Up for auction "Arizona Diamondbacks" José Valverde Hand Signed BOWMAN Trading Card.

ES-6837

José Rafael Valverde (born

March 24, 1978) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has

played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB)

for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets. He is nicknamed "Papa Grande." Valverde

made his Major League Baseball debut in 2003 to help out when Arizona Diamondbacks closer

Matt Mantei was injured. He was named the National League Player of the Week on June 23, 2003.[2] For the season, he finished with 10

saves in 54 appearances. His ERA finished at 2.15 with 71 strikeouts in 50.1

innings pitched. Injured for most of the 2004 season, Valverde only managed to

appear in 29 games. He gained the Diamondbacks closer role after replacing Brian Bruney in 2005. He ended the season with a 2.44 ERA

and 15 saves in 61 games. Valverde had some troubles in June 2006, and

management sent him to the Diamondbacks' Triple-A affiliate,

the Tucson Sidewinders. He

returned to the closer role in early September 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 finalists for the DHL Delivery Man of the Year Award.[3]