Quote:
Originally Posted by raybec 4
I recall Mike Shannon on the radio one afternoon just totally going in on Mulder for not pitching inside enough. He said something to the effect of Mulder being scared to throw inside. I thought it was hilarious.
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In fairness to Mulder - as painful as it is - Mulder wasn't a high 3/4 guy, especially not after he hurt his shoulder in Oakland.
When he was right, he could get his arm up enough to come inside. But when that arm started barking, his release got lower. And when you're a guy throwing 86 mph (no bullshit; that's what he was throwing in year 2 and 3 here) with a low release point, you really can't get inside against off-handed hitters. The pitch sweeps right through the hitting zone and will get blasted.
Mulder annoyed me, but in 2006 and 2007 he was just a sitting duck. Throwing inside wouldn't have done him any good. His best hope was to nibble away and hope guys got themselves out because coming inside was just a really good way to turn around and track another liner into the gap.