With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Better Know a Dodger . . . Wilson Valdez
()
With an off-day on Thursday, and a big series coming up this weekend against the Giants, it felt like the right time to begin introducing our readers to the new members of the 2007 Los Angeles Dodgers. So, with apologies to Stephen Colbert, below is Part One of our 436-Part Series, "Better Know a Dodger". And who better to start with than perhaps the most anonymous of Dodgers, shortstop Wilson Valdez.
Not to be confused with former Dodger pitcher Wilson Alvarez, Wilson Antonio Valdez was born May 20, 1978 in the Peravia province of the Dominican Republic in the small town of Nizao (pop. 22,000). Nearby Bani, the capital city of the Peravia province, is the birthplace of such major league stars as Miguel Tejada, Mario Soto, and (ahem) Rafael Landestoy. Valdez' mother, Juana, raised Wilson and his 8 siblings in a tiny 2-bedroom house in Nizao. Wilson's father, Angel, died of lung cancer when Wilson was 13.
Wilson Valdez has two nicknames: "El Gato" (The Cat), and "Gatito" (Kitten). One assumes he has procured these nicknames as a result of his cat-like reflexes, both as a fielder and on the basepaths. It is not known whether Valdez subscribes to any cat-related periodicals.
Support for LAist comes from
A quick look at the ebays reveals a wide variety of Wilson Valdez baseball cards available for purchase. Also available is a mini autographed bat from El Gato's stint in Seattle ($9.99! Buy it Now!!).
Wilson Valdez will make $381,000 this season. He stands 5' 11" tall, and weighs 160 pounds. Alas, ladies, Wilson is married (Kamie), and has a son (also named Wilson). More information about his illustrious career after the jump.
When he was 18, Valdez signed as an undrafted free agent with the Montreal Expos, and began his professional career with the Dominican Expos, where he played for two consecutive seasons. Both years, Valdez hit better than .300, and despite limited power, showed some speed on the basepaths (34 stolen bases in the two years combined). He also displayed a knack for bad baserunning, getting caught stealing on nearly 50% of his attempts.
Over the next three years, Valdez worked his way through rookie ball, then up through a variety of Single-A farm teams in the Expos system. He quickly established himself as a good glove man, leading New York Penn League shortstops in putouts and double plays with Advanced Rookie Vermont in 1999. However, after three years of batting averages hovering in the .250-.260 range combined with dismal power numbers, Valdez was placed on waivers and claimed by the Florida Marlins.
During the next four years of his career, Valdez bounced around the farm systems of four different major league organizations. His major league debut came in 2004 with the Chicago White Sox (he went 0-for-3 in his first game). In 2005, Valdez played with both the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres at the major league level.
Valdez was traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Dodgers last March for pitcher Jarod Plummer. He spent the entire season at AAA Las Vegas, hit .297, and the strong-armed shortstop was named team MVP. With starting shortstop Rafael Furcal beginning 2007 on the disabled list, Wilson Valdez is back in the show, appearing in all three games of the Dodgers' opening series against the Milwaukee Brewers as a defensive replacement.
AP photo by Bob Jordan
Support for LAist comes from
Thebaseballcube.com and Dodgers.com were essential resources for this profile, as was a June 18, 2004 Jeremy Fowler article on Wilson Valdez in the Albuquerque Tribune.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades. -
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend.
Best of LAist