9-News: 43.003 – Valle Takes 2nd Nebraska in Three Years

[RonCo]

Off Topic

November 12, 2042: Yellow Springs – It became official today, Carlos Valle was named the Frick League’s Steve Nebraska Award winner after posting a scintillating 3.10 ERA and 3.56 FIP (72 FIP-) to go with his 21-6 record.

The 29-year-old also won the award in 2041, and was second to Long Beach’s Danya Tchekanov last season.

“Carlos is a magnificent pitcher who is in the prime of his career,” said pitching coach Alberto Sanchez. “He’s a total gamer. One of those guys you just give the ball to and let him do his thing.”


Is Valle The Best Ever?

Fans Focus
on History

Valle started 38 games last year as the team toggled between four-man and five-man rotations. As a result he threw a career-high 226 innings. As Sanchez says, however, the veteran has certainly been a workhorse, though, with over 200 innings to his credit each of his seven full seasons. Valle’s career record stands at 129-54. If he stays healthy and plays out the remaining five seasons on his contract, it’s not unreasonable to think the club could be seeing the first 200 win pitcher in franchise history.

“He’s probably the best pure pitcher the team has even seen,” said Melissa Lester, one of the two Voices of the Nine. “Maybe LaLoosh was more overpowering at times, and maybe Chavez would have been there without that early injury. But Carlos Valle is so steady out there. He’s very cerebral in his approach. He doesn't throw as hard as some of the other guys, but he's surgical. You can see him thinking and working with his catcher. The dynamic he had with (rookie) Jesus Rodriguez was almost electric. When he's on, he's just always on the edges. ”

“I’m not sure I can agree with all of that,” Valle said about Lester’s comments. “I think we’re going to see the team give Chavez a Hall of Fame moment on opening day. With luck, I’ll be pitching that one. That says enough. I’ve got a lot of work to do to be talked about in the same breath as those two.”