Fastball Quotations

I was short with my fastball and breaking ball.

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.

My back was a little stiff coming in, but I only threw one bad pitch - on the triple. It was belly-button high. I loosened up by the end of the inning and had my slider and fastball working. I was basically just throwing to the glove at that point.

I was really throwing my fastball on both sides of the plate and throwing my change-up a lot more. That is something I did in my rookie year a lot and something I kind of got away from the next couple of years. That is the big pitch for me, especially in Denver.

On the last at-bat, he threw quite a bit of changeups and a good slider that fell off. On the 3-2 count it was a fastball that got up, and I tried to put the barrel on it and not do too much, and it worked out.

I would have liked my curveball to be a little sharper. I've been working on it this spring. The location of my fastball is good and that is my number one priority.

I was seeing the ball really good that game. After I hit the first two, I got real comfortable and the pitcher threw me a 3-2 fastball inside, and I just turned on it.

One mistake is all it takes with these kind of bats. It was supposed to be a fastball in, but it wasn't in enough.

Maybe the long inning bothered him, maybe he got tired. But no excuses, when you're up 20 runs, you throw strikes, he knows that. But he was very good in the early part of the game, so I'm not sure what happened. I liked his slider, it looked very sharp and his fastball was good.

My fastball command was pretty poor, but the cutter was pretty good. The first inning had good points and bad points. Mostly, the execution wasn't there at all. For me, it's trying to get mechanics down to be consistent, and today I wasn't consistent.

My fastball location was terrible. As hot as their team is, you've got to make your pitches and I didn't.

My fastball was working today, but I was not throwing anything else for strikes.

Poise? I don't think we're talking about poise here. I think we're talking about a 97 mph fastball with a curveball from hell.

I got one pitch up to him. I didn't get the fastball in enough.

I got some easy outs in some quick innings with some changeups to the lefties, ... Coming back and taking the lead, giving us momentum after the fifth inning, I just started feeling strong and stronger. I felt like my fastball was livelier. The wind stopped pushing so much at my back, which I think made my breaking ball a little bit better because early on I didn't think it was good.

I got it done today. I really didn't have my 'A' game. ... I really didn't feel like I had good zip on my fastball today, but I was still able to locate it pretty good. I know I got them looking for fastballs, and then started throwing changeups a little.

I didn't want to let my coach down. I knew I had to step up and be a leader ... it was a fastball on the outside corner and I just went with it. It was a big win for him.

I didn't want to walk him, so I threw him a batting-practice fastball and tried to keep it down ... change his bat speed. It was probably a little more up than I wanted it to be.

I don't even think it was Harvard, I just didn't throw enough strikes. I had trouble getting my slider over so I relied on my fastball more and they were sitting on it. They have a lot of disciplined batters. Even with two strikes, they didn't chase too often and they made me work more.

(Lee) threw his fastball well. They swung the bats well still but Lee did a good job.

The (pitch to Rivera) was a fastball in and that's something I need to work on.

Mike's getting ahead of batters and locating his fastball very well. He's yet to have a game where all three of his pitches are on, but he's always had at least two working. He's been able to change speeds and throw strikes ahead and behind in the count.

Matt pitched a great game. We had two pitchers out there who deserved to win. It was a toss-up. My hats off to him (Zupan). He had a good fastball and we didn't go with some of his pitches.

Matt throws a plus slider, but the fastball is his foremost pitch.

She has a great fastball (62 mph), but she has developed a couple of other pitches to where she throws a curve, drop and rise. She has made the move offensively to a left-handed slap hitter and now a left-handed hitter who can hit it over your head.

She pitched fabulous (Friday night). She did a good job changing speeds. Her fastball inside was working well and keeping people off the plate. And when we had chances to go outside, she made pitches on the outside corner.

When he hit that ball, it was a batting-practice fastball over the plate and he hit it on the screws. It went to the furthest part of the park.

(Shields) looked great, looked sharp. Shields was spotting everything where he wanted it. Seth started a little jittery, probably because it was his first time out. But he settled in and made some good pitches. He has a good fastball and a good, old-school breaking ball.

The only mistake 'Z' made was on Delgado. It was supposed to be a fastball away, and it came back over the plate. He made some great pitches and had a big triple for us. It's a great feeling to have that kind of offensive support from everybody.

Kevin is great to play behind. He works relatively fast, uses his fastball and throws strikes, and makes it easier on his defense.

I was looking for a fastball in and something I could drive. It was pretty much in the exact spot I took my warm-up swings.

I was looking forward to finally putting this last stretch out of its misery and put the illness behind us. My fastball has some life in it.

I was just aggressive in that situation, ... He threw me a fastball and I went with it.

He left a fastball right outside and I just went with it, did what I could with it.

He just got a fastball in and I tried to get the bat on it and I was lucky enough to get it up in the air and wrap it around the pole.

I did give up four and a couple of big homers, but my offence did the job today hitting and the defence of course did it again, ... I need to keep down a little bit better. I got some balls up. Pena's was a fastball on the corner, but it was up. He got extension. I haven't seen a ball hit that far in a while. I got away with a bunch. They popped some up. Overall, I have to work knees down, that's my goal.

I didn't have good command of my breaking ball or my fastball tonight. For whatever reason, things weren't clicking early on when I needed it.

I didn't have great fastball command or a curveball tonight either until the last few innings,

(Friday), she threw her fastball very well inside. So she went outside early. They adjusted and got tight on the plate. But as they adjusted, Ashley adjusted also.

I feel like I'm moving along pretty good. I wanted to make sure I could put my fastball where I wanted it, and I think I did that.

I feel good. I like the way we've progressed and built it up. It's more volume to build up arm strength and then start getting into the other pitches. In the past, I've gone through my fastball bullpens and then I start mixing in breaking balls. I like the way we're going about it and I like the way I'm throwing the ball.

I got a fastball across the middle on the homer. I'll take some hacks. After the first inning, I'm not really a lead-off man. I've got to try to drive guys in just like anyone else.

I got a fastball middle-in and was able to drive it. It was big because it looked earlier like they had the game won. Our pitchers were able to step up and really come through for us.

I got a little lucky. It was a fastball outside and I went with it.

I got a lot of ground-ball outs, which means I was keeping my fastball down. My breaking ball is coming along great. I gain more confidence in it every outing.

I expected to feel good, but I didn't expect to have so much zip on my fastball and movement on my changeup. I was surprised. It's reassuring. I was under control, staying inside myself and throwing about 80 percent. The ball was going where I wanted it to, which is a big thing.

I expected to feel good but I didn't expect to have so much zip on my fastball and movement on my change-up. I was surprised. It's reassuring.

I don't try to hit home runs. It was a fastball inside, a good pitch to hit.

I don't think we're talking about poise here. I think we're talking about a 97 mph fastball and a curveball from hell.

I felt pretty good. I fell behind with my curve a couple of times. And they're a good-hitting fastball team.

I felt pretty good out there. I had my fastball and change-up. I've been working a lot in the bullpen, and that helped my confidence.

I felt pretty good. That's always first and foremost. I was able to use all my pitches. Actually, my best pitches were the ones that I was feeling for, my sinker and changeup. I guess I wasn't getting on top of it. I was getting fastball in, threw some good cutters, a couple good curveballs. I was pretty happy with the execution of pitches and the way I felt.

I felt pretty good today. I was throwing the fastball in and out of the plate and I was able to throw my change-up. It was a nice day.

I felt real good out there. I threw a lot of fastballs and the fastball was down. That's going to be a big pitch for me. I had to get the feel for it. Today was a good start.

I am still working on my fastball now, and that's really all I want to focus on. Just locating my fastball is my goal right now.

I don't care what the numbers suggest. I thought the life to his fastball was as good as we've seen all spring. I think there could have been a couple different choices he made in a few two-strike counts, but I'll tell you: He was throwing nothing but quality pitches in the strike zone. ... He was actually too fine.

I felt a little weak, but I wasn't throwing my fastball where I needed it. It all snowballed from there.

Chris has some nasty stuff and is hard to hit his fastball at 90 mph. He throws some breaking pitches at times. We're expecting a lot of things from both Chris and Andrew.

Chris has to get his fastball down. When he gets it up, then he is going to get hit. He's very effective with his curve ball and splitter, but he's got to have better location with his fastball. He'll learn from today I'm sure.

(Barthelemy) hit a hanging curve for his home run. The next home run came on a fastball on a 3-2 pitch. With a base open you would normally throw something in the dirt. But that comes from learning.

Today I could locate all my off speed pitches for strikes, I wanted to keep the White Sox off balance, ... I know they are a good hitting fastball team.

Having twice escaped from New York's scrutiny and with a closing job again, Benitez, who still possesses a fastball in the mid to upper 90's, will again be an effective closer.

Here it is, hit it, ... Everything was hard, hard, hard, so it was get it ready early. I was looking fastball every pitch.

He relies mostly on his fastball and slider. He has a curve and a change-up, but doesn't get a chance to throw them because his role has been to come in and throw hard for one inning. Right now he's doing what he has to do (in Fresno) and he has a good chance to pitch with the Giants this season.

When he's on, his command is the biggest thing. His fastball is where he wants it to be, and his changeup is unbelievable.

He's a big, strong, athletic kid. He's got a good fastball with excellent movement and good sink. He's got a major-league slider. Obviously, the stuff is there and the ability is there. He needs to pitch a little bit more and get consistent outings.

He's a guy that had arm trouble early in his career, but he's recovered from that nicely. He throws 89-92 mph with downhill sink, attacks the zone and gets groundballs. He has a slider and changeup that he throws for a change of pace, but it's that fastball with the downhill plane that makes him successful.

He's a guy that just gets better and better every outing. Today was just more of the same from him. He threw his fastball for a strike, and he was able to throw his breaking ball and split finger for a strike as well.

He's a guy that will add some depth to our organizational pitching. He'll start at Double-A, in the bullpen. He has an average to plus fastball with pretty good secondary stuff and a good mentality on the mound.

He's a first-pitch fastball guy. Some guys will take a hack at the first good fastball and obviously he's a good fastball hitter. He'll work the count a little bit so if you get ahead maybe he chases one.

I have a good fastball and I'm sure he is looking for that. I got beat on my second best pitch, something I shouldn't have done.

He's pitched some good baseball against us, but that was probably the best game he's pitched against us. When his fastball was off he got his breaking ball over.

He was locating his fastball pretty well. He had a good slider and he didn't walk anybody. That's really important as a pitcher, getting ahead. We didn't do the things we should have done at the plate either. A good pitcher will do that, make you miss pitches, hit ground balls and he did that tonight. He kept us off balance, he threw well.

He was mixing in the breaking ball and moving his fastball around. He kept them off balance.

He was only supposed to go two innings, but the way he threw, we stretched him out to three. He had real good command of his fastball and a real good breaking ball.

He was our most consistent pitcher. He did a good job of getting the fastball over with the changeup. He's a great athlete who fields well and does a good job of holding runners on. He never seems to get rattled.

He was outstanding. He didn't really overthrow. He used his fastball on both sides of the plate, two-seam and four-seam. He was a lot of fun to watch.

He wasn't as sharp as his first game, but he still had a good fastball. He struggled with the breaking ball and the change-up. But when he needed it, he had his fastball and he located it.

He was just trying to run the fastball inside.

He wanted the victory and knew we needed it. His fastball was moving.

He wants you to have that slow breaking ball of his in the back of your mind so he can sneak his fastball in on you. He pitched me tough. I might have swung at some bad pitches, but he gets the credit.

He was ahead of hitters the whole game. He really spotted his fastball well and later got out of trouble with some big strikeouts with his breaking ball.

He was a late-inning stud all through college and continued in his first pro year. He has an 88-90 fastball with a good slider. He's an outstanding strike thrower, missing bats down in the zone with a low, three-quarters delivery. He has presence, confidence and instincts on the mound with a history of success.

He kept sending somebody to the (scorer's) table, and I kept shaking him off. It was like a pitching coach calling a fastball and I wanted to throw the curve.

He just threw me another fastball inside and I just told myself, 'Don't let him beat you inside again and try to hit the ball up the middle' and that happened. I'm not trying to hit a home run, but I'm just trying to hit the ball hard and that's what happened.

He was spotting the outside fastball and they were going after it.

He was pretty impressive. He had a good fastball and curveball the first four innings. Then he found a changeup somewhere and brought that out with him. He had three quality pitches and he was as a good as advertised, I know that.

He can set you up with a changeup, then throw an 88-mph fastball by you.

He did a very nice job. He had a pretty nice fastball and was locating it pretty well, and they just stayed with it all night long. It was kind of an unusually pitched game. You don't see a guy use primarily fastballs. He had a little life on it.

He was awesome tonight. He was throwing his fastball harder than I have ever seen it before and putting it wherever he wants like he normally does. He was throwing a good curve. You have to give a lot of credit to the defense. Buster (Posey) made a couple great plays, (Ryan) Strauss made a great catch. Everyone played a great game today.

He did what pitchers do when they're successful. He moved the fastball in and out, he kept his pitches down for the most part, and he got away with mistakes when they were up.

He did a good job of locating his fastball and mixing up his curveball and changeup. He threw them both for strikes. It was the best he's pitched for us all year.

He did a good job of moving his fastball around and mixing in his curveball.

He had electric stuff, throwing the curveball in any count his fastball had good movement on it. It was one of those nights where he couldn't miss and people were chasing his out pitches.

He had everything working. He used a fastball and a sharp, breaking curve with the occasional change-up. He was great and he absolutely earned himself a spot in the rotation.

He had good command of his cutter. He was getting strike one with his fastball and then cutting all the lefties in on their hands and just being able to stay on the attack. He did a great job of not messing around and making effective pitches.

He had good life on his fastball today. He put guys away when he needed to. He was very aggressive. I think he's going to be good.

He had good stuff today. He had a good fastball and was keeping kids off-balance with his breaking stuff.

He had great command of his fastball to get ahead of the hitters, and he used his off-speed pitches effectively.

He has a history of success. His fastball is in the low 90s, a decent breaking ball. He has three pitches that he throws with a changeup.