WELCOME HOME, FERNANDO.

Byline: Bernie Wilson Associated Press 

Just mention Fernando Valenzuela's name in this city, and watch faces light up.

Fans simply can't wait to see their 35-year-old national hero pitch tonight for the San Diego Padres, who were kicked out of San Diego when the Republicans considered using Jack Murphy Stadium for the final night of their national convention.

Few locals know the reason why the San Diego Padres and New York Mets are playing major league baseball's first regular-season games played outside the United States and Canada.

Few care.

Javier Corchado Alvarez, 44, bought three general-admission tickets to tonight's game, at 30 pesos each, or a little more than $4. The minimum wage here is about 27 pesos a day, so it's a big sacrifice.

``How wouldn't you want to see him?'' Corchado asked Thursday. ``That's why we came, to see him.''

Elva Gonzalez, 45, is equally enthused.

``Ninety percent of the people, this is what they are talking about,'' she said.

``All the people are speaking about Fernando Valenzuela,'' said Melchor Garcia, 62, who has been a ticket seller for 27 years for the Monterrey Sultanes of the Mexican League.

``The people think that he's going to carry a good time.''

Valenzuela, 9-7 with a 3.87 ERA, faces the Mets in the opener of a three-game series.

Corchado said Valenzuela's appearance is ``absolutely'' the biggest moment in baseball in Monterrey, a city of 3 million that is home to the Mexican baseball Hall of Fame and which just days ago celebrated a second straight Mexican League title.

Even though the GOP decided not to use Jack Murphy Stadium, the NFL's Chargers play an exhibition game there Saturday night. That would have forced the Padres to schedule a doubleheader either Friday or Sunday, which they didn't want to do.

So the Padres had the impetus to continue their Mexican marketing campaign, albeit 1,000 miles from home. Monterrey, celebrating its 400th anniversary, has what some consider the best ballpark in Latin America, seating 26,000 and modeled after Jack Murphy Stadium.

``It all seemed too poetic,'' said club president Larry Lucchino. ``We're expecting to establish a certain kind of affinity with Mexico, and a connection to Mexican baseball fans that will pervade the country, particularly in Baja.''

As big a spectacle as this is, the Padres want to keep in perspective that they're in a pennant race.

``I hope people understand that we are going there to play baseball, not just to have fun,'' Valenzuela said. ``I think it's going to be exciting for me, to be part of the first team to play in Mexico in the regular season.''

Valenzuela was with the Dodgers when they played an exhibition game here in 1991.

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Photo

PHOTO San Diego Padres groundskeeper Steve Wightman watersdown the field at Monterrey Stadium prior to the team's series.

Associated Press