For all you pitching junkies

by HuskerBob on Dec 28, 2007 10:12 AM EST

This is one of the best articles I've read in a long time. Very good information. Amazing to see how Maddux hasn't changed much since he was 19.

http://www.chrisoleary.com/projects/Baseball/Pitching/RethinkingPitching/Essays/ProperPitchingMechan ics_GregMaddux.html

I really like the break down of Maddux elbow position as well as the extreme percent stride length he achieved at release even back then.

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Didn't

someone post from this site last night in a diary comment? It was a very interesting read that made me want to stab myself in the eyes after seeing the picture of Anthony Reyes in his delivery.

Carlos Gonzalez--I liked him better when it was Gonzales.

by PujolsJunkie on Dec 28, 2007 10:29 AM EST reply actions

I did

I followed that site since last year. Very great site for your pitching mechanics information

by shakezula on Dec 28, 2007 11:25 AM EST reply actions

Better late than never I guess

I missed your first post, sorry to re-post, not that putting this information back out is a back thing.

I'm usually pretty skeptical of analyses gurus to the point that they make me angry (lol), but this guy is really really good. Very solid information with some interesting ideas that I want to look at more before I totally agree with but my first instinct that even that stuff is balls on.

Baseball Instructor - www.frozenropes.com

by HuskerBob on Dec 28, 2007 11:45 AM EST up reply actions

interesting

but seems he's using a pretty broad brush to paint with here. I'm with him on a very large .pct of this but using Maddux (who is well known for his unorthodox approach) and great results despite it, well thats kind of assuming a bit too much for me. I've never had a kid with his elbows "too high" (his Prior example) but the vast majority I get have them too low (below shoulder hgt.) which is a problem (leads to undue shoulder stress). So basically I try to get their elbows even with shoulder hgt. I also love the long stride and "fielder's finish". Probably 95% of kids I get do not stride past a few ft initially. What I don't like is the way (he describes) Maddux swings his knee around to close his shoulders or kicks towards 3B. I've been taught (& thus teach) a simple leg lift. I also take kids and put them in the stretch only for the 1st season I have them.

Also liked the "rushing" examples tho' he seems to contradict himself towards the end of it. I like to watch the head - if it doesn't stay back over the belt buckle and moves fwd then he's rushing. He doesn't mention this at all, just the lead foot planted ahead of the pitching side forearm below horizontal. Something new for me to watch for. I try to teach a "smooth" delivery too, which seems to be in direct conflict with what Gomez writes at Hardball Times.

Some great stuff here, thanks for posting it. Looks like I've got some reading to do ...

Mulder: Babe Ruth was an alien? Arthur Dales: sure; all the great ones were aliens.

by dew on Dec 28, 2007 7:20 PM EST reply actions

Pitching side forearm

That was the part I am grappling with understanding seeing cause-effect relationship. "Rushing" is a front side problem in my opinion, you want to slow things down, stay closed longer. You can't throw the ball if your shoulders don't open.

The elbow height relative to the shoulder throws me a little also, Maddux may be low through his motion (which I think is good) but he is very high at release and I wouldn't condone elbow below shoulder at release, which is what he appears to be saying.

Still some really good stuff, I intuitively like alot of this, I want to see it in action on my own though.

Baseball Instructor - www.frozenropes.com

by HuskerBob on Dec 29, 2007 1:34 AM EST up reply actions