Valent’s Double-A Success Makes a Major Impression

Eric Valent thinks this season has been an important test for him.

“They say that if you can play well in double A, you can play in the major leagues,” Valent said.

Valent hopes that’s true in his case. Valent, who played for Canyon High and UCLA, is finishing a good season with the Philadelphia Phillies’ double-A team in Reading, Pa. He leads his team with 21 home runs and 85 runs batted in, and is among the Eastern League leaders in both categories.

Valent, rated the Phillies’ fifth-best prospect by Baseball America, hopes the effort will be good enough to earn a spot on Philadelphia’s 40-man roster next season.

Three of his teammates on UCLA’s 1997 College World Series team have already reached the major leagues: third baseman Troy Glaus with the Angels, pitcher Jim Parque with the Chicago White Sox and outfielder Eric Byrnes with the Oakland A’s. Valent hopes he won’t be far behind them.

“I knew that I needed to show the good power numbers again this year, but I think I’m also having a good season on defense in the outfield,” he said. “I’ve also learned a lot about playing the outfield this season. I’m playing in right field now, although I played a lot in left early in the season.”

Valent expects to move up to triple-A Scranton (Pa.) at the start of next season.

“I feel I’m on track,” he said. “I signed in ‘98, so last year was the first full season in the minors.”

Valent hit 20 homers last season for Class-A Clearwater, Fla., and led the Florida State League with 106 RBIs. He was second in the league in extra-base hits with 60.

He thinks his power has been helped by conditioning work in the off-season.

“Troy Glaus and I worked out a lot together in the winter,” Valent said. “We hit the weights hard, and I think it helped. I’ve been sort of streaky with my home runs this season. I was really hot in June, and had a lot of homers.”

Steve Noworyta, the Phillies’ minor league director, said Valent has made good progress this season.

“He’s been sort of a streaky hitter in the past and we wanted to develop more consistency, and we think he has,” Noworyta said. “His numbers with runners on base have been good, and he’s hitting the ball to the opposite field better now.”

Valent is one of four players with Orange County ties who have played key roles this season for Reading, which has dominated the Eastern League’s Southern Division.

Nick Punto, who played at Trabuco Hills High and Saddleback College, is the regular shortstop, and ranks among the league leaders with 33 stolen bases. Former Cal State Fullerton pitcher Brandon Duckworth (12-7) leads the team in victories and the league in strikeouts. Former Capistrano Valley High and UCLA pitcher Pete Zamora (2-2) is a reliever.

CRESSE MOVES UP

Catcher Brad Cresse, who was playing for Louisiana State in the College World Series only a couple of months ago, has moved up to the Arizona Diamondbacks’ double-A team in El Paso.

Cresse, who played in high school at Los Alamitos and Marina, was batting .324 with 17 home runs and 56 runs batted in after 48 games with High Desert in the Class-A California League when he was promoted.

“He dominated a high Class-A league right off the bat,” said Mike Rizzo, the Diamondbacks’ scouting director. “We’re very pleased with the way he has hit with power and for average. We’ve also been very happy with his catching. He’s come a long way as a catcher in the short time since he came out of college. He’s throwing out a high percentage of baserunners.”

Cresse has played nine games with El Paso, and is batting .333 with no homers and six RBIs.

SEIBEL SIGNS

Phil Seibel decided to pass up his senior season at Texas and has signed with the Montreal Expos, who drafted him in the eighth round.

However, when Seibel reported to the Expos’ training base in Florida for a physical recently, team doctors found a tear in a ligament in his left elbow.

“We had to do some restructuring of the contract because of that,” Seibel said.

Seibel, who pitched for Cypress High, said he will remain in Florida for about about a month for treatment. A decision will be made at that point about whether surgery will be needed.

Seibel, a left-hander, missed 19 games last season at Texas because of elbow problems. He returned to help the Longhorns advance to the College World Series and finished with a 5-2 record.

“I think my elbow might have gotten worse after coming back and pitching in the playoffs and College World Series,” Seibel said. “But hopefully, they’ve found the problem now.”