Sandy Valdespino

Sandy Valdespino
Left fielder
Born:(1939-01-14)January 14, 1939 San José de las Lajas,Cuba
Died:February 26, 2023(2023-02-26)(aged 84) Moultrie, Georgia,U.S.
Batted:Left Threw:Left
MLB debut
April 12, 1965, for the Minnesota Twins
Last MLB appearance
September 28, 1971, for the Kansas City Royals
MLB statistics
Batting average	.230
Home runs	7
Runs batted in	67
Teams
Minnesota Twins(1965–1967) Atlanta Braves(1968) Houston Astros(1969) Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers(1969–1970) Kansas City Royals(1971)

In thisSpanish name,the first or paternalsurnameisValdespinoand the second or maternal family name isBorroto.

Hilario "Sandy" Valdespino Borroto(January 14, 1939 – February 26, 2023) was a Cuban-borncorner outfielderinMajor League Baseballwho played for five different teams in the seven years from1965to1971.Listed at 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) tall and 170 pounds (77 kg), Valdespino batted and threw left-handed.

Baseball career

Minor leagues

Signed by fabledWashington SenatorsscoutJoe Cambriain 1957, Valdespino had an extensiveminor leaguecareer, appearing in more than 1,500 games over 16 seasons through 1974. He spent eight full years in the minor league system of the Senators and their post-1960 successor, theMinnesota Twins.He broke into the major leagues after winning the 1964batting titleof theTriple-AInternational Leaguewith a.337 mark as a member of theAtlanta Crackers.

1965 Minnesota Twins

Valdespino was a 26-year-oldrookiewith the1965 Twins,who won a team-record 102 games and the thirdAmerican Leaguepennantin the franchise's 65-year history. Valdespino spelled regularleft fielderBob Allisonandright fielderTony Oliva,starting 47 games andbatting.261 and setting career bests ingames played(108),plate appearances(274),at bats(245),runs scored(38),hits(64) andruns batted in(22).He then appeared in five of the seven games of the1965 World Series,starting in left field in Games 1 and 4,pinch-hittingin three more, and collecting three hits in 11 at bats (.273).He hit a keydoublein the thirdinningof Game 1 offDon Drysdaleof theLos Angeles Dodgers,part of the Twins' six-run uprising that sealed their 8–2, opening game victory.However, the Dodgers battled back to win the series in the seventh game behindSandy Koufax.

Remainder of MLB career

After 1965, Valdespino would spend only one more full year—1967—in the major leagues, when he appeared in 99 games for the Twins, batting.165.He was selected by theAtlanta Bravesin theRule 5 draftthat winter, and spent the remainder of his big-league career with abbreviated tenures with the Braves and three other teams. In 382 MLB games played (259 for the Twins, 36 for the Braves, 41 for theHouston Astros,28 for theSeattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers,and 18 for theKansas City Royals), he was credited with 176 hits, with 23 doubles, threetriples,sevenhome runs,and 67 runs batted in. He batted.230 lifetime.

Latin-American leagues

Valdespino also played inCuban baseball,theMexican Pacific League(for a team called Cañeros—the "Sugarcane Growers" —from the city of Los Mochis, andVenezuelan Professional Baseball.

Italian League

Valdespino managed the Italian team of the Rimini Pirates, and he led them to a Championship season in 1983.

Personal life and death

Valdespino died inMoultrie, Georgia,on February 26, 2023, at the age of 84.

External links

• Career statistics and player information fromBaseball Reference,orBaseball Reference (Minors),orRetrosheet
• Cohen, Alan,Sandy Valdespino,Society for American Baseball ResearchBiography Project
• Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
• Bio from Cool of the Evening: The 1965 Minnesota Twins