What is your opinion about Fernando Valenzuela

[Guest HellSpawn]

Tonight I saw one ESPN special about Fernando Valenzuela.

 

Man it was great, make me remnind all those great (and bad) years.

 

I remember all that 80s seasons down here, some TV Network (Televisa) got every Valenzuela's game, they even name that as "Followin the trail of the Bull / Siguiendo la Huella del Toro"

 

Well, What do you guys think?

 

You think he is HOF material?

[Guest alkeiper]

Not HOF material, IMO. Valenzuela was a pretty good pitcher in his day, but he's only got 173 wins. With a total that low, you have to have something else backing you up. Dean and Koufax have spectacular W-L percentages. Valenzuela is almost around .500.

[Guest phoenixrising]

How can you not love Fernandomania? The guy came to speak at my elementary school when I was in third grade. It was cool. He works with the Dodger's Spanish announcer team now.

 

I don't see him getting into the HOF. After 1981, Valenzuela became more of a solid pitcher than the spectaular one he was as a rookie. He was a good pitcher, maybe among the best in his prime, but his numbers aren't HOF-caliber.

 

And his son is doing very well in the Padres farm system...he was drafted this year, think he is in single-A ball.

[Guest starvenger]

Fernando seems like a great guy on a personal level, but unfortunately only stats count when you're talking about the HOF and he doesn't have it...

[Guest DrTom]

There's no way he's Hall material. He had a decent career, which was even revived nicely after he'd been given up for dead, but he just didn't put up the numbers.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Had some great years, but not HOF material. It would be interesting to know how well we could of done if he started at a young age.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

He was one of my favorite players back in the '80s, next to George Bret and Carlton Fisk.

 

But when I think of Fernando I think of 1981 World Series and screwball -- not Cooperstown...

[Guest alkeiper]

Had some great years, but not HOF material. It would be interesting to know how well we could of done if he started at a young age.

 

He did start at a young age. He made his debut at 19, and won RotY at 20. I think his workload ended his career early. He pitched 285 innings at the tender age of 21. That's insane. Seasons of 257, 261, 272.3, 269.3, and 251 followed. No wonder he was effectively done at 30.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

You really think he was only 19? Most put his age at like 25-26. It wasn't uncommon for latino players do put a younger age on their birth certificate.

[Guest alkeiper]

I gotta work with the stat books. I could be wrong, I hadn't thought about it. Still, I don't have proof that he was older, and if he was I've never hear a guy fudge by more than 3 years.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

I see your point. That's just the skeptic in me talking.

[Guest HellSpawn]

He was 19.

 

He is not a cheater.

[Guest DrTom]

Neither was Sammy Sosa until a few weeks ago.

 

Just saying.

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

I remember my dad taking me to see him when he came to Candlestick Park for the first time. What kid didn't try the "look up to the heavens" when you pitched at least once???

[Guest alkeiper]

All your age does really is provide a tool for evaluating future performance. Whether Valenzuela fudged his age makes no difference now.