I was born in May of 1981. A less than a month before then my date of birth, 20 year-old Fernando Valenzuela pitched a complete game shutout on opening day, starting Fernandomania for Dodger fans.

Part of the fun of Fernandomania was the lore and legend surrounding Fernando and where he came from. Behind the Mexican left-hander with a nasty screwball and funky delivery, the Dodgers also won the World Series that season. I was born into a world where the Dodgers were fun and exciting.

Fast-forward to 2013. Another precocious young player has helped lead the Dodgers to the playoffs. Like Fernando, there is mystique around this Latin-American superstar. He is the opposite of Fernando physically, he plays a different position, but the energy he infused into the team mid-season is something like I imagine Fernando brought in 1981.

My daughter is about 8 weeks old. She was born during this season. As a fan-dad, I hope that she too can be born into a world that the Dodgers remain good and relevant. Maybe, if we’re lucky, it can be like 1981 all over again.