totally random, vol. 2.4

Today’s subject: Fred Valentine. The Clarksdale native, nicknamed “Squeaky” for reasons unknown, played a handful of seasons in the majors from 1959-68 but has only one stat line on his baseball card that jumps out. In 1966, with the Washington Senators, the switch-hitting outfielder batted .276 with 16 homers, 29 doubles, seven triples, 59 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. He even got some MVP votes in a season dominated by Triple Crown winner Frank Robinson. Valentine played at Tennessee State and signed with Baltimore in 1956. He debuted in the big leagues in 1959, with the Orioles, but was done 10 years later. He finished with a .247 career average and 36 homers. If only he could’ve bottled that ’66 season … .
P.S. Former Mississippi Braves first baseman Mauro Gomez homered to help Escogido win the Dominican Winter League championship series on Monday night. Also on the pennant-winning team are ex-Jackson Generals star Julio Lugo and Starkville native Julio Borbon. M-Braves alums Barbaro Canizares and Iker Franco and Alcorn State product Corey Wimberly played for Mexican Pacific League champ Obregon, and ex-M-Braves infielder Luis Hernandez was a regular with Venezuela champ Aragua. Those three teams, plus Puerto Rico champion Mayaguez, will meet in the Caribbean Series that starts Thursday. … Former Jackson Generals slugger Daryle Ward, who played in the minors for Arizona last year, received a 50-game suspension from Major League Baseball for a positive drug test (amphetamines). It was unlikely Ward, a free agent, would have returned to the big leagues this year anyway.