Fernando Valenzuela #780 and #489

 

This week, one of the biggest names in 1980s baseball, Fernando Valenzuela! Fernando came from a big family in a small town in Mexico, and before he was 21 he was a phenomenon! His 8-0 start in 1981 included 7 complete games, 5 of them shutouts, sparking Fernandomania! He won the NL Rookie of the Year, Cy Young Award, and led the Dodgers to the World Series. He would go on to play in 6 All Star Games, win 2 Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove, and appeared in RBI Baseball. He won 141 games in his 11 seasons with the Dodgers. He played 17 MLB seasons and in 2003 joined the Dodgers broadcast team. Sadly, in October 2024, Fernando passed away shortly before the Dodgers won the World Series. 

RIP Fernando Valenzuela

Listen:

Card 780 on ⁠Beckett⁠

Card 487 on ⁠Beckett⁠

⁠NY Times⁠ Obituary

Obituary by ⁠Jay Jaffe⁠ for Fangraphs

LAist story about ⁠Chavez Ravine

⁠SABR⁠ Article about Fernandomania

The Baseball Project - "Fernando":

⁠Screwball⁠ science:

"El Pitcher Valenzuela" ⁠song:⁠

Vin and Fernando thro⁠w out the first pitch: ⁠

Mike Scioscia speaks at ⁠Fernando's funeral:⁠