MIDLAND, MI — If his father isn't too old to dream, there isn't any reason for Jesmuel Valentin to give up on his dreams.
Valentin, 20, leads the Great Lakes Loons in runs scored with 33 and triples with three entering Friday's game against the South Bend Silver Hawks.
It is his second season with the Loons, a Single A franchise of the Los Angeles Dodgers, although he spent some time in 2013 with the Ogden Raptors.
But even though he dreams of wearing a Dodgers uniform at some point, he does, at times, cheer for the San Diego Padres.
"My dad's dream is to manage in the Major Leagues," Valentin said. "It's kind of our dream to be in the Majors together on the same team."
Valentin's father, Jose Valentin, played 16 years in the Major Leagues as a power-hitting middle infielder. The 44-year-old Valentin spent most of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers, but also spent time with the Chicago White Sox, New York Mets and Dodgers.
His best season came in his next-to-last year in the Majors when he hit .271 with 18 homers for the New York Mets.
Last season, Jose Valentin managed the Fort Wayne TinCaps in the Midwest League, giving the father a chance to compete against the son.
"They swept us, but we had dinner after the first two games ... they threw a no-hitter against us in the second game," Jesmuel Valentin said. "It was a good series for him. In the third game, I got a couple hits so he was pretty happy. He won, and I got a few hits.
"It wasn't hard playing against my dad. He was trying to win. I was trying to win. He didn't do anything different. We talked about baseball, just general things."
This season, Jose Valentin is a coach for the San Diego Padres. Thanks to the different time zones, Valentin is able to watch his son play in the internet before the Padres play.
Jose Valentin's advice is paying off. His son is hitting .268 and is on a nice streak. In six of his last seven starts, Valentin has reached base at least twice in each game.
In Thursday's loss, Valentin reached base in all four at-bats via single, walk, error and strikeout-wild pitch. Valentin has moved to the leadoff spot in the last three games.
"I just try to stay focused with each at-bat, even if I go 0-for-5 the night before," Valentin said. "That's the big difference, focusing on getting a quality at-bat each time.
"I don't really approach it any differently when I'm leading off. The only difference is I might take a few more pitches for the other guys to see. I need to get on base for the 2-3-4 hitters. They're the big guys. I need to be on base for them to knock me in. That's their job."
The Dodgers took Valentin in the first round of the 2012 Major League draft out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy. The first pick of the draft, Carlos Correa, was Valentin's double-play partner at shortstop for the academy.
Baseball America ranked Valentin as the Dodgers' No. 22 prospect entering the 2014 season.
Valentin, the 51st pick overall in the draft, had committed to play for Louisiana State University, but opted instead to sign with the Dodgers.
"My dad was happy because I signed with a team he played for," Valentin said. "It does help a little having your dad be a baseball player. It gives you a little extra maturity going in. You know what to expect.
"But it still comes down to your own hard work and ability."
