Memories of Raul Valdes

[G-Fafif]

Our 2010 long man has signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals, the team against whom he must have made an impression during 2010's long game, the 20-inning affair in which he pitched well, hit well and baseran badly.

His signature moment was taking the ball from John Maine after five pitches and giving Jerry "Remember Him?" Manuel five-plus innings.

Vaya con dios, guy who came from absolutely nowhere to be absolutely not so terrible.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Jerry liked him quite a bit.

Not bad with the stick.

[Benjamin Grimm]

[seawolf17]

G-Fafif wrote: His signature moment was taking the ball from John Maine after five pitches and giving Jerry "Remember Him?" Manuel five-plus innings.

This. I was en route to NYC to see Butch Walker at Webster Hall that night; listened on the radio on the way in.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Benjamin Grimm wrote:

That's probably Valdes' only card as a Met.

[Guest themetfairy]

Adios Raul -

[Guest Edgy DC]

I showed up at that game in time for his first pitch. I asked people around me what happened to Maine. Nobody was quite sure. It's like they hadn't noticed him leave the game. "They lost track by pitch three?" I thought. "Is baseball that boring?"

I think that was also the game where Francoeur lost a ball in the lights and over-ran it by about 100 feet.

I liked that it was never beneath Omar's dignity to go shopping in the Mexican League. Or even loan one of his AAA players there to get his work in in Monterrey instead of Buffalo.

[bmfc1]

A single and two scoreless innings in the 20 inning game against the Cardinals:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN201004170.shtml

[smg58]

He had a couple of blow-up games but was otherwise very solid (20 of his 33 runs allowed came in 5 relief appearances). He's not somebody I'd have dropped from the 40 unless/until I knew I had a better use for that roster space.

[Gwreck]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Not bad with the stick.

KC and I were discussing this very subject during the May 25 game against the Phillies when Valdes came to bat in 8th against our old friend Nelson Figueroa and sure enough, he proceeded to hit a double over Victorino's head in centerfield that scored Barajas from second base, extending the Mets' lead to 6.