One On One With Dave Valle
EVERETT, WA - AquaSox skipper Dave Valle may be in his first season at the helm, but he is no stranger to professional baseball. With over thirty-five years of experience on the field, in the broadcast booth, and in the dugout, the former catcher for the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and Texas Rangers has dedicated his life to learning and now teaching the game he loves. Valle is also familiar with the Northwest League, as he made his professional debut with the Bellingham Mariners after he was selected in the second round of the 1978 Draft by Seattle. Valle made his Major League debut for Seattle September 7, 1984, at the age of 23. Over the course of his 13-year career, Valle played in 970 games, accumulating 658 hits, good for a .237 career average, along with 77 home runs and 350 runs batted in. Valle was also known for his defense, posting a career fielding percentage of .992. Valle's best season came in 1993, when he hit .258 with 13 homers and 63 RBI. That season, Valle also caught Chris Bosio's no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox at the Kingdome on April 22. Following his retirement before the 1997 season, Valle transitioned from the dugout to the broadcast booth, working as a color commentator for the Mariners' television and radio broadcasts, co-host of pre and post game shows, and an analyst on the MLB Network over the last 14 years. Valle has also dedicated his time to Esperanza, a Christian development organization founded in 1995 by Valle and his wife, Victoria, to aid impoverished families in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Earlier this season, we sat down with the AquaSox manager to talk about his decision to return to the dugout, the challenges of Minor League Baseball, and his charitable work.
Game Day: What do you like about managing? What made you want to get into it at this point in your life?
Dave Valle: I think I've always wanted to manage ever since I stopped playing, but I had other things I had made commitments to, like my family, and I didn't feel free to [manage] until my youngest was off to college. What I like? I like trying to lead young men, trying to help them understand who they are, help them understand what it means to be a professional baseball player, and earn a living at this great game that we play.
GD: What is it like returning to the NWL as a manager? Do you have any experiences from your time as a player that help you as a manager?
DV: [Playing in the NWL] was a great experience from me. I was 17-years-old, having come out of New York City, and landed in the Northwest. Just to be around the mountains and the outdoors was great. It was also a humbling experience. I hit .204 that year, so I know what some of my guys who are struggling are feeling. It's something you just have to fight through and not give up: show up every day, play, and keep trying to get better.
GD: What is unique about working with players at this level?
DV: I think the uniqueness is the fact that there is a lot of teaching going on. I think the first mistake that any manager at this level could make is to assume that these guys know everything. I think I've been very surprised at some of the things they don't know. It just reinforces the fact that I can't assume that they know it and I have to try to cover every inch, every facet of the game. So, whether it's base running, hitting, pitching, or catching, to not think that they know it, but to make sure that I say it.
GD: Obviously managing is different from broadcasting, but is there anything that has surprised you? Anything you weren't expecting when you returned to the dugout?
DV: I don't think anything has really been a big surprise. I kind of knew what was involved. I kind of counted the costs before I made the decision and I knew that it was going to be an all-in type of summer for me, being here early, staying here late; getting the reports done. Throughout the day it's really a never-ending process of trying to communicate and get these young men to understand what they need to do to be better.
GD: What has come easiest for you as a manager thus far and what has been toughest?
DV: The easiest thing is that I love to teach: I like talking and I like to communicate. The biggest challenge is probably not getting thrown out of a baseball game with some of the things that I've seen out on the field [laughs].
GD: You have dedicated much of your time after baseball to Esperanza. Can you tell us a little about why you founded the charity and what your mission is? Do you think it is important for baseball players to give back?
DV: I think the reason why is that I've been very blessed in my life and I believe that when you're blessed you should in return be a blessing for others. For my wife and I, having spent a number of years in the Dominican Republic, fallen in love with the country, and seen the great need that was out there, we felt like we wanted to come back and do something. As I signed my first multi-year deal with the Seattle Mariners, we remembered the commitment that we made back in 1985 to go back and try and do what we could. At times it feels like throwing a rock into the ocean or trying to put out an inferno with a water pistol. But we came to the realization that if we could help one person, would it be worth doing and the answer was a resounding yes. Over the last 20 years, we've been able to help hundreds of thousands of people break out of the cycle of poverty, so it's very rewarding. Why is it important? I believe that in this life if you've been blessed and you have abundance, then that abundance is not just for you to keep but to be able to share and have an impact on others
GD: Lastly, how are you enjoying your status as a local celebrity?
DV: I don't consider myself a celebrity. I've really loved being the manager of the Everett AquaSox. I feel like this is part of where I live. I live just 30 minutes from here so Everett is my community and to be here, to be managing the team and have that opportunity is another great blessing for me. I've been blessed through the game by playing, by broadcasting, and now by being back on the field and managing. I couldn't ask for anything more.