Take a look at Ron Guidy, for example. Bleech. High ratios and walk rates in the 5's and 6's per 9 until he finally put a good season together at age 25. In AA, at age 23, he walked 53 in 77 innings. He "improved' that to 37 walks in 62 AAA innings the following year. Twenty-five was also the age at which Sudden Sam McDowell finally harnessed his heat. He always walked a good number of batters, well over 4 per 9 until then. But he was Sudden Sam - if you didn't walk, he blew you away. And as far a lefties hard throwers go, Sam was actually pretty good control-wise compared to Guidry and others.
There certainly is a history of hard throwing lefties struggling with command until it finally all comes together - Suddenly - and in the mid 20's. Randy is the most eye popping example...maybe...Take a look at how scary Al Leiter was until...well into his 30's actually. At age 24, Leiter was walking 7.8 AAA hitters every 9 innings. Seriously, these guys make K-Pax look like Jamie Moyer when it comes to control.
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