Mike Brita, a Dodgers scout since 1978, found him in Etchohuaquila, Mexico (population 857 in 2020), roughly 1,000 miles northwest of Mexico City. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, Best coffee city in the world? Valenzuela played 11 of his 17 years in the major leagues with Los Angeles. The prices shown are the lowest prices available for Fernando Valenzuela the last time we updated. According to teammate Mike Scioscia, Fernando and many Dodger players watched Stewart, who was a former Dodgers player, throw the no-hitter on TV. Fernando Valenzuela's age is 62. He pitched and played some first base when he wasn't on the mound before making another brief comeback in 1993 with the Baltimore Orioles. In addition to his dominance on the mound, Valenzuela's unusual and flamboyant pitching motionincluding a glance skyward at the apex of each wind-updrew attention of its own. He is married and has three daughters. Fernando Valenzuela Price List - Supercollector Catalog Supercollector Catalog Fernando Valenzuela Price List Last publish date: Oct 2022 Note: even though this may be a recent publish, I sell through different avenues. Retiring numbers is nonsense player worship. Fernandomania @ 40 is a multi-episode documentary series that examines star pitcher Fernando Valenzuelas impact on the Dodgers, Major League Baseball and the Latino community in Los Angeles 40 years ago. Leading up to the celebration Sunday of Valenzuelas landmark rookie season, there were renewed pleas for the franchise to make an exception to its arbitrary policy of retiring only the numbers of Hall of Famers. Now that the Dodgers have made an exception for Valenzuela, there could be other players who did not make the Hall of Fame to consider - like Orel Hershiser (55) or Steve Garvey (6). Valenzuela deserves a place alongside him. We embrace lesser prophets such as Julio Uras and Victor Gonzalez, key pitchers from last years championship Dodgers squad, with the resignation that theyre not the One. As of the mid-2000's the family lived in Valencia. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda started Valenzuela, awakening him from a slumber to give him the news. It was beyond imagining that Fernando could have made it from this town. Watch a YouTube clip from May 8, 1981, in which Valenzuela was about to finish off a seven-hit, 11-strikeout shutout against the host New York Mets. Four decades have passed since a 20-year-old screwball-throwing left-hander from Etchohuaquila, Mexico, named Fernando Valenzuela captivated the baseball world when he began the 1981 season by winning his first eight starts for the Dodgers. "To be a part of the group that includes so many legends is a great honor," Valenzuela said. Maybe new management will change this policy. And so he became the first Dodgers rookie to start on Opening Day and the first pitcher since Lefty Grove to make his first big-league start on Opening Day.. The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Saturday that legendary pitcher Fernando Valenzuela will have his No. He won his first eight starts (five of them shutouts). Copyright 2023 by City News Service, Inc. All Rights Reserved. while Jaime Jarrn was still active with the team, while the next Dodger to have his number retired might be an open question. Only a handful of pitchers in major league history have thrown the screwball with regularity. He is 62 years old and is a Scorpio. Fernando Valenzuela (Spelled Fernand on Front) [Good to VGEX] 2 from. In 1988, a year in which the Dodgers won the World Series, he won just five games and missed much of the season, despite not being on the postseason roster, he still earned a second World Series ring. My apologies if I end up being sold out of something I have listed. TV ratings spiked, too. In the last month of the season, Valenzuela helped the Dodgers to a tie with the Houston Astros for the National League Western Division lead, pitching 17.mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}23 scoreless innings of relief over the course of ten games, during which he earned two wins and a save. Funny enough, Dodgers fans have been calling for Fernando to have his jersey retired for years. I cannot believe that I actually have to write this sentence: Jackie Robinson was not a Met. But that misses the point of Fernandomania. The Los Angeles Dodgers invited him to spring training in 1999, but he declined the offer.[28]. SUMMARY Career WAR They didnt have to wait long. All Rights Reserved. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Watch the first installment of Fernandomania @ 40 on April 8, he signed with the California Angels in 1991 for a two-game stint, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits. Why doesnt someone else arise to become a national icon on the level of Valenzuela? we ask ourselves. The Dodgers won each. Im sitting here trying to think of another player that had an era named after him. He currently resides in Mexico. LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers will retire the number 34 in honor of pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, the team announced Saturday. This person has established a folksy presence in a second act where the majority of fans notice when hes not around. How much money is Fernando Valenzuela worth at the age of 62 and whats his real net worth now? During a 17-year baseball . The Dodgers won the title in seven games. 1981 Topps Baseball Complete Near Mint 726 Card Set. He made being a lefthander cool, says Gustavo Arellano, a Los Angeles Times columnist of Mexican heritage. Dodgers pitchers are hesitant to use the PitchCom device to call their own pitches. He beat out Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton and Nolan Ryan for that prize. Shop COMC's extensive selection of fernando valenzuela baseball cards from 1988. Hernandez grew up in South Pasadena and graduated from UCLA in 2002, after which he worked at the San Jose Mercury News for five years. And it felt good. Dodgers rookie Zach McKinstry, known as Z-Mac to teammates, hits a two-run home run and doubles in a run in a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals. Scorpio is ruled by Pluto, the planet that governs both destruction and transformation. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? Fernando Valenzuela net worth: Fernando Valenzuela is a Mexican former professional baseball player who has a net worth of $6 million dollars. and is the author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America. Hes the child of two Mexican immigrants, one of whom came to this country in the trunk of a Chevy. He suffered a severe arm injury in 1988, and he could never pitch the same again. Early in his major league career, Valenzuela had trouble communicating with his catchers because he spoke very little English. Sooner or later, it has to be properly recognized. In a 2-0 opening-day victory over the Houston Astros, Valenzuela pitched a complete game. Start Your Booking Request Now. The team is confident in Jason Heyward. If there is any true honor is should be in a player being able to wear a past players number. Valenzuela threw three balls to Uscanga to fall behind in the count and then threw three straight strikes to strike out the batter. Why is Fernando Valenzuela famous? The children of Valenzuelas fans, and now even their children, have become Dodgers fans. So, of course #34 should be retired. [9] Despite having recently shown flashes of his former self, he was unceremoniously released by the Dodgers just prior to the 1991 season. Wheat remains the forgotten Dodger and its long past time for the team to reconnect with its past. Contact Fernando Valenzuela's booking agent for speaker fees, appearance requests, endorsement costs, and manager info or Call AthleteSpeakers at 800-916-6008. . Many of these residents were Mexican Americans, who became embittered and remained cool to the Dodgers for decades afterward. A John the Baptist who made way for more Latinos in professional baseball. Arellano, who grew up in Southern California, was a toddler during the summer of Fernandomania. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Well just have to wait and see for ourselves. That left only Fernando Valenzuela. [15] The Dodgers felt that Valenzuela needed to learn to throw an off-speed pitch, so they had Dodgers pitcher Bobby Castillo teach him to throw the screwball before the 1980 season. Name one other player in L.A. history that was so omnipresent, so community galvanizing, soL.A.! Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela speaks during a news conference in 2018. In addition to calling games, Jarrn served as Valenzuelas interpreter at news conferences, which gained him exposure in other markets and, by extension, the electorate of the Hall of Fames Ford C. Frick Award. Valenzuela was discovered in 1977 by Los Angeles scout Corito Varona while playing in the Mexican League. With Daniel Hudson likely not ready for opening day with right ankle tendinitis, lets look at the Dodgers bullpen and the potential group that will start the regular season in relief. "He was an extremely important person in the history of baseball.. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. They never show their cards, and their enigmatic nature is what makes them so seductive and beguiling. [7] However, for the remainder of Valenzuela's Dodgers career, his pitching efforts were rendered less effective, largely due to nagging shoulder problems. Lift them up above your head while glimpsing toward heaven. Adagio Overview; Examples (videos) Valenzuela was just an affirmation of who we were becoming. [35], On October 25, 2017, Valenzuela threw the first pitch at Game 2 of the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium, introduced by recently retired announcer Vin Scully, and joined by Steve Yeager. Your Location: Home; Speaker View; Travels From. He finished 2nd in the Cy Young voting and won his only Gold Glove. He not only perfected it, he developed three different versions of the mystical pitch, which often baffled big-league batters because few pitchers used it. On the days Valenzuela pitched, the Dodgers played Mexican folk music over the public address system and prepared Mexican cuisine in the media dining room. Odds & lines subject to change. Nonetheless, Jarrn said, logically, the talent would have emerged sooner or later.. Valenzuela finished with a record of 137 and had a 2.48 ERA; the season was shortened by a player's strike. Latest on Tijuana midfielder Fernando Valenzuela including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN Of course they dropped the ball when presented with a perfect opportunity to officially remove Fernando Valenzuelas No. OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY Valenzuela City Quezon City Antipolo City Cabanatuan Pampanga Veritas et Misericordia Name: John Luis M. Nicdao Date: Nov. 26, 2021 Program: BS Pharmacy Section: 1-Y1-5 Session 10 & 11: What is Misericordia? He further internationalized the player pool. He rose to prominence in the Major Leagues . (Dont do that to us, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla). In addition to his U.S. major league career, Valenzuela pitched for three seasons in the Mexican League and several more during the winter in the Mexican Pacific League. Answer (1 of 7): For all his fame, Fernando Valenzuela didn't have a HOF career, and it was probably his 1986 season that did it. Los Angeles, Lakers playoff hopes take another hit after comeback fades vs. Minnesota, Ducks strike with a pair of late power-play goals to defeat Canadiens, With Norman Powell out, Clippers are edged at Sacramento for fifth loss in a row, Harvard-Westlakes Bryce Rainer fires out 92-mph fastballs in first start since 2021, UCLAs senior trio has persevered in restoring Bruins to national prominence. Former Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela looks skyward during his windup, a delivery he made famous in the 1980s. His best seasons were 1981, his rookie year, and 1986, when he led the National League with 21 wins and had a league-leading 20 complete games. [34], On October 26, 2010, ESPN broadcast a documentary commemorating Valenzuela's arrival with the Dodgers titled Fernando Nation as part of their 30 for 30 documentary series. I'm happy for all the fans and all the people who have followed my career. Fernandomania came at the perfect decade. Fernando Valenzuela was born on November 1, 1960. The Dodgers will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Fernandomania coming to Los Angeles today. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Continue to the next page to see Fernando Valenzuela net worth, estimated salary and earnings. Rookie cards, autographs and more. LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers announced on Saturday that the organization will retire Fernando Valenzuela 's No. In that year, Fernando went 21-11 in 34 starts with 20 complete games. The next season, when he was only 20, Valenzuela energized fans in Los Angeles, Mexico and throughout the big leagues with one of the more remarkable seasons in baseball history. The same applies. Valenzuela had a solid career, finishing with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1997. But Fernando Valenzuela wasnt our savior; the salvation all the time was us. On December 20, 2006, in Mexicali, BC, Mexico, Fernando Valenzuela was the starting pitcher for Los Aguilas de Mexicali in the last professional game of his career. While the plans to celebrate Fernando remain a mystery until right before game time, fans will no doubt pack out the stadium. Or maybe the team can reunite and keep this momentum going with a certain redheaded now-ex-third baseman who was not truly appreciated until he was gone once he finally decides to hang up his cleats. [8] He was on the Dodgers 1988 World Series championship team, but he did not play that postseason because of his ailing shoulder. Arguably, and honestly, I would probably say no. He purchased the Mexican League team Tigres de Quintana Roo in 2017. The Los Angeles Dodgers will retire Fernando Valenzuela 's No. And once again, a large crowd has come out full of the question, Is he for real? Scully told the television audience back home. [18], Prior to the 1982 season, Valenzuela became the first player to be awarded a $1 million salary in arbitration (equivalent to $2.81million in 2021).[22]. Fernando Valenzuela prices (Baseball Cards 1990 Fleer) are updated daily for each source listed above. Alternate titles: El Toro, Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea, Lecturer, Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin. Dante The Opera Artists; Dante Virtual Opera; Divine Comedy; About IOT. Gavin Newsom in an upcoming recall on the strength of the Mexican American male vote alone for how he helped the Bruins reach the Final Four. They also obscured a more egregious omission. In 2015, he was switched to the color commentator job on the Spanish-language feed of SportsNet LA.[29]. We were always proud of our heritage to varying degrees based on our assimilation or lack of. In rural Mexico, they would beat 'lefthanded-ness' out of you. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? By then, Fernandomania was in full swing. Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela delivers during a win over the Philadelphia Phillies on May 23, 1984. There Valenzuela led the Texas League with 162 strikeouts, finishing the season with a 139 winloss record and a 3.10 ERA.[17]. [23] In total, he went 31 in the postseason as he helped the Dodgers to their first world championship since 1965. Walk-up sales increased from 8,000 to 12,000 fans on nights Valenzuela pitched. Pitching for the Leones de Yucatn that year, Valenzuela went 1012 with a 2.49 ERA and 141 strikeouts. I havent attempted the windup in more than 30 years, but the move is muscle memory for me and thousands of my now-middle-aged peers, left-handers and right-handers alike. 107 Providencia, Tlhuac, Distrito Federal,Mexico. When he pitched, attendance rose dramatically at home and away games. This is sport, he told the Times in 2021. Chroniclers of the era frequently say that Latinos all of a sudden had a pride in who we were that wasnt quite there before Valenzuela joined the Dodgers, but thats false. Across his field of view are the Dodgers ' retired numbers 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 24, 32, 39, 42, 53. For some, his middling 173-153 won-loss record makes him an unworthy Hall of Fame candidate. Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea is a Mexican former Major League Baseball pitcher. What the Dodgers bullpen might look like on opening day. He has participated in two Tournament of Roses Paradesin 1983 aboard the float from the Government of Mexico and in 2008 aboard the Los Angeles Dodgers' float. Loaded with Stars Including George Brett, Nolan Ryan, Mike Schmidt, Yaz, Robin Yount, Pete Rose, Ozzie Smith and Many Others. And yet going back to the days of the Brooklyn Superbas and the Brooklyn Robins, this team has literal Hall of Fame-caliber players in a time when uniform numbers were not regularly used. / George Rose/Getty Images. Scorpios are extremely clairvoyant and intuitive. Buy from many sellers and get your cards all in one shipment! Dylan Hernndez is a sports columnist with the Los Angeles Times. Fernando Anguamea Valenzuela was a star left-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981, first rookie to win the Cy Young Award. He was most active throughout the '80s, when he became known as one of the better hitting pitchers of his era. Fernando Valenzuela has been working as a Director De Ventas at Impresora Coyoacan for 29 years. Fernando Valenzuela will celebrate 62nd birthday on a Tuesday 1st of November 2022. [32], As a show of respect, the Dodgers have unofficially kept Valenzuela's jersey number 34 out of circulation[33] and they named him as part of the initial class of "Legends of Dodger Baseball" in 2019. [6] Valenzuela was also one of the better hitting pitchers of his era. He led all pitchers in complete games (11), shutouts (8), innings pitched (192.1), and strikeouts (180). Latino, Hispanic, Latinx, Chicano: The History Behind the Terms. Fernando Valenzuela won the Rookie of the Year Award and the Cy Young Award in 1981, the first pitcher in Major League history to win both during the same season.. Fernando Valenzuela was the first Dodgers' pitcher to win a Silver Slugger Award after he bested all National League pitchers in 1981 (.250 / .262 / .281). In his next seven starts, Valenzuela completed every game, a rarity. Mexican pitcher who won the 1981 National League Cy Young award as a rookie, while helping lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a World Series Championship amidst the era known to Angelenos as Fernandomania.. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. His screwball was proof enough that we could beat all competitors on our terms without losing our mexicanidad. I tried to do my best so they can have a good game, a nice day in the park.. I dont know what the Dodgers are thinking, but Id be happy if somebody was wearing that number. To register for a subscriber-only screening of the first episode of The Times Fernandomania @ 40 documentary series Thursday, visit latimes.com/fernandoat40. But even if the team cannot be bothered to honor its history, which is fine because I can whip this letter out as long as necessary to get my way, then the Dodgers can finally make some additions to its Legends of Dodger Baseball wing, which currently includes Maury Wills, Steve Garvey, Don Newcombe, Fernando Valenzuela, and Kirk Gibson. The number will be retired during a special three-day celebration Aug. 11-13, when the Dodgers host the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Prior to the 1986 season, he signed a contract worth $5.5 million over three years (equivalent to $13.6million in 2021), then the wealthiest contract for a pitcher in baseball history. He became the first, and only player to win both Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season.[5]. Los Angeles Dodgers scout Mike Brito had gone to a game in Mexico to evaluate a shortstop named Ali Uscanga. [21] During his warm-up routine at Dodger Stadium, the PA system would play ABBA's 1976 hit song Fernando. The remainder of his big league career was spent with the California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, and St. Louis Cardinals. I asked about this years ago in regards to Don Newcombes 36. Birthday: November 1, 1960 How Old - Age: 62. Fernando Valenzuela was born on November 1, 1960 and is 62 years old now. His importance to the Dodgers, in particular, was critical to the point that former owner Walter OMalley imagined him before he existed. If I were to offer a suggestion to the team, it should basically copy what was done in. [18] He started the season 80 with five shutouts and an ERA of 0.50. 0; Valenzuela's rise to major league prominence began in September 1980, when he was called up from the minor leagues by the Dodgers. In addition to his skills on the mound, Valenzuela also displayed much better offensive skills than most pitchers. While the plans to celebrate Fernando remain a mystery until right before game time, fans will no. what is fernando valenzuela doing now. Today's Fernando is a fun-loving grandfather with a dry sense of humor and perfect comedic timing. Tony Gonsolin made his spring debut, the Dodgers batters walked 10 times, and they came out of Tempe with a 2-2 tie against the Angels. During that moment, as still photographs showed, Valenzuelas eyes rolled back into his head. View All Result . Miguel Vargas isnt allowed to swing a bat yet but still keeps walking, and Walker Buehler started a throwing program as he rehabs from elbow surgery. This is the Fernando we remember because wed rather not remember his fall. [10], Fernando Valenzuela, the youngest of twelve children, was born in Etchohuaquila, a small town within the municipality of Navojoa in the state of Sonora, Mexico. But should he be added to the Legends of Dodger Baseball wing? "The Dodgers lucked out," Arellano says of Brita's discovery. Fernandomania? On Monday 7 March, 2005, he called Mickey Haller to tell him about a new client . Fernando Valenzuela is a former Major League Baseball(MLB) pitcher born on 1st November 1960, in Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Fernando is originated from Mexico. Dodgers homenajea a Fernando Valenzuela en Dodger Stadium. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 61 years old? Corrections? His No. Kids at Aldama Elementary School in Highland Park spell out Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuelas name during the 1980s, the height of Fernandomania. Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea (Spanish pronunciation:[fenando alenswela], born November 1, 1960) is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. The ratings for the Dodgers Spanish language broadcasts more than doubled when he pitched. The. Valenzuela was the first pitcher to accomplish both feats in the same season. Los Angeles, A $150,000 executive protection dog? MLB. "Unheard of," Dodgers broadcaster Jaime Jerrin told the Times. While he played for six MLB teams, his longest tenure was with the Los Angeles Dodgers. If it had happened in the 1970s, there wouldnt have been enough Latinos in Southern California to turn Valenzuela into the sacrament he became. He improved slightly in 1989 and went 1013; he posted a 1313 record in 1990. Valenzuela retired from baseball after the 1997 season. Or Why the Dodger should continue to solidify their past while building their future. [41] One of Valenzuela's sons, Fernando, Jr., played in the San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox organizations as a first baseman. The young southpaw would come out of nowhere to absolutely dominate en route to a Rookie of the Year award and a Cy Young. The Dodgers take on the Nationals in the final game of the series on Sunday afternoon. We didnt need to subscribe to the victim narratives too long attached to us in the Southland and beyond by outsiders and ourselves alike. LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers will retire the number 34 in honor of pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, the team announced Saturday. Author of. Fernando Valenzuela prices (Baseball Cards 1991 Donruss) are updated daily for each source listed above. As Fernandomania was taking off, Mike Littwin, then a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, visitedthe pitcher's hometown. Now, more than 40% of the teams fans are Latino. "He meant everything to a community that was thirsting for a hero, Arellano says. Valenzuela is a legend in the world of baseball. They were blown away. Mike Scioscia, after being called up as a rookie, made the effort to learn Spanish and eventually became Valenzuela's "personal catcher" with the Dodgers before becoming the full-time catcher. Available for. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Impresora Coyoacan. Through the 1986 season, he was 99-68 with a 2.94 earned-run average, 84 complete games and 24 shutouts. Los Angeles Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela #34 White Jersey - SGA Men's Size XL MLB $44.95 $7.95 shipping Brand New Los Angeles Dodgers #34 Fernando Valenzuela Throwback 2patch Jersey G $59.81 to $59.82 $9.99 shipping FERNANDO VALENZUELA LOS ANGELES DODGERS COOL BASE JERSEY 2X 3X 4X NEW $124.99 $8.99 shipping 4 watching Fernando Valenzuela went on to pitch 11 years for the Dodgers (1980-1990). Valenzuela was called up to the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen in September 1980. Valenzuela made the Dodgers the team of a community that once viewed the franchise with suspicion. To see him dominate in the American pastime showed we could win in this country as unapologetic mexicanos too. He previously worked at OC Weekly, where he was an investigative reporter for 15 years and editor for six, wrote a column called Ask a Mexican! Valenzuela was considered an atypically good hitter for a pitcher. Absolutely. Mexican pitcher who won the 1981 National League Cy Young award as a rookie, while helping lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a World Series Championship amidst the era known to Angelenos as "Fernandomania.". This button displays the currently selected search type. Prior to that they lived in Van Nuys. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. The craze surrounding Valenzuela came to be known as "Fernandomania". Raymond, looks like Dodgers have a problem with respect for former players who gave good years to team. Fernando Valenzuela (born November 1, 1960) is famous for being baseball player. Omissions? By mid-May, he was 8-0 with an earned run average of 0.50. Valenzuela had the best period of his career from 1981 to 1986. During his rookie season, Valenzuela batted .250 and struck out just 9 times in 64 at-bats, and he was the recipient of the National League's Silver Slugger Award for pitchers. The parable we should tell new generations about it is this: Once upon a time, a young man appeared and helped a long-neglected people get to the Promised Land. A year later, he was sent to the Guanajuato Tuzos of the Mexican Central League, posting a 56 winloss record with a 2.23 earned run average (ERA). ICQA, Returns Function Manager at Techstyle, Inc. by But its entertainment for the fans. Twice while with the Dodgers, Valenzuela was called upon to play outfield and first base in marathon extra-inning games in which he did not pitch. It was as if the elaborate windup of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela was already within us.