Mitchell Lee
Mr. Rather
ENGL 1301-95M
12 September 2015
We Want a Pitcher Not a Belly Itcher
In the game of baseball, pitchers are either known as overpowering or off-speed pitchers. This is determined by what their best pitch is or how the sequence their pitches to get hitters out. There are three main types of pitches in baseball; the fastball, the curveball, and the change-up. Knowing how pitchers use the pitches or knowing pitchers "out pitch," the pitch they use to get hitters out, can help one determine if a pitcher is an overpowering or off-speed pitcher.
The Fastball
According to writers for Newsday, the average fastball in the Major Leagues has been constant at 91 miles per hour over the last several years. Any pitcher who's out pitch is a fastball and can command the fastball at a speed greater than 91 miles per hour is considered an overpowering pitcher. According to Ali Fenwick, a writer for Sports illustrated, a 100-mile …show more content…
The change up is able to fool the best hitters in the world even when they know it is coming. According to Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux, the change up is "the almighty equalizer." National MLB writer Doug miller states that the concept of the change up is for the pitch to look so much like the fastball, that batters swing before the ball even reaches the plate. The change up is a slower pitch that breaks down and across the natural motion of the fastball. Brewers outfielder Corey Hart says, "You think it's a fastball. You think it's a fastball and swing, and it's just not there." The change-up is such an effective pitch Maddux states, that it helps your fastball become a batter pitch because hitters can't tell the difference between the two until it's too late. Maddux's brother Greg was one of the greatest pitchers in baseball, and according to Miller and Maddux, it was all because he had such a great use of the change-up, making him a dominant off-speed
Mr. Rather
ENGL 1301-95M
12 September 2015
We Want a Pitcher Not a Belly Itcher
In the game of baseball, pitchers are either known as overpowering or off-speed pitchers. This is determined by what their best pitch is or how the sequence their pitches to get hitters out. There are three main types of pitches in baseball; the fastball, the curveball, and the change-up. Knowing how pitchers use the pitches or knowing pitchers "out pitch," the pitch they use to get hitters out, can help one determine if a pitcher is an overpowering or off-speed pitcher.
The Fastball
According to writers for Newsday, the average fastball in the Major Leagues has been constant at 91 miles per hour over the last several years. Any pitcher who's out pitch is a fastball and can command the fastball at a speed greater than 91 miles per hour is considered an overpowering pitcher. According to Ali Fenwick, a writer for Sports illustrated, a 100-mile …show more content…
The change up is able to fool the best hitters in the world even when they know it is coming. According to Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux, the change up is "the almighty equalizer." National MLB writer Doug miller states that the concept of the change up is for the pitch to look so much like the fastball, that batters swing before the ball even reaches the plate. The change up is a slower pitch that breaks down and across the natural motion of the fastball. Brewers outfielder Corey Hart says, "You think it's a fastball. You think it's a fastball and swing, and it's just not there." The change-up is such an effective pitch Maddux states, that it helps your fastball become a batter pitch because hitters can't tell the difference between the two until it's too late. Maddux's brother Greg was one of the greatest pitchers in baseball, and according to Miller and Maddux, it was all because he had such a great use of the change-up, making him a dominant off-speed