Seattle Mariners: 5 Danny Valencia Career Highlights
By Paul Taylor
5) Still getting it done
Understandably, Mariners’ fans will be wondering if Valencia is good enough to improve the overall strength of the team? After all, he is now in his thirties and as we mentioned earlier, he is no longer a useful option at third base.
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However, given what Dipoto has already done during his short time in Seattle, he deserves a vote of confidence. Further, Valencia brings two major assets to the team – versatility and the ability to still hit. (And no, we’re not alluding to his alleged altercation with Billy Butler in the Athletics’ clubhouse this past season.)
Valencia ended the 2016 season with a very good batting line of .287/.346/.446. This included the second-most home runs and third-most RBIs of his career.
He also proved his durability be playing in 130 games, which helped him record his most plate appearances in a season, since his second year in the league. As a final note for Mariner’s fans, he has one more year of club control before becoming a free agent.
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What’s your take on the signing of Valencia? Are you on board with the acquisition, or do you believe the Mariners should have gone in a different direction? Let us know in the comments section below.