Editing Fernando Valenzuela (section)

=== Pitching ===
Valenzuela relied on deception, command, and a large arsenal of off-speed pitches to keep opposing batters off balance. During his rookie year, [[Sandy Koufax]] noted that "it's very unusual for someone that young to have such control over so many pitches."<ref name=":10" /> He was never a power pitcher; at his peak he threw roughly 87–88&nbsp;mph, which fell to 83–84&nbsp;mph or below during his final Dodgers years and 79-84&nbsp;mph in 1994.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Privman |first=Jay |date=July 4, 1994 |title=Valenzuela Makes Return To Acclaim, and Defeat |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/04/sports/baseball-valenzuela-makes-return-to-acclaim-and-defeat.html |access-date=October 24, 2024 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> However, Valenzuela's longtime catcher [[Mike Scioscia]] recalled that at his peak, Valenzuela "had impeccable command" and could "move a ball 3 or 4 inches more off the corner at will." He praised Valenzuela's ability to disguise his pitches, noting that "everything looked like a fastball out of his hand."<ref name=":13" />

He was best known for his [[screwball]],<ref name=":11" /> which looked like a fastball and broke late.<ref name=":15" /> He was able to throw screwballs at varying velocities,<ref name=":10" /> and he could also cause them to break vertically or laterally.<ref name=":17">{{Cite web |last1=Sanchez |first1=Jesse |last2=Alonso |first2=Nathalie |last3=Venn |first3=David |date=October 22, 2024 |title=Remembering Fernandomania 40 years later |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/featured/remembering-fernandomania-40-years-later |access-date=October 25, 2024 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> [[Rick Monday]] recalled that Valenzuela's screwball was so deceptive that it could generate swinging strikes even if Valenzuela was having trouble targeting it that day.<ref name=":16">{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Tony |date=June 25, 2010 |title=Valenzuela pitched best game in 1981 World Series |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/mlb/columns/story?id=5325436 |access-date=October 24, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> However, he also threw an effective [[curveball]], and was also known to throw a [[changeup]], a [[Sinker (pitch)|sinker]], and a [[Slider (pitch)|slider]].<ref name=":10" /> In his later years he added a [[Cut fastball|cutter]] to mitigate his diminishing effectiveness.<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":12" />

A workhorse starter, Valenzuela was able to remain effective late in games, despite high pitch counts, which Scioscia credited to his slow heartbeat and ability to "slow the game down."<ref name=":15" /> In Game 3 of the [[1981 World Series]], with the Dodgers down 2–0 to the [[New York Yankees]], Valenzuela struggled through difficult circumstances: he was pitching on short rest,<ref name=":17" /> he could not locate his signature screwball,<ref name=":16" /> and he surrendered nine hits and seven walks.<ref name="turbow_10262017" /> He needed 72 pitches to get through the first three innings,<ref name="turbow_10262017" /> and Valenzuela later recalled that [[Tommy Lasorda]] considered pulling him in the third inning.<ref name=":16" /> Nonetheless, he convinced Lasorda to leave him in the game. He shut down the Yankees offense for the next six innings to earn a complete game victory.<ref name=":16" /> He threw over 145 pitches that game,<ref name=":9" /> although the exact number is disputed.

Valenzuela was known for his unusual windup, which involved a skyward glance on every pitch, as well as his high leg kick.<ref name=":17" /> He said that he developed the former habit spontaneously during his time in the Dodgers' minor league system.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 20, 2008 |title=Fernando Valenzuela interview |url=http://www.oyemag.com/index.php/fernando-valenzuela/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131222359/http://oyemag.com/index.php/fernando-valenzuela/ |archive-date=January 31, 2009 |access-date=December 21, 2008 |work=Open Your Eyes Magazine |language=es}}</ref>