Dodgers Team News

Dodgers News: Fernando Valenzuela Takes A Shot At Zack Greinke

Today is Fan Fest, and it was nice to see that a Dodgers legend like Fernando Valenzuela wasted zero time making it utterly interesting with a quote.

Zack Greinke left this offseason to sign with the Arizona Diamondbacks, one of the Dodgers’ National League West rivals. And that’s fine. Except not to Fernando.




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From the official Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) Twitter account:

Can you feel the burn?! This isn’t just a shot across Greinke’s bow by Valenzuela, this is a whole barrage of cannonballs towards the mast. It’s quite impressive.

Saying “a better pitcher wouldn’t leave” implies that Greinke is not as good as some other pitchers, and maybe he’s not, but it does seem a tad ridiculous to say. In this day in age, players leave for all sorts of reasons. It doesn’t make them any less impactful and qualified than others, though.

You can dismiss Valenzuela’s comments as just one man speaking about how he’s disappointed another man, another great pitcher, left the Dodgers during his prime, and that’s probably all it really boils down to.

But, it’s still interesting nonetheless that Valenzuela felt that deeply about it. So deeply, in fact, that he said someone better wouldn’t have left. We’re already off to a roaring start at Fan Fest.

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12 Comments

  1. I think Fernando meant it as ” a better man loyalty wise” not pitching performance. I’ve heard him on am Spanish radio and he’s always talked about players personalities and being loyal to teams for opportunities.

  2. Zack did not make the Dodgers. Zack will not break the Dodgers. Hope the door didn’t hit him on his way out. Zack has always been a rent-a-pitcher. He was a fan fav; guess it wasn’t mutual. Yeah, I know, it’s the money thing, but really, how much is it to take care of your family for 500 years?!!

  3. I don’t think you will ever see Grienke with a world series ring.  He cares about one thing.  Making  as much money as possible before his playing days are over.

  4. Like Adrian Beltre and J.D. Drew before him, Zack Greinke has shown himself to be a talented athlete, but ultimately a selfish teammate who prioritizes money over loyalty. Greinke was a very good pitcher, but showed he could have been a better, more honorable player. That’s what Fernando meant.

  5. I’m actually surprised and saddened at the comments made by Mr. Valenzuela and the Dodger fans that agree with him. Grienke was a great pitcher and gave the Dodgers what has to have been his best performance. Grienke wants to play the game he obviously loves and that means he needs to find a team that will give him the opportunity. Unfortunately for us, that wasn’t the Dodgers. We have an incredible pool of new talent that is on the verge of playing in the majors and that does not bode well for pitchers on the other side of a long career. I wish Zack well… and can’t wait for him to meet Kershaw this season!

  6. LucasAlvarez  Are you kidding!! The dodgers gave him plenty of opportunity and were more than willing to give him more!!! He is just a typical greedy ball player. And I am now putting the jinx on him. I hope his arm falls off!!!

  7. My take on Fernando’s comment is…”A better person wouldn’t leave”…not a “Better Pitcher”!
    I think Zack was great and shoulda stayed…or at least given the Dodgers a chance to match Arizona’s money…which I read he didn’t.
    HOWEVER….the Dodgers and all the other teams are willing to DUMP their players at the drop of a  batting average or ERA…so why should the players show any more loyalty. I assume someone as good as Greinke took into account … was the extra money and a chance to live in Arizona…a better life than less money and staying in L.A.?
    He was a good player and teammate & a good guy while he was here and I wish him the best except when he pitches against the Dodgers!!!

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