RIP Fernando Valenzuela

Per the Dodgers.

 

Damn.

 

Didn't sound good when he took the leave of absence a few weeks ago. Damn indeed. What a joyful pitcher. RIP.

 

It’s so sad, especially coming right before the Dodgers are to play in the World Series.

Fernandomania in 1981 was such a special time in LA and changed the Dodger fan base forever as it sparked the Mexican population in the city.

 

Most recent picture of him looked awful. RIP

 

Fernandomania was a cultural phenomenon that even a Midwest kid felt.

 

Agreed. Those were the days when we 10-year-olds would try to imitate all the cool windups and deliveries, like Fernando and Dan Quisenberry.

 

Ah, man. Terribly sad news.

I was a teenager in Southern California when Fernandomania hit. He was a borderline mythic figure.

 

The first time I saw him was in 1980 in that three-game season ending series the Dodgers had to sweep from the Astros to force a playoff with the Astros. His screwball was absolutely unhittable. It wasn't until the next season Fernandomania took off.

 

None of us Dodgers fans knew who Valenzuela was when he was called up that September but then we advocated for him to start the one-game playoff. Lasorda went with Dave Goltz, who got lit up.

 

Yeah, I saw that photo with the post announcing he was leaving the broadcast job. He looked very skinny, and not in the "oh, cool, he lost some weight" sense, but "Oh, man, how sick is he?"

It's kind of hard to explain to someone who didn't experience it (I was a SoCal 13-year-old in '81) how utterly insane the attention was to him that year. Fernandomania was an accurate term. I still remember they were going to start him in the bullpen, but then on Opening Day, designated OD starter Jerry Reuss pulled a hammy (I think) during pre-game warmups, so they sent out Valenzuela, who pitched masterfully in the win, and it just went on from there.

At least his spirit will live on to anyone watching Nuke LaLoosh breathe through his eyelids in "Bull Durham."

 

Damn even THIS Giants fan looked longingly down under at the Fernandomania sweeping the baseball world.

I once watched footage from the catcher catching Fernando and the command that Fernando had was the best I ever saw. His control was ridiculous. He would only miss by inches if at all.

Man he was only a couple of years older than me. May he RIP.