WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:04.320 The right quist. 2 00:00:04.440 --> 00:00:10.359 Dodgers Playoff Baseball is back and with it an annual 3 00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:12.240 postseason tradition. 4 00:00:12.279 --> 00:00:14.160 Scam is back. Baby. 5 00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:17.600 This is Sax and Cakes in the a app BA 6 00:00:17.800 --> 00:00:22.160 Go with Proway. Dodger legend Steve Sacks is joined by 7 00:00:22.199 --> 00:00:26.640 your favorite Dodger pregame host, Tim Kates. If you want 8 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:29.079 to talk Dodgers, get in on the show on eighty 9 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:32.079 six six nine, eighty seven two five seven now. While 10 00:00:32.119 --> 00:00:35.200 the Dan Patrick Show streams on the Ihearts radio app. 11 00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:38.640 We've been banished to the Internet until this Dodgers playoff 12 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:42.799 run concludes. Here they are broadcasting live on AM five 13 00:00:42.840 --> 00:00:47.280 to seven e LA Sports. It's Tim Kates and Steve Sacks. 14 00:00:47.679 --> 00:00:53.200 It's Saxy, Kate's and AM on this Wednesday morning, October 15 00:00:53.240 --> 00:00:56.600 twenty third, twenty twenty four. Thanks for being with us 16 00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:58.439 live in local on your home of the Dodgers A 17 00:00:58.600 --> 00:01:02.200 five seventy LA Sports, Tim Kates, along with two time 18 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:05.319 World Series Champion, former Rookie of the Year, our favorite 19 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:07.959 number three, the one and only Steve Sacks. 20 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:10.640 Saxy, Good morning, Good morning Tim. 21 00:01:11.239 --> 00:01:14.480 Yeah, it's a heavy day here in southern California, the 22 00:01:14.519 --> 00:01:18.680 city of Angels and Los Angeles as a Dodger icon 23 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:21.640 last night, passed away at the age of sixty three. 24 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:27.000 Fernando Valvenezuela gone too soon as the former Dodger left hander, 25 00:01:27.640 --> 00:01:30.760 his number thirty four retired Dodger icon. When he meants 26 00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:33.200 to this city through the nineteen eighties and to this 27 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:37.920 day cannot be described and cannot be quantified how much 28 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:40.439 he meant to this city, the fan base, the people 29 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:43.439 of this city and gone too soon, passed away at 30 00:01:43.480 --> 00:01:46.640 the age of sixty three last night, Saxy, I guess 31 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:49.040 your initial thoughts and when you hear the. 32 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:53.799 News, Yeah, it is such a sad day everybody, I'm 33 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:57.159 sure with a heavy heart waking up this morning and 34 00:01:57.400 --> 00:02:01.079 you know, being confronted with the news that Fernando is gone. 35 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:06.200 You know, he was such a great guy. I saw 36 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:08.560 Fernando the first day he came to the Dodger organization 37 00:02:08.599 --> 00:02:12.159 from Mexico. I was down an instruction league And you know, 38 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:13.479 we can get into that a little bit later if 39 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:18.080 you wish, But what a great man, a phenomenal teammate, 40 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:23.000 and just we're going to sorely miss him, terribly miss him. 41 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:24.520 He's just such a great person. 42 00:02:25.159 --> 00:02:28.039 He burst onto the scene in nineteen eighty one and 43 00:02:28.280 --> 00:02:32.039 caught this city by storm and electrified a fan base 44 00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:38.280 for years and really connected Southern California culturally by bringing 45 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:41.960 people together by coming to Dodger games every single night 46 00:02:42.039 --> 00:02:44.879 and especially when he pitched. And not only did he 47 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:49.039 catch Southern California on fire with this baseball phenomenon on 48 00:02:49.080 --> 00:02:52.280 the mound, but he caught baseball in general on fire 49 00:02:52.360 --> 00:02:55.199 in nineteen eighty one with Fernando Mania. What he was 50 00:02:55.240 --> 00:02:57.840 able to do with his eight straight shutouts to start 51 00:02:57.879 --> 00:03:01.280 the season. It's well talked to about that first trip 52 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:04.159 to New York going back there and dominating the Mets 53 00:03:04.199 --> 00:03:06.560 like he did with a shutout win put him on 54 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:10.120 the scene nationally. But again, what he did here in 55 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:14.800 Southern California, it will never be duplicated Fernando Mania outside 56 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:17.639 of Southern California. It may not mean as much as 57 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:20.479 it does to Angelino's but Saxony being a part of it, 58 00:03:20.759 --> 00:03:23.000 being in that world win of nineteen eighty one and 59 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:26.719 the rest of his career and everything he did. What 60 00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:30.639 was it like to be there for Fernando Mania through 61 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:32.960 the nineteen eighties and be a part of what Fernando 62 00:03:33.080 --> 00:03:34.560 was doing in this culture in the city. 63 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:35.280 Yeah. 64 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:39.280 Well, first of all, Fernando changed the whole trajectory of 65 00:03:39.319 --> 00:03:42.360 the fan base in Los Angeles. He just shot the 66 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:47.840 thing through the roof and really, you know, brought together 67 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:51.719 so many people to come watch him play. The Mexican 68 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:55.680 American population here in Los Angeles just exploded through those 69 00:03:55.719 --> 00:04:00.360 turnstiles to watch him pitch, and rightly so, because he 70 00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:03.000 was just a pleasure to watch. It was great to 71 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:05.680 play behind Fernando. You just looked at a guy who 72 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:10.879 was carving people up, just dominating people, not with overpowering stuff, 73 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:15.080 but with a deception in that phenomenal screwball that the 74 00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:17.600 right handed hitter or left handed hitters either just had 75 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:19.639 no answer for. They've never seen anything come out of 76 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:22.759 a person's hand like Fernando could make it do. And 77 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:25.120 he could, he could make it slow or fast, he 78 00:04:25.160 --> 00:04:28.000 could change speeds on it, and it was obviously his 79 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:30.079 signature pitch. But there was a lot more to him 80 00:04:30.519 --> 00:04:35.240 than just that. Fernando was a tenacious competitor. He was 81 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:38.079 a really good hitter. There's times where the bench was 82 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:41.879 becoming depleted and Tommy would pinch hit at Fernando. He 83 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:44.000 would be the guy with the bat not being hit four. 84 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:48.920 And you know, he was just an all around great athlete. 85 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:52.680 Don't let the physique fool you. Fernando was a very 86 00:04:52.759 --> 00:04:56.959 good all around athlete and just a great competitor. And 87 00:04:57.319 --> 00:04:59.560 the other side of it, his personality. He was just 88 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:02.759 a he was like a big kid. He never took 89 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:06.079 himself seriously, but he took what he did very seriously. 90 00:05:06.279 --> 00:05:08.800 And that's the great mark of humility, and that's what 91 00:05:08.839 --> 00:05:10.079 Fernando was about. 92 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:14.240 We remember Fernando Alizuela on this Wednesday morning, and we 93 00:05:14.279 --> 00:05:16.480 want you Dodger fans, to certainly be a part of 94 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:19.279 it because he was a huge part of a lot 95 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:22.279 of your lives and your family's lives, and we want 96 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:23.959 you to share your stories. We want you to be 97 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:27.959 a part of celebrating Fernando Velezuela eight sixty six, nine 98 00:05:28.040 --> 00:05:30.759 eighty seven two five seventy. We got some of your 99 00:05:30.759 --> 00:05:32.879 former teammates to join this. Mike Sosha is going to 100 00:05:32.920 --> 00:05:35.160 join us at seven point thirty, certainly a big part 101 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:38.199 of Fernando Mania behind the plate working with El Toro. 102 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:40.519 We got Dusty Baker who was going to join us 103 00:05:40.519 --> 00:05:42.399 in the eight o'clock hour coming up at the bottom 104 00:05:42.439 --> 00:05:45.600 of this hour a great tribute from MLB Network from 105 00:05:45.639 --> 00:05:48.120 our buddy John Paul Morosi, who a few years ago 106 00:05:48.519 --> 00:05:53.240 wanted to really encapitalize, capitualize what Fernando Mania was all about. 107 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:56.680 And for the younger generation of sports fans, baseball fans 108 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:59.000 out there that have heard of Fernando, have seen the 109 00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:02.519 videos and know the name, what it was all about, 110 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:06.720 and what exactly it did to Southern California, especially in 111 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:09.560 nineteen eighty one. So we'll hear that feature coming up 112 00:06:09.560 --> 00:06:11.000 at the bottom of the hour. But again we want 113 00:06:11.000 --> 00:06:12.000 to be you to be a part of the show 114 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:14.839 at eight sixty six, nine eighty seven, two five seventy 115 00:06:14.839 --> 00:06:17.360 because Fernando was a part of everybody's lives here in 116 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:20.519 southern California, whether you were a young pop at the time, 117 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:23.279 whether you weren't even born at the time, Your family 118 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:25.240 members loved him, they talked about him. He was a 119 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:27.319 part of their lives, and then they passed it on 120 00:06:27.399 --> 00:06:29.800 to you, even if you weren't even around or old 121 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:32.920 enough at that time to enjoy Fernando Mania. Eight sixty six, 122 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:35.879 nine eighty seven, two five seventy, eight sixty six, nine 123 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:38.720 eighty seven two five seventy. Now, Fernando had been in 124 00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:42.079 bad health recently. He had stepped away from his duties 125 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:44.879 with the Spanish radio broadcast at the end of the 126 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:48.680 regular season just about a month ago, and he's passed 127 00:06:48.680 --> 00:06:51.000 away again last night, the family announced through the team, 128 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:54.839 at the age of sixty three. In the last eighteen 129 00:06:54.879 --> 00:06:59.079 months or so, Saxy, the Dodgers really made a tribute 130 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:03.079 to Fernando Violence by retiring his number thirty four and 131 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:06.319 honoring him at Dodger Stadium, And they don't do that 132 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:10.439 at all for the Dodger organization. You have to be 133 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:12.879 a Hall of Famer to have your number retired, and 134 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:15.839 they did it for Fernando in twenty twenty three. He 135 00:07:15.959 --> 00:07:19.800 was honored with that. And again, Fernando, what he meant 136 00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:22.360 to this city was on full display that night. When 137 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:25.199 you saw the fans there early, you saw him speak, 138 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:28.519 and you talked about his personality. You also see how 139 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:32.680 humbled he was about the attention that he received and 140 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:36.040 the accolades that he got from this organization and from 141 00:07:36.040 --> 00:07:40.199 the fans. Did you ever grasp Facci that he understood 142 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:46.040 the impact he had on Southern California, The culture the 143 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:47.560 fan base baseball fans. 144 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:50.680 I think he certainly realized that it was so big. 145 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:54.319 But Fernando was a kind of a guy that always 146 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:58.439 deflected in either great accolades or things that people would 147 00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:01.240 bestow upon him, because you know, he just didn't want 148 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:03.600 to garner all that type of attention. He was all 149 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:06.519 about his team, in his family. He was such a 150 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:10.399 great family man. And you know what, what he would 151 00:08:10.439 --> 00:08:13.360 talk about off the field was not a lot about baseball. 152 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:17.439 He would there was times when you know, the circumstances 153 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:19.639 were right when he'd certainly talk about it. But he 154 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:22.279 talked about his family, He talked about growing up in Mexico. 155 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:25.720 He he was a very very grounded person. And man, 156 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:29.600 I'll tell you what, tim for all the attention, I mean, 157 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:33.279 you've Fernando was like one of the Beatles. He really was. 158 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:36.720 And and I beg to differ. I think outside of 159 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:40.679 Los Angeles, everybody knew Fernando in the sports world, and 160 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:45.279 he just didn't want to recognize, you know, how big 161 00:08:45.320 --> 00:08:48.480 that was. He would just he wouldn't he wouldn't really 162 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:50.360 even acknowledge it. He was just he'd just give you 163 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:54.200 a smile of smirk, and he was always the same guy, always, 164 00:08:54.200 --> 00:08:55.759 and that's what I loved about him. He was just 165 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:56.879 a pleasure to be around. 166 00:08:57.000 --> 00:09:01.000 You mentioned you first saw him in the my if 167 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:04.000 you could talk about that first encounter where you guys 168 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:07.480 were and kind of coming up sort at the same time. 169 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:08.480 Yeah, he was. 170 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:10.720 He was in the big leagues a year before me. 171 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:14.120 And I saw the first day he came into the 172 00:09:14.200 --> 00:09:16.919 organization from Mexico down and I was when I was 173 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:21.080 in Arizona Instructional League, I believe in seventy nine, and 174 00:09:21.639 --> 00:09:24.159 he came. He came in there and you know, he 175 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:26.600 had haired down the middle of his back, and they 176 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:28.519 threw a UNI on him and had him go out 177 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:30.399 there and throw batting practice, and he was hitting the 178 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:32.240 top of the backstop and the cutout of the green 179 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:35.360 in front of him plate and everywhere in between. And 180 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:38.279 you know, he had he had good fastball, He had 181 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:41.320 good stuff. But when Bobby Castillo had taught him that 182 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:44.000 screwball and he learned to throw that thing but not 183 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:46.600 bending his elbow all the way, just by flicking his wrist, 184 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:50.000 didn't put any pressure on his arm. He he just 185 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:54.240 became bigger than life. He took that screwball and he 186 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.480 he mastered it, and it was all over after that. 187 00:09:56.440 --> 00:10:00.080 The nationally hitters had no answer for that screwball. I 188 00:10:00.679 --> 00:10:03.399 remember playing just playing behind him all those years. He 189 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:08.039 would just make people, very good hitters just look like 190 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:10.320 they'd never seen it before, and they he made him 191 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:12.159 look silly. That's how good he was. 192 00:10:12.279 --> 00:10:14.720 What wasn't about the screwball For those who don't understand 193 00:10:14.759 --> 00:10:15.840 what a screwball is. 194 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:18.639 So Fernando being left handed to a right handed hitter, 195 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:20.759 the ball is going to come into the right handed 196 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:24.000 hitter if he throws a slider. You know you haven't 197 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:26.240 sometimes had a little natural tail on a fastball that 198 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:28.279 might go away a little bit, but for the most part, 199 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:31.240 the ball's coming to you. When you throw a screwball, 200 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:34.960 it's completely the opposite of a curveball. A curveball will 201 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:36.799 come into the right handed hitter, so you don't have 202 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:38.919 to reach for it. A screwball kind of does the 203 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:41.759 same thing and all goes exactly the opposite way. So 204 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:44.000 he's throwing the ball to, you know, to a right 205 00:10:44.039 --> 00:10:46.120 hand hitter, and it's going to break towards the right 206 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:49.200 handed hitters batter's box, so away from the hitter and 207 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:53.000 People just don't see pitches like that. They can't throw it. 208 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:55.000 It's too hard of a pitch to throw, so you 209 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:58.480 never see that pitch, especially with the mastery that Fernando 210 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:01.679 Valen's wail ahead upon that pitch. It was just incredible. 211 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:05.480 Eight six, six, nine, eighty seven, two five seventy. It's 212 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:08.639 Sax and Kates and the Am on this Wednesday morning. 213 00:11:08.759 --> 00:11:12.559 Scam started in nine or in twenty seventeen during the 214 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:15.799 NLCS and World Series run for the Dodgers and every 215 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:18.279 postseason we've been here for you here on an FI 216 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:21.440 seventy LA Sports, and I think it's fitting during these 217 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:24.759 few days off between the NLCS and the World Series, 218 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:26.600 we thought, well, what's gonna happen? 219 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:28.080 What's there gonna be a lot to talk about. 220 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:30.519 We'll get ready for Game one, We'll break down everything 221 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:34.159 to the smallest degrees, and you know, here we are 222 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:37.440 on this Wednesday morning, two days before the World Series 223 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:41.279 begins between the Dodgers and Yankees. Fernando Valenzuela passes away 224 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:43.799 at a local LA hospital at the age of sixty three, 225 00:11:44.039 --> 00:11:46.519 and a lot of emotions have been stirred up for 226 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:50.519 Dodger fans, young and old. Remembering for Nando Mania and 227 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:53.399 what the former NLCY Young Award winner Rookie of the 228 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:56.759 Year did back in nineteen eighty one, what he did 229 00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:59.399 for a culture here in southern California, what he did 230 00:11:59.399 --> 00:12:02.840 for the Dodger fan base in the nineteen eighties and beyond. 231 00:12:02.919 --> 00:12:05.919 I mean, you go out to Dodger Stadium today and 232 00:12:06.120 --> 00:12:10.120 you can see Dodger fans from East LA, you know, 233 00:12:10.279 --> 00:12:13.240 sitting next to Dodger fans from the Valley, from all 234 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:16.759 walks of life, citty together and the one thing they 235 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:20.360 have in common, Steve Sachs, is Dodgers baseball. And it 236 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:24.399 was Fernando who brought certain parts of this city that 237 00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:27.399 probably would never have interacted together in any point of 238 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:31.000 their life together with a common bond. And that was 239 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:31.759 Dodger baseball. 240 00:12:31.799 --> 00:12:35.519 Oh there's no question. He brought everybody together. And in 241 00:12:35.559 --> 00:12:37.919 this world that we're living in today sometimes it seems 242 00:12:37.960 --> 00:12:41.679 extremely divisive. You wouldn't see that coming into Dodger Stadium. 243 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:44.639 Fernando Valen's way that changed all that. And that's such 244 00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:47.600 a great thing in its pure sense about baseball, where 245 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:50.600 you can bring people together and people can lock arms 246 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:53.919 and forget about everything else. And just enjoy a great 247 00:12:53.960 --> 00:12:56.799 game of baseball for an afternoon or an evening. That's 248 00:12:56.840 --> 00:12:59.679 what Fernando was about, and he was just the best. 249 00:13:00.679 --> 00:13:03.039 I just consider what a what a great honor was 250 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:06.200 to play behind him and know him as my friend. 251 00:13:06.279 --> 00:13:09.679 And it's just a hard day today to think about 252 00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:10.360 he's gone. 253 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:10.559 Now. 254 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:13.320 I think of Fernando Mania as I was a young 255 00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:16.080 kid at the time. But you think of what he 256 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:19.399 did on the field, the dominance, the eight to zero, 257 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:23.080 the start, and the shutout streak that he started with, 258 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:25.639 and you know, taking baseball by storm. Is one of 259 00:13:25.639 --> 00:13:28.200 the best young pitchers at the age of twenty, and 260 00:13:28.279 --> 00:13:30.360 what he did in the eighty one postseason to help 261 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:32.440 you guys on the Dodgers. So what he did in 262 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:36.399 his career afterwards, I don't know Fernandomania is as big 263 00:13:36.440 --> 00:13:38.759 as it is if he doesn't produce like he did 264 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:41.399 on the field. Certainly, people love to look out and 265 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:45.200 see a young man out of Mexico that they can 266 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:48.919 relate to and doesn't speak English but yet speak Spanish, 267 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:51.720 which a lot of the population here in southern California 268 00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:54.679 could relate to. But if he doesn't have the success 269 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:58.480 that he does, it maybe doesn't translate to what Fernandomania is. 270 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:02.159 But it all came together like a perfect storm, with 271 00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:05.759 him being Mexican, with him speaking Spanish, with the culture 272 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:09.600 of southern California, and the success that he had on 273 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:12.639 the field. I mean, you talk about perfect timings for 274 00:14:12.679 --> 00:14:15.360 everything to come together. It was that nineteen eighty one 275 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:17.960 season and beyond, because again, if he doesn't have that success, 276 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:20.320 I don't know if we're talking about Fernando means yeah. 277 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:22.919 And remember that was that was the season with the strike, 278 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:26.559 so baseball was fractured. You know, we had two different seasons, 279 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:29.679 the first one second season, and Fernando in the midst 280 00:14:29.720 --> 00:14:32.080 of that was just a bright light. Everybody could look 281 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:34.360 to and talk about it and anticipate when baseball comes 282 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:36.200 back that you know, we're going to get to see 283 00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:40.600 Fernando again. But don't don't be fooled for you know, 284 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:44.799 Fernando when he's just say that he spoke, you know, Spanish. 285 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:48.799 He also was learning English just by osmosis being around 286 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:51.360 everybody and kind of it rubbing off on him. Fernando 287 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:55.360 was very smart, very intelligent man, and he could pick 288 00:14:55.399 --> 00:14:58.799 it up and I remember times when he would you know, 289 00:14:58.840 --> 00:15:02.320 act like he didn't understand he didn't understand the English, 290 00:15:02.360 --> 00:15:05.320 but he understood more than you thought. And after a while, 291 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:08.159 you know, he couldn't hide it anymore because people just 292 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:10.200 knew and they heard him talk too much of English, 293 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:13.159 and they say, okay, he knows English now, and you know, 294 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:15.639 after a while, certainly he was spoke English very well. 295 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:18.559 And you can see how well he spoke with the 296 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:22.840 KWKW and how well he did as a broadcaster. He 297 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:24.840 was he knew the game in and out. He was 298 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:28.600 a very very smart guy. So that was part of 299 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:30.519 the fun to be around him, is you know, you 300 00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:32.159 kind of look at him and and he kind of 301 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:33.960 looked back at you and he said, yeah, yeah, I know, 302 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:34.919 you got me figured out. 303 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:38.559 That's this you brought the second part of his career 304 00:15:38.840 --> 00:15:41.480 and being a Dodger legend, and that's being part of 305 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:45.200 the Dodger Spanish broadcast. It's as much as Jim Herren 306 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:48.480 started it, and being the iconic Spanish voice of the 307 00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:53.200 Dodgers and calling those games for Fernando Venezuela during Fernando Mania, 308 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:57.039 and being that translator at the time to bridge the 309 00:15:57.159 --> 00:16:01.399 English and Spanish fans. In the nineteen eighty one season 310 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:03.960 and beyond, and then to go into the booth and 311 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:07.360 call games in Spanish. He just continued that legacy. So 312 00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:10.679 the young kids who were too young to recognize in 313 00:16:10.679 --> 00:16:13.799 the nineteen eighties, or weren't even alive until the nineteen nineties, 314 00:16:13.960 --> 00:16:16.919 or weren't even born to the early two thousands, they 315 00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:19.080 got to know Fernando Valence wella and not only by 316 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:21.399 their family members talking about how great Fernando was and 317 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:23.639 what he meant to their family, their culture, the city 318 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:26.919 of Los Angeles, to Dodger Nation, but also they get 319 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:29.320 to hear him for so many years, even until just 320 00:16:29.320 --> 00:16:30.120 a month ago. 321 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:35.120 He transcended any age. There was no age attached to Fernando. 322 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:39.519 Everybody could, you know, relate to him and know the 323 00:16:39.559 --> 00:16:44.000 struggles that he went through coming up. You know in Mexico, 324 00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:47.200 didn't come from a lot of resources, and yet he 325 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:49.960 was able to come up. And the thing that I 326 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:52.799 really liked about Fernando, the best thing I liked about Fernando, 327 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:55.559 besides how wonderful he was on the field, is just 328 00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:58.559 how grounded he was and what a great family guy 329 00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:01.559 that he was. He would talk about, you know, his family, 330 00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:03.080 and his eyes would light up, and you know, you 331 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:05.759 talk about baseball and striking out Dale Murphy in a 332 00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:08.720 real clutch situation, then you know he's talking about his 333 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:11.559 kids or his wife, and you know he'd really light 334 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:15.599 up that that's what really was his passion. And you know, 335 00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:18.119 baseball was for sure. But Frana was a very, very 336 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:20.160 grounded person. That's what I really loved about him. 337 00:17:20.359 --> 00:17:22.319 Is Saxon Kate's in the am here on a five 338 00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:25.599 seventy LA Sports. We're here with you all morning long, 339 00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:28.319 and we appreciate you having us with you as we 340 00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:31.839 remember Fernando of Alenzuela, Steve sax Tim Kates and you 341 00:17:32.359 --> 00:17:34.640 on this Wednesday morning. Mike Sosh is going to join 342 00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:37.160 us in the seven o'clock hour. Dusty Baker will join 343 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:39.519 us in the eight o'clock hour. Your phone call is 344 00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:43.160 this hour also a great tribute that MLB Network did 345 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:46.559 a few years ago. It was a tribute to Fernando 346 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:50.920 Mania and Fernando and what he did for southern California. 347 00:17:51.240 --> 00:17:54.039 And it's a great spotlight and a great time to 348 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:56.759 reflect and for those who are young to hear what 349 00:17:56.920 --> 00:18:01.079 he meant to Los Angeles in nineteen eight one and beyond. 350 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:04.359 In ten years with the Dodgers and a great I 351 00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:06.559 dare I say Hall of Fame career. I know the 352 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:09.720 numbers don't say. It doesn't put him up there with 353 00:18:09.799 --> 00:18:12.559 the the the top pitchers of all time, but certainly 354 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:14.960 what he meant to the game as a contributor will 355 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:17.039 go down as one of the greatest of all time 356 00:18:17.079 --> 00:18:20.680 across this country. Maybe one day he gets in to 357 00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:23.319 that Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. He is Steve Saxon, 358 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:26.640 Tim Kates on this Wednesday morning. It's Saxon Kate's and 359 00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:37.480 am here on NI seventy I sports Saxon Kates in 360 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:40.480 the am on this Wednesday morning. Gave one of the 361 00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:44.799 World Series Dodgers Yankees coming up on Friday night, Jack 362 00:18:44.839 --> 00:18:46.599 flaherity we found out will be the game of one 363 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:49.960 starter going up against Garrett Cole to Southern California Kids 364 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:54.160 on the Mound Dodgers Yankees Flarity out of the Valley 365 00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:56.279 here in the eight one eight, Garrett Cole out of 366 00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:58.039 Orange County in the seven to one to four. So 367 00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:00.200 looking forward to that matchup. Of course, we'll have all 368 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:01.400 of it for you right here on your home of 369 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:04.359 the Dodgers A five seventy LA Sports A sad day 370 00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:07.680 in southern California in the city of La As. Fernando 371 00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:12.240 Valenzuela last night passed away at the age of sixty three. 372 00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:15.839 He was a Dodger icon, and he was a Dodger 373 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:18.920 that will always be remembered for what he did in 374 00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:21.640 nineteen eighty one, what he did for the nineteen eighties 375 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:24.359 for the Dodgers, for his career in baseball, and then 376 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:27.279 as a broadcaster for twenty plus years with the Los 377 00:19:27.319 --> 00:19:30.640 Angeles Dodgers, bursting onto the scene in nineteen eighty one, 378 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:33.720 Rookie of the Year, Cy young On, an All Star 379 00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:38.400 many times over, and just a great person. Fernando Valenzuela 380 00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:42.720 gone too soon at the age of sixty three, Saxy. 381 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:46.119 Did you guys play together in the minor leagues for 382 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:47.440 a little bit? I know you saw you said you 383 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:49.440 saw him an instructional league when he first got there, 384 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:52.799 and then he moved up a little before you to 385 00:19:52.839 --> 00:19:55.200 the major leagues. But did you guys play together in 386 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:56.079 the minor leagues together? 387 00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:59.039 No, just I believe, just an instructional league oka, but 388 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:00.880 not in the minor leagues. 389 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:01.440 He was up. 390 00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:04.519 He went up really quick and I think he was 391 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:06.880 signed in seventy nine and I saw him the First 392 00:20:06.920 --> 00:20:11.279 Aid and Instruction League, and then after that. Okay, so 393 00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:13.799 in eighty I was in Varo and he was up 394 00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:16.680 in eighty gotcha, And so yeah, that's how that happened. 395 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:20.400 We're remembering Fernando and we know the impact he had 396 00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:23.480 here on fans in Los Angeles, in southern California, and 397 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:24.960 we want you to be able to be a part 398 00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:26.759 of the show this morning. Coming up in just a 399 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:30.200 couple of minutes, a great tribute about Fernando Mania and 400 00:20:30.200 --> 00:20:32.640 what it was in nineteen eighty one from our buddy 401 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:37.720