| I truly believe in my heart that any questions that | | | | I'm kidding a little bit about being annoyed. In all |
| are asked should be totally respected and | | | | honesty, the question really doesn't bother me |
| answered politely. I've answered many questions | | | | but I want to make a point. I understand that as |
| on baseball tips on hitting, baseball pitching tips, | | | | a pitcher, you may have a favorite pitch you like |
| baseball coaching and more over several decades. | | | | to use to a certain very good hitter, but you can't |
| I can proudly say that not once did I ever think | | | | rely on it exclusively. Let's use an outstanding |
| the question was not a worthwhile question and I | | | | right-handed hitter as an example. If you kept |
| always showed the utmost respect to the person | | | | throwing him fast balls low and away, it's just a |
| asking the question. However, there is one | | | | matter of time before he creams one to right |
| question on the topic of baseball pitching that I'm | | | | field or to right center field. If you kept throwing |
| having a hard time coming to grips with. It is way | | | | him fastballs up and in, eventually he will cream |
| off base, no pun intended. I must have heard it | | | | one to left field or left center. If you threw him all |
| 1000 times. The question is one that is asked to a | | | | breaking balls, again eventually he will clobber you. |
| baseball pitcher about pitching to a real good hitter. | | | | The point here is that real good hitters do not |
| The big question asked to the pitcher is..."how do | | | | have glaring weaknesses! That's the reason they |
| you pitch to... so and so?" | | | | are real good baseball hitters. They may handle |
| The sportswriter, sportscaster or baseball | | | | some pitches better than others, but they have |
| commentator is asking a pitcher how he pitches | | | | no glaring weaknesses. A pitcher has to "mix it |
| to a certain outstanding baseball hitter. I've learned | | | | up" because the real good hitters will make |
| a lot over the years by simply listening to these | | | | adjustments. If a batter is having a hard time |
| guys. For the most part, they are very intelligent | | | | with your changeup, you can't simply keep |
| and great "baseball people." But like I said, this | | | | throwing it. The good hitter will go from looking |
| question irks me! Does the person asking the | | | | terrible and then on about the fourth changeup he |
| question think that the answer may be "breaking | | | | will put the baseball in orbit. That's why your only |
| balls, low and away?" Or does the person think | | | | approach is to mix up your pitches, change |
| the answer is "fastballs up and in?" Or can it be | | | | speeds, change locations and there is no set |
| "changeups down low?" | | | | answer as to where you specifically try to locate |
| The proper answer given by any intelligent pitcher | | | | a pitch or what particular pitch you throw to get |
| will always be the same and I've heard this | | | | them out. It's not really a bad question but I just |
| answer 1,000 times in the last four or five | | | | wanted to make a point here. |
| decades. It's almost word for word, the same | | | | One of the more important baseball pitching tips |
| exact answer. | | | | to remember is that different pitches, different |
| And the answer to this annoying question is... "I | | | | speeds and different locations should be your only |
| try to mix up my pitches, change speeds and | | | | approach to be successful against the great |
| move the ball around on him." | | | | hitters. |
| What other answer can there possibly be? OK, | | | | Mix it up and go get em! |