RealGM

Since May 31, Morrow has struck out 109 in 93 1/3 innings, with a 2.93 ERA, and there have been games in the past month when he has oozed a good competitive arrogance, when he has faced the best teams in the best division in the majors and completely dominated. Morrow struck out 17 in a one-hitter against the Rays on Aug. 8, and he had 12 strikeouts in six innings against the Yankees on Aug. 23.

Opponents have just one hit in the past 40 at-bats that have concluded with a slider, and the confusion of the Yankees' hitters was evident. When Nick Swisher and others reached two strikes, they would flail helplessly against sliders that veered toward their back foot, and later, when Mark Teixeira seemed to watch for the slider, Morrow overmatched him with 96 mph high fastballs.

"He has continued to get better and better," Walton said.

After Morrow's start in Boston on May 10, Walton suggested that Morrow lower his arm angle, from over the top to a high three-quarter delivery -- a change of "about five inches," Walton said.

The change in Morrow's ability to command a sinking fastball, and get the ball down, was evident almost immediately, Walton recalled. "It was like, 'Here we go.' He had a sinker at 91, and four-seamer at 95." And Morrow was able to throw a devastating slider from exactly the same angle as his fastball, which helped in deceiving hitters as they tried to guess whether he was going to throw a fastball or slider.

Morrow made his own emotional adjustment, as well, a change that some hard throwers never make: He decided to ease up just a little, just enough to help his fastball command and give him a better chance to throw strikes. He was just fed up with his own wildness.
"I thought, 'I can't do that anymore,'" he recalled. "I wasn't going to be that guy who didn't throw strikes."