Fernando Valenzuela is one of the loveliest pitchers of the last forty years and we are entitled to a series on his career.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Universal Content Production has partnered with the Mexican gunner to develop a television series about his life and career. We don’t yet know which platform it will be offered on.
As Universal describes the series, “This is the first time Fernando Valenzuela has told his story. This series follows the legendary Dodgers pitcher from his beginnings in the dusty fields of rural Mexico to winning the World Series in 1981 that allowed him to change baseball forever.
The project will be directed by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, who will notably sign the Bambi remake for Disney. Major League Baseball is also involved through MLB Studios.
great career
Valenzuela is now a descriptor for Dodgers games in Spanish. He spent 17 seasons in the majors.
He began his career as a reliever in 1980 and was the starting pitcher for the Dodgers in the 1981 season opener, which caused an upset.
He saw his love rating skyrocket as he won his first eight starts, during which he maintained a .50 run average allowed.
He then became the first player to win Rookie of the Year honors as well as the Cy Young Trophy, awarded to top pitcher, in the same season.
He retired in 1997 but returned to the Dodgers in 2003 to work on the Spain game description team.
The Dodgers announced earlier this year that his number 34 would be retiring in August as part of a three-day party called Fernandomania.