As opposed to other pitching coaches around the ML who espouse that keeping the ball up and belt high is the way to go?
No ... it's called keeping the ball low and pitching to contact rather than throwing it by a guy for the strikeout. Duncan has always preferred sinkerballers for this reason. He wants his pitchers to stay down in the zone and allow grounders rather than try and go for the K. This is due, at least in part, to the fact that this style of pitching tends to keep pitch counts lower. A power-pitcher who generates strikeouts throws a lot of pitches. Sinkerballers do not.
Take Jason Marquis, for example. When he came over from the Braves, he threw his four-seamer a ton. It was his favorite pitch - well, other than that hanging curveball he loves to throw. Duncan got him to switch to a two-seam sinker and he was more effective (at least for awhile). He did the same thing with Carpenter.
And yes, JoMal, he does like to teach the splitter. Great pitch, in that it dives out of the zone. If you throw it correctly, it should hit the dirt right after crossing the plate. Another pitch thrown low.
