Fernandomania will run wild again at Dodger Stadium this summer, as the Dodgers officially announced that Fernando Valenzuela’s number #34 will be retired during the team’s series with the Rockies on August 11-13. While the #34 jersey hasn’t been issued to another Dodgers player since Valenzuela departed following the 1990 season, the number hadn’t been ceremonially taken out of circulation due to the club’s unofficial policy of only retiring the numbers of players who had been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Valenzuela’s 17-year Major League career began with 11 seasons with Los Angeles from 1980-90, and he posted a 3.31 ERA over his 2348 2/3 innings in Dodger Blue. After appearing in 10 games as a reliever in 1980, Valenzuela’s spectacular 1981 campaign made him the only player to ever win a Rookie of the Year Award and a Cy Young Award in the same season. The Mexico native was a fan favorite everywhere, but in particular became a hero amongst the Mexican-American population in Southern California. Valenzuela’s time in L.A. saw him achieve three more top-five finishes in NL Cy Young voting, make six All-Star appearances, and win two World Series titles in 1981 and 1988.
More from Chavez Ravine…
- From one Mexican-born star pitcher to another, as Julio Urias is “100% focused on the field” as he heads into his final season before free agency. Urias told The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya and other reporters that his “representatives and [the Dodgers] will have their chance to talk,” but at the moment, “we have the WBC and then we have the season and so those are two things I’m focused on right now.” Between Urias’ track record and age (he’ll be 27 on Opening Day 2024), he projects to be one of the top free agents on the market next winter, and in line for a gigantic contract. The Dodgers are no strangers to paying big for premium talent, though clients of Urias’ agent Scott Boras generally end up testing the open market rather than signing extensions, so it remains to be seen whether or not the Dodgers can offer a big enough number to keep Urias in the fold.
- Most of Miguel Vargas’ experience in the minor leagues has come as a third baseman, but Los Angeles heads into the season planning to use Vargas mostly at second base, with Max Muncy instead manning the hot corner. The new rules limiting defensive shifts factored into the Dodgers’ decision, and GM Brandon Gomes also cited Vargas athleticism as a reason for his usage at this relatively (Vargas has played 28 games at second base in the minors) new position. “Vargas is our second- or third-fastest guy on the team, which is probably not appreciated at all,” Gomes told MLB.com’s Juan Toribio and other reporters. “So he’s also a good athlete. It’s more about getting him reps and getting his feel at second base. I think a combination of it all is really strong.” The Dodgers’ penchant for defensive flexibility means that Vargas and Muncy might change positions in some games, but Toribio writes that the team “rated Muncy very highly” as a third baseman last year. Public defensive metrics have traditionally been pretty split on Muncy’s work at either second or third base, though the new rules might indeed make third base the more logical spot for Muncy going forward.
Valenzuela has always been my favorite player. Happy to see him honored this way. He is not an overall HOF guy, but if ever there was a player who deserves a “team HOF” honor, it is Fernando.
Indeed, a very big INDEED MBMVP!!!
I was 20 at the start of the Fernandomania when the 80’s arrived, and it was a National Fiesta every time Fernando “El Toro” Valenzuela pitched and since there was no cable TV in most of Mexico’s households, people gathered in the plazas or outside any bar or pool place that carried a dish antenna and watched the game , sometimes there were crowds of 500-750 people blocking the streets ,it was really an event every 4th to 5th day in Mexico those first years of Fernando on the hill. BTW, El Toro went to just 1 WS, he was not on the postseason roster in 1988, but I remember the complete game he pitched, it was a duel and I believed that it was a 10 innings complete game and the Dodgers won it 5-4, I’m not checking it right now, just from the top of my knuckle head, and man, what kind of screw ball he had!!!!
I have a similar story. Back when cable was just starting, you couldn’t always catch games in The Bronx. There was, IIRC, a Friday night game in LA between Gooden & Valenzuela. The bars in the Bronx were blacked out So my friends and I drove into Manhattan to catch it at one of the bars that had cable. It was kind of an event, and the 2-0 made it worthwhile.
He fell off the ballot after only two years. He would have been a stronger case for the Hall if he’d quit after his Dodgers career. It was all those years of trying to fight his way back that cost him, which is sad since he had such a huge impact on the team if not all of baseball. My guess is he is inducted eventually on an Era Committee ballot, and no doubt the stat-heads will complain that he isn’t worthy.
I still think Fernando is more of a hall of famer then Scott Rolen
No argument there. Honestly I believe it’s at least partly a time zone thing and if Fernandomania had happened in New York or Boston instead of LA he might be in already.
The first thing Valenzuela would have to to make the HOF would be to show he was better than his contemporary, Dwight Gooden. The hey day for both guys was ages 19-26. For that period, Gooden beats him in almost every category.
Both guys went downhill after ag 26, but Gooden still out-performed him in those declining years. I like both guys, but I don’t think it that close (outside of Gooden’s drug problem).
This is where we should get into the criteria for induction, but I’m tired of bringing them up and having nobody care.
Fernando also threw a no-hitter (the same day Dave Stewart threw one!) and has been their long-time Spanish broadcaster.
Not directly related to the topic of the article, as it was only mentioned in passing, but is the new shift rules fully implemented? Meaning is it permanent, or are they going to go year by year like they have for the extra inning rule?
Great question. It is a rule change, so they are officially doing this for the long term. Rules can always change in the future, but my understanding is this not temporary to be reevaluated. It is for the long term.
Thanks for the info!
It is permanent, unless they decide separately to change the rules again for some reason. This is not a trial run.
Here’s the link for the article about new committee established for voting on Rule changes which affect “2023 & beyond:”
mlbtraderumors.com/2022/09/competition-committee-t…
Prior to this CBA MLB could set new rules but had to give notice one year ahead prior to forced implementation. That has been replaced by this new 11-person committee.
The three key players in 2023 for the Dodgers return to the post-season Gonsolin, Lux and Vargas. Will Gonsolin be healthy and elite or injured and regress. Will Lux handle the defense and will his hitting get better or worse? And is Vargas up to hitting MLB pitching over the course of the season? I am unsure on Gonsolin’s health but feel pretty confident on Lux and Vargas. Of course Urias has to handle the pressure of a quarter of a billion dollars rising on this season and Kershaw’s back is always in play, but I think this Dodgers team should win 95 games and we’ll see if the Padres upgrades and their own healthy Fernando will translate to more or less wins than that. Sure seems like both teams will make the post season along with Mets, Atlanta and Phillies, and one team only from NL Central.
An under the radar loss for Padres just occurred, too. Eguy Rosario broke his ankle and will be out for two months. Rosario was the one close prospect that Padres kept, he has speed, power and ability to hit for average, ability to play more than one position. Not needed unless someone gets injured, but they lose/defer a huge contingency plan or massive trade bait.
Eguy made it much easier for Padres to trade Estuary Ruiz for Josh Hader, who the Brew Crew later flipped for William Contreras in a three team swap.
95 games? LOL. Put down the crack pipe.
Take notice everybody: Neon Cop is an expert on crack pipes. And for good reason, what with all the drugs running through San Diego’s Gaslamp, East Village… heck pretty much anywhere in Downtown SD.
Not a Padres fan, dumdum. Try thinking for yourself?
The Dodgers are as much of a development powerhouse as low-budget teams like TB and CLE. They’re a team you can never count out on winning a ton of games each year, because they could probably fix the issue with a player already in the system.
How much woke-ism influenced this decision? Fernando was a lot of fun to watch, but 141 wins is hardly worth having your number retired. Who’s next? Hector Lopez? Odaalis Perez?
What is “woke-ism”?
It has no actual meaning. It’s one of those vague, empty concepts used to justify the biases you’ve already got.
purifying elixir
Being aware.
Hey! I make a lot of stupid comments on here, but yours may have topped all of mine combined, Milt.
@holycow, me as well. I understand a bit of what is behind the woke philosophy and this is not it……by a long shot. As a troll job, it is not even remotely funny….ick
Was 12 when Fernando lit it up. My Phillies were the first team to beat him if I remember correctly. thurmatttingly brought up the memories from the news about the crowds watching when he took the hill. That was great to remember….
He was on a HOF trajectory until his late 20’s hit… Valenzuela being honoured is awesome…
Holy Cow!1 hour ago
Hey! I make a lot of stupid comments on here, but yours may have topped all of mine combined, Milt.
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Dude, it won’t even be the stupidest thing Milt says today. Every single time the RS sign a Latino player, he claims it is only because they are Latino, and then says they are best friends with Cora.
Fernando put butts in the seats and electricity in the air. So Milt Pappas, that ain’t woke-ism, that’s smart business and a big moment in the history of baseball.
Dodgers should have done this 20 years ago. Whether “wokeism” had anything to do with the decision I couldn’t tell you, but as someone who grew up watching baseball in the 80″s I am confident it’s an honor he deserves. For that decade he was the Dodgers heart and soul. It’s a team honor, and this guy was the team.
Milt, Koufax had 165 wins and is in the HOF. Should he be there?
To Dodger fans, he’s very special.
I think this is the right thing to do.
I loved watching him pitch.
His impact on an entire community for one. An entire community was essentially eradicated from the very land that Dodger Stadium sits on, and though it’s been over 60 years now sine then, two generations of people were still, to say it mildly, miffed by the city and the organization. Fernando and his “mania” turned that all around. And then of course his impact during the short run. A spot start on opening day in the WC year of ‘81 began a pretty impressive run until injuries decimated him in the latter part of the decade. He certainly did not have a MLB HOF career, but as far as the city and the organization goes, it was a run on it’s own.
His impact on an entire community for one. An entire community was essentially eradicated from the very land that Dodger Stadium sits on, and though it’s been over 60 years now sine then, two generations of people were still, to say it mildly, miffed by the city and the organization. Fernando and his “mania” turned that all around. And then of course his impact during the short run. A spot start on opening day in the WC year of ‘81 began a pretty impressive run until injuries decimated him in the latter part of the decade. He certainly did not have a MLB HOF career, but as far as the city and the organization goes, it was a run on it’s own. Koufax on the other hand justifiably is in the HOF because of being other-worldly great in a significantly shorter timeframe.
Sorry for the double-post. Appp called server failure, etc.
Clearly you weren’t around for Fernandomania.
He’s just angry because he’s mainly remembered for being traded for Frank Robinson, Bruce Froemming denied him his perfect game, and his wife drove into the aretention pond.
miltpappas2 hours ago
How much woke-ism influenced this decision?
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Did you get beat up by some Latinos when you were a kid? I’ve never seen such a hatred for Latinos. I mean, I grew up in the Bronx, and no one cared enough to hate Latinos.
And comparing Valenzuela to Lopez and Perez is just stupid.
If you think “wokeism” is the only reason for the Dodgers to do this, then you definitely know nothing about Dodgers history, and are probably racist lmao
The Dodgers franchise wouldn’t be what it is today without Fernando. He wasn’t a HOF player, but he had HOF impact on that team. Automatically yelling “wokeism” every time a minority person gets recognized is a pretty fat L bro
Fernando was the man-do well deserved
I remember Valenzuela was left off the playoff roster in 88. Hershiser and Belcher were the main starters and Leary and Tudor made starts in the playoffs. I was surprised Fernando wasn’t starting because he was still a solid starter.
Sutton was left off, but he was in his 40’s and Ramon Martinez was left off. He was a very good young pitcher that would win 20 games a couple years later. Pedro’s brother was only 20 in 88.
Jaime Jarrín, many years ago, said something about how Fernando created more baseball fans than anyone ever, except for maybe Babe Ruth. Most of them Dodgers fans. When looked at through that lens, it becomes obvious why Stan Casten has been flooded with pleas from the community to do right by their hero. I think this was a no brainer & long overdue.
Felicidades, Toro
To those who may think Urías comments are a “Boras response,” I’d like you to look back at what Trea Turner said before the start of 2022. They all say that! Why? Because the only thing that 99.9% of ballplayers care about is maximizing their potential salary (except for maybe Kershaw). News flash: it’s their JOB!
So I do think Julio will hit the open market, unless Mark Walter and Andrew Friedman wake up tomorrow morning with the sudden urge to hand out $250 million. I do believe the Dodgers will eventually give him a competitive offer, as they did with Seager, once they gauge what other teams are willing to pay. If there were ever a man to break tradition for and give a long-term contract too, Julio would be the guy.
The problem is that Urias and Ohtani will be FAs at the same time, and the Dodgers are still over the Luxury Tax.
That’s not a problem. Trust me, in this market, they could easily afford both of them if they TRULY wanted to. Whether they want to is a whole ‘nother thing.
If it were me though, I’d prioritize Urías because he’s younger, presumably less expensive than Urías, and while I love Ohtani, there’s always the high risk/high reward that yes, he covers two roster spots, but depending on the injury, he could also cost you two roster spots as well.
I’m fully aware that they could afford both, but the way this offseason played out shows that there is significant concern for excalating Luxury Tax penalties.
While signing either wouldn’t be a problem in and of itself, the associated penalties would be (and picking up two contracts of that caliber would make it more difficult to duck back under to reset).
For properly constructed teams (like the Dodgers, and I would argue the DBacks make a more logical fit than the majority of the league), he lengthens the rotation and the lineup. He’s functionally a 14th bat, so losing him isn’t necessarily costing two roster spots if one spot doesn’t really exist for the majority of the league to begin with.
And he might not be guaranteed to be the #1 pitcher in both leagues, but he’s pretty comfortably in the #10-15 range at baseline. That’s REALLY valuable. I would hope the Dodgers focus on Urias and the maybe the DBacks could have just enough to offer.
The only ones concerned about the luxury tax are people who want the dodgers to stop improving
Sure I guess in that sense Ohtani makes up a ghost roster spot, but if Ohtani goes down with a severe injury (like lower half or back) and can’t perform the other job, that would still bring a technically 27-man roster down to 25 and the team does lose some of that competitive advantage. Plus, part of the reason Ohtani is so valuable is because the Angels basically have two players for the price of one. In an open market, he’d presumably get paid at a 1:1 ratio (two players for the price of two), and rightfully so, but that does in essence decrease some of the value he provides, at least from a baseball economics standpoint.
I agree, a 40-man roster constructed in the right way could navigate things but each year each roster has different strengths and lesser strengths. It definitely will be one of the more fascinating stories to watch this upcoming offseason.
Unless Ohtani makes 60-80M a year, you could argue whatever team he plays for is getting two players for one
More like 1.5 for one, depending on what he gets
Easy go with Urias. Give him a blank check!
Urias 27-28 yrs old hitting FA is going to get 7/$230 ++ and he won’t want to go back to a team in rebuild mode like LAD..
Saying LA is in a rebuild is simply not true; they have one of the highest rated farm systems (in spite of consistently drafting lower than others), and the kids have to play sometime and somewhere. It’s even better for LA that they’re replacing ~$20MM salaries with league minimum guys.
I don’t necessarily like seeing it, but there’s a ton that even Franchises without the ability to throw mass amounts of money around can learn from LA. No use complaining.
Henry Silvestre1 hour ago
Urias 27-28 yrs old hitting FA is going to get 7/$230 ++ and he won’t want to go back to a team in rebuild mode like LAD..
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I’m not a Dodger fan, but I still enjoy it when the haters come in here whining.
more like a competitive reset. Although as a Dodger fan, the fact that they weren’t going to spend much this offseason but stilll presumably won’t be able to get under the luxury tax for 2023 is a bit mind boggling
How do you think the Dodgers are rebuilding?
He doesn’t. Think, I mean.
Will never understand people that complain about what others celebrate; I wasn’t alive for Fernandomania nor am I a Dodgers fan, but if a team and the fans want to honor a player it’s not the place of a third party to state what should and shouldn’t be done.
Luis Gonzalez was definitely not a Hall of Famer, but the Diamondbacks retired his number to show their appreciation for a few big seasons/moments; it’s easy to argue Valenzuela as more deserving due to the mass hype he generated for one of the most storied Franchises.
I remember Fernandomania and it was alot of fun. Everyone liked him. This seems gimmicky to me and I’m sure people will disagree but there definitely was something special about him.
From 1981 to 1987, seven seasons, Fernando had 96 complete games, more than all of MLB, NL and AL, every single pitcher in 2021 and 2022 combined.
No sheet. That’s the way the game was then. Nothing I said has anything to do with pitchers in 2021 or 2022.
Valenzuela had 31 career shoutouts.
Compare that to
Wainwright 11
Verlander 9
Scherzer 5
Cole 3
Alcantara 3
So Valenzuela had as many shutouts as Wainwright, Verlander, Scherzer, Cole and Alcantara combined.
Kershaw is the active shutout leader. Valenzuela has more than twice as many and Kershaw, Verlander and Scherzer are all going to the MLB HOF.
Anyone who thinks Valenzuela does not belong in the “team HOF” has not studied his or her history.
Ah, the statistical cherry-picker
Valenzuela’s been in the Dodger organization for a long time as a player and respected broadcaster. Worthy of that honor, certainly.
The Dodgers rode Fernando’s arm hard in his early years, but who didn’t ride their horse back then. Threw a staggering amount of innings in his early 20’s. Shortened his peak,no doubt. Had his last AS season at age 25, his 6th straight selection.
Pitchers did pitch longer back in the 1980s, but even for that era Fernando really stood out.
1981-1987 innings pitched.
Every year Fernando was in the top five
Six of those seven years he was in the top three.
1981-1987 Complete games
Every year Fernando was in top four
Six of those seven years he was in the top two
1987 Shutouts
Every year Fernando was in the top nine
Five years of those seven he was in the top five
Valenzuela was amazing. If Fernando had been coddled like current stars such as Urias or Fried, he might have been really good for many more years.
Oh, and Fernando could hit, too. From 1981-1987, he had seven home runs. For his career, in over 900 at-bats, he was a 0.200 hitter with around one RBI for every ten at-bats.
Yes, I think there were at least a couple of times he ended up playing 1B when games went late into extra innings.
I remember this being a thing when Felix Hernandez was looking for a new contract. FG noted that, in the era of the 5-man rotation, the only guys that threw as many innings thru age 25 were Gooden and Valenzuela.
I’m a huge Valenzuela fan, however, retiring his number before Garvey’s is ridiculous.
Garvey, Lopes, Russel, Cey, Monday, Baker, Ferguson, Yeager, Sutton, this was a great time to watch the Dodgers.
But Fernando was a phenomenon that transcended mere statistics, as good as his were.
Well said
They can still retire Garvey’s number next season. He can bring all his kids to the ceremony.
It will be a sell out just with his kids in the stands
Garvey got 43% vote for hof and Fernando got 6%. Retire Garvey’s number then do whatever you want to do.
@leftcoaster
Advanced analytics were not available back then. Not only was Fernando more valuable than Garvey, his other teammates Reggie Smith and Ron Cey were way more valuable.
You clearly didn’t watch Dodgers baseball in the 70’s.
Not to be too cynical about it but, where “marginal” candidates get honored, it’s at least partly with a commercial motive. Even tho this obviously will be massively exploited as well but …
Fernando, especially for long-time baseball fans, should be appreciated for what he meant to Dodger fans. How sad if your team has no history of its own like that.
Sadder still if you can’t let others enjoy theirs.
Never works. Ridiculous
The Dodgers rule of only retiring numbers if the player is elected to the Hall of Fame is antiquated anyway. Valenzuela was a huge part of the team and community for a decade and was a franchise icon during that time. Thats worthy of having his number retired.
Fernando Valenzuela was a bright light during a dismal strike shortened 1981 season. He brought new fans to the game and reinvigorated existing fans. Baseball loved Fernandomania! From his use of the screwball to looking skyward instead of at home plate in his windup, to the sheer joy he showed playing the game, Fernandomania took over the game. Over the next five years, Fernando was a workhorse, a fan favorite. “El Toro”, “Hubbelito” …..he is loved by fans, and the Dodgers retiring his number is awesome!! Thank you for great memories Fernando!!
Congrats Fernie! Growing up in LA at the time, I must say it was special watching him pitch and it seemed to bring all kinds of people together.
Fernandomania was a blast to watch and a great time in baseball history. Congrats El Toro! Why Garvey’s # is not retired is a mystery to me. I know he hit the most famous HR in Padres history but seeing Turner wearing #6 and seeing it retired at Petco Park seems strange…
The Dodgers can thank Freddie for their gigantic Latino fan base. LA’s Mexican community was indifferent towards the Dodgers for the first 20 years in LA but Valenzuela changed that in a month. His complete game shutouts in his rookie year got the whole town pumped. Lasorda rode him hard but that’s what every manager would have done back then with a workhorse like Fernando. He should’ve made The Hall because he really is quite famous.
As for the Garv, there was a whiff of hypocrisy trailing him. Dodgers called him The Senator because he always tried to project a politically correct image when they knew about his personal life. Garvey’s stats might qualify him for the Dodgers Hall but Fernando is overwhelmingly and deservedly more popular.
Even though he doesn’t have the normal HOF credentials. I think he belongs. He beat the Yankees in Ws and he’s a icon for Latin players. He was fun to watch and a must see pitcher in the 80’s
Finally, my Dodger friends
I wish the Tigers would retire Mark Fidrych’s 20. His numbers don’t earn HOF consideration but there will never be another Mark ‘The Bird’ Fidrych.
Amen. The Bird was unique…