Comeback Renews Latino Media Interest : Angels: Valenzuela’s start tonight draws Spanish-language publications and broadcasters. Game will be aired in Mexico.

Now that Fernando Valenzuela is set to make his debut with the Angels, interest in the Mexican-born pitcher has been rekindled by the Spanish-language media here and abroad.

Tim Mead, director of media relations for the Angels, said he expects at least a dozen reporters from Latino publications, radio and television to be at Anaheim Stadium tonight when Valenzuela opens the first of a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers.

“There’s a great deal of curiosity (among Latino fans) about Valenzuela,” said Fernando Paramo, sports editor of the daily La Opinion in Los Angeles. “He continues to be a very popular figure for our readers.”

And, apparently, among baseball fans in general. Ticket sales for the game stood at 35,000 Thursday night. Capacity at the stadium is 64,593.

There’s also heavy interest in Mexico, where radio network Publi Eventos Deportivos plans to broadcast all future Valenzuela games over 80 stations throughout the country. The network will get its original feed from XPRS, the Angels’ Spanish-language flagship station.

Valenzuela, 30, who is making his first major league start since last September and the first after concluding a three-game minor league assignment the past two weeks, has been attracting crowds of spectators and crowds of reporters for years. He consistently filled Dodger Stadium at the peak of the Fernandomania craze during his phenomenal rookie season in 1981.

He also pitched in front of sellout crowds in the minors while he prepared for tonight’s game. More than 9,000 overflowed the 6,622-seat Ray Winder Stadium in Little Rock, Ark., last Saturday and saw Valenzuela pitch seven scoreless innings in a 4-0 victory for Midland, the Angels’ double-A team in the Texas League, over the host Travelers.

Four nights before, 6,252 fans--triple the normal attendance--showed up at the ballpark in Jackson, Miss., for Valenzuela’s second minor league appearance, a 7-1 victory for Midland over the Jackson Generals.

In his first game May 22 with Class-A Palm Springs, Valenzuela pitched in front of 5,188. The team drew 604 the night before.

Some among the Spanish-language reporters and broadcasters who will be at tonight’s game say a smaller-scale Fernandomania might develop this time, but for other reasons.

“I think it is different this time,” said Ruben Valentin, one of the Spanish-language radio broadcasters for the Angels. “But it could be even more enthusiastic because now you are talking about an athlete who has been pampered by his fans. You are talking about an idol who is starting a new phase of his career. There is also the anger of his fans for the way the Dodgers cut him loose, which has created even more interest among the Latinos in particular.”

Said Valentin’s partner in the booth, Cos Villa: “It could become (Fernandomania) if he’s effective. But even if he’s not, they (fans) are still going to follow him because of his charisma.”

That, no doubt, played heavily in the Angels’ decision to sign Valenzuela, who was released by the Dodgers in March after posting a 141-116 record with a 3.31 earned-run average in 10-plus seasons with the club.

Angel Torres, longtime sports columnist with the weekly 20 de Mayo and author of two books on Latin American baseball, says the Angels saw a potentially profitable investment in Valenzuela.

“Valenzuela’s return to baseball with the Angels is a great commercial move for the team,” Torres said. “There’s a large Hispanic population in Orange County, especially in the Santa Ana area, that follows the team. He (Valenzuela) is not the same pitcher he was in the early ‘80s, but if he can win a few games, there will be lots of interest.

Then There Were 54

When Fernando Valenzuela takes the mound tonight at Anaheim Stadium, he will be the 54th player to have been in uniform for both the Angels and Dodgers.

PITCHERS

Name Dodgers Angels Don Aase 1990 1978-84 Ken Brett 1979 1977-78 Jim Brewer 1964-75 1975-76 John Candelaria 1991 1985-87 Bob Darwin 1969, ’71 1962 Dick W. Egan 1967 1966 Terry Forster 1978-82 1986 Alan Foster 1967-70 1972 Art Fowler 1959 1961-64 Dave Goltz 1980-82 1982-83 Tommy John 1972-78 1982-85 Bob Lee 1967 1964-66 A. Messersmith 1973-75, 79 1968-72 Phil Ortega 1960-64 1969 Ron Perranoski 1961-67, 72 1973 Doug Rau 1972-79 1981 Howie Reed 1964-66 1966 Jerry Reuss 1979-87 1987 Dave Sells 1975 1972-75 Larry Sherry 1958-63 1968 Bill Singer 1964-72 1973-75 Don Sutton 1966-80, ’88 1985-87 F. Valenzuela 1980-90 1991 Hoyt Wilhelm 1971-72 1969 Nick Willhite 1963-66 1967 Geoff Zahn 1973-75 1981-85

OTHERS

Name Dodgers Angels Orlando Alvarez 1973-75 1976 Steve Bilko 1958 1961-62 Rocky Bridges 1951-52 1961 Bill Buckner 1969-76 1987-88 Gino Cimoli 1956-58 1967-68 Vic Davalillo 1977-80 1968-69 Tommy Davis 1959-66 1976 Willie Davis 1960-73 1979 Ron Fairly 1958-69 1978 Joe Ferguson 1970-76 ‘78-81, ‘81-83 Jack Fimple 1983-84, ’86 1987 Len Gabrielson 1967-70 1967 Bill Grabarkowitz 1969-72 1973 Glenn Hoffman 1987 1989 Lou Johnson 1965-67 1961, ’69 Jay Johnstone 1980-82, ’85 1966-70 Andy Kosco 1969-70 1972 Ken Landreaux 1981-87 1977-78 Ken McMullen 1962-64 ‘70-72, ‘73-75 Frank Robinson 1972 1973-74 Moose Skowron 1963 1967 Dick Stuart 1966 1969 Bill Sudakis 1968-71 1975 Derrel Thomas 1979-83 1984 Jeff Torborg 1964-70 1971-73 Bobby Valentine 1969, ‘71-72 1973-75 John Werhas 1964-65, ’67 1967 Gordon Windhorn 1961 1962