Correct. Good post. I was just giving an example, but you're exactly right.
Coincidentally, after Small pitched at A&M, Kendall Rogers' article had a great picture that illustrates what Small does. Kendall has no idea what Small does & this was just a picture that just happened to capture it.
Look at the ball. You hold a 4 seam across the horseshoe & it's still on a perfect 12/6 far after it leaves his hand. No run = more straight line force through the zone. More straight line force = ball holding velocity & appearing to accelerate at the end. Ball accelerating at the end = hitters 17ed & there is nothing they can do about it because their brains aren't conditioned to handle what Small does
Lastly, you can't replicate or teach someone to do what Small does except on the margins. It's a God given gift for the most part. However, the Astros are leading baseball is figuring out a way to mess with spin axis. The improvement of what Small naturally does is why Gerrit Cole & Verlander both revived their careers in Houston. Houston was able to take both players & slightly improve their spin axis, which was a game changer for them.
https://i.imgur.com/BqSx4y2.jpg
