Best Fastball in the majors...

[filihok]

...Tim Wakefield (http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-best-fastball-of-2009)???

[Alloutwar]

I was just talking about Damon's at bat last night...Wake goes 3-0, and stuffs Damon with 3 straight 'fastballs', I guess, from 73 to 75mph.

What blows my mind is, Damon takes the first two. That must be a batting practice pitch, normally. but he took them. Must have known they were coming.

the third one he fouled out first base side. And voila, threat gone, all thanks to Wake relying on his third pitch, the only straight one. Not really fast...but straight.

Having a wild knuckler and a steep drop curve really makes the 'fast'ball a useful weapon. Here's hoping Wake is throwing it for another 5-10 years in a Sox uniform.

[KowboyKoop]

Velocity is extremely overrated, in my opinion (not that it doesn't matter at all..it does.) Changing speeds and location/control are FAR more important.....

[rockiesfan4ever]

Ya because any major league hitter can time a jet plane, but being able to change speeds if key

(Did I just basically quote Harold Reynolds?)

[dps]

The fact is, some ML players can't catch up to the really good fastballs, but even if a pitcher can hit 100 MPH, some players can catch up to that (and anyone can swing on a guess and get lucky). Basically, if you have a great fastball and nothing else, you're not Walter Johnson or even Nolan Ryan; you're Steve Dalkowski.