The New York Yankees fireballer has an ally, though, in the man who threw two of the most infamous inside pitches in major league history. The media coverage of the rivalry among Clemens and Mike Piazza is overwhelming the aura of the first Subway Series since 1956. One inside pitch to Bucky Dent changed Mike Torrez's life forever. Mike Torrez, known more for pitches he threw to Bucky Dent and Dickie Thon than for his standout 18-year major league career, said Clemens did the right thing throwing inside to Piazza.
Hitters have to expect that.
Somebody's hitting .500 or .600 off me, I'm coming in. Mike Piazza likes to extend his arms. He doesn't handle the pitches as well inside as he does outside. Torrez, who could throw 95 mph, had struck out Thon in Thon's previous at-bat when Torrez came inside on April 8, 1984. Pitching for Boston in the renowned one-game playoff with the Yankees to decide the American League East, Torrez was working on a shutout and had two outs in the seventh inning when he faced Dent with two Yankees on base.