T – Z Historic Reports
Kent Tekulve / RHP / closer
Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds
Tekulve is famous for his sidewinding delivery and saving three games in the 1979 World Series. He slung a sinking fastball and sweeping slider. Both pitches moved well and were difficult to hit squarely. He also owned some sweet eyeglasses. 10/23/08 CSJ
[sidearm fastball, slider (09/22/88)]
Luis Tiant / RHP / starter
Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, California Angels
Tiant would try anything to get an out. He famously turned his back to the hitter in the middle of his windup, which hid the ball and created a bit of deception. Luis would also vary the tempo and style of his windup in an attempt to mess with the hitter's timing. Tiant's release points changed as well. He could whip pitches from a low 3/4 angle or drive a fastball up in the zone from directly over-the-top. Sometimes he even looked to the sky the moment before his arm exploded towards home plate.
The Cuban right-hander worked with a 4-seam fastball he threw over-the-top, and a slow curveball that he threw from the same arm angle. When he dropped down to a 3/4 arm slot, or low 3/4, Tiant's 2-seam fastball got decent running action and he mixed it with a tight slider that was deadly against RHs. Tiant's fifth pitch was a straight changeup that he showed to LHs. 1/13/12 CSJ
[2-seam fastball, slider, 4-seam fastball, curve, changeup (1975 WS Game 6)]
Eddie Watt / RHP / reliever
Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs
Watt threw a sinking fastball and a tight slider. He worked with a compact delivery and often released his pitches from a low 3/4 arm slot. Eddie churned out quality seasons as a late-inning reliever for the Orioles. 10/22/08 CSJ
[2-seam fastball, slider (1969 WS Games 4 and 5)]
John Wetteland / RHP / closer
Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers
Wetteland was a hard thrower who used his rising fastball and two different breaking pitches to rack up 330 Major League saves. His fastball was dominant at times, getting tons of swings and misses up in the zone. John would follow his fastball with a tight downward breaking slider that was tough to lay off. He also showed a hard, 12 to 6 style curveball to mix up his breaking pitches. Wetteland was a starting pitcher in the minor leagues, and continued to use his full repertoire as a closer. 4/1/09 CSJ
[4-seam fastball, slider, curve (1996 WS Game 6)]
