Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site aecom.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!aecom!eliovson From: eliovson@aecom.UUCP (Moshe Eliovson) Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball Subject: Re: Re: Walt Terrell Message-ID: <1058@aecom.UUCP> Date: Thu, 27-Dec-84 15:43:20 EST Article-I.D.: aecom.1058 Posted: Thu Dec 27 15:43:20 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 29-Dec-84 05:29:15 EST References: <1034@aecom.UUCP> <457@fisher.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY Lines: 27 > > I doubt whether a split-fingered fastball will add much to > Terrell's effectiveness, as he throws a sinker. Terrell is > already an effective pitcher; what would improve him is not the > acquisition of a new pitch with many of the attributes of the ones he > throws now, but rather somehow reducing the frequency of the days he > doesn't have control. The sinker is set up by the slider; if he gets > the slider over, he doesn't need any more pitches, and if he doesn't, > the split-fingered fastball isn't going to help. > > David Rubin As David rightly says, Terrell's control is extremely important to his success, and he only repeats what I already stated. However, control is very much a function of the mind rather than the arm, and a pitching coach plays an important part in both his physical and mental states. Craig may succeed in raising Terrell from the plain of .500 mediocrity both by convincing him of the need to throw strikes, which Stottlemyre couldn't do on a consistent basis, and by either adding the split-finger or *replacing* the slider, a pitch which minor-league coaches in the Mets organization, in my opinion, emphasize too much (witness what happened to young Tim Leary's arm), with the split-finger. If Terrell can't handle the split-finger, Craig can work on the mental aspects with him. Like others on this net, I think that Walt will do better in CarLand, and Roger Craig will be a factor. Michael Poppers {cucard, philabs, allegra}!aecom!poppers