Fernando Valenzuela Passed Awsy

[Harvard Gamecock]

I remember his rookie year and he was quite the sensation. One more icon from youth is gone. Damn.

Former MLB superstar Fernando Valenzuela dead at age 63​

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/23/spor...fernando-valenzuela-death-spt-intl/index.html

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[KingWard]

His career reminded me of those of Mark Fidrych (really short-lived) and Sam McDowell - relative flashes in the pan - all of them.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Got a Fernando Valenzuela rookie card somewhere in a box. That bad boy was going to pay for college.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

His career reminded me of those of Mark Fidrych (really short-lived) and Sam McDowell - relative flashes in the pan - all of them.

Can't really go along with regulating him to a flash in the pan. He played for the Dodgers for 11 years (out of 17 years in the majors), 4 times won MVP, 6 years in the All Star game, 4 time winner of the Cy Young Award.

 

[Gradstudent]

His career reminded me of those of Mark Fidrych (really short-lived) and Sam McDowell - relative flashes in the pan - all of them.

Not really, Fernando won a 173 games, 2074 strikeouts, heck even had 187 hits in 936 At bats, good for a .200 batting average, not bad for a pitcher.

Fernando is one of I think 11 players to have his number retired by the Dodgers, including Brooklyn players, that is a pretty high honor when you think of all the talent that has played there.

Fidyrch won 29 games and had 170 career strikeouts, not really comparable imho

 

[b-flag]

Not really, Fernando won a 173 games, 2074 strikeouts, heck even had 187 hits in 936 At bats, good for a .200 batting average, not bad for a pitcher.

Fernando is one of I think 11 players to have his number retired by the Dodgers, including Brooklyn players, that is a pretty high honor when you think of all the talent that has played there.

Fidyrch won 29 games and had 170 career strikeouts, not really comparable imho

the dodgers used him to pitch hit quite a bit

 

[NYC_Gamecock]

Fernando was only 20 when he burst into the MLB scene in 1981. Now he is 63 and passed away. Just proves how ephemeral youth and life in general are. RIP.

 

[Psycock]

Wow seems like yesterday. RIP Fernando.

 

[Johnny She Said]

Fernando was only 20 when he burst into the MLB scene in 1981. Now he is 63 and passed away. Just proves how ephemeral youth and life in general are. RIP.

Wasn't he like 53 on the night he & Nolan threw their no hitters

 

[Forkcock]

R.I.P.

 

[KingWard]

Not really, Fernando won a 173 games, 2074 strikeouts, heck even had 187 hits in 936 At bats, good for a .200 batting average, not bad for a pitcher.

Fernando is one of I think 11 players to have his number retired by the Dodgers, including Brooklyn players, that is a pretty high honor when you think of all the talent that has played there.

Fidyrch won 29 games and had 170 career strikeouts, not really comparable imho

I concede the point. I went back and did a little reading to refresh my memory. I think that, except for a couple of really splendid years, he seemed underwhelming to me in the overall. But he did hang around in the Majors longer than I remembered. Thanks.

 

[KingWard]

Can't really go along with regulating him to a flash in the pan. He played for the Dodgers for 11 years (out of 17 years in the majors), 4 times won MVP, 6 years in the All Star game, 4 time winner of the Cy Young Award.

Corrected in my response to @Gradstudent.

 

[USCEE82]

Didn't he always look skyward during his wind up?

 

[KingWard]

Didn't he always look skyward during his wind up?

Luis Tiant did that.

 

[USCEE82]

Luis Tiant did that.

When I read your response, I started to order some Prevagen, but then I found this in an ESPN article about Valenzuela's death.

In addition to his Mexican roots, Valenzuela's pitching motion -- the stout figure glancing skyward at the apex of each windup -- was a hit.

I guess the move wasn't unique to Valenzuela.