In the prime of his career, Wood would throw his 60 to 70 mph knuckleball about 80 percent of the time. Multiple observers called the pitch "tantalizing." It was slower than Wilhelm's or Phil Niekro's, but Wood's tricky delivery compensated for the diminished speed. He continued to use his fastball as well; though he did not have much velocity on it, the pitch would deceive hitters because it travelled straight, unlike the knuckleball. On the knuckleball's unpredictability, Wood said, "We just aim it for the middle of the plate and hope like hell it goes somewhere before it gets there." His ability to keep the pitch in the strike zone set him apart from other knuckleball pitchers. "I’m nervous every time I go out there,” Wood explained how he felt on the mound. “It’s a thrill – and a challenge. If you are not exciting when you come in, you’re lost. But I don’t lose my concentration because of a hit or a wild pitch." Sain said, "Wilbur has tremendous poise. He has the perfect temperament never gets rattled."