You don't need 95 mph to win at-bats. You need a system.
Here are the three things that actually matter when you can't overpower hitters:
1. LIVE AHEAD IN THE COUNT
No velo means I can't survive 2-0 or 3-1 counts. Hitters sit dead red and I have nothing to beat them with. So first pitch strikes are the most important pitches I throw. I want to be 0-1, then 1-2 or 0-2. Put the pressure on them early. Force them to defend instead of hunt.
2. READ REACTIONS
Every swing tells you something. Was he early? Late? Did he foul it the other way? Take a strike on the outer half? I can't out-stuff him โ I have to out-think him.
Pop up on a fastball = he's late. Ground ball on a curveball = he's early. Ends up on his toes after a swing = early or looking away. Ends up on his heels = late or looking in.
My formula: slow, slower, slowest. Three different speeds he still has to respect. Mess with timing and you mess with the hitter.
3. TUNNEL AND MOVEMENT
Build 2-3 pitches that look identical out of the hand but go different directions. One runs arm side. One cuts. One drops. If he can't pick up the ball early, he can't find the barrel.
That's the only real edge a soft tosser has โ keeping hitters guessing.
Strike one. Timing. Tunnel. That's the whole playbook.
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@macoates@JamesRapien Well your got a two year window with Dexy. Hope he's worth it. CLE went out to chase that upside with Watson and it set them back. Finances aren't the sam, but an older injury prone player is hard to plan a future around.
@macoates@JamesRapien Sounds more like an optimistic fan. What happens when Lawrence continues to show the injuries he showed in New York? This guy might be good for 2 years and Cincinnati just gave up the chance of getting a really good defensive player a franchise cornerstone for 10 years plus.
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@ESPNFANSUPPORT It keeps freezing. That's what's wrong. I have to close app and restart it, the. It plays for a few seconds slowly and freezes again. At one point the app locked up and I hate do a hard reset.