▁the ▁big ▁le agues ▁and ▁Mexico ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁seasons , ▁he ▁put ▁together ▁one ▁more ▁solid ▁big - le ague ▁season ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁for ▁the ▁San ▁Diego ▁Pad res , ▁going ▁ 1 3 – 8 ▁with ▁a ▁ 3 . 6 2 ▁E RA . ▁He ▁retired ▁a ▁year ▁later ▁with ▁a ▁final ▁record ▁of ▁ 1 7 3 – 1 5 3 ▁and ▁a ▁ 3 . 5 4 ▁E RA ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Card inals . ▁ ▁The ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁D od gers ▁invited ▁him ▁to ▁spring ▁training ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁but ▁he ▁decl ined ▁the ▁offer . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Val enz uela ▁announced ▁he ▁would ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁m ound ▁in ▁the ▁Liga ▁Mex icana ▁del ▁Pac í fico ▁( the ▁Mexican ▁Pacific ▁Coast ▁League ) ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁Los ▁Agu il as ▁de ▁Mex ical i ▁in ▁October ; ▁he ▁was ▁nearly ▁ 4 4 ▁years ▁old ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁He ▁pitch ed ▁again ▁in ▁the ▁Mexican ▁winter ▁league ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 – 0 6 ▁season . ▁On ▁December ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁in ▁Mex ical i , ▁BC , ▁Mexico , ▁Fernando ▁Val enz uela ▁was ▁the ▁starting ▁pitch er ▁for ▁Los ▁Agu il as ▁de ▁Mex ical i ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁professional ▁game ▁of ▁his ▁career . ▁ ▁H