V: Julio Valera to John Vuz, 1990 Minor League Players

-
Julio Valera 1990 Tidewater Tides card

Players A to Z: Julio Valera to John Vuz
Most recent player added July 6, 2025

V
 - Julio Valera made 5 bigs seasons with 'dastardly dip' slider, 5/6/10
 - Amilcar Valdez, The Difference, 12/31/18
 - Efrain Valdez, Breaking Pitch, 4/14/11
 - Frank Valdez, Real Quick Bat, 9/11/10
 - Jose Valdez began in Dominican, saw 1 season stateside, 5/24/19
 - Rafael Valdez, Expectations Exceeded, 12/21/10
 - Gil Valencia, His Shot, 12/27/12
 - Edwin Valentin saw 3 seasons, single-A, from Puerto Rico, 7/1/25
 - John Valentin, Rare Fetes, 3/31/16
 - Jose Valentin started his pro career strong, then saw time in 16 major league seasons, 10/25/20
 - Tony Valle, Hard Thrower, 1/15/14
 - Kerry Valrie loved to hit, in two sports; Played nine pro baseball seasons, made AAA, also tried for NFL, 4/9/21
 - Kevin Vandebrake played two seasons, became coach, AD, 8/19/25
 - Todd Van Poppel, Kept Playing, 3/17/14
 - Cap Van Rynbach, Select Group, 3/20/17
 - Tom Van Schaack helped Watertown to attendance gain as GM; Had long career in baseball, 9/14/23
 - Aaron Van Scoyoc, That Knowledge, 1/14/15
 - Dave Van Winkle, Pro Prospect, 4/9/17
 - Bob Vancho, Bad Start, 6/15/17
 - Ed Vande Berg, Got to Act, 4/19/11
 - John Vandemark gained new focus, saw 9 seasons, high-A, 6/17/25
 - John Vander Wal, Liked Fastballs, 4/13/14
 - Bill Vanderwel, Home Country, 4/19/17
 - Brandy Vann, Just Pitch, 5/12/15
 - Tim Vannaman, Good Season, 2/21/14
 - Jeff Vanzytveld had a major league sinker; Injury ended career at AA, 2/3/22
 - Hector Vargas worked to make double plays at AA; Played more than decade, made AAA, 3/18/21
 - Julio Vargas, His Chances, 7/14/17
 - Dan Varnell, Came Through, 12/29/17
 - Pat Varni hit well in college series; Later turned pro, saw two seasons, made high-A, 4/17/22
 - Gary Varsho, Playing Home, 3/6/11
 - Aguedo Vasquez, His Start, 8/19/19
 - Chris Vasquez, Accepted It, 5/10/13
 - Julian Vasquez, Good Pitches, 7/12/18
 - Luis Vasquez pitched well in AA start, made AAA over four seasons; Missed bigs, 6/8/22
 - Marcos Vasquez did job over 11 seasons, saw AAA, Taiwan, 3/29/23
 - Jim Vatcher, Only Goal, 5/16/12
 - Mo Vaughn, For Miles, 1/20/14
 - Randy Vaughn worked on concentrating over 3 seasons, made AA, 1/31/24
 - Joe Vavra put in his time, found home as majors coach, 5/15/20
 - Ed Vazquez expressed nerves upon pro career's start; Saw three seasons, made high-A, 5/21/21
 - Pedro Vazquez saw 4 seasons, high-A, 5/10/14
 - Mike Veeck got his start in the bigs, then came disco, and success in minors with help from a dog and a pig, 4/9/22
 - Bruce Vegely saw 4 seasons, coached, 9/29/22
 - Brian Veilleux, Grand Slam, 12/27/16
 - Steve Veit waited to sign before pros, saw two seasons, 1/15/16
 - Max Vejar came from baseball city, saw 13 pro outings, 6/15/25
 - Guillermo Velasquez got his shot at first for the Padres in 1993; Saw two ML seasons, 11/19/20
 - Ray Velasquezwent all out over 6 seasons, made high-A, 4/6/24
 - Noel Velez, Poor Throw, 2/15/14
 - Leroy Ventress showed speed early on; Played nine seasons, made AA, 9/30/21
 - Jose Ventura started shutout timidly, then got aggressive; Saw six pro seasons, made AA, 1/25/22
 - Mike Verdi learned from father, then followed him to minors, 6/24/21
 - Mando Verdugo got out of slump with manager's help; Saw five pro seasons, made high-A, 8/8/22
 - Dave Veres, Comeback Bid, 3/18/11
 - Chris Verna, Big Thrill, 6/12/15
 - Mark Verstandig, Every Day, 7/1/14
 - Don Vesling, Too Fine, 12/13/11
 - Will Vespe played 2 seasons, attempted post-surgery comeback, 8/7/22
 - Darryl Vice, That Situation, 3/26/15
 - Alberto Vicente, Important Point, 2/19/15
 - Don Vidmar, To Work, 5/25/15
 - John Viera saw college career imperiled by miscommunication; Saw four pro seasons, made AAA, 11/11/22
 - Jose Viera, Walk-Off, 8/3/13
 - Joey Vierra, Greatest Memory, 12/18/10
 - Hector Villanueva, Streak Hitter, 8/7/12 
 - Juan Villanueva wanted to play baseball, did so over seven seasons; Made AA, 10/20/20
 - Juan Villareal, Best Of, 7/14/17
 - Ozzie Virgil, Getting Hit, 6/12/11
 - George Virgilio, Took Some, 7/5/15
 - Joe Vitko, Really Pleased, 7/14/18
 - Jose Vizcaino, Game-Winner, 2/20/12
 - Junior Vizcaino, Making Assessments, 7/14/14
 - Dan Vizzini, Good Year, 3/18/14
 - Jack Voigt handled bigs over 7 seasons, 5/23/13
 - Dave Voit played in minors, Australia, 10/24/23
 - Gus Vollmer tried to be aggressive, 2/2/15
 - Ed Vosberg made 10 majors seasons, 6/14/12
 - Jim Voutour spent brief time in pros, career in policing, 6/12/25
 - John Vuz moved to pitching, pros, 2/2/13

Browse By:

-Player Name
-Player Team
-Date Featured

Players A to Z

Popular posts from this blog

Road Trip: Trenton Thunder

-
Image
Blue Jays catching coordinator Sal Fasano, right, at the batting cage before a game at Trenton's Arm & Hammer Park in June 2014. (G21D Photo) When my wife and I were in Baltimore in 2005, the Red Sox were in town playing the Orioles. At one point during the game, the Red Sox player walked up to the plate and tapped the catcher on the shoulder in a gesture of recognition. I remember telling my wife about it later. The two players were Johnny Damon and Sal Fasano . Both players came up in the Royals system and played together there. I found it cool and interesting, especially because I'd seen Fasano play years before, when my dad and I frequented Cedar Rapids Kernels games in 1994. Fasano played that year for the Rockford Royals , winning the league's MVP . I mention all this because I had the opportunity to cross paths with Fasano again unexpectedly this past weekend. Fasano, with his distinctive mustache, served as the fill-in manager for the New Hampshir...
Read more

Chris Sparrow came back from slump with home run at Utica; Played two pro seasons

-
Image
Chris Sparrow had his first big game in a while in this July 1990 contest for Utica as he went 2 for 4, with a home run, The Elmira Star-Gazette wrote . "I just haven't been in a groove," Sparrow explained to The Star-Gazette afterward. "I hurt my right knee earlier and after coming back, I've been 0-for-12. But maybe this will get me out of the slump." Sparrow ended up coming back to hit .281 on the year, but it wasn't enough. That year marked his second pro season, but also his last . He topped out at short-season. Sparrow's career began in 1989, signed by the Braves as a free agent out of the University of North Carolina-Asheville. Sparrow played summer 1989 with the American Legion team in his hometown of Kernersville. He hit a three-run home run in an August game.  With the Braves, Sparrow played at rookie Idaho Falls . That July, he hit a fastball out for a home run off Salt Lake starter Tom Studstill, The Salt Lake Tribune wrote . "Th...
Read more

Willie Canate made one ML season, also saw World Series

-
Image
New Blue Jay Willie Canate wasn't expecting to play in this July 1993 game, but, in the end, he helped his team win, The Associated Press wrote . Canate came off the bench due to injury to tie the game with a single early and then hit his first major league home run to win the game late, The AP wrote . "I was happy because the start wasn't anticipated," Canate told The AP , through an interpreter. "I'm just thrilled to death to be able to help the team win. Hopefully this will lead to more opportunities to play." Canate did get some more opportunities to play, including one brief appearance later that year in the World Series. But his major league career proved confined to that single season. Canate's career began in 1989, signed by the Indians as a free agent out of his native Venezuela . Canate started with the Indians in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He moved to short-season Watertown for 1990 and then single-A Columbus and high-A Kinston in 1...
Read more

A to Z: 1990 Minor League Players, Baseball Profiles

-
Image
What happened to your favorite minor league team in 1990? Find out here. Since late 2009, the players of 1990 have been featured at Greatest21Days.com, one at a time. Here, they've been ordered here alphabetically.  Every player has a story. With the help of contemporaneous newspaper articles, find that story here. Most recent players added Aug. 16, 2025 List of 1990 minor league players featured, in alphabetical order: Total: 4,457 A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z A  -  Bill Abare  got big hit at Dunedin, saw three pro seasons, 10/31/13  -  Glenn Abbott  saw bigs over decade, later turned coach, 7/27/14  -  Kurt Abbott 's first ML hit went for homer, saw 9 seasons, 3/22/15  -  Kyle Abbott  saw time in four major league seasons, Japan, 10/4/17  -  Paul Abbott  returned from injuries, made 11 ML seasons, 5/23/11 ...
Read more

Features from the 1990 minor league sets (By Date)

-
Image
What happened to your favorite minor league team in 1990? Find out here. Since late 2009, the players of 1990 have been featured at Greatest21Days.com, one at a time. Here, they've been ordered here by the date published, newest first.  Every player has a story. With the help of contemporaneous newspaper articles, find that story here. Most recent players added July 13 ,  2025 Features in order of when the y appeared: July 2025 Trenidad Hubbard  dreamed, made bigs over 10 seasons,  7/13/25 Glenn Davis  got help, went from tough youth to ML star, 7/12/25 Matt Rambo   had jitters early, saw 5 seasons, AA, injury, 7/9/25 Bryan Foster  improved enough for 5 pro seasons, high-A, 7/6/25 T.J. Lucin  hoped to be FMLBBP, saw 2 seasons, single-A, 7/5/25 Edwin Valentin  saw 3 seasons, single-A, from Puerto Rico, 7/1/25 June 2025 Perry Berry  saw 4 seasons, high-A, went into education , 6/30/25 Jorge Pineda  made perfect throw, played one pr...
Read more

Julio Valera made 5 bigs seasons with 'dastardly dip' slider

-
Image
Once a Mets starting prospect, Julio Valera now found himself with the Angels. He also found himself thrust into a game, unsure exactly how to handle relief duties. "After the first pitch," Valera told The Los Angeles Times in April 1992, "I said to myself, 'This is just another game. Go right at them.' After that, I got my fastball over and all my pitches over." Valera had just been traded to the Angels earlier that month by a Mets team that had grown wary of his arm . Signed by the Mets in 1986 as a free agent out of Puerto Rico, Valera developed, by one account , a slider with a "dastardly dip." Three seasons in the low minors gave way in 1989 to promotion to AA Jackson and a taste of AAA Tidewater. He returned to Tidewater for 1990, making his Mets debut as a September call-up. In six innings, Valera gave up five hits and three runs, a quality start that had the Mets impressed, according to the New York Times . ''...
Read more

1990 Wichita Wranglers player profiles, AA San Diego

-
Image
Features on each member of the 1990 Wichita Wranglers, AA affiliate of the San Diego Padres, as included in that year's team set. Wichita Wranglers (28) Andy Benes  made the Olympics, then bigs over 14 seasons Ricky Bones  used luck, opportunity over 11 majors seasons Doug Brocail  saw 15 major league campaigns, later coached Rafael Chaves  made AA as player, bigs as coach, cried Brian Cisarik  hit well in college, played 5 pro seasons Wichita Wranglers mascot  Cookie  had versatile performers Greg David  learned pro realities over 8 seasons, made AA Todd Hansen  knew he had to pitch well in 1987 start; Saw pros over seven seasons, made AA , 10/20/20 Jeremy Hernandez  moved from starting to relief and then made the bigs over five seasons , 3/30/20 Charlie Hillemann  made AAA, later decided to quit baseball, go home and be a dad , 11/2/20 Rich Holsman  liked to play the game, did so over five seasons; Made AA , 10/30/20 Mike Hum...
Read more