Tag / Jose Valentin

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Ballpark Tour: Reds

Spring training is in full swing and opening day is coming up in a little less than 3 weeks, as we continue our tour of all of the baseball stadiums I’ve been to over the years.  My most visited city, outside of Chicago, for baseball contains the homes of the Cincinnati Reds.  Between the two stadiums that have been located on the riverfront of the Ohio River, I’ve seen 8 games.  So, without further ado, let’s take a deeper look at my history with Cinergy Field and Great American Ball Park.

Stadium Name: Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field

Years in Service: 1970 – 2002

Visits: 1

Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati’s version of the cookie cutter stadium that popped up in the late 60s and early 70s, opened on June 30, 1970 as the Reds hosted the Atlanta Braves.  In 1996, the stadium was renamed Cinergy Field thanks to a sponsorship deal with the local energy company.  Prior to the 2001 season, after the Bengals moved to their new home down the street, the stadium was reconfigured for baseball-only use, and portions of the outfield stands were removed to make room for the construction of the Reds’ new home, the future Great American Ball Park.  The 2002 season was the final one for the stadium, with the final game played on September 22 and the stadium was imploded on December 29.

In 2000, Ken Griffey Jr. joined the Cincinnati Reds, which put two of the most feared sluggers in the game in the NL Central.  When Sammy Sosa and the Chicago Cubs were scheduled to make an opening week visit to Cincinnati in 2000 to face Griffey for the first time, the idea a roadtrip was hatched.  Friday, April 7, 2000 started with Krispy Kreme donuts at the house before heading towards Cincinnati.  Along the way, there was a brief stop at Purdue. because why not, and the trifecta of a KFC/Taco Bell/Pizza Hut seemed like a good place to stop for lunch.  We arrived in Cincinnati well before the stadium opened, so some time was spent walking around the bustling metropolis that was, and continues to be, Cincinnati.

Our tickets were in the upper deck and, to be honest, I have little to no recollection of the game itself.  My one and only memory of the game is losing my balance and tumbling down 5-10 rows, landing on a group of fans below.  Certainly not my proudest moment.  I do recall some of the drive home after the game, which included listening to the White Sox/A’s game where Jose Valentin committed a number of errors for the eventual AL Central champs.

Stadium Name: Great American Ball Park

Years in Service: 2003 – Present

Visits: 7

After 32 1/2 seasons at Riverfront Stadium, the Reds moved next door to the newly built Great American Ball Park for the 2003 season, opening against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Bronze statues of former stars Joe Nuxhall, Ernie Lombardi, Ted Kluszewski, and Frank Robinson are located in front of the main entrance.

Less than a month into the stadium’s existence, I made my first trip to the GABP with my friend Scott, who had moved to the Cincinnati area, to see the Reds take on the Padres.  The next season, the Cubs opened their season in Cincinnati against the Reds, so another trip was in order, where Vice President Dick Cheney threw out the first pitch..  In August of 2005, I attended the Reds game against the Diamondbacks, kicking off a string of 3 stadiums in 3 states in 9 days.  In 2006, the Cubs once again opened their season on the road against the Reds and again it constituted a road trip down to see, where this time President George W Bush threw out the first pitch.  I made a return trip that summer for interleague play to see the White Sox battle the Reds.  In 2007, when the Cubs were looking the clinch the division, I made the trip down, but missed it by one day.  The next year, I made my final, to date, trip down to Cincinnati and saw the Rockies defeat the Reds.

Of all the newer stadiums that have opened over the past 20 years, Great American Ball Park does not often illicit the praise that the others get.  However, I like it.  It’s a fine place to see a game and has plenty of the modern amenities that are required here in the 21st century.  I wouldn’t hesitate to return, despite the fact that it has been over 11 years since I’ve been there.

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Playoff Batting Leaders

The Cubs continue their title defense tonight in Washington against the Nationals with a 1-0 lead in the NLDS.  With that in mind, it’s time to take an updated look at the offensive leaders from the now 26 post-season games I have attended since 2000.  So, without further ado, we start off with:

Home Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 3
B.J. Upton 3
Dexter Fowler 3
Kris Bryant 3
Moises Alou 2
Miguel Cabrera 2
Chipper Jones 2
Eric Karros 2
Daniel Murphy 2
A.J. Pierzynski 2
Scott Podsednik 2
Manny Ramirez 2
Kyle Schwarber 2
Jorge Soler 2
Anthony Rizzo 2

Hits

Name Total
Dexter Fowler 10
Kris Bryant 9
Moises Alou 9
Anthony Rizzo 8
Javier Baez 8
Juan Uribe 8
Derrek Lee 8

Runs

Name Total
Dexter Fowler 7
Paul Konerko 6
A.J. Pierzynski 5
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#35 – Jose Valentin

Name: Jose Valentin

Rank: 35

Position: SS/3B

Years With White Sox: 2000-2004

Jose Valentin was acquired by the White Sox, along with Cal Eldred, on January 12, 2000 from the Brewers in exchange for Jaime Navarro and John Snyder.  Valentin replaced Mike Caruso at shortstop, and provided an offensive punch that had been missing.  On April 27, against the Orioles, he hit for a natural cycle, becoming just the fifth, and the most recent, White Sox player to hit for the cycle.  While Valentin provided an offensive spark, hitting .273 with 25 home runs and 92 RBI, he was a butcher in the field.  He led the American League with 36 errors.  Despite this, Valentin helped lead the White Sox to their first division title since 1993.  He hit .300 in the ALDS against the Mariners, where the White Sox were swept out of the playoffs.

To help improve their defense, the White Sox acquired Royce Clayton to play shortstop for 2001, forcing Valentin to move around the field in order to keep his bat in the lineup.  He split most of his time between center field and third base, before moving back to shortstop when Clayton failed to hit at all.  Valentin’s average dropped down to .258, but he set a career high with 28 home runs.  He still managed to place second in the AL with 22 errors, despite only appearing in 124 games.

With Clayton getting another shot in 2002, Valentin shifted back over to third base, which is where he spent the majority of the year.  When Clayton struggled offensively again, Valentin again spent time back at shortstop, starting 47 games.  He ended the year with a .249 average and 25 home runs.

After Royce Clayton left as a free agent, Valentin again became the everyday shortstop in 2003.  While he continued to struggle defensively, finishing 3rd in the AL with 20 errors, he started to struggle offensively as well.  Despite tying his career high with 28 home runs, his average dropped to .237, his lowest total as a member of the White Sox.

In 2004, Valentin’s offense continued to slip.  His average dropped to .216, a career low, but he did manage to set a new career high with 30 home runs in only 450 at bats.  Following the season, he became a free agent and his White Sox career drew to a close.

Valentin’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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#38 – Juan Uribe

Name: Juan Uribe

Rank: 38

Position: 2B/SS

Years With White Sox: 2004-2008

Juan Uribe was acquired by the White Sox on December 2, 2003 from the Rockies for Aaron Miles.  He split time with Willie Harris at second base, hitting .283 while setting career highs in home runs, with 23, and RBIs, with 74.  He fell 1 RBI short of the White Sox single game team record on June 19, when he knocked in 7 runs against the Expos.

With the loss of Jose Valentin and the arrival of Tadahito Iguchi in 2005, Uribe moved to shortstop.  His defensive prowess, especially compared to Valentin, helped solidify a team that would go on to win its first division title since 2000.  Offensively, Uribe finished the year with a .252 average and 16 home runs.  In the ALDS, Uribe hit a robust .400 with 4 RBIs in the 3 game sweep of the Red Sox.  He hit .250 in both the ALCS against the Angels and the World Series against the Astros.  Defensively, he dove in to the stands to make the penultimate out in Game 4 of the World Series, before fielding the soft grounder hit by Orlando Palmeiro and throwing over to Paul Konerko to give the White Sox their first title in 88 years.

As the White Sox tried to defend their title, Uribe saw his average fall further in 2006.  He ended the year with a .235 average, though he did put up 21 home runs and 71 RBIs despite being limited to 132 games due to injuries.

2007 was a continuation of the poor offensive contributions from Uribe.  However, as the rest of the White Sox cratered, his holes became more noticeable.  He ended up with a .234 average, 20 home runs, and 68 RBIs.  The White Sox declined his option for 2008, but signed him to a new one year deal for the 2008 season.

After acquiring Orlando Cabrera, Uribe shifted back to second base to start 2008.  Unfortunately, an injury in May led to Alexei Ramirez cementing his place in the starting lineup.  Uribe saw action at third base after a back injury took down Joe Crede in late July.  Appearing in only 110 games, his lowest total since 2003, he finished the year with .247 average, 7 home runs, and 40 RBIs as the White Sox won their second AL Central title in his tenure.  Uribe fell in to a funk during the ALDS, hitting only .167 in the 4 game loss to the Rays.  After the season, Uribe became a free agent.

Uribe’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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Playoff Batting Leaders

baseballs2Now that the Wild Card game is complete and we know the Cubs will face off against the Giants in the NLDS, it’s time to take an updated look at the offensive leaders from the 20 post-season games I have attended since 2000.  So, without further ado, we start off with:

Home Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 3
B.J. Upton 3
Moises Alou 2
Kris Bryant 2
Miguel Cabrera 2
Chipper Jones 2
Eric Karros 2
Daniel Murphy 2
A.J. Pierzynski 2
Scott Podsednik 2
Manny Ramirez 2
Kyle Schwarber 2
Jorge Soler 2

Hits

Name Total
Moises Alou 9
Juan Uribe 8
Derrek Lee 8
A.J. Pierzynski 7
Mark DeRosa 7

Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 6
A.J. Pierzynski 5
Jorge Soler 5
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#78 – Cal Eldred

caleldredName: Cal Eldred

Rank: 78

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2000-2001

Acquired by the White Sox in January of 2000, along with Jose Valentin, from the Brewers for Jaime Navarro and John Snyder, Cal Eldred joined the rotation and immediately put up strong results.  As the White Sox found themselves a surprise contender in the AL Central, Eldred settled in to his spot in the rotation until mid-July, when he suffered a stress fracture in his elbow, the third straight year he had the same injury.  After having surgery to insert a screw to hold the elbow together, he tried to make a late season comeback, but it was not to be.  He finished the year with a 10-2 record, missing the postseason altogether.

Eldred re-signed with the White Sox for 2001 and entered the season as the team’s number 2 starter.  After making two starts, he went on the disabled list with elbow soreness, with general manager Kenny Williams declaring him lost for the season in late June.  He became a free agent at the end of the season, ending his White Sox career.

Eldred’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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Playoff Batting Leaders

baseballs3Now that the Cubs have gotten past the Pirates in the Wild Card game and will face off against the Cardinals in the NLDS, it’s time to take our first ever look at the offensive leaders from the 17 post-season games I have attended since 2000.  So, without further ado, we start off with:

Home Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 3
B.J. Upton 3
Moises Alou 2
Miguel Cabrera 2
Chipper Jones 2
Eric Karros 2
A.J. Pierzynski 2
Scott Podsednik 2
Manny Ramirez 2

Hits

Name Total
Moises Alou 9
Juan Uribe 8
Derrek Lee 8
A.J. Pierzynski 7
Mark DeRosa 7

Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 6
A.J. Pierzynski 5
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#169 – Mike Caruso

mcarusoName: Mike Caruso

Rank: 169

Position: SS

Years With White Sox: 1998-1999

Mike Caruso was the centerpiece coming back to the White Sox, along with Keith Foulke, Bob Howry, Lorenzo Barcelo, Brian Manning, and Ken Vining, in the so-called White Flag trade on July 31, 1997 that sent Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin, and Roberto Hernandez to the Giants.  Caruso was a 20 year old in Class A who was expected to be the heir apparent to Ozzie Guillen on the left side of the White Sox infield.  He fought his way on to the opening day roster in 1998, beating out Benji Gil, and became an instant success story.

He made his major league debut on Opening Day 1998, going 1 for 5 in a White Sox victory against the Rangers.  By the time the year was over, he had compiled a .306 average, the highest rookie total by a Sox player since Minnie Minoso in 1951 and the best for a shortstop since Luis Aparicio in 1970.  He finished 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting, behind winner Ben Grieve and two spots ahead of teammate Magglio Ordonez.

Things started to go south in 1999.  Without veteran third baseman Robin Ventura to cover him, Caruso’s defense, already thought to be suspect, was exposed thanks to a strong arm and shrinking range.  Offensively, his average dropped to .250 and he managed only 17 extra base hits in 529 at bats, for a slugging percentage below .300.  Manager Jerry Manuel called out his young shortstop, for his poor production, lack of preparation, and a general lack of baseball smarts.

The 2000 season saw Caruso back in the minor leagues, thanks to the arrival of Jose Valentin.  While his former teammates went on to win the AL Central, Caruso struggled against minor league pitching before an injury ended his season prematurely.  Following the season, he was designated for assignment and was selected off of waivers by the Mariners.

Caruso’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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#227 – Royce Clayton

royceclayton

Name: Royce Clayton

Rank: 227

Position: SS

Years With White Sox: 2001-2002

Following their division title in 2000, the White Sox looked to improve their defense by moving Jose Valentin to center field and acquiring Royce Clayton from the Rangers in exchange for Aaron Myette and Brian Schmack.  Unfortunately, things went south for both the White Sox and Clayton.  On June 25, when the White Sox reached .500 for the first time since early April, Clayton went 2-4 and managed to raise his average to a season-high .180.  He also decided that was the perfect time to criticize manager Jerry Manuel for not playing him every day.

“If I don’t [hit] I’m on the bench,” Clayton said.  “I know what I’m dealing with now.  Early in the season I really wasn’t aware of it.  Now I am aware of what I have to do in order to play, and I have a problem with it.”  Did I mention he was hitting .180 at the end of June?  Somehow, Clayton managed to raise his average to .263 by the end of the year, but his relationship with Sox fans and management seemed irreparable.

Clayton was back at shortstop in 2002, with Jose Valentin shifted now to third base.  Despite a good spring, Clayton again struggled as the season began, with his average at .198 at the end of May, leading to another benching from Manual.  Again, he did eventually manage to raise his average to .251, but the damage had been done and, with 3 weeks left in the season, he was released.  “It’s for the best,” Clayton said.  “I wasn’t playing here.  A couple weeks left, maybe I’ll go play somewhere else for the remainder of the season and help somebody else.  It’s best to put the situation behind me as soon as possible and go on.”

Clayton’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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Ballpark Tour: Cinergy Field

Stadium Name: Cinergy Field

Location: Cincinnati

Home Team: Reds

Years in Service: 1970 – 2002

Visits: 1

Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati’s version of the cookie cutter stadium that popped up in the late 60s and early 70s, opened on June 30, 1970 as the Reds hosted the Atlanta Braves.  In 1996, the stadium was renamed Cinergy Field thanks to a sponsorship deal with the local energy company.  Prior to the 2001 season, after the Bengals moved to their new home down the street, the stadium was reconfigured for baseball-only use, and portions of the outfield stands were removed to make room for the construction of the Reds’ new home, the future Great American Ballpark.  The 2002 season was the final one for the stadium, with the final game played on September 22 and the stadium was imploded on December 29.

In 2000, Ken Griffey Jr. joined the Cincinnati Reds, which put two of the most feared sluggers in the game in the NL Central.  When Sammy Sosa and the Chicago Cubs were scheduled to make an opening week visit to Cincinnati in 2000 to face Griffey for the first time, the idea a roadtrip was hatched.  Friday, April 7, 2000 started with Krispy Kreme donuts at the house before heading towards Cincinnati.  Along the way, there was a brief stop at Purdue. because why not, and the trifecta of a KFC/Taco Bell/Pizza Hut for lunch.  We arrived in Cincinnati well before the stadium opened, so some time was spent walking around the bustling metropolis that was, and continues to be, Cincinnati.

Our tickets were in the upper deck and, to be honest, I have little to no recollection of the game itself.  My one and only memory of the game is losing my balance and tumbling down 5-10 rows, landing on a group of fans below.  Certainly not my proudest moment.  I do recall some of the drive home after the game, which included listening to the White Sox/A’s game where Jose Valentin committed a number of errors for the eventual AL Central champs.  I would return to Cincinnati numerous times for games at Great American Ballpark, but those are tales for another day.