John Valentin

John William Valentin (born February 16 1967 in Mineola, New York) is a former shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played his entire major league career with the Boston Red Sox, except his final season when he played as a backup infielder for the New York Mets. He batted and threw right-handed.

College and career

Valentin attended Seton Hall University before starting his professional career in the Red Sox minor league system in 1988. He first played in a major league game in 1992.

Related Topics:
Seton Hall University - 1988 - 1992

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In 11 seasons with the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets, he averaged a .279 batting average, and accumulated a total of 1093 hits. He hit 124 career home runs, and had 558 runs batted in.

Related Topics:
Boston Red Sox - New York Mets - Batting average - Home run - Runs batted in

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He averaged a .971 fielding in his first 3 years as a shortstop for the Red Sox. He was known for being beloved by the Boston fans, playing solid defense, and getting clutch hits in the late innings.

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Valentin hit for the cycle in 1996. In the Red Sox 7-4 win over the Chicago White Sox, Chicago completed a triple play. It marked the first time since July 1, 1931 that a player accomplished it in the same game that a team completed a triple play. Chuck Klein was the player to do it in 1931.

Related Topics:
Hit for the cycle - Chicago White Sox - July 1 - 1931 - Triple play - Chuck Klein

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During the 1996 season, Red Sox prospect Nomar Garciaparra battled for the spot of shortstop with Valentin, who had held the position for his entire career. In 1997, Garciaparra won the position during spring training. Valentin briefly left the team, but returned and took up his new position at second base. Later that season, he shifted to third base after the regular third baseman, Tim Naehring, was injured. Valentin spent three more seasons with the Red Sox (playing only a total of 31 games the last two years) before ending his career with the Mets.

Related Topics:
1996 - Nomar Garciaparra - Shortstop - 1997 - Second base - Third base

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