I was pitching with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 when Hideo Nomo came to L.A. and was named NL rookie of the year with a 13-6 record and a 2.54 ERA. He came to the Dodgers from the Japanese League, and at first we didn't know what to expect from him.
He threw the ball hard, but he had an awkward delivery. He had too long of a hesitation as he brought his arms up over his head, and then he twisted and turned his back so his numbers faced the batter -- almost like Luis Tiant. Nomo was lethal, though. His fastball was in the low 90s, and his split-fingered fastball is one of the most devastating pitches I've ever seen. Opposing hitters used to tell me there was no way they could hit it.