Padres Latest to Give Valenzuela a Chance : Baseball: Former Dodger has attendance clause in one-year San Diego contract.

Fernando Valenzuela, who overcame a shoulder ailment that reduced his efficiency and threatened his career, signed Wednesday with the San Diego Padres for $200,000 plus attendance bonuses.

The 34-year-old left-hander, who won the NL rookie of the year and Cy Young awards for the Dodgers in 1981, will report to spring training today and begin working out Friday, General Manager Randy Smith said.

“Fernando is the consummate professional, and will provide valuable left-handed experience to our pitching staff,” Smith said. “Fernando knows how to win, and we hope his winning attitude rubs off on our younger pitchers.”

Valenzuela can earn an additional $300,000 in attendance bonuses. He would get $100,000 if he makes 10 home starts and the Padres’ attendance for those games is 5,000 over the team average. The bonus would jump to $200,000 if the average for his games is 7,500 more than the team average, and to $300,000 if he draws an average of 10,000 more than the team average.

“Bottom line is, he’s going to have to pitch well to make the club,” outfielder Tony Gwynn said. “We’ve got some good young pitchers here. If he pitches well, great. He can help us get to where we want to go. We want to win.”

The Dodgers cut Valenzuela near the end of spring training in 1991. He was hit hard during that exhibition season, and the soundness of his shoulder--which first troubled him in 1988--was questioned.

After an ill-fated comeback later that season with the Angels, which included stints with three minor league teams, Valenzuela turned to his native Mexico.

He enjoyed mediocre results with Jalisco in 1992, but demonstrated his shoulder was sound by pitching 156 1/3 innings.

Valenzuela signed with Baltimore in 1993, going 8-10 with a 4.94 earned-run average in 32 starts and 178 2/3 innings. He pitched five complete games, including two shutouts.

Despite his comeback, Valenzuela was out of a job at the beginning of last season.

He went back to the Mexican League, where he went 10-3 with a 2.67 ERA. In June, he signed with Philadelphia, going 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA in eight starts.

“The new Padres fully expect that Fernando will make a real contribution to this club,” Padre CEO Larry Lucchino said.