Fernando Holds Out

Reprinted with permission from the University of Missouri Press

Coming off an amazing rookie season in 1981, Fernando Valenzuela wanted a new contract. Valenzuela made his Dodgers debut in 1980 and secured a spot in the L.A. rotation out of spring training in 1981. By season’s end, he was the biggest attraction in baseball. Not since Mark Fidrych in 1976 had a rookie pitcher drawn so much attention. Valenzuela went 8-0 in his first eight starts with an E.R.A. of just 0.50 and Fernandomania had begun, much to the delight of Dodgers management. Eleven of his twelve home starts were sellouts, and road attendance when he was on the mound grew by an average of more than 14,000 extra fans.

After finishing the year with a 13-7 record, Fernando went 3-1 in the postseason, helped L.A. win a World Series, and took home both the Rookie of the Year Award and the National League Cy Young Award. Now he and his agent, Tony De Marco, wanted a contract befitting one of the game’s top players. “I want Valenzuela to be associated with greatness,” said De Marco. “That’s my mission. And the first thing associated with greatness is a lot of money, even if he doesn’t need it.” The Dodgers offered a salary of $300,000, a sizeable raise from the $42,000 he made the year before. But De Marco insisted Valenzuela was worth more and advised his client not to report to Vero Beach when the Dodgers opened spring training. The stalemate dragged on until March 1, when the Dodgers, following MLB rules, renewed Valenzuela’s contract for one year at $350,000. He had a contract, but he still wasn’t in camp.

“We tried hard to sign Fernando, and we have made a number of very fair offers,” said team owner Peter O’Malley. “Many proposals were exchanged and considered, but we were unable to persuade Fernando’s representatives how unrealistic their contract demands are. Our only alternative is to renew Fernando’s contract.”

Media Reaction

While many of his Dodger teammates supported Valenzuela’s efforts, media reaction varied. The Los Angeles Times published dueling columns from Scott Ostler and Jim Murray, with each taking a side.

“All he did was almost single-armedly pitch the Dodgers into the World Series, which the Dodgers won,” wrote Ostler. “He also generated a lot of positive publicity and millions of ticket sales for baseball. All in all, a swell season.”

“Now this youngster is trying to hit up the Dodgers for $1,000,000, and you’re steamed… because he didn’t even have the decency to wait until the national unemployment rate hits zero again and everyone is eating well and paying their bills.”

“But I guess you expect Fernando to defend what’s left of baseball’s fiscal sanity by taking the Dodgers first offer.”

Murray came out blazing against Fernando, saying, “Unemployment is rising. Auto plants are going belly up. Stocks are taking nosedives. Financial institutions are failing. Welfare is being cut back. America is in big trouble.”

“And a kid from Mexico with little or no formal education, a non-citizen who cannot speak the language, wants $1.4 million a year for a job where he works only every 4th day and then no more than an hour and a half. And he usually requires a backup to come in and finish the job for him.”

But then Murray shifted his tone when he wrote, “I’ll tell you who’s at fault. We are. Particularly we press boxers who cover outfield flies for a living. We created this golem…. The Dodgers… had always dreamed of getting a good Spanish-speaking ballplayer. Then, it came to a shuddering stop. They put the guitars away and the Fiesta was over when it was contract time.  Fernando came to the table with no cards and few chips.”

Murray’s assessment was dead on. Despite his on-field success, Valenzuela had no leverage. According to Major League Baseball’s rules, a first- or second-year player’s contract could be renewed without the player’s signature for one year. His choice was to sit out the season or report and earn a substantial raise. 

The Outcome

Valenzuela finally reported to Dodgers camp, but he wasn’t happy. Reading from a prepared statement he said he and his representatives were “treated as children asking for favors. I am not a boy. I am a man, and I have the same need to be considered with dignity and respect as does every other man.” 

“They (the Dodgers) have made it clear that they alone will decide what my contract says, and if I do not accept that, they will stop me from playing baseball again.”

Both the Dodgers and Valenzuela’s representatives claimed there were no hard feelings, but that was not the case with Dodger fans. Shortly after Fernando reported, the public address announcer at Holman Stadium told fans that he would make his spring debut in a few days. The crowd booed.

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