Should Dodgers remember Fernando Valenzuela’s iconic number 34?
This was a topic that was put on the Mexican legend of the team on Saturday, when the former pitcher and his partner of the club’s shows in Spanish, the Ecuadorian Jaime Jarrín, held a press conference on Zoom at the Dodger Stadium on the occasion of 40 years of the birth of Fernandomania in 1981.
The Dodgers had a history of withdrawing numbers only from the Hall of Famers, who spent most of their careers with the blue team, both in Brooklyn and Los Angeles.
The exception was Jim Gilliam, a former player and then the club’s first head coach, who died in the 1978 post-season Dodger World Series against the Yankees after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage in September. His number 19 was retired immediately after his death.
In the case of Valenzuela, her 34 were “saved”, although not formally.
“Many years have passed without anyone using the number 34,” Valenzuela said. – There’s something ringing there, isn’t there?
Indeed, since 1990, the last season of Valencia with the Dodgers, no member of the team has worn this number. In essence, it was an unofficial recall.
Before and after Valenzuela’s time in Los Angeles, the Dodgers had a rich history of starting players. The number of players retired from the Blues is 32 for Sandy Koufax, 53 for Don Drysdale and 20 for Don Sutton, all included in the Cooperstown Hall of Fame.
In the 11 seasons with the Dodgers, Valenzuela produced 33.0 pitching WAR, equal for the eighth highest in the history of the team. In total, Sonoran had a record of 141-116 wearing the Los Angeles uniform, with an ERA of 3.31, 1,759 shots and an EFE + of 107 in 331 appearances (320 starts).
On the historical list of the Dodgers, Valenzuela is sixth in shots, seventh in starts, ninth in victories and ninth in halves (2,348.2).
In the midst of the 40th anniversary of Fernandomanía – in addition to celebrating the first World Series title won by the Dodgers in 32 years, the 2020 crown – Valenzuela was not very “possessive” about his number and whether he should return. Of course, I would welcome her, but she doesn’t seem to care.
“I wore it like any other number,” he said. “When I went up in 1980, it was in my closet. I had to be with that number, so I don’t know what’s going to happen. We will wait.
“If there is anyone who can use it, there is no problem. The numbers are there to be used. “
For his part, Jarrín – who accompanied Valenzuela as an unofficial performer during the 1981 season and recounted virtually all of his actions with the Dodgers on the radio – even worships the issue.
“Fernando wore that number with great pride,” Jarrín said. “I think one day we will see Fernando Valenzuela’s number 34 retired.”