This may sound like a daft question to all you long time baseball fans but as I'm still coming to terms with the intricasies of the game I hope someone can help.

 

In a recent newspaper article, A.J. Pierzynski was talking about how Buerhle had "constantly jammed the Twins with his cut fastball." He went on to say how this "opened up the outside corner later."

 

My question is, what did he mean by this and why is it a good thing? I know what the outside corner is but how does a cut fastball open up the outside corner?

This may sound like a daft question to all you long time baseball fans but as I'm still coming to terms with the intricasies of the game I hope someone can help.

 

In a recent newspaper article, A.J. Pierzynski was talking about how Buerhle had "constantly jammed the Twins with his cut fastball." He went on to say how this "opened up the outside corner later."

 

My question is, what did he mean by this and why is it a good thing? I know what the outside corner is but how does a cut fastball open up the outside corner?

Couple reasons, one is

 

When you keep seeing inside pitches, you start to look for them. You start to back off the plate a little bit. The outside of the plate seems waaaaaaay out there, you freeze thinking it's out of the strike zone, the umps hand comes up, and you are grabbing some bench.

 

BTW. Awesome sig.

The more you are pounded inside, the more you want to try and turn on a fastball. Then the outside corner looks like it should be a ball. When you see the inside constantly, you will look at several pitches on the outside corner. its something we havent been doing lately at all.

Thanks fellas, all is becoming clear.

You get jammed enough and you'll either back off the plate, like the others said, or you'll at least be back on your heals, leaving you unable to reach that pitch on the outside corner.

Another factor, and not specific to inside, out, is moving your pitches, working the corners, keeping a hitter off balance. Something guys learn as their careers go on. It keeps guys like Maddux and Moyer pitching well past the age that others have retired.

 

And it was an excellent question, not stupid.

Another factor, and not specific to inside, out, is moving your pitches, working the corners, keeping a hitter off balance. Something guys learn as their careers go on. It keeps guys like Maddux and Moyer pitching well past the age that others have retired.

 

And it was an excellent question, not stupid.

 

A great question indeed and one that points out just how good Mark Buehrle is at moving a baseball around.

Now tell me what the object and purpose of crickett is?

Now tell me what the object and purpose of crickett is?   

 

Cricket; a means to beat up on the Aussies!

Edited September 26, 200520 yr by DePloderer

This may sound like a daft question to all you long time baseball fans but as I'm still coming to terms with the intricasies of the game I hope someone can help.

 

In a recent newspaper article, A.J. Pierzynski was talking about how Buerhle had "constantly jammed the Twins with his cut fastball." He went on to say how this "opened up the outside corner later."

 

My question is, what did he mean by this and why is it a good thing? I know what the outside corner is but how does a cut fastball open up the outside corner?

 

When Buehrle throws his good cut fastball, it looks just like a fastball that's heading right down the middle of the plate, but to right-handers, it "cuts" inside at the last second, therefore jamming the batters - causing them to hit the ball closer to the handle rather than on the sweet spot. To lefties, it has the opposite movement - it cuts away from them causing them to hit it off the end of the bat.

 

When Buehrle is throwing a good cut fastball, batters must be paranoid about it, so they look inside all the time and back off the plate. They simply cannot do this and cover the outside corner as well. In other words, they are f***ed.

Cricket; a means to  beat up on the Aussies!

 

I guess compared to the hundreds of years of beating up on the French, that is a little more of a challenge...

When Buehrle is throwing a good cut fastball, batters must be paranoid about it, so they look inside all the time and back off the plate.  They simply cannot do this and cover the outside corner as well.  In other words, they are f***ed.

 

So I guess this is what makes Buehrle soooo good?

So I guess this is what makes Buehrle soooo good?

 

Buerhle's cut fastball sets everything else up I think. He had been struggling the last few weeks, and it was very noticeable his cut fastball wasn't jamming right-handers. He had to go to other pitches such as his change, which he wasn't throwing particularly well either. If he is throwing well, he can leverage his cutter to attack the outside corner with change-ups and the occasional breaking ball and then he is dynamite.

To go away from the Sox for a bit, the effective cutter is what has made Mariano Rivera one of the most effective closers over the last 7-8 years. On the rare occasions he doesn't have it, he gets shelled.

 

I concur with others, BTW, excellent question.

To go away from the Sox for a bit, the effective cutter is what has made Mariano Rivera one of the most effective closers over the last 7-8 years.  On the rare occasions he doesn't have it, he gets shelled.

 

I concur with others, BTW, excellent question.

Essentially its the only pitch Rivera has. Everyone knows its coming, they wait for it, and still can hit it. Its also the reason Esteban improved so drastically.

To go away from the Sox for a bit, the effective cutter is what has made Mariano Rivera one of the most effective closers over the last 7-8 years.  On the rare occasions he doesn't have it, he gets shelled.

 

I concur with others, BTW, excellent question.

 

didn't hurt that he could throw that cutter at 95 and break bats like toothpicks. He's first ballot, in my book.