You are knowledgeable of the "Live Ball era" aren't you? For several reasons, post 1920, the hitters had more of an advantage, not the pitchers.
To me, this is what makes what Maddux has done during his career even all the more impressive.
He was a VERY GOOD pitcher(he was not great....Great is Seaver, Gibson, Drysdale and to a certain extent Clemens) that took advantage of a VERY LIBERAL strike zone in the 90s
See above!