Anaheim Next? Valenzuela Sharp, Pitches Seven-Inning Two-Hitter : Baseball: He could be back in the majors by the end of this week.

Fernando Valenzuela made his third, and probably last, minor league start for the Angel organization his best, pitching a complete-game, seven-inning two-hitter Saturday night for Midland of the double-A Texas League.

Valenzuela’s biggest problem of the evening was simply getting into the ballpark. As Angel officials and teammates fretted over his whereabouts, Valenzuela was denied admission to the stadium parking lot until an attendant carefully checked his picture I.D. and determined he was indeed one of the players.

The Arkansas Travelers, the league’s weakest hitting team, chased Valenzuela pitches throughout the 4-0 shutout. In the final inning, the first batter doubled sharply down the left-field line and the next walked on a full count, but the third impatiently chased the first pitch, popping out to second, and the next two batters flied out to right.

Angel Manager Doug Rader said in Toronto that a decision on Valenzuela’s status will be made by club officials, probably early next week. He might replace rookie Scott Lewis in the Angel rotation as early as next weekend.

Minor league doubleheaders consist of two seven-inning games. Valenzuela said before the game he was ready to throw 100 to 120 pitches, but wound up throwing 78--47 for strikes. He threw 84 in four innings May 22 for single-A Palm Springs and 91 for Midland in Jackson, Miss., last Monday.

He didn’t allow any earned runs in three games.

“Every pitch was working fine,” Valenzuela said. “The main thing is I was staying ahead of the hitters all the time. I think that’s great.”

He called his pitch total “outstanding” and said, “I don’t know if I can do it again, go seven innings and throw under 80.”

Angel executive Preston Gomez said, “On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give (Valenzuela’s outing) a 10. If he can be around the plate and get ahead of hitters the way he did tonight, he can get major league hitters out, no question about it.”

Gomez, a former manager of the San Diego Padres, Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs, watched Valenzuela’s three minor league outings.

“I was very pleased the way he threw the ball today,” he said. “The ball was moving.”

Matt Keough, a pitcher who is working with Angel pitchers while recovering from rotator cuff surgery, filmed Valenzuela’s performance to help Rader, pitching coach Marcel Lachemann and other team officials decide if and when to bring Valenzuela to Anaheim.

After more than 10 years with the Dodgers, Valenzuela was released at the end of March and waited for offers. None came until May, when the Angels signed him to a one-year contract believed to be worth $1 million to $1.25 million if he meets various incentives.

Unlike last Monday, he had no control problems, giving up only two walks. In Jackson, he walked the bases loaded in the first inning.

“I used all my stuff, and it was working fine,” said Valenzuela, who initially relied on his fastball and then started mixing in more curves and screwballs to retire the side in order in four of the seven innings. He struck out five.

Fernandomania was again present, as it was in Palm Springs and Jackson. Bill Valentine, a former major league umpire who is now general manager of the Travelers--a St. Louis Cardinal farm team--said the stadium seats 6,622. More than 9,000 showed up, standing near the right- and left-field bullpens and lining the warning track in right and left fields.

There were some boos and an occasional “You’re a has-been” catcall, but there was more applause.

Although “Captain Dynamite” appeared between games, delighting what Traveler officials said is a cult-like following that comes to see him detonate explosives around his body, Valentine attributed most of the increased attendance to Valenzuela.

Valenzuela’s Battle Back Fernando Valenzuela has made three minor league starts since being signed by the Angels May 20. The Angels are expected to announce in the next few days if and when they will activate him.

Pitches Date Opponent IP R ER H SO W S B 5/22 High Desert 4 1 0 4 2 3 50 34 5/28 Jackson 6 0 0 5 7 3 55 36 6/1 Little Rock 7 0 0 2 5 2 47 31 Totals 17 1 0 11 14 8 152 101