Valenzuela finished with a record of 13–7 and had a 2.48 ERA the season was shortened by a player's strike. He won his first eight starts (five of them shutouts). In 1981, in what came to be called "Fernandomania," Valenzuela rose from relative obscurity to achieve super-stardom. Valenzuela was signed by the Dodgers on July 6, 1979, and he made his debut late in the 1980 season. Never a particularly hard thrower, the Dodgers felt he needed another pitch he was taught the screwball in 1979 by teammate Bobby Castillo. Valenzuela was notable for his unorthodox windup and for being one of a small number of pitchers who threw a screwball regularly. His 41.5 career wins above replacement (according to Baseball-Reference) is the highest of any Mexican-born MLB player. His career highlights include a win-loss record of 173–153, with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.54. While he played for six MLB teams, he is best remembered for his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Valenzuela played 17 Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons, from 1980 to 19 to 1997. Louis Cardinalsįernando Valenzuela Anguamea ( Spanish pronunciation:, born November 1, 1960) is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. September 15, 1980, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
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