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Easy to sympathize with yer impressions that James Paxton's "sidearm" motion created pleasant hitting angles for people.  Even to sympathize with yer impression that the adjustment created a totally different pitcher.

The Mainframe's grok is different, though, and we'll tell yer exactly why:

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MOVEMENT

Here is a Brooks movement chart from his first game last year - Apr. 7, 2015, in which he mowed down the Angels:

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fastball movement 7x8 inches

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And here is a movement chart from the game last night:

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fastball movement 8x8 inches

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Of the above two movement charts, it is last night's that is the one you want.

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True, K-Pax' 82 MPH curve ball was a little more two-plane last night, breaking hard 12-6 while (this time) also swerving a coupla baseball's worth to gloveside.  But it was still the basic Paxton yakker.

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RELEASE POINT

Ah!  We know what yer thinkin'.  Used to be that K-Pax threw the ball from way On High, but now he throws it from Laredo, and POOF there goes James Paxton as a pitcher.  You'll be pleasantly surprised to find yer mistaken, which is irritating for yer in the sense of not being correct on this point, but gratifying in that James Paxton is not gone as a pitcher.  Of the two, we're guessing you'll prioritize the second.

Here is a release point chart from last night - about 6' 4" off the ground - and here is one from Apr 7, 2015, about 6' 9" off the ground.

For perspective, here is Chris Sale's release point.  Sale is actually a sidearm pitcher and releases the ball from about 5' 3" off the ground.  Or here is Rich Hill -- he became effective after he moved his release point from about 6' 8" to about 5' 11".

Paxton's angles are only subtly different.  More to the point, a 98 MPH lefthander's success doesn't depend on this or that release point.

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CONTROL

If you want to get so mad you'll spit nails, and obviously we know that's what you'd like to do right now, count all the green inside this strike zone chart from last night.  Plot spoiler:  there are seven Paxton strikes way over the plate, some right down the middle, which are called balls -- and six MORE strikes on the black that are called balls.

Take a good long, look at the chart and think.  When was the last time you saw MORE strikes from a pitcher?

If Joe West or, much preferably, a machine that put Joe West out to pasture, had called those pitches strikes, then James Paxton would have just thrown 80 strikes against 23 balls.  

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Then, here's Jeff Sullivan's excellent article on the outing.  The first graphic pitch chart shows you the same thing, with red dots instead of multicolor.  Last night was almost a rookie Michael Pineda problem:  the hitters knew the ball was always going to be there.  (And that the ump would call it a ball if they didn't lace it down the RF line.)

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LOWER GLOVE --- > CORRECT HEAD PLACEMENT OVER HEEL

Paxton isn't really throwing sidearm now.  It's almost a stretch to even call it three-quarter; he's still overhand.  But what the lower glove does is move Paxton's head forward -- to 1B -- over his heel.  This is simply the right way for him, or anyone, to throw.

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From Jeffy's wonderful article

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And it is, coincidentally, precisely the fix that turned Randy Johnson into a superstar.  The elimination of the "vertigo" lean-back.  The Mariners' adjustment has simply turned James Paxton into a strike-throwing machine.  (Paxton had 7 strikeouts and 1 walk in his disaster start.)

Okay, now you've got a 98 MPH automatic strike robot and your next challenge is to call for some curve balls, and throw a few heaters up the ladder.  If you are fatigued with the whole project and want to stop there, I'll take over for yer.

BABVA,

Dr D