Say a pitcher has an array of pitches, he throws a fastball and a curve
but does not use a slider or knuckleball or anything else. He's
skilled at the first two, and uses them almost exclusively,
A pitcher goes 7-2 over a stretch, and has certain numbers, ERA, strikeouts
ground ball percentage,. But, one game he got shelled. And the fans
thought he was a bum.
In the next stretch he goes 5-3, very similar numbers, but no big blowout
where he gave up multiple home runs. So fans were not on him as much.
But he threw the same pitches he did in the first half.
Then in playoffs he goes 4-0, with better numbers and he wins
the World Series. His team scored runs, he maybe bore down because it
was the playoffs, his team fielded well, making a lot of great plays
and they won. Now he's a hero.
But, he threw the same pitches as all season.
What if someone said he "got more aggressive" when he didn't?
What if the truth is he threw the two pitches he knew he could
compete with, but in the playoffs the team played great.
That is what happened.
