Throwing shoulder responsible for staying closed

#1

Saw a tweet that has had me thinking the last couple weeks.


Is this executed from a delayed hand break, delayed pickup, proper glove side, proper lower body? How can you achieve a dominant back shoulder that is responsible for staying closed?

#2

Saw that a little while back, but never saw KB expand on it.

#3

I think this is what makes it so tough…it is a mix of everything you listed and it will vary person to person. I would always look at the bottom half first. Almost every pitcher I see when I do go to games…be it youth games, high school games or mens league games…swing their front leg open. Call it opening up or whatever you want. I call it early rotation…that early rotation with bottom half makes it tough to stay closed and create hip/shoulder separation.
Just my humble opinion, but, until the lower half is “fixed”…meaning a thrower is getting energy moving down the mound in way that allows for balance and a late, explosive hip rotation, the shoulders are probably going to open with the bottom half. A “one piece” delivery if you will.
So, to me, it starts with the lower half and moves up.

#4

Would like to hear KB explain more. In my mind, the shoulders cannot be separated. The back shoulder doesn’t rotate around the front shoulder - both shoulders rotate around the spine. What affects one side affects both sides.