The infielder attracted a heavy amount of controversy in 2013.
The JV1 era in Queens is over. According to multiple reports, Jordany Valdespin has been non-tendered by the Mets. Valdespin wasn't arbitration-eligible until 2016, but it appears the Mets wanted to be rid of him.
One of the more colorful Mets in recent memory, Valdespin made a big impression on Mets fans on May 7th, 2012, when he hit a tie-breaking three-run homer against Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth inning, the first of his career. Valdespin would be up and down the rest of the season, finishing with a .241/.286/.424 line.
2013 turned out to be a miserable season for Valdespin. After struggling mightily to begin the season, he hit a solo homer against the Pirates on May 10, 2013, in a 7-3 Mets loss. The homer came in the ninth inning with the Mets down 7-2, and Valdespin admired it.
The next day, Valdespin was sent up to pinch-hit in the seventh inning. He reportedly tried to get out of pinch-hitting in fear of being beaned, but his attempts were unsuccessful. Valdespin went to bat and was promptly plunked by Pirates reliever Bryan Morris.
His season only went down from there. After finishing June 16 with a .592 OPS, Valdespin received only sporadic playing time over the next month before being demoted to Triple-A Vegas. That did not sit well with Valdespin, who asked instead to be placed on the disabled list and called manager Terry Collins a "cocksucker."
Valdespin would see his 2013 end prematurely as he was given a 50-game suspension for PED use on August 5. The Mets reinstated him in late September but did not give him any at-bats. He finished the season with a .188/.250/.316 line in 144 plate appearances.
He is the third Met to be non-tendered today, after Scott Atchison and Omar Quintanilla.
