Eliminated from annual BBWAA consideration by poor performance or expiration on this ballot. It begins in one direction and unexpectedly breaks in the opposite direction. The problem is, many of those folks also vote on candidates for the Hall of Fame, or write articles that influence HOF voting. Valenzuela finally took his first loss of the season -- and of his career -- on May 18, when he allowed four runs in seven innings against the Phillies. Rules enacted in August 2001 provided that the Veterans Committee would be expanded from its previous 15 members, elected to limited terms, and it would vote by mail rather than convene. He has not yet appeared in any of the special era ballots, but that is his best hope. Numbers are there to be worn.". Not elected to 2023. He cant walk five feet at Dodger Stadium without fans of all ages stopping him. Watching the Dodgers is what helped my dad assimilate to American culture, while not losing his own. Dylan Hernndez is a sports columnist with the Los Angeles Times. It is too bad that his arm injury ruined what was a sure-fire Hall of Fame career in 1986. Since when? Fernando Valenzuela became a fan favorite in Los Angelesand beyond. Valenzuela, who had thrown batting practice at Dodger Stadium the day before, learned of his assignment less than 24 hours before first pitch. He was a breath of fresh air as a youngster with a mans knowledge on how to play the game.. His case is not an easy one to take on as his prime was pretty short, and his career numbers are not eye popping. After being staked to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Valenzuela gave up four runs in the next two frames, including a solo home run by Bob Watson and a two-run shot by Rick Cerone in the top of the third that gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead. I've spent the past 20 years or so making strong arguments in favor of performance standards for the Hall of Fame and using advanced statistics to try to cut through some of the superficialities, and I think it's clear that when you when you look at Fernando Valenzuela, that he's one of numerous pitchers who fall into that What might have been territory, says Jay Jaffe, senior writer at FanGraphs and author of The Cooperstown Casebook: Who's in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Who Should Be In. He had a strong start to his career that was kind of done in by overwork and a leveling off performance-wise, and in that regard, it's hardly unique because we can talk about dozens of other Cy Young winners who never really got to that peak again.. He had it right away, and I think it was exemplified in that game, Game 3, against the Yankees. We won. TV ratings spiked, too. Baseball Reference uses a list of 10 similar players for each major leaguer-none of Fernandos comps are HOFers. He had a brief but eye-opening debut as a reliever (no earned runs in 17 2/3 innings) down the stretch in 80, but he was still just a 20-year-old kid. This will be all age related. Valenzuela had never started a Major League game when he got the call on Opening Day 1981. Long before we got here, they established a policy, which I agree with, and that is that we'll just use Hall of Fame people for retired numbers. After the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn following the 1957 season, Los Angeles owner Walter OMalley believed it was vital to build good relationships with the local communities. His next shot at Cooperstown will come when the Modern Baseball Era Committee -- a group of 16 members made up of National Baseball Hall of Famers, executives and veteran media members -- meets in 2023 for induction in '24. [25] However, . I really think theres a home for Fernando in the Hall," says the longtime sportswriter. Theres Pee Wee Reese (No. Nowadays, Valenzuelas at the age where he's finally allowing himself to take a look at the past through the rearview mirror, but the most celebrated Mexican in the history of Major League Baseball still does not like talking about himself or Fernandomania. Spencer, who grew up in Southern California, watched Valenzuela transform from a reserved young man to worldwide phenomenon. All Rights Reserved. The numbers, however, speak for themselves: He began the 1981 season with eight straight wins, seven complete games and five shutouts. Sheriffs deputies literally dragged Mexican Americans out of their Chavez Ravine homes to clear the land on which Dodger Stadium was later built. He was the best and most of his losses in first 7 years were by one run or dodgers getting shut out and he didntt choke in post season plus de didntt need relief since most of time he was around 9 innings and was used as pinch hitter too.he could play good defense too.sorry but Kershaw not in his class .healthy Fernando would have won 4 world series the last 4 years that Kershaw failed. Back in his home country, the Mexican Baseball League -- Liga Mexicana de Beisbol -- retired Valenzuelas No. The screwball that swept side to side out of the strike one was best against free swingers. Dodgers pitcher Bobby Castillo taught Valenzuela the screwball in the winter of 1979 at the urging of legendary scout Mike Brito, who signed both of them. Fernando Valenzuela had 2,074 strikeouts over his career. The fundamental problem with many in the media is that they mistake . That list starts with Jackie Robinson for African Americans, and it also includes Hideo Nomo and Ichiro for the Japanese, Chan Ho Park for Koreans, Tony Lazzeri for Italian-Americans and Al Simmons (Szymanski) for Polish-Americans. Valenzuela had a strong 6 years plus had a huge impact, Tim Rogers 2080 ? While he played for six MLB teams, his longest tenure was with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 53). Dodger Stadium became the place to be. Each of the Dodgers retired numbers was worn by a player who played a majority of his career with the club and was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1981, Fernandomania was born. "When I came up in 1980, it was at my locker. It has sustained itself to the point where I really believe half the crowds at Dodger Stadium now are Latinos.. Still, he remains the only MLB player since baseball integrated in 1947 to win his first eight career starts. He had a 118 ERA+, a 2.88 FIP with a 33.5 WAR. In my opinion only roberto Clemente and Jackie Robinson had a bigger impact not just in baseball , but in all of sports . I remember how his rivals laughed at his delivery and his weight. He struggled at the beginning and Tommy Lasorda was almost ready to bring in Dave Goltz early, which would have probably put the Dodgers down 3-0 and history would be different. They know his pitching delivery, the World Series win, his big glasses and all that. He began with a high leg kick, then briefly paused before throwing the pitch. Frank Lpez (@BeisbolFrank) November 11, 2018. My dad couldn wait to watch Los Doyers and I could not wait to watch the game with him regardless of who was playing for the Dodgers all because of Fernando Valenzuela. The same applies. In terms of player comparisons, over the last 25 years guys like Bruce Sutter, Jack Morris, Bill Mazeroski and Jim Rice have all been elected. There can be consequences to throwing that pitch over and over.. Lasorda stuck with Valenzuela and the managers faith in the pitcher was rewarded when Fernando shut down the Yankees the rest of the way. Houston had eliminated the Dodgers in a one-game tiebreaker the year before to claim the National League West title. Hall of Famer Warren Spahn, 1974 Dodgers Cy Young winner Mike Marshall and Mets and Phillies icon Tug McGraw also threw screwballs. Its been a lot of years since someone has worn No. In 1981, an 11-year-old Jaffe used to cut Valenzuelas box scores out of his local Salt Lake City newspaper and paste them into a scrapbook. That support was always there. People in U.S. soccer circles have spent decades looking for a Mexican American star and the best they have come up with is, who, Herculez Gomez? 2), Duke Snider (No. He's irreplaceable. He worked 18 years at the Philadelphia Inquirer and four years at ESPN. Fernando Valenzuela played 17 seasons. La Opinin. I always prepared my arm to throw a lot of pitches. His importance to the Dodgers, in particular, was critical to the point that former owner Walter OMalley imagined him before he existed. If a pitcher had it or looked like he could have it, the Dodgers were a little bit more experimental in the pitching area back then. Years with Dodgers: 1980-1990. . 1981-04-09 LA Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela's 1st start, beats Astros 2-0; 1981-04-22 Dodgers rookie Fernando Valenzuela tosses his 3rd shutout in 4 starts; 1981-09-17 Fernando Valenzuela sets NL rookie record with 8th shutout of season; 1981-11-11 LA Dodgers starter Fernando Valenzuela becomes first MLB rookie to win a Cy Young Award; Milwaukee Brewers' Rollie Fingers takes . The widespread calls spoke to the enormity of Valenzuelas legacy. The legendary movement from 40 years ago has made him an immortal. I will be comparing him to some other Hall of Famers; and as someone who is a big hall person, I feel I can make the case. In addition, Darryl Kile was exempted from the five-season rule and included on the ballot, due to his unexpected death during the 2002 season. Outside of Jackie Robinson and maybe Babe Ruth, Valenzuela reshaped baseballs landscape more than any other player in history. He placed in the top 5 in Cy Young voting 4 times in. The Dodgers announced on Saturday that Valenzuela's No.. Sports Celebrating the legacy of Fernandomania 40 years later April 8, 2021 Before refuting the premise by. Required fields are marked *. Reflecting on his rookie season, Valenzuela spoke of the importance of the emergency start he made on opening day. The last played in the majors during 1980 or 1981. He was 9-5 in the first half of 2004 before getting traded to the Yankees. Fernando Valenzuela Position Pitcher Years 1980-1997 Hall Rating 74 Next Ballot Fernando Valenzuela is next eligible for the Hall of Fame via the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee in 2023 . The ratings for the Dodgers Spanish language broadcasts more than doubled when he pitched. Those candidates receiving less than 5% of the vote (25 votes) will not appear on future BBWAA ballots, but may eventually be considered by the Veterans Committee. 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. 34 Dodgers jersey with LOPEZUELA stitched across the back of his shoulders when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch before a Dodgers home game in 2012. "The Dodgers lucked out," Arellano says of Brita's discovery. When I began covering the Dodgers in the '70s, I would estimate that maybe 10% of the crowd would be Latino, says Spencer, whose 47-year career included stops in California, Colorado, New York, Texas and with MLB.com. The clubs history with Chavez Ravine, the land on which Dodger Stadium is built, is well-documented. Among 85 eligible voters, 81 cast ballots so 61 votes were the minimum to elect a candidate. ! Now, more than 40% of the teams fans are Latino. The reporter spoke Spanish, and while the English lessons lasted only a few weeks, the pair built a bond that still exists. Im not saying that they should not have been elected, but Im saying that if they are in,then Fernando should be in too. The first time he surrendered a home run, to Montreals Chris Speier, he was unfazed. Maybe the Dodgers will come to their senses by then. Several artifacts from his illustrious career are housed in Cooperstown at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, but he has not received the call for enshrinement. He made everybody feel bigger and welcome. As promised, I will attempt to make the Hall of Fame (HoF)case for former Dodgers starFernando Valenzuela. The induction ceremonies were held on July 27 in Cooperstown, with Commissioner Bud Selig presiding. The Dodgers were one of the first teams to cater to Spanish speakers with Spanish broadcasts. Doug McKain 06/30/2021. 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 with the roots of the movement starting with the . Hes a third generation Dodgers fan whose love for the team can be traced back to his Brooklyn-born grandfather. I think it is not too much to say that for Mexican-American communities, Valenzuela was a hero like Hank Greenberg was for the Jews. Art or Photo Credit: Tom Forget / MLB.com, Jesse Sanchez, Nathalie Alonso, David Venn. 20), manager Walter Alston (No. What he accomplished from 1980 to 1987 ranks atop any pre steroid performer like Roger Clemens. He changed our lives.. The baseball world -- on and off the field -- would never be the same. He was calm and quiet, but very confident and intelligent. Dodgers fans, especially Mexican Americans, were eager to see the kid for a full season. Position: Starting Pitcher. Loaiza never again repeated his Chicago success before retiring after the 2008 season. Later that summer, Valenzuela attended a state luncheon at the White House with President Ronald Reagan. Valenzuela could receive the Buck ONeil Award, which the Hall of Fame presents once every three or more years to an individual whose extraordinary efforts enhanced baseballs positive impact on society, broadened the games appeal, and whose character, integrity and dignity are comparable to the qualities exhibited by ONeil.. But, hey, the 50-year anniversary of Fernandomania is only a decade away. I think at that point that we were in the playoffs and the World Series, he knew me and the way I liked to pitch, Valenzuela says. During a videoconference he participated in with Valenzuela over the weekend, Jarrn spoke of how El Toro helped immigrants find their place in this city. All three were complete-game wins, including shutouts against the Padres and Astros. Not mine as much as my Dad's. Week Team League; 04/11/1981: Los Angeles Dodgers: NL: 09/05/1981: Los Angeles Dodgers Peak 38% Longevity 62% Rankings by Hall Rating 522nd All Time (Top 2.3%) 178th among Pitchers Franchise Contributions by Hall Rating LAD 64 (19th) Fernando Valenzuela went on to pitch 11 years for the Dodgers (1980-1990). His favorite venue was Dodger Stadium and the nights Valenzuela pitched were magical. We have Jackie Robinson, and we know his status in popular culture. Voters were instructed to cast votes for up to 10 candidates; any candidate receiving votes on at least 75% of the ballots would be honored with induction to the Hall. Through it all, Valenzuelas teammates marveled at his poise and his athletic ability. ), Babe Adams Joe Adcock Dick Allen Johnny Allen Felipe Alou Bobby vila Sal Bando Dick Bartell Ginger Beaumont Glenn Beckert Wally Berger Bobby Bonds Ken Boyer Harry Brecheen Tommy Bridges Pete Browning Charlie Buffinton Lew Burdette George H. Burns George J. 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Marshall Pepper Martin Carl Mays Tim McCarver Frank McCormick Lindy McDaniel Gil McDougald Sam McDowell Stuffy McInnis Denny McLain Roy McMillan Dave McNally Andy Messersmith Bob Meusel Irish Meusel Bing Miller Stu Miller Minnie Mioso Terry Moore Tony Mullane Thurman Munson Johnny Murphy Buddy Myer Art Nehf Don Newcombe Bobo Newsom Lefty O'Doul Tony Oliva Claude Osteen Milt Pappas Mel Parnell Camilo Pascual Ron Perranoski Jim Perry Johnny Pesky Rico Petrocelli Deacon Phillippe Billy Pierce Vada Pinson Wally Pipp Johnny Podres Boog Powell Jack Quinn Vic Raschi Ed Reulbach Allie Reynolds J. The new committee would comprise all living members of the Hall of Fame, recipients of the Spink Award (broadcasters), recipients of the Frick Award (writers), and members of the old committee until expiration of their terms. Follow her on Twitter @NathalieMLB. [1], The process would cover players every two years and other contributors (managers, umpires and executives) every four years. the number of wins in the Hall of Fame vote still has a significant impact. Before refuting the premise by citing his career numbers or the brevity of his peak, consider this: Bud Selig,. By comparison, Koufaxs peak seven-year WAR was 46. Of the 15 left-handed Major League pitchers in the Hall Fame, only Lefty Gomez (2,503) and Koufax (2,324 1/3) threw fewer innings than Venezuela. He won the Rookie of the Year award and Cy Young award, given annually to the best pitcher in each league. If not for Fernando Valenzuela's incredible rookie performance and "Fernandomania" taking the sport by storm, Raines would've easily won the 1981 NL Rookie of the Year Award. I always think twice about what I want to do or say, and I think its the only way to achieve certain things in life. Sixty baseball writers selected from the nominees 25 players and 15 other contributors to appear on the ballots. Valenzuela received 6.2% of the votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America in his first year on the ballot in 2003 and fell off the writers ballot after receiving less than 5% of the vote in '04. But Arellano, who for years thought Valenzuela didn't merit Hall of Fame consideration, believes otherwise. It led to a violent conflict between one family, the Archigas, and L.A. County Sheriffs in 1959. Follow him on Twitter @JesseSanchezMLB and Facebook. Then again, the Dodgers are the same organization whose miscalculations resulted in a seven-year television blackout. Hey all, my next article for @DodgersNation will make the case for putting Fernando Valenzuela into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Fernandos legacy to me is that of Cuban Minnie Mioso, another trailblazer, Thorn says. He led the MCL with 91 strikeouts. She made that.. The 2022 Seneca Valley Sports Hall of Fame Inductees: Tony DeRiggi '04. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Dodgers dont need the long ball to finish sweep of Cardinals, Clayton Kershaw adds to his Dodgers legend with another pitching gem, With Miguel Vargas at second base, Dodgers have an expectation he will get better, Celebrating the legacy of Fernandomania 40 years later, Arellano: The Gospel of Fernandomania: Fernando Valenzuela remains a Mexican American icon, Rookie Zach McKinstry continues his torrid start as Dodgers sweep Nationals. After Fernando, fathers were trying to make their kids into lefthanders even if they were righthanders., READ MORE: Latino, Hispanic, Latinx, Chicano: The History Behind the Terms. In the early '80s, theres still this huge migration wave from Mexico that brought up my parents, brought up all of my friends and the parents of my friends, Arellano says. There were these growing pains in Southern California, which was a dominant white culture, because people were saying, 'OK, this is going to be a Mexican culture in the next couple of decades, so what are we going to do with it? He was also a six-time All Star (1981-1986) and third in the Cy Young voting in 1982 with 19 wins and second in 1986 when he led the league in wins with 21. Fernando pitched well beyond his years, from Day 1, Scioscia says. Morris was a marginal choice propelled by hype-though he won more games than any pitcher in the 1980s. Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson threw a fadeaway in the early 1900s, and Carl Hubbell, who pitched for 16 seasons starting in 1928, threw a similar pitch. I remember this 19-year-old kid from Mexico with long hair and a little bit chubby taking baseball by storm, says Jarrn, 85, who is in his 63rd season as the Spanish-language voice of the Dodgers and is the longest-tenured active baseball radio broadcaster in the game. 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If you click on the tweet at the top of the article you can see how much Fernando meant to them and their families. High pitch counts in an era when nobody cared about pitch counts, six straight seasons of 250 or more innings pitched when that type of workload was the norm, and the stress placed on his shoulder by repeatedly throwing his screwball shortened Valenzuelas career and ultimately thwarted his Hall of Fame candidacy. Which isnt to say Selig isnt deserving. I think a lot of baseball media not on the west coast forget about Fernando. If they could have fit a million people into Dodger Stadium, there would have been a million people there, actor Danny Trejo, the son of Mexican American parents, told the Los Angeles Times. Seriously, if commissioners can receive baseballs highest honor for creating the stage on which todays players perform, a player should be able to too. For my generation, Im talking Generation X, the children of Mexican immigrants that grew up in Southern California in the 1980s, hes not a myth, he was a hero. If theres someone [else] that can wear it, thats no problem. Results of the 2003 election by the BBWAA were announced on January 7. The audience that was won over by Valenzuela remains. The Los Angeles Times couldnt stop writing about Valenzuela, and The Los Angeles Herald Examiner even had a nickname contest and voted El Toro as the winner. On the anniversary of Fernando Valenzuela's first and only career no-hitter, we make the case that the Dodgers should retire "El Toro's" iconic . Valenzuela was an All-Star in each of his first 6 seasons. 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. Good pitcher and all that Fernando mania stuff but not HOF. It was a cultural phenomenon that galvanized a minority community. Bob Uecker received the Ford C. Frick Award honoring a baseball broadcaster. Valenzuela still makes an interesting case for the Hall of Fame. His family lived on a dirt road that was filled with potholes, he says. Players. I threw well -- nine innings, nine zeros. But Fernando at age 20 did not say he was going to redeem the past sins of civic Los Angeles, real estate developers, the Red Scare, progressive activists and racism. ( marks those who were newly eligible since 2001. Fernando was the cover boy on the May 18, 1981, edition of Sports Illustrated, with "UNREAL!" Valenzuela made the Dodgers the team of a community that once viewed the franchise with suspicion. Numbers are there to be worn. Valenzuela was the first pitcher to accomplish both feats in the same season. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. This guy was godsend like orel, and Clayton. It was the fifth game of Valenzuelas eight-game winning streak. But he fondly recalls how Valenzuela's special season impacted baseball in Los Angeles and Mexican Americans. Don Sutton, a Hall of Fame pitcher who was a stalwart of the Los Angeles Dodgers' rotation spanning an era from Sandy Koufax to Fernando Valenzuela, died Tuesday. We had Mexican big leaguers in the 1930s, but what made Fernando different was the peculiar circumstances by which the Brooklyn Dodgers entered Los Angeles and what he meant to the people there.. The field included four Rookies of the Year (Murray, Valenzuela, Vince Coleman and Todd Worrell), as well as one MVP (Sandberg) and two Cy Young Award winners (Valenzuela and Mark Davis). Ryne Sandberg was selected a total of ten times, while Eddie Murray (eight times), Lee Smith (seven), Fernando Valenzuela (six) and Tony Pea (five) were all selected at least five times. His biggest accomplishment was how he took baseball by storm in a time where the dodger organization was rejected by the Latino community in regards to Chvez ravine. Arellano, who grew up in Southern California, was a toddler during the summer of Fernandomania. They also know his voice in Southern California because he broadcasts Dodgers games in Spanish. In addition to inspiring the multiple generations of Latin American players, Valenzuela created multiple generations of Mexican fans. Sooner or later, it has to be properly recognized. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, Elliott: Pissed off Kings must improve in key areas to break Oilers playoff stranglehold, Shohei Ohtanis seventh home run of the season helps Angels avoid sweep, Florida Panthers upset record-setting Boston Bruins in Game 7 OT thriller, Lakers vs. Warriors: What scouts expect in playoff series, School is in session as Sparks begin training camp. That performance was followed by another shutout against the Mets in New York and a complete-game win against the Expos at Dodger Stadium. But even Jaffe, a seasoned analyst who relies on hard numbers to make Hall of Fame cases, has a soft spot for Valenzuela. Only umpire Doug Harvey tallied more than fifty percent support. 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. Seneca Valley football has won a Maryland-best 12 state championships but zero since 2002. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Before that, he was the Dodgers beat writer. For my generation, Im talking Generation X, the children of Mexican immigrants that grew up in Southern California in the 1980s, hes not a myth, he was a hero. At one point, the left-hander made 255 consecutive starts before going on the injured list for the first time in 1988 because of shoulder troubles that cost him two months and the opportunity to pitch in another World Series. I had a fastball and a curveball that was good but maybe, a screwball, a pitch that moved in the opposite direction of the curveball, could help, Valenzuela says. The pitch has always been about risk-reward with higher on the risk, but Fernando knew exactly what he was doing with it.. (The award was voted at the December 2002 meeting of the BBWAA, dated 2002, and conferred in the summer 2003 ceremonies.). When he came up in 1980, you saw there was a composure that he had, a poise that sometimes players have to work into. When he pitched, attendance rose dramatically at home and away games. We created this new class of player called Dodger Legends in our new center-field plaza. He finished top-3 in Cy Young voting two more times before fizzling out in 1990. Dodgers News: Julio Urias Talks About His Fandom of Fernando Valenzuela, Dodgers News: Julio Urias Feeds Off the Energy of the Crowd at Dodger Stadium, Dodgers News: Fernando Valenzuela Earns a Very Special Award at Dodger Stadium, The easy calls with great players like Babe Ruth and Willie Mays, The players that accumulate stats over long careers, but may never be considered the best of their generation, much like Don Sutton or Bert Blyleven, Players popular with fans and media, like a Phil Rizzuto. Feel free to click the Baseball Referencelinks on their names to compare for yourself.