Phillies Notes: Phillies add Valentin in Roberto Hernandez deal

SAN FRANCISCO - Whatever the Phillies could pull from Los Angeles for Roberto Hernandez, a player who had no part in the team's long-term plan, qualified as a bonus. The first such player, Jesmuel Valentin, has good baseball bloodlines as a high draft pick two summers ago.

He, like any single-A player, is a long shot. Valentin was identified as one of two players to be named later from the Dodgers for Hernandez; the other will be a pitcher announced sometime in the next two weeks.

"He was kind of at the top of the ticket anyway, and then we saw him play a few more games this last week just to reinforce what we had seen," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "We liked him."

The son of former major-league infielder Jose Valentin will become single-A Clearwater's second baseman. The 20-year-old batted .280 with a .779 OPS and 24 stolen bases in 108 games at single-A Great Lakes. The Dodgers selected him 51st overall in 2012. He is regarded for his defense; his limited offensive skills could make him a utility player.

Baseball America ranked him as the Dodgers' 22d best prospect entering 2014. Amaro said scout Jesse Levis recommended Valentin.

The second player has not yet been announced because the Phillies are reviewing medical information. He, like Valentin, will come from the low minors.

Kyle Kendrick did not wish to answer questions Saturday after he stormed off the field in a 6-5 loss, but he apologized Sunday for a perceived slight against Ryne Sandberg.

He spoke with his manager about the situation Sunday and stressed there was no animosity at his teammates for defensive miscues.

"I didn't want to come out of the game," Kendrick told reporters. "I wasn't trying to show up Ryno or nothing. I didn't try to. That wasn't my intention. I was just upset. I wanted to get where nobody could see me as quickly as possible."

He added: "I didn't handle it right. That wasn't very professional of me."

Jesse Biddle strained his right quadriceps during his Saturday start at double-A Reading. "We don't think it's serious," Amaro said. Biddle attempted to pitch through the injury. He walked four and hit a batter in 32/3 innings.

Amaro offered a blunt assessment of his team's defense in Saturday's loss. "It was terrible," he said. "Plain and simple, it was embarrassing." . . . Ryan Howard's .373 slugging percentage is just two points better than Ben Revere's .371.