It has been 20 years since chunky Fernando Valenzuela burst on the baseball scene by leading the National League with 11 complete games and 180 strikeouts while posting a 13-7 record with a 2.48 ERA.
And the Los Angeles Dodgers have tried to honor him, first by inviting him to throw out the first pitch at the season opener and then with an invitation to his personally approved bobblehead doll night July 29.
Instead, according to the Los Angeles Times, Valenzuela is still so angry with the team and former manager Tommy Lasorda over real and perceived slights late in his career that he won’t even talk to team executives.
And he lives only 4.4 miles from Dodger Stadium.
Not so fast
Hold those thoughts of Charles Barkley joining Michael Jordan in a joint comeback attempt. Barkley, 38, said over the weekend he’s simply not ready to take on NBA players again.
“I don’t think I could play well,” he said. “Right now I’m just working out to get in shape. … There is no way I could play.”
Barkley, who retired after the 1999-2000 season, was asked if he was abandoning his comeback plans.
“I’m leaning heavily toward that,” he said.
Say what?
`I plan to shake off the rust and be a fill-in.’
Actor Ed Norton after taking grounders at third base and a few swings in the batting cage at Camden Yards.
