In Chapter Twenty-Four, I explained how I lowered my earned run average 2.80 runs per nine innings between my 1971 season and my 1972 season. At that time, I credited the adjustments that I made in my pitching motion as a result of my high-speed film research. While it is true that those adjustments increased my screwball strike percentage over ten percent, other factors also contributed to the dramatic reduction in my earned run average.

     From the statistical analysis of my 1971 season, I learned that I had to reduce the number of extra base hits I gave up. I decided that if I never threw the pitch that batters expected, then they could not swing aggressively. I decided to never throw fastballs in 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 3-0 and 3-1 counts. I decided to throw fastballs in the breaking ball counts of 0-1, 0-2 and 1-2. I devoted myself to making batters hit the baseball on the ground and in front of my outfielders. In 1972, I greatly reduced the extra base hits that I gave up.

     Batters run to first base, then to second base, then to third base and, finally to home plate. Runners on first base run to third base more easily on base hits to right field than on base hits to left or center field. Because first basemen stand on first base when runners are on first base, ground balls to right field have a larger opening to get past the first and second basemen. Runners on second base run to home plate more easily on base hits to right field than on base hits to left or center field. Therefore, pitchers must force batters to hit the baseball on the ground to the left side of the infield and in front of the left or center fielders. To force batters to hit the baseball to the left side of the infield and to left and center field, pitchers must dominate the third base corner of home plate.

     Left-handed pitchers need to throw my Torque fastball, Torque slider and Torque screwballs to the third base corner of home plate. These pitches force right-handed batters to turn quickly in order to get their bat out in front and left-handed batters to slap the baseball to the opposite field. These batting actions result in ground balls to the left side of the infield and fly balls to left or center field.

     To keep the batters honest, left-handed pitchers need to throw my Maxline fastball and Maxline sinker to the first base corner of home plate. Left-handed pitchers do not want batters to hit these pitches to right field. Therefore, they throw these pitches only when they strongly believe that right-handed batters want to turn on the pitches and left-handed batters want to slap the baseball to the opposite field.

     With the count 0-2 and 1-2, left-handed pitchers need to throw my Maxline curve to the first base corner of home plate. If left-handed batters try to hit to left and center field, then this pitch will buckle their knees. If left-handed batters still want to turn on the baseball, then they will turn early and hit this pitch foul to right.

     Right-handed pitchers need to throw my Maxline fastball, Maxline screwball, Maxline sinker and Maxline curve to the third base corner of home plate. These pitches force right-handed batters to turn quickly in order to get their bat out in front and left-handed batters to slap the baseball to the opposite field. These batting actions result in ground balls to the left side of the infield and fly balls to left or center field.

     With the count 0-2 and 1-2, right-handed pitchers need to throw my Maxline curve to the third base corner of home plate. If right-handed batters try to hit to right and center field, then this pitch will buckle their knees. If right-handed batters still want to turn on the baseball, then they will turn early and hit this pitch foul to left.

     To keep the batters honest, right-handed pitchers need to throw my Torque fastball and Torque slider to the first base corner of home plate. Right-handed pitchers do not want batters to hit these pitches to right field. Therefore, they throw these pitches only when they strongly believe that right-handed batters want to turn on the pitches and left-handed batters want to slap the baseball to the opposite field.