I think my mindset and my approach is to hit the ball hard, whether it be first pitch or work the count.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Bottom line is, you have to pitch. You want timely hits.
You got the ball in your hands and you're in command, and if you get your good pitch where you want it, nobody's gonna hit you.
If I get two strikes, I'll go to a pitch maybe that will help induce that a little bit.
I think I work harder on the pitch, I cover more ground and my passing is more accurate.
The best decisions are taken quickly and well. You can prepare yourself, have all aspects of the game thought through, but the one who shines on the pitch is the one with intuition.
I'm not executing my pitches. I'm not commanding my fastball, and I get behind in the count. When I try to throw strikes, I'm getting hurt. That's not the way I pitch.
It's tougher when you're established. Before, I'd see 13, 14, 15 pitches that I could drive in a game. Now, I see one, two or three, so I have to be better.
There are certain things I can't do, certain pitches I can't hit. You stay away from them. You try to wait for pitches you can hit. The bat speed isn't what it used to be. You make up for it by using your head, working counts, getting ahead in counts and getting pitches to hit and hitting them hard.
My pitching philosophy is simple - keep the ball way from the bat.
You're just trying to throw the best pitch you can and make sure you hit your spots. I don't have to force nobody.