There are two types of baseball cliches that bother me: ones that are untrue, and those that contradict other baseball cliches. Al Leiter, despite being an annoying republican, sometimes fights back against Kay on Yankee broadcasts. Kay was going on and on about how some pitcher just got beat on his second best pitch. Leiter was defending the pitcher, but he didn't go all the way. He said something to the effect that in that situation, maybe he thought his slider was in fact his best pitch. Here's how i would argue against kay.

me: well, what is his best pitch a fastball?

kay: yeah, his fastball.

me: So, he should just throw a fastball every single pitch then?

kay: no, that's not what i'm saying....

me: but it is what you are saying. the pitcher doesn't know what pitch in the at bat he's going to get "beat", so, i suppose he should just always throw his "best" pitch. The problem though, as, i HOPE you can see, is that if he's always throwing a fastball, it no longer becomes his best pitch. The hitter will be able to sit on it.

kay: that's why good pitchers have to mix it up.

me: but, that cliche is in direct contradiction with the other one!

kay: I'm just saying, i don't understand why farnsworth would throw a slider there when his fastball is clearly his best pitch. If he's going to get beat, it should be on his best pitch.