"Command" vs. "Control"

It's extremely easy to confuse a pitcher's "command" and "control". Many people think they have the same meaning. They're similar, but there's a small difference. Unfortunately it's extremely difficult to determine the difference, even if you Google it, partly because many people have different interpretations of it.

The difference was explained in SoSH here, courtesy of SoSHer absintheofmalaise, and further discussed in the thread for a little bit.

For another explanation, I asked former SoSH mod mabrowndog for his thoughts on the difference. Here was his response, which he had garnered from chats with Cape League players and coaches:

Control deals specifically with the location of a pitch, and the pitcher's ability to put the ball where he wants; the degree to which he can nail the target shown by the catcher's mitt, and "hit his spots".

According to most, command deals not just with location but with other aspects of pitches -- their rotation, break, and velocity. Depending on who you talk to, command can also refer to a pitcher's confidence level in throwing his full arsenal of pitches; knowing that he can throw any of his pitches at the right time and that the ball will do exactly what he wants, and that each will feel just right coming out of his hand.