The Dodgers are retiring Fernando Valenzuela's number. Does he have a path to Cooperstown?
LOS ANGELES — For the Dodgers, the No. 34 has long belonged to Fernando Valenzuela — and only Fernando Valenzuela.
Consider that the Dodgers haven't issued the No. 34 to a player since Valenzuela was unceremoniously released in March 1991. Consider that, 32 years later, his No. 34 jersey remains one of the most popular at Dodger Stadium. The unyielding connection illustrates Valenzuela's deep impact on the organization and the region. Fernandomania is an indelible chapter in the city's history.
Officially, however, the No. 34 isn't retired at Dodger Stadium. The franchise's rationale was straightforward: We retire a player's number only if he is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame after spending most of his career with the club.
That changes Friday when the Dodgers will finally bend their rule for Valenzuela and retire his number during a pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium. The portly left-hander from Sonora will join Jim Gilliam as
