I'm sorry for posting this as I've posted on this subject several different times. I realize some of your eyes are rolling about now.

I'm not calling for any type of violence or to intentionally hit any of the opposing hitters.

When we talk about "pitching inside," we're not talking about throwing strikes on the inner third. We're talking about claiming the six to twelve inches off the plate the space that forces a hitter to think twice before diving out over the zone.

Our pitchers pound the zone, so to speak (i.e., we throw a lot of strikes). This is representative of our walk to strikeout ratio of 146:459; whereas our opponents walk to strikeout ratio is 305:441. That's 159 more walks given to us by the opponents pitching staff.

(As hitters, I haven't compared to the year we went to the CWS but would bet the amount of walks our hitters received was comparable. My complaint last year was we weren't as patient and selective at the plate as we were the previous yearsbasically since Earley initially arrived at TAMU.)

I've posted elsewhere the information below:

Right now, opposing hitters step in the box against us knowing:

• They won't be moved off the plate.
• They won't have to protect the inner third.
• They can lean, dive, and extend without fear as when we miss we seem to always miss away from the hitter.
• Our pitchers will live middle-away, especially in 0-2 and/or 1-2 counts. As when we miss we seem to always miss away from the hitter.

That is a dream scenario for a hitter knowing the pitcher NEVER COMES INSIDE.

I do realize hitters these days wear protective gear which makes it easier to take a dose. But you have to come inside every now and then.

When you never show inside not even six inches to a foot off the black hitters get to:

• Start their swing path early knowing they will not have to adjust there swing stance and motion.
• They can cheat toward the outer half knowing they will not have to adjust there swing stance and motion.
• They can cover breaking balls away knowing they will not have to adjust there swing stance and motion.
• They sit on anything soft knowing they will not have to adjust there swing stance and motion.

I'm not asking for headhunting; just asking our pitchers to force hitters to respect the entire plate--and then some regarding the six inches to a foot inside.

I could almost guarantee, they would NOT be so comfortable on the 0-2 and 1-2 counts, where we've seen opposing hitters teeing off on us.

We should have been doing this all along, but hopefully we start today.

Flame away.

WallyWonka said:

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I'm sorry for posting this as I've posted on this subject several different times. I realize some of your eyes are rolling about now.

I'm not calling for any type of violence or to intentionally hit any of the opposing hitters.

When we talk about "pitching inside," we're not talking about throwing strikes on the inner third. We're talking about claiming the six to twelve inches off the plate the space that forces a hitter to think twice before diving out over the zone.

Our pitchers pound the zone, so to speak (i.e., we throw a lot of strikes). This is representative of our walk to strikeout ratio of 146:459; whereas our opponents walk to strikeout ratio is 305:441. That's 159 more walks given to us by the opponents pitching staff.

(As hitters, I haven't compared to the year we went to the CWS but would bet the amount of walks our hitters received was comparable. My complaint last year was we weren't as patient and selective at the plate as we were the previous yearsbasically since Earley initially arrived at TAMU.)

I've posted elsewhere the information below:

Right now, opposing hitters step in the box against us knowing:

• They won't be moved off the plate.
• They won't have to protect the inner third.
• They can lean, dive, and extend without fear as when we miss we seem to always miss away from the hitter.
• Our pitchers will live middle-away, especially in 0-2 and/or 1-2 counts. As when we miss we seem to always miss away from the hitter.

That is a dream scenario for a hitter knowing the pitcher NEVER COMES INSIDE.

I do realize hitters these days wear protective gear which makes it easier to take a dose. But you have to come inside every now and then.

When you never show inside not even six inches to a foot off the black hitters get to:

• Start their swing path early knowing they will not have to adjust there swing stance and motion.
• They can cheat toward the outer half knowing they will not have to adjust there swing stance and motion.
• They can cover breaking balls away knowing they will not have to adjust there swing stance and motion.
• They sit on anything soft knowing they will not have to adjust there swing stance and motion.

I'm not asking for headhunting; just asking our pitchers to force hitters to respect the entire plate--and then some regarding the six inches to a foot inside.

I could almost guarantee, they would NOT be so comfortable on the 0-2 and 1-2 counts, where we've seen opposing hitters teeing off on us.

We should have been doing this all along, but hopefully we start today.

Flame away.

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