José Valverde
Valverde pitching for the Tigers at Dodger Stadium, June 2011
Detroit Tigers – No. 46
Closing pitcher
Born: (1978-03-24) March 24, 1978 (age 34) San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 1, 2003 for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Career statistics (through May 31, 2012)
Win–loss record	25-28
Earned run average	3.07
Strikeouts	619
Saves	251
Teams
Arizona Diamondbacks (2003–2007) Houston Astros (2008–2009) Detroit Tigers (2010–present)
Career highlights and awards
3× MLB All-Star (2007, 2010, 2011) 2011 Delivery Man of the Year 2011 AL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year 2007 NL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Detroit Tigers regular season saves leader (49 in 2011) Perfect regular season (49 saves in 49 opportunities, 2011)

José Rafael Valverde (born March 24, 1978) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. His nickname is Papa Grande (Spanish for Big Potato).^[1] He was born in in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.

Career[link]

Arizona Diamondbacks[link]

Valverde made his Major League Baseball debut in 2003 to help out the injury plagued Arizona Diamondbacks, joining Brandon Webb and Andrew Good after injuries to Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling left the team out of contention.

Although he had been the Diamondbacks closer since replacing Brian Bruney in 2005, trouble on the mound in the month of June 2006 forced management to give the role to Jorge Julio.^{[citation needed]} Valverde regained the role after spending some time with the Diamondbacks Triple-A affiliate, the Tucson Sidewinders. He returned to the closer role in early September (as Julio became too inconsistent)^{[citation needed]} and pitched well in his return. Valverde finished the 2006 season with a record of two wins, three losses, an ERA of 5.84 and 18 saves.

On June 23, 2007, Valverde passed Matt Mantei as the Diamondbacks all-time saves leader, with his 75th, a perfect ninth against the Baltimore Orioles. Valverde made the 2007 MLB All-Star Game as a closer for Arizona. Until he was traded during the 2007 offseason, Valverde was the Diamondbacks closer, and led all of Major League Baseball in saves (47) during the 2007 regular season.

On September 25, 2007, Valverde was named as one of 10 finalist for the "DHL Presents the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Year Award."^{[citation needed]}

Houston Astros[link]

On December 14, 2007, Valverde was traded to the Houston Astros for pitchers Chad Qualls, Juan Gutiérrez and IF/OF Chris Burke.

He finished his first year in Houston with 44 saves in 51 chances, a 6–4 record, 83 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.38. He led the NL in saves for the second straight year and was second in the majors in saves for 2008. When Valverde entered into the game, a brief video set to Percy Rodrigues's opening narration of the trailer from Jaws played on the Minute Maid Park screen, leading into a montage of his best moments as an Astro backed by the Saliva song "Ladies and Gentlemen."^{[citation needed]}

Following the 2009 season, Valverde filed for free agency, rejecting the Astros' offer of salary arbitration.^[2]

Detroit Tigers[link]

On January 19, 2010, Valverde signed a two-year, $14 million contract, with a third year team option for $9 million with the Detroit Tigers.^[3] Through the first half of the season he had an ERA of 0.94 and had scoreless streak of 24 innings, which is longest in Tigers history passing Todd Jones who previously held the record at 22 innings in 2000.^[4]

Valverde represented the Tigers at the 2010 All-Star Game along with Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera. Following the All-Star break, he suffered some nagging injuries, finishing the year with 26 saves and a 3.00 ERA.

2011: The Perfect Season[link]

On May 8, 2011, Valverde recorded his 200th career save. Valverde was elected to his third All-Star Game, and American League manager Ron Washington selected Valverde to serve as his closer.^[5]

On September 11, 2011, Valverde recorded his 43rd save of the season, passing Todd Jones as the Tigers' single-season saves leader.^[6] His 45th save of the season on September 16 secured the AL Central Division title for the Tigers. On the final day of the regular season he recorded his 49th straight save, completing his perfect regular season. It was his 51st consecutive save opportunity converted since 2010.^[7] He won the 2011 MLB Delivery Man of the Year Award and the American League Rolaids Relief Man Award as the most outstanding relief pitcher of the regular season.^[8][9] In 2011, he led AL pitchers in saves, games (75), and games finished (70).^[10] Through 2011, he was sixth among all active pitchers in career saves (242).^[10]

He recorded 2 saves in the 2011 ALDS, the second of which sent the Tigers to the 2011 ALCS. He recorded one save in the Tigers' two 2011 ALCS wins.

Valverde finished fifth in the 2011 AL Cy Young Award voting, which was won by teammate Justin Verlander.^[11]

2012[link]

On October 28, 2011 the Tigers picked up the 2012 club option on Valverde's contract. ^[12] On opening day, his consecutive save streak ended after blowing a 2–0 lead versus the Boston Red Sox, although he earned the win after the Tigers won 3–2. ^[13]

Pitching style[link]

Valverde's pitching motion from 2010

Valverde throws just two pitches: a four-seam fastball (93–96 mph) and a splitter (84–87). He throws a slightly higher percentage of splitters to left-handed hitters. He is comfortable using the pitch in almost all counts, although he throws it most often when it is 0–2 or 1–2.^[14] Valverde's control is sometimes spotty, as he has a fairly high career rate of 3.9 walks per 9 innings. This balances a dominating 10.3 strikeouts per 9 innings ratio.^[15]

Valverde is also known for his energetic, highly emotional style on the mound. He frequently celebrates outs and saves very demonstratively. Some have questioned the sportsmanship of his behavior, including former teammate Miguel Montero of the Arizona Diamondbacks who has called him "unprofessional".^[16][17]

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	Baseball portal
	Dominican Republic portal

• List of Major League Baseball saves champions

References[link]

External links[link]

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or The Baseball Cube

Porfirio Antonio Berroa Carbucia (February 27, 1928 – October 17, 2007) was a Dominican Republic broadcaster known for his Spanish language baseball announcing. A native of San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic, Berroa was affectively known as "Billy" and "El Internacional".

Recognized as one of the most important Spanish voices in baseball, Berroa began announcing Major League Baseball games in 1963, including the postseason games and All-Star competition from 1987 through 2004. He covered the New York Mets Spanish broadcasts between 1987 and 1993 and rejoined the team from 1997 to 2007, mainly on Radio WADO 1280 AM.

Berroa also covered the Caribbean Series, the Olympic Games, as well as professional boxing, and announced Winter League baseball in the Dominican Republic for 50 years, the last 23 years with the Escogido Lions club. On October 17, 1998, he was selected to the Dominican Republic's Sports Hall of Fame.

Berroa died of prostate cancer in Santo Domingo, D.R., at the age of 79.

Sources[link]

• New York Mets broadcasters
• NYM/MLB obituary
• El Diario (Spanish)

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