1.   A pitcher throws to different parts of the plate, trying to keep the hitter off balance.

2.   He did an excellent job by keeping the hitters off balance.

3.   He kept hitters off balance with a variety of stuff, including a split-fingered pitch that had the Red Sox waving.

4.   He kept the hitters off balance.

5.   Hitchcock kept Sox hitters off balance and blew a little smoke by them at times.

6.   In this case, Niekro advised Wakefield that he needed to change speeds with his knuckleball more to keep hitters off balance.

7.   Mike is effective because he can keep hitters off balance with four pitches.

8.   None is overpowering, but the right-hander uses different arm angles and changes speeds to keep hitters off balance.

9.   The key, Gaston said, is to keep the hitters ahead of Thomas and Belle off base.

10.   The key for Brandenburg is keeping hitters off balance by changing speeds.