baltimore, however, may still be interested in Valencia at third base, mostly because Manny Machado is still recovering from left knee surgery following a medial patellar femoral ligament tear. The Marlins have discussed a swap for Valencia involving the team's hottest trade commodity, Logan Morrison, but Baltimore seems reluctant to make a move.

If the bat is less important than the glove, Josh Harrison may be an option from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Harrison has spent limited time at third base, as he has served as a utility backup infielder for much of his Major League career. So far, he has performed well, logging around 10 runs above average in just a third of a season of play. Of course, that rate is not likely to stick next season, but Miami may be happy to acquire such an effective defender, even if the bat is less than stellar. Harrison has a career .314/.370/.486 (.383 wOBA) in less than a full season in Triple-A, but he looks the part of a utility infielder at the plate so far in the majors (career .250/.282/.367 line).

Of the three options listed here, Miami's best bet for production next season would likely be Valencia, regardless of the strangely positive projection for Harrison (.269/.310/.396, .307 wOBA, 1.4 WAR in 350 plate appearances). Miami's best bet for future projection may very well be Harrison, who is the youngest of the three players at age 26 right now. If his hitting improves a little and his defense remains firm, Miami could be looking at a solid lower-tier starter and perhaps even an average or so player under team control for four years. The cheapest option would be Gamel, who is coming off of injury and would cost Miami nothing but free agent money.

The Logan Morrison trade looms large over the Marlins and may determine the team's immediate third base future. These are but three options for Miami. Stay tuned for more on Fish Stripes!


(fishstripes.com)

What do people think of when talking about the past month of Baltimore Orioles baseball? The struggle of the lineup to make it count with runners in scoring position, Chris Davis breaking Brady Anderson‘s franchise record for single-season home runs, and the end of the season creeping up on us all with the Orioles battling for a wild card spot come to mind. What about Danny Valencia? The hottest hitter in the past month on the Orioles roster has made the most out of what he has been given this year and has delivered many crucial hits to keep Baltimore fighting for an extension on their 2013 campaign.

In the past 28 days, the 28-year old from the University of Miami has posted a batting line that is only seen in video games. Valencia is batting .447 with a slugging percentage of .809 and 38 total bases since August 22nd and even more impressive of these 28 games he has only 13 of them and is still putting up fantastic numbers. Most recently Valencia tripled in the top of the 9th on Monday night against the Red Sox, this hit was eventually driven in by a Matt Weiters sacrifice fly and gave the O’s a much needed win in Boston. Valencia has done it all, he has started and performed well (4 hits including one double in a loss to the Yankees on the 11th), but has also come in as a pinch batter and has delivered clutch hits.

Valencia has played with the Norfolk Tides for the majority of this year but has impressed Buck Showalter enough to pull him up on the expanded 40-man roster and that move has payed off for the Orioles. Valencia has cracked the starting lineup in 8 of the last 10 games and in that stretch has compiled a batting average of .393 and 8 RBI’s. He has given the Orioles a reliable bat this past month, in a span of games where the ability of the O’s to score with runners in scoring position has been tested and has cost the Orioles quite a few games. It is in Showalter’s best interest to keep penciling this kid into the batting rotation, he’s worked hard to get pulled up to the expanded roster and has put himself into a position to become a mainstay in the Orioles lineup for the rest of the 2013 regular season.


(birdswatcher.com)

Designated hitter Danny Valencia was already batting a major league-leading .548 (23-for-42) since Aug. 4 before his three-run home run in the eighth inning Thursday night.

But while the right-handed Valencia has mostly been used against left-handers, his game-tying homer came against Yankees righty David Robertson.

Robertson is an unusual case, though. He actually has a lower opponents’ average against left-handed batters (.162) than against right-handed batters (.248), which is part of the reason why Orioles manager Buck Showalter stuck with Valencia.

Showalter did say Valencia could be lined up for other chances against right-handers if he continues his hot streak.

"Danny's in a good place right now, and I'll continue to match him up, but the way he's handling himself, that's how you get dictated more opportunities," Showalter said. "He's been a real contributor for us."

For the season, Valencia is batting .194 against right-handers and .385 against lefties.


(baltimoresun.com)

The Baltimore Orioles inched a game closer in the Wildcard standings yesterday with a great collective pitching performance and a two run double from Danny Valencia as the Birds took two of three from the Blue Jays with a 3-1 victory Sunday afternoon.

Valencia came through with the big hit of the day, again, for the Orioles. Trailing 1-0 in the top of the third inning, Baltimore had runners on first and second with two outs, and Valencia scorched a ball down the left field line to score two and give the O's a lead that they would not relinquish.

Baltimore's other run came in the fourth inning when Chris Davis worked a bases loaded walk after being down 0-2 in the count.

Valencia led the way with two RBI, while Nick Markakis had the lone multi hit game going 2-4 with a run scored.


(orioles101.com)

DH Danny Valencia tied a career high with his 4-for-4 effort. He went 3-for-3 off starter Andy Pettitte. Valencia's now gone 30-for-78 (.385) off left-handed pitchers this season. But he's been hot overall since Aug. 4, hitting .564 (22-for-39), the best average among major leaguers with at least 35 at-bats in that time period.




(globalpost.com)

To say the least, Danny Valencia is a hot hitter.

Valencia will bat fifth as the DH tonight for the Orioles against CC Sabathia and the Yankees in the opener of a four-game series.

On the year, Valencia is batting .314 with seven homers, 15 RBIs and a .973 OPS in 33 games.

But in his last nine games, he has eight multi-hit games. Even being optioned to the minors couldn't slow him down. His hot hitting began when he went 2-for-4 with a homer Aug. 4 against the Mariners.

Two days later he returned to Triple-A Norfolk, only to come back to the Orioles on Aug. 19 and resume the hitting.

Over those nine games, Valencia is batting .563 at 18-for-32 with six doubles, three homers and seven RBIs. The .563 average, according to STATS, is the second highest in a nine-game span in the majors this year behind Robinson Cano's .571 mark (20-for-35) from Aug. 12-20.

Is Valencia just locked in right now?

"I think every hitter goes through points where they are hot and cold and you just want to try and balance it out and be as consistent as possible," he said. "It's definitely one of the better streaks I've been on in my career and hopefully I keep it going."

He is known as a player that can hit left-handed pitching and this year for the Orioles is batting .375 in 75 at-bats against southpaws and .167 in 30 at-bats vs. right-handed pitching.

He'd eventually like to be known as someone that could play every day against all pitchers.

"Absolutely, that is my goal," Valencia said. "I don't think anyone is content being a guy that just faces a lefty or a righty. Everybody's goal is to play every day and that is certainly my goal. I believe in myself that, if given the chance, could contribute off right-handed pitching."


(masnsports.com)

DH Danny Valencia is hitting against one of his old teams. He went 2-for-3 Tuesday night and is 6-for-12 with a double, homer and an RBI against the Red Sox this season.





(globalpost.com)

Orioles infielder/designated hitter Danny Valencia said he knew he had hit pretty well in his career against Tampa Bay Rays ace David Price, but he wasn’t sure of the exact numbers.

When he stepped to the plate in the second inning Monday, he saw the stats on the video board: He was 7-for-10 lifetime with two RBIs against Price. And then Valencia hit a RBI double in his first at-bat and also singled and walked in three plate appearances against the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner.

“Obviously, I saw it up on the scoreboard. I thought, ‘It can only go down from here,'” Valencia joked. “And then [later] I was like, ‘Wow, it went up.’”
Valencia said he can’t pinpoint why he is hitting a mind-boggling .750 against Price.

“I don’t think I necessarily see him better than other guys,” said Valencia, who is hitting .244 in 78 at-bats this season with the Orioles. “I just think he is a guy I’ve had success against because maybe I’ve gotten ahead in the count and he’s had to give me pitches I could hit. That’s not to say the next time I face him he doesn’t strike me out three times.”

Valencia was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Monday – and don’t think the timing was coincidental. Not only did the Orioles promote Valencia to face Price, but Orioles manager Buck Showalter said the club was aware of how Valencia hit Price when they acquired him for cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox in November.

“That’s one of the things you file in the back [of your mind] when you sign him in the offseason,” Showalter said. “We were looking at that. There’s not many of them floating around and we had a feeling we might face David Price this year. So, yeah, we look at those things.”

Showalter said 10 at-bats isn’t a huge sample size, but they were impressed with his types of hits and the quality of at-bats. Showalter said when he talked to Valencia on Monday he told the right-handed hitter that, at the very least, Valencia can have a career handling tough lefties.

“At 28, I don’t want him to think he is a specialist against left-handed pitching, but it is something that he is very good at and can carve a niche for him at the worst,” Showalter said. “Think about it as the worst-case scenario. You are gonna have people interested in you, including us, because the niche you have carved out for yourself. This was before he got two more hits. … It ain’t that easy. David Price is pretty good.”

Showalter was asked if he could put a finger on Valencia’s success against Price.

“I know exactly what it is and I’m going to broadcast it here now,” Showalter joked. “It’s one of those things, I’m afraid to ask him. ‘What is it on this guy? What do you do? Why are you different? So we can share your knowledge with everybody else.’ I kind of know what the answer is. See it, hit it.”


(baltimoresun.com)

BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Sent 3B Wilson Betemit to Frederick (Carolina) for a rehab assignment. Recalled DH Danny Valencia from Norfolk (IL).





(ap.com)

KANSAS CITY -- Danny Valencia was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk prior to Wednesday's game against the Royals to clear a roster spot for new Orioles reliever Francisco Rodriguez, giving manager Buck Showalter an eight-man bullpen and a chance to take an extended look at designated hitter Henry Urrutia.

Urrutia, in the starting lineup for the third time since being promoted on Friday, figures to get some at-bats the next few days with the Orioles slated to face four consecutive right-handed starters.

"We'll see what each day brings and what the needs of our players are every night, including Henry," Showalter said. "Initially, that's the idea, but we'll see what each day presents.

Showalter has been impressed with Urrutia's at-bats in a small sample size, with the rookie going 4-for-12 with two RBIs entering Wednesday. While reliever Jair Asencio, a likely candidate to be optioned, would have had to go on waivers, the right-handed hitting Valencia has options and will go back to being an everyday player at Norfolk.

"There's a lot of reasons," Showalter said. "I want Danny to get some consistent at-bats [at Norfolk] again. He went down there last time and swung the bat real well. I want to err on the side of pitching anytime we can, but things could change."


(mlb.com)

The Orioles are expected to make at least one roster move before resuming their season Friday night in Texas

Danny Valencia no longer is with Triple-A Norfolk. I've heard that he's headed to Texas and will officially be recalled before the game.

Valencia is batting .230/.277/.508 with five doubles, four homers and eight RBIs in 21 games with the Orioles this season. He's posted a .282/.317/.487 line against left-handed pitchers.

Valencia was batting .314/.350/.607 with 18 doubles, 12 homers and 44 RBIs in 48 games with Norfolk. He's mostly been playing first base since being optioned on July 3, but will resume his role as a right-handed designated hitter and pinch-hitter with the Orioles.

The Orioles optioned Valencia to make room for Scott Feldman on the 25-man roster.

How will they make room for Valencia on Friday?

One possibility is putting outfielder Nolan Reimold on the disabled list. Reimold, who's out of minor league options, is batting .195/.250/.336 this season. He's 6-for-27 with one home run and 11 strikeouts since being activated.

Reimold went on the disabled list May 18 with a strained right hamstring.


(masnsports.com)

CHICAGO – The Orioles optioned designated hitter Danny Valencia to Triple-A Norfolk before Wednesday’s game to make room for new acquisition Scott Feldman, who made his debut with the team Wednesday night against the Chicago White Sox.

Valencia batted .230/.277/.508 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 61 at-bats with the Orioles, providing a right-handed bat with pop against left-handed pitching.

With the Orioles facing three left-handed starters in Chicago, Valencia seemed an option to remain on the roster. But Nolan Reimold’s return from the disabled list, and his ability to fill the designated hitter slot against lefties, made Valencia optionable. Also, the Orioles wanted to keep utility man Ryan Flaherty’s positional flexibility as Reimold and second baseman Brian Roberts have just returned from the DL.

“We wanted to get Danny some consistent at-bats [at Norfolk] and we want to keep the versatility of some other guys for the time being,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “It could be short-term. Nobody’s going away. We like how Danny can help us. It’s just where we were at a certain time.”

“Until we get our arm around [the roster] — Nolan and Brian have played one and two games [entering Wednesday night] — we want to cover ourselves with someone who can play those two spots if there [are] any issues,” Showalter added.

Valencia made just four starts over the past two weeks and was hitless in his past 13 at-bats. Asked if he felt he showed what he could do with the Orioles, Valencia said it was difficult doing so while playing sporadically.

“I feel like I did and I didn’t,” Valencia said. “It’s hard when you don’t play sometimes for four or five days. It’s definitely challenging. But I felt like I had some good at-bats. Recently it’s been tough to get some at-bats. But I guess that’s part of being not an everyday player, being a guy that can come off the bench. So it was tough.”


(baltimoresun.com)

Maybe it won't be as dramatic as what Alexi Casilla did last night, but Danny Valencia would like a repeat. Last night, Casilla, who hasn't had much playing time recently, hit a key three-run homer in an Orioles win.

It can be hard to sit for a while as a reserve and then start and come up big for the team, but that is the role of the bench player to try and stay ready when he gets a chance.

Valencia gets his shot tonight batting eighth against Cleveland in the DH spot.

"You go through your routine every day and prepare like you are playing in every game, taking quality batting practice, watching video and staying loose while the game is going on," Valencia said. "Hopefully with those things, you can put yourself in a position to have some success, although it is tough.

"You want to go up there feeling prepared. The last thing you want is to have a feeling of being under-prepared when your name is called. The results will handle themselves as long as the preparation is there."

So does a player not starting every night want to take a few pitches early in the game to settle in a bit?

"Obviously you definitely want to see some pitches and get your timing when you are in and out of the lineup as much as we are," Valencia said. "But at the same time, you want to pick your spots. Sometimes the game dictates you may be swinging and aggressive early in the count.

"I feel good that I've been able to keep myself in shape and stay with my routine. Getting my BP in, feel pretty good."

Valencia is batting .269 in 17 games. But he really hits left-handed pitching well. He is 11-for-30 off southpaws, batting .367 with an OPS of 1.040 and he'll face Cleveland lefty Scott Kamir tonight.

"I think right handers have the advantage to see the ball pretty well against lefties," Valencia said. "But I feel pretty good against right-handers also."


(masnsports.com)

On Tuesday night, ESPN reported that Major League Baseball was prepared hand out stiff penalties to players implicated in the Biogenesis scandal. A list of about 20 players was included in the report. Orioles infielder Danny Valencia was not on that list.

In February, Yahoo Sports obtained a document that linked Valencia to the anti-aging clinic run by Anthony Bosch. 

Valencia issued a denial early in spring training.

“Basically I’ve never had any contact with those people. I’ve never met Tony Bosch, never seen him, never been to that clinic, never heard of that clinic until the New Times story first broke,” Valencia said. That being said, I’ve never ever taken a PED in my life, never failed a drug test in my life and I never will.”

The report did not link Valencia with use of performance-enhancing drugs. Valencia, who was acquired by the Orioles from Boston last November said he was shocked when his name surfaced.

“I was really upset. I was trying to think of how this can possibly be. But I have nothing, I know just as much as everybody else,” Valencia said.  
After Tuesday night’s game in Houston, Valencia reiterated his February denial.

 “I have nothing really to say about that,” he told reporters. “I pretty much said everything in spring training. What I said in spring training, I stand by.”


(csnbaltimore.com)

Chris Tillman pitched a very solid seven innings, Danny Valencia homered and Nate McLouth manufactured a run on the bases as the Orioles beat Houston, 4-1, tonight to start a three-game series and six-game road trip.

The win was the Orioles' fifth in six games and 10th in the last 14. They also snapped Houston's six-game win streak. The Orioles are 18-12 on the road and 33-25 overall.

The O's took a 2-0 lead in the third. Valencia hit an opposite-field homer to right. It's his third of the season and third over his last seven games and 17 at-bats. Later in the inning, Manny Machado picked up his big league leading 26th double and then scored on an error.

The Orioles picked up big insurance runs in the eighth and ninth. McLouth singled and then stole second and third in the eighth and came home on a throwing error by catcher Jason Castro. McLouth is 21-for-22 in steals this season. In the ninth, J.J. Hardy doubled with two outs and scored on a Ryan Flaherty single.


(masnsports.com)

Entering Sunday’s series finale with Detroit, the Orioles bench had struggled throughout the year in contributing late in games, hitting just 1-for-18 in pinch-hit situations.

But against the Tigers, the Orioles got their first pinch hit since May 20 when Danny Valencia knocked in the tying run on a single to right field off Tigers reliever Phil Coke in the seventh inning.

“I knew he had good stuff,” Valencia said. “I actually saw both of his pitches. He threw me a fastball first pitch and a slider second pitch. I was hoping to put it in play and get the run in.”

Before Valencia’s bloop single, Chris Dickerson was the last Oriole to notch a pinch hit. Dickerson singled against the New York Yankees on May 20 in a 6-4 loss.

Valencia pinch hit in Saturday’s 10-3 loss, but he flied out to left field against Tigers reliever Drew Smyly. The 28-year-old has appeared in eight games this season and is batting .250 those appearances.

“It’s definitely tough, but [assistant coach] Einar Diaz keeps us in the batting cage and we are able to stay loose,” Valencia said. “I felt decent going in there. More comfortable facing a lefty than I would be facing a righty in that situation. But fortunately it went my way.”

Valencia’s day was just part of a solid performance by the Orioles bench. After his single, Alexi Casilla pinch-ran and scored the go-ahead run on left fielder Nate McLouth’s single up the middle. In the eighth, Casilla provided the Orioles insurance by doubling over the head of Tigers left fielder Andy Dirks to score first baseman Chris Davis.

For the Orioles to keep up with their late-inning heroics — three of their past four wins have been comebacks — they’ll need the bench to contribute like Valencia and Casilla did Sunday.

“Danny's wasn't pretty, but he's hit a couple balls on the button that they caught, too,” Showalter said. “That was a key hit.”


(baltimoresun.com)

BALTIMORE – Danny Valencia was hitting too well at Norfolk for the Orioles to ignore. Valencia was batting .306 in 40 games for the Tides, and he was placed in the lineup as the designated hitter on Sunday.

“You never know what to expect, so it’s definitely surprising,”  Valencia said.

He was told on Saturday afternoon when the team was in Durham, N.C., and caught a flight to Baltimore.

Wearing No. 35, Valencia, who was acquired over the winter from Boston, has played a few games recently in the outfield, but is primarily a designated hitter. He plays third and third, but isn’t likely to get playing time there.

Norfolk began play with a 29-14 record with L.J. Hoes, Jason Pridie and Travis Ishikawa all hitting .300 or better.

“The whole lineup has been doing well. I capitalized on a lot of the mistakes they’ve given me,” Valencia said.

“The streak that I was on down there was probably one of the better streaks I’ve had in my career.”

The right-handed hitter replaces Ryan Flaherty on the roster and hopes he can stay here for a while.

“It’s the best situation when you feel like you deserve a chance. I hope it turns out well,” Valencia said.


(csnbaltimore.com)

BALTIMORE — Danny Valencia’s Baltimore Orioles debut went well when he ripped a double in his first at-bat Sunday afternoon, one day after the 28-year-old got word he was being promoted from Class AAA Norfolk.

Valencia replaced struggling second baseman Ryan Flaherty, who was optioned following Baltimore’s 10-6 loss to Tampa Bay, and was the Orioles’ designated hitter Sunday against the Rays. He was hitting .306 with the Tides before his call-up and saw time recently as an outfielder. Valencia can play infield as well, but it’s unlikely he’ll play second with Alexi Casilla and Yamaico Navarro on the roster.

Valencia had seven home runs in his last 10 games with Norfolk, and had 14 doubles, 11 homers, and 35 RBIs on the season.

“It’s the best situation when you feel like you deserve a chance,” Valencia said before Sunday’s game. “I hope it turns out well.”

He went 1 for 3 Sunday against Tampa Bay starter Matt Moore and nearly hit a homer in the seventh inning, a fly ball that center fielder Desmond Jennings caught on the warning track just in front of the 410-foot sign.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Valencia’s long fly “definitely wouldn’t have been a home run at Norfolk. But he had some good swings off a tough left-hander. It’s kind of the resume he brings, so hopefully we’ll see him again tomorrow and see how he does.”


(carrollcountytimes.com)

Danny Valencia's three-run homer in the fifth inning gave the Tides the lead for good, and Norfolk went to an 8-4 victory over Buffalo in an International League game Wednesday night.

Valencia's shot, his fifth homer of the season, capped a two-out rally as Norfolk erased a 3-2 deficit. Yamaico Navarro reached on a bunt single and Lew Ford walked ahead of Valencia's homer.

The first-place Tides (22-11) moved two games ahead of Durham in the IL South.

Jason Pridie led off the game with a home run, his sixth of the year. L.J. Hoes added three hits for Norfolk, which has won 5 of 7 games this month.

Starter Jair Jurrjens (4-1) pitched six innings. He shut out Buffalo after giving up three runs in the first inning. He allowed four hits, struck out three and walked one.

The teams conclude their four-game series this afternoon. The Tides then play four in Syracuse before returning home Tuesday.


(hamptonroads.com)

Danny Valencia belted a three-run shot in the seventh inning and the Norfolk Tides rolled to an 11-4 win on Friday, completing a four-game series with host Charlotte on the last leg of an 11-game road trip.

Valencia's homer put the Tides (13-9) up 9-0 in the top of the seventh before Charlotte (7-16) got two runs on a Jim Gallagher single in the bottom half.

Valencia also hit an RBI single in the eighth and finished 3 for 5 with four RBIs.

The Knights' Steve Tolleson, a former Tide, added a two-run homer in the ninth.

Jake Arrieta (1-0) got the win, striking out eight while giving up no runs on three hits in six innings.

The Tides will open an eight-game homestand at 7:05 tonight against Toledo.


(hamptonroads.com)

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Orioles optioned third baseman Danny Valencia to Triple-A Norfolk during Thursday’s Grapefruit League game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Valencia, who was acquired from the Boston Red Sox this offseason for cash considerations, was 10-for-31 this spring. He hit a game-winning solo home run in the Orioles’ 8-7 win over the Red Sox on Tuesday in Fort Myers, his only one of the spring.

The 28-year-old Valencia entered camp as a possible right-handed designated hitter because of his .316/.359/.472 career batting line against right-handed pitching. He also competed for a utility infield spot this spring, playing both third base and first base.

Valeneica will likely open the season at the starting third baseman at Norfolk.

This offseason, Valencia's name appeared on a list tied to a Miami-area anti-aging clinic that is being investigated by MLB for supplying major league players with performance-enhancing drugs. Valencia addressed the report on the first day of camp, denying that he's every used PEDs.

The move trims the Orioles big league camp roster to 44 players, including 12 non-roster invitees.


(baltimoresun.com)

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Danny Valencia pummeled a solo homer over the Green Monster with two outs in the top of the ninth to break a tie and lead the Orioles to an 8-7 victory over the Red Sox on Tuesday at JetBlue Park.

The third baseman played for Boston during the latter part of last season and is likely to start this year at Baltimore's Triple-A Norfolk affiliate.

Down 7-1 entering the bottom of the eighth, Boston rallied with a six-spot. Mike Carp, Jeremy Hazelbaker, Mauro Gomez, Jonathan Diaz and Jackie Bradley Jr. all had RBI hits for the Red Sox during the rally.

Orioles lefty Brian Matusz, who is trying to earn a rotation spot, wasn't unhittable, but he still got the job done. Over five innings, Matusz scattered six hits and a run, walking one and striking out two.

"For me, I have the mentality of wanting to build up pitches and innings and be a starter this year, and that's my mentality and taking advantage of the opportunity when [manager Buck Showalter] gives me the ball."

Would Matusz be disappointed if he doesn't land a starting job?

"You know what? That's really not on my mind right now," said Matusz. "My focus is just taking care of working out in the weight room … staying on my cuff program and just getting stronger, staying in good shape, keep competing and let those things fall into place."
Showalter said Matusz is still in the mix for a starting job.

"Nobody's really taken a step back," said Showalter. "We got a little less than two weeks, so we'll continue to take in the looks we have and try to make a good decision."

Is it too early in Matusz's career to consign him to the bullpen?

"I don't know about consign," said Showalter. "There are guys that go to the bullpen and come back to start."

In 68 games as a starter, Matusz is 21-33 with a 5.51 ERA. In 18 relief appearances, he's 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA.

"I'll be frank with you," said Showalter. "If he hadn't had the success he had in the bullpen, we probably wouldn't be having this decision. So it bodes well for him as far as his ability to make our club in some form. It does have something to do with some of the thinking, but I do not look at it as a bird in hand that he's going to be as successful in the bullpen as he was last year. I got nothing to make me think he wouldn't be, but I think this is the time of year you get in a lot of trouble if you assume something just because it happened last year."


(mlb.com)

SARASOTA, Fla. - While still recovering from the news that Stone Temple Pilots has fired Scott Weiland. Again...

Danny Valencia is making another start at first base today in Tampa, his second one in four spring training games. He was supposed to play third base yesterday in Bradenton before the cancellation due to rain.

As I wrote a few days ago, Valencia has never played first base in the majors. He appeared in 18 games with rookie-league Elizabethton in 2006, two with Single-A Beloit in 2007 and two with Double-A New Britain in 2008.

"It's been a while," he said earlier this week. "The last time I fully played there was in college, but I've had some games in rookie ball there. I think I'll get used to it quickly."

What's the biggest adjustment on the other wide of the diamond?

"The cuts and relays," he replied. "For me, I think that's going to be the toughest because it's an instinct thing. At third, you know when to break. At first, you've also got to know when to break, but not having played there, you don't have those instincts right away."

I assumed that another adjustment would be knowing when to go for a ball in the hole and when to retreat to the bag.

"I think I've got that pretty good," he said. "Me and Bobby (Dickerson) worked on that a few days ago, so I think I've got that squared away. Right now, it's the cuts and relays for me, to be honest."

Manager Buck Showalter is trying to determine whether Valencia could back up at both positions, along with serving as a right-handed designated hitter.

Approached by Showalter about playing first base this spring, Valencia said, "I didn't think anything about it. Just do it. Obviously, you want to make the team and versatility is a good thing."


(masnsports.com)

DUNEDIN, Fla. - Danny Valencia is making a rare start at first base for the Orioles' exhibition game today against the Toronto Blue Jays.

How rare?

Valencia has never played the position in the majors. He appeared in 18 games with rookie-league Elizabethton in 2006, two with Single-A Beloit in 2007 and two with Double-A New Britain in 2008.

Valencia has played 469 minor league games at third base and 272 in the majors.

"We're going to keep moving guys around," said manager Buck Showalter. "We've got plenty of games. It's not making decisions on Feb. 24. One of the benefits of the WBC is play some more games, get some more looks.

"We're going to move some guys around today as the game progresses. We've got it all (mapped out), this guy's going to go here in such-and-such inning, like all teams do. We're going to get a lot of good looks at guys at first base."

Relievers Jim Johnson and Darren O'Day threw bullpen sessions in Sarasota this morning. Showalter stayed back to watch before making the drive to Dunedin.

Showalter mentioned that a few players have been bothered by flu-like symptoms. Two of them were sent back to their hotel this morning.


(masnsports.com)

SARASOTA, Fla. -- In his first public move in an Orioles uniform, infielder Danny Valencia stepped in front of a podium on Wednesday and vehemently denied ever using any performance-enhancing drugs.

Valencia’s name was listed on records obtained by Yahoo Sports from a now-defunct clinic named Biogenesis, which the Miami New Times previously reported had provided PEDs to several major leaguers, including New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez.

Major League Baseball has been investigating Biogenesis and its owner, Anthony Bosch.

Valencia, a 28-year-old trying to resurrect his big league career with the Orioles, immediately issued a statement denying the report, then on Wednesday repeated his denial and took questions from reporters on the day of the team’s first spring training workout. Players linked to PEDs have issued varying denials, but Valencia’s was assertive and definitive.

“Basically, I’ve never had any contact with those people,” Valencia said. “I’ve never met Tony Bosch, never seen him, never been to that clinic, never heard of that clinic until the New Times story first broke. That being said, I’ve never ever taken a PED in my life, never failed a drug test in my life and I never will.”

In the Yahoo report, Valencia’s name appeared on a list that included Rodriguez and Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera, both of whom allegedly received PEDs from Bosch, according to the New Times report. Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun and Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli were also on the list with Valencia, but unlike Rodriguez and Cabrera, they were not linked to receiving any specific PED.

Valencia, acquired from the Boston Red Sox for cash on Nov. 28, is with his third organization since the beginning of last season. He began his career with the Minnesota Twins, playing 154 games in 2011 and finishing third in American League Rookie of the Year voting, but this spring he finds himself fighting for a 25-man roster spot. He has a minor league option, so he could be sent to Triple-A Norfolk to be the starting third baseman there.

Valencia said he was “absolutely shocked” to hear his named linked to the Biogenesis lab

“When I first got the phone call, I knew I was going to be in the clear,” Valencia said. “I knew I’m not going to get in trouble because there’s nothing they are going to find on me. I’ve never done anything.

“But he only thing that bothered me at the time was how the Orioles organization is going to perceive [it],” he added. “I thought about what [executive vice president] Dan Duquette is going to think, obviously what [manager] Buck [Showalter] is going to think, my teammates. That’s what matters. That was my first feeling, I felt upset about that.”

Valencia said he called Duquette the next morning and told him the report wasn’t true.

“I was really upset,” Valencia said. “I was trying to think of how this can possibly be. But I have nothing, I know just as much as everybody else. … I really don’t know anything. All I know is my name was on a piece of paper.”

Showalter said he will wait until MLB’s investigation into the clinic is complete to make judgment, but said, “where I stand, I choose to stand behind my player.”

“I’ve learned over the years to wait until they gather everything,” Showalter said. “I think there’s still a lot of speculation. We’ll see. … I have a lot of confidence in the people looking over those things. They’re looking into them for the right reasons. We’ll see when they get through gathering all the facts. I’m sure you’ll understand there will be some things that aren’t necessarily the way they’re necessarily portrayed. We’ll see. We’ll wait until everything comes in.”

This offseason, Major League Baseball and the players association agreed to expand testing for human growth hormone to include in-season blood testing. HGH testing during spring training and the offseason began last year.

Showalter said player physicals conducted on Wednesday included blood testing.

“We spent an extra hour in the physical today drawing vials of blood for testing,” he said. “And they’re going to do it again and again and again. And the players, they went, ‘Where’s it at? Yeah, I want to do it.’ Unfortunately a few people make everybody tainted. Believe me, I hear the conversations with our guys.

“But at the same time, I’m not naïve. I also understand the pressure on these guys. You look at the schedule they play and the expectations. I understand the temptation, but at some point we all have to make decisions.”


(baltimoresun.com)

SARASOTA, Fla. — In his first public move in a Baltimore Orioles uniform, infielder Danny Valencia stepped in front of a podium on Wednesday and vehemently denied ever using any performance-enhancing drugs.

Valencia’s name was listed on records obtained by Yahoo Sports from a now-defunct clinic named Biogenesis, which the Miami New Times previously reported had provided PEDs to several major leaguers, including New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez.

Major League Baseball has been investigating Biogenesis and its owner, Anthony Bosch.

Valencia, a 28-year-old trying to resurrect his big league career with Baltimore, immediately issued a statement denying the report, then on Wednesday repeated his denial and took questions from reporters on the day of the team’s first spring training workout. Players linked to PEDs have issued varying denials, but Valencia’s was assertive and definitive.

“Basically, I’ve never had any contact with those people,” Valencia said. “I’ve never met Tony Bosch, never seen him, never been to that clinic, never heard of that clinic until the New Times story first broke. That being said, I’ve never ever taken a PED in my life, never failed a drug test in my life and I never will.”

In the Yahoo report, Valencia’s name appeared on a list that included Rodriguez and Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera, both of whom allegedly received PEDs from Bosch, according to the New Times report. Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun and Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli were also on the list with Valencia, but unlike Rodriguez and Cabrera, they were not linked to receiving any specific PED.

Valencia, acquired from the Boston Red Sox for cash on Nov. 28, is with his third organization since the beginning of last season. He began his career with the Minnesota Twins, playing 154 games in 2011 and finishing third in American League Rookie of the Year voting, but this spring he finds himself fighting for a 25-man roster spot. He has a minor league option, so he could be sent to Class AAA Norfolk to be the starting third baseman there.

Valencia said he was “absolutely shocked” to hear his named linked to the Biogenesis lab.

“When I first got the phone call, I knew I was going to be in the clear,” Valencia said. “I knew I’m not going to get in trouble because there’s nothing they are going to find on me. I’ve never done anything.

“But the only thing that bothered me at the time was how the Orioles organization is going to perceive [it],” he added. “I thought about what [executive vice president] Dan Duquette is going to think, obviously what [manager] Buck [Showalter] is going to think, my teammates. That’s what matters. That was my first feeling, I felt upset about that.”

Valencia said he called Duquette the next morning and told him the report wasn’t true.

“I was really upset,” Valencia said. “I was trying to think of how this can possibly be. . . . All I know is my name was on a piece of paper.”

Showalter said he will wait until MLB’s investigation into the clinic is complete to make judgment, but said, “where I stand, I choose to stand behind my player.”

“I’ve learned over the years to wait until they gather everything,” Showalter said. “I think there’s still a lot of speculation. We’ll see. . . . I have a lot of confidence in the people looking over those things. They’re looking into them for the right reasons. We’ll see when they get through gathering all the facts.”

This offseason, Major League Baseball and the players association agreed to expand testing for human growth hormone to include in-season blood testing. HGH testing during spring training and the offseason began last year.


(washingtonpost.com)

Orioles infielder Danny Valencia has denied any use of performance-enhancing drugs after a report from Yahoo Sports linked him with a Miami clinic that distributed them to major league players.

Valencia, who the Orioles obtained in November from Boston, is not linked with PEDs that were distributed by a Miami clinic, Biogenesis. Several other players including Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun, New York’s Alex Rodriguez and Toronto’s Melky Cabrera were reported to have received PEDs by a Miami newspaper.

Valencia and Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli were on a list of players treated at the clinic. In a statement sent to ESPN.com on Thursday night, Valencia denied use of PEDs.

"As any innocent person would be, I am shocked and troubled that my name is in any way connected to this story," Valencia said in the statement.

"I have never met or spoken to anyone connected with Biogenesis, in fact I had never even heard of this company prior to the New Times’ story. I take tremendous pride in the hard work and dedication I put into being a professional baseball player and have never taken PEDs or failed a drug test of any kind during my career. I look forward to fully cooperating in MLB’s investigation in any way that I can, and will explore taking legal action if this issue is not resolved in a timely fashion."

Valencia is scheduled to report to spring training on Feb. 15 and will no doubt have to answer questions about Biogenesis.


(csnbaltimore.com)

Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun's name is in records of the Miami-area clinic alleged to have distributed performance-enhancing drugs to a rash of baseball players, and Major League Baseball will investigate the link to the former MVP who tested positive for illegal synthetic testosterone during the 2011 postseason.

Three of the Biogenesis clinic records obtained by Yahoo! Sports show Braun's name. Unlike the players named by the Miami New Times in its report that blew open the Biogenesis case, Braun's name is not listed next to any specific PEDs. Braun said his attorneys retained the clinic's operator, Anthony Bosch, as a consultant during his appeal for the positive test.

"I have nothing to hide and have never had any other relationship with Bosch," Braun said. "I will fully cooperate with any inquiry into this matter."

MLB is investigating the Biogenesis clinic and Bosch to determine the breadth of his alleged PED dispersal throughout the sport. The league could pursue punishment through non-analytical positives – evidentiary links to players without positive tests – and one source said it will not limit the potential discipline to those whose names are surfacing for the first time, meaning those who have faced suspensions in the past could again be tried.

Braun is on a list that includes Alex Rodriguez, Melky Cabrera and Cesar Carrillo, who the New Times reported received PEDs from Bosch. Also on the list are New York Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli and Baltimore Orioles third baseman Danny Valencia, who weren't listed near PEDs either. The record matches a document the New Times posted with Braun's name redacted and Cervelli and Valencia's cut off.

"Following my foot injury in March 2011, I consulted with a number of experts, including Biogenesis clinic, for legal ways to aid my rehab and recovery," Cervelli said in a statement. "I purchased supplements that I am certain were not prohibited by MLB.''

In a statement, Valencia denied involvement with the clinic and said he would cooperate with MLB's investigation.

"I am shocked and troubled that my name is in any way connected to this story," Valencia said in the statement. "I have never met or spoken to anyone connected with Biogenesis."

Why Braun's name was sandwiched among three alleged users' was not explained by his statement. He referenced his presence on another document, which lists his name along with "RB 20-30K" – explained by Braun's statement as "a dispute over compensation for Bosch's work." Later in the document are multiple mentions of Chris Lyons, one of Braun's attorneys during the 2011-12 offseason when he fought the positive test. When reached by Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday evening, Lyons declined comment. David Cornwell, another of Braun's attorney's, has worked with baseball and football players facing suspensions for PEDs.

"During the course of preparing for my successful appeal last year, my attorneys, who were previously familiar with Tony Bosch, used him as a consultant," Braun said. "More specifically, he answered questions about [testosterone-to-epitestosterone] ratio and possibilities of tampering with samples."

The nature of their previous relationship is unclear. Sources questioned why Braun, who retained doctors with intimate knowledge of drug testing as experts in his arbitration case, would use Bosch, who was portrayed by the New Times as a rogue chemist and anti-aging guru who passed himself off as a doctor even though he had no medical degree.

While Braun never contested the findings of the test, which found elevated testosterone levels in his urine, a 50-game suspension was overturned after chain-of-custody issues arose from the test-taker keeping the specimen in his basement over the weekend instead of immediately shipping it to a testing lab. Braun denied use of testosterone publicly.

The early portion of MLB's investigation has focused on the web of connections to the University of Miami, where Braun attended college. Carrillo, a pitcher in the Detroit Tigers organization, was Braun's road roommate for three years. Jimmy Goins, a strength-and-conditioning coach at the school and alleged client of Bosch's, worked with Braun during his three years at Miami. Goins has denied a connection to Bosch.

At least two others implicated by the New Times – Washington Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez and San Diego Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal – have worked with Goins. Grandal, Cabrera and Bartolo Colon, all listed in Bosch's records, were suspended by MLB after testing positive for testosterone this season. MLB is considering pursuing further discipline against them, particularly if the league can acquire records that tie players to PEDs on different dates than their positive tests.

Two league officials met with New Times editors in Miami on Monday hopeful the newspaper would turn over the documents, which would aid an investigation and potential arbitration hearings if the league were to pursue suspensions. While the newspaper did not give the records to MLB, it is still considering doing so, according to two sources.

Braun's acknowledgement of the documents' veracity could quell speculation, including from some accused players, of the legitimacy of the records.

The third record is a letter from Bosch that appears to be to Juan Nunez, a former runner for the ACES sports agency that represents Cabrera, Cruz and Gonzalez. Though undated, it congratulates "Juan" on "the MVP award" – a possible reference to Cabrera's All-Star Game MVP – and continues: "This smells like the 'Braun' advantage."

Braun's name does not appear in the document on the New Times' website.

The players as well as Bosch issued blanket denials in the aftermath of the New Times report. Rodriguez said in a statement he was never treated by Bosch and "(t)he purported documents referenced in the story – at least as they relate to Alex Rodriguez – are not legitimate." Rodriguez also denied an ESPN.com report that Bosch had personally injected him.

In a statement, Gonzalez said: "I've never met or spoken with Tony Bosch or used any substances provided by him." Attorneys representing Cruz said: "To the extent these allegations and inferences refer to Nelson, they are denied."

Bosch's attorney said the New Times story was "filled with inaccuracies, innuendo and misstatements of fact."

Braun has eight years and more than $130 million remaining on his current contract. He finished second in NL MVP voting last season after hitting a league-leading 41 home runs.


(sports.yahoo.com)