[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

The secret, of course, is to almost always be close. The more control you show, the more control you are 'given'.

Wild pitchers almost never get the borderline calls.


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Yep. If you can get a large percentage of strikes called on pitches even an inch or two off the plate, that's just a huge advantage for the pitcher against most hitters who lose efficiency very quickly as you get towards the inside or outside of the plate and even more off it. An integral part of the confrontation that just isn't measured by BABIP or whatever. And why a master of placement such as Maddux can be every bit as much a joy to watch as a dominant strikeout pitcher, if not more so.