Pitching Skill Quotes

Cleaning up that lack of the definition between the two, and then leaning on the four-seam, having it become my primary fastball over my two-seam, it's just benefited me as a whole.

I couldn't throw a knuckleball if my life depended on it.

I would like to be a great artist. I would quit pitching if I could paint like Monet or Rousseau. But I can't. What I can do is pitch, and I can do that very well.

That's when I'm at my best. When I can throw a fastball over in the count, just throw strikes both in and away, it just sets up all my stuff.

The curve and the fast one are important; the change of pace and the other trick deliveries are great but they're not worth a plugged nickel unless you have control to go along with them. And by control I don't mean the ability to put the ball over the plate somewhere between the shoulders and knees. I mean the ability to hit a three-inch target nine times out of ten, the sort of control that lets you put the ball in the exact spot you want it, and to play a corner to the split fraction of an inch.

I could throw pretty hard. I might strike out 16 guys, but I might walk 10. I mean, I was wild.

Trying to hit Sandy Koufax was like trying to drink coffee with a fork.

My curveball is a C-.

It's funny what a few no-hitters do for a body.

All pitchers are born pitchers.

Greg Maddux is probably the best pitcher in all of baseball along with Roger Clemens. He's much more intelligent than I am because he doesn't have a 95 or 98 mph fastball. I would tell any pitcher who wants to be successful to watch him, because he's the true definition of a pitcher.

When I can buy strikes with that curveball, that just lets everything else play up.

Pitching is what you have best on the day you work, and if you can't get your fastball over the plate, then maybe you can win with your curve.

I could probably throw harder if I wanted, but why? When they're in a jam, a lot of pitchers...try to throw harder. Me, I try to locate better.

I take a great deal of pride in pitching deep into ballgames.

Anybody who's ever had the privilege of seeing me play knows that I am the greatest pitcher in the world.

They could never beat me in Springfield. I loved that old ballpark. If I could have pitched there all my career, I'd be a 300-game winner.

To be able to play as slow as Al Jackson is almost impossible.

Nolan Ryan is pitching much better now that he has his curve ball straightened out.

I know I don't throw very hard anymore, but I'd like to think I can still hurt a guy who's not looking.

Home plate is 17 inches wide, but I ignore the middle 12 inches. I pitch to the two-and-a-half inches on each side.

Nobody likes the ball low and away, but that's where you're going to get it from me. I been pitching it there 50 years, away from them. That way they can't hurt you. You keep the ball in the park.

A pitcher's got to be good and he's got to be lucky to get a no hit game.

One rule I had was make your best pitch and back up third base. That relay might get away and you've got another shot at him.

You worry about how you're throwing the ball, how you're executing your pitches.