As for finesse pitchers, baseball men consider them inconsistent if they fall short of the necessary 70 percent. And hanging a curve or a slider, for instance, spells trouble, but a 91-mph fastball off by an inch or two over the plate isn’t good either.
In other words, general managers like Matt Klentak realize they need many control-dependent hurlers with average stuff to develop two for their five-man staff. But only Zach Eflin of the command-reliant moundsmen can fire a 95-mph sinker if he’s in a jam, and the other right-handers Jake Thompson, Mark Leiter and Thomas Eshelman can’t.
Since baseball fans became aware of the preference by MLB teams for hard throwers, one recurring conclusion is that Greg Maddux wouldn’t have a chance today at a starting gig. Wrong! If a pitcher has 80 percent accuracy, he like Maddux would be a front-of-the-rotation arm. And the Professor did it because he pushed himself to strive for 100 percent.
"IN OTHER WORDS: “Consistency is something you can always improve on. You can be more consistent with your mental approach, the things you do physically on the mound. Instead of doing 5 good pitches an inning, try to make six. You can always do more of what you are doing well and try to be as consistent as you can be.” – Greg Maddux “The reason I think I’m a good pitcher is I locate my fastball and I change speeds. Period. That’s what you do to pitch. That’s what pitchers have to do to win games.” – Greg Maddux"
Next: Phillies: Unexpected possibilities
In Nola’s second season with the Phillies, former manager Pete Mackanin in 2016 saw Maddux-like potential. Yes, Nola can accomplish 80 percent accuracy. And the coaches also taught Nola to use his legs to drive to the plate. But if he needed something extra, what did that change achieve? A 94-mph fastball!