My Mechanics...Any help greatly appreciated

#1

Here’s a video of me pitching with my pitching coach today. Sorry, only a front view and a little blurry. But this will do for now.

The sequence goes 4-seam FB, change-up, 2-seam FB, curve and then repeats. I’m not exactly sure which it ends on but it doesn’t change throughout.

Please critique on anything (major or minor). Just from watching it, my arm action is still a big concern. It is much better from what it was a couple weeks ago but it’s still coming behind my back and i’m counter rotating too much. But thanks in advance!

#2

Your upper half appears to get out front a bit too much and that limits how effectively you can use your body to throw. I think starting forward sooner with a faster tempo would solve this issue.

You drag line heads off to the throwing arm side so I would move you to the glove side in order to get the drag line to end on the centerline of the rubber. This will help avoid late posture issues.

Your offspeed pitches elevate out of your hand compared to your fastballs.

I don’t see any issues with your arm action.

#3

are you throwing at full speed?, it looks like you are pushing the ball instead of coming through like a whip

#4

if I was your coach I would have pissed my pants on the first throw it was like right by his face.

But anyways it looks good to me

#5

whats that guy doin a crossword puzzle?

#6

:lol: funny

#7

I saw that. What does that mean? (Good/bad) How can i fix it if it’s bad?

“are you throwing at full speed?, it looks like you are pushing the ball instead of coming through like a whip”

When i slow it down I also see that. I don’t usually see that but I am definitely gonna pay more attention to it.

Thanks a lot for the comments guys.

#8

I saw that. What does that mean? (Good/bad) How can i fix it if it’s bad?
[/quote]

It means you’re tipping your pitches.

According to the NPA, batters can judge up/down, left/right direction of the ball after just the first 5 or 6 feet of its trajectory. On the other hand, it takes quite a bit longer to judge the speed of a pitch. However, if batters figure out that when they see your pitch elevate that you’re throwing an offspeed pitch, then you’ve lost the advantage that it takes longer to judge speed. In other words, batters can see your pitch elevate and know right away that you’re throwing an offspeed pitch allowing them to adjust their timing sooner than they otherwise would.

It’s hard to say what the fix is without a side view but I’ll take a stab and suggest that you should focus on throwing your offspeed pitches using the same tempo and arm speed as your fastball. Everything - mechanics, timing, arm slot, arm speed, release point - should be the same asyour fastball. But many pitchers slow down when they throw offspeed pitches which shortens the stride and raises the release point (which, by the way, is not a good thing when you’re throwing a curve). You may have to adjust your grip or pronate more to take more off of your change-up. However, your curve will probably break sharper and later and that’s a good thing.

#9

[quote=“Roger”]It means you’re tipping your pitches.

According to the NPA, batters can judge up/down, left/right direction of the ball after just the first 5 or 6 feet of its trajectory. On the other hand, it takes quite a bit longer to judge the speed of a pitch. However, if batters figure out that when they see your pitch elevate that you’re throwing an offspeed pitch, then you’ve lost the advantage that it takes longer to judge speed. In other words, batters can see your pitch elevate and know right away that you’re throwing an offspeed pitch allowing them to adjust their timing sooner than they otherwise would.

It’s hard to say what the fix is without a side view but I’ll take a stab and suggest that you should focus on throwing your offspeed pitches using the same tempo and arm speed as your fastball. Everything - mechanics, timing, arm slot, arm speed, release point - should be the same asyour fastball. But many pitchers slow down when they throw offspeed pitches which shortens the stride and raises the release point (which, by the way, is not a good thing when you’re throwing a curve). You may have to adjust your grip or pronate more to take more off of your change-up. However, your curve will probably break sharper and later and that’s a good thing.[/quote]

Very good point. I think that I subconsciously slow down my motion and arm in off-speed pitches (especially the change-up) and it’s definitely something i’m going to focus on in my next bullpen.

Thanks for all the help Roger.