DODGERS NOTEBOOK: FERNANDO ALL OVER AGAIN?Byline: Kevin Acee Daily News Staff Writer Dennis Reyes sat in the dugout, interpreter Manny Mota His cap was pulled low over his face. He was all ears and eyes. When he stood and walked away from a 10-minute press conference, the knock-kneed waddle sealed it. Besides being four or five inches taller and a little thinner, Reyes is Fernando Valenzuela The 20-year-old left-hander from Mexico had his contract purchased Saturday from Triple-A Albuquerque and will start in today's series finale
A series finale is the very last installment of a television series, usually a sitcom or drama. against the San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California that currently play in the National League West Division. New York Giants history Early days and the John McGraw era . He replaces Ismael Valdes
Reyes will be the first left-hander to start for the Dodgers since Bob Ojeda He was 11-12 with a 4.17 ERA at Single-A San Bernardino last year and averaged 9.54 strikeouts per nine innings. He started this season at Double-A San Antonio, where he was 8-1 with a 3.02 ERA. In five starts at Albuquerque, Reyes was 3-1 with a 3.68 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 29-1/3 innings. The similarities between him and Valenzuela, who also made something of an emergency start on Opening Day in 1981, are too striking to ignore. ``Wait until you see him pitch,'' said Dodgers bench coach Mike Scioscia, who was Valenzuela's catcher for 10 years. Besides missing Valenzuela's look to the heavens, Reyes' pitching motion is identical, Scioscia said. ``If Reyes does half as good as (Valenzuela), it will be successful,'' manager Bill Russell said. Valenzuela went 8-0 to start his rookie season and finished 13-7. Reyes will stick around only long enough for Valdes to heal. In his second and perhaps final start, Reyes will face the Braves on Friday in Atlanta. ``Like any young guy, I'm sure he'll go through some growing pains grow·ing pains pl.n. Pains in the limbs and joints of children or adolescents, frequently occurring at night and often attributed to rapid growth but arising from various unrelated causes. ,'' pitching coach Dave Wallace said. ``He's got a good personality, a good air about him.'' While his English is good, Reyes chose to speak to the press through an interpreter in his native Spanish. He seemed relaxed, not too affected by the fact he was 24 hours from facing the first-place Giants in his major-league debut in a game the Dodgers would be much better off winning. ``I'm not nervous,'' he said. ``It's a chance to be here and face the Giants.'' Birth of a legend: Reyes told some stories that, should he prove anywhere near as successful as Valenzuela, will help his aura grow. His father, Juan, played first base on his team when the younger Reyes made his professional debut in Mexico. The first run scored off him was due to an error by his father. Also, he said his given name is Dennis because his father wanted him to be different. One story that has no credence is that Reyes changed from pitching right-handed to left-handed simply because Dodgers scout Mike Brito told him he only signed left-handers. While Reyes did meet Brito when he was young and Brito did jokingly tell him that, ``It was not because of that. The reason is I couldn't throw with my right,'' said Reyes, who added he has a clavicle clavicle /clav·i·cle/ (klav´i-k'l) collar bone; a bone, curved like the letter f, that articulates with the sternum and scapula, forming the anterior portion of the shoulder girdle on either side. deformity Deformity See also Lameness. Calmady, Sir Richard born without lower legs. [Br. Lit.: Sir Richard Calmady, Walsh Modern, 84] Carey, Philip embittered young man with club foot seeks fulfillment. [Br. Lit. in his right shoulder. And as far as Reyes is concerned, he is not a Valenzuela clone. ``I didn't try to do anything like Fernando,'' he said. ``I try to be myself.'' But will he be allowed to? FEELING LEFT OUT A major-league record will fall today when the Dodgers send out left-hander - yes, left-hander - Dennis Reyes. It will mark the first time a southpaw has climbed the hill in a Dodgers uniform to start a game since Sept. 24, 1992, when Bob Ojeda took the mound in blue - 681 games ago. Following is a list of starting left-handed pitchers who won 20 or more games while in a Los Angeles Dodgers "Dodgers" and "Brooklyn Dodgers" redirect here. For the American football team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (football). For the Eastern Basketball Association team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (basketball). uniform: WINS PITCHER YEAR 27 Sandy Koufax 1966 26 Sandy Koufax 1965 25 Sandy Koufax 1963 21 Fernando Valenzuela 1986 20 Claude Osteen 1969 20 Al Downing 1971 20 Claude Osteen 1972 20 Tommy John 1977 CAPTION(S): Photo, Box PHOTO Top left: Bob Ojeda. Center: Sandy Koufax. Right: Fernando Valenzuela. Photo Illustration: Daily News BOX: FEELING LEFT OUT (see text) |
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