Pitching Mechanics 101

3/24/2008

I have been getting a large number of visitors on my web site who are interested in pitching mechanics. Because this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart, I have put together this primer on pitching mechanics. My hope is that by reading this piece you will better understand pitching mechanics and will become a better teacher as a result.

Myths and Misconceptions
About Pitching Mechanics

There are a tremendous number of myths and misconceptions out there about pitching mechanics. As a result, before I get into explaining how I shape the pitching mechanics of my pitchers, let me first deal with some of these myths and misconceptions.

A Pitcher's Primary Source of Power

Probably the biggest misconception when it comes to pitching mechanics has to do with a pitcher's primary source of power.
     Spend any amount of time listening to people talking pitching mechanics, and they will spend a significant amount of time talking about arm strength. This is perfectly logical, given that a pitcher's arm is the thing that delivers the ball. However, the truth is that this is the equivalent of attributing a car's power to its tires and ignoring the thing under the hood (e.g. the engine).
     The truth is that the primary source of a pitcher's power is the muscles of their lower torso and upper legs (e.g. the "core").
     These very large muscles are brought into the equation as a result of two things. The first is the pitcher starting out sideways to the target with a line drawn through their hips and shoulders pointing at the target. The second is the rotation of hips ahead of the shoulders, which stretches the muscles of the core and enables them to powerfully pull the shoulders around.

Tim Lincecum

Tim Lincecum

You can see large amounts of hip/shoulder separation in the mechanics of Tim Lincecum. That is one reason why such a relatively small guy is able to throw as hard as he does.

Arm Slot 101

The second most important myth about pitching mechanics has to do with what drives a pitcher's arm slot.
     Many, and perhaps even most, people believe that a pitcher's arm slot is determined by the angle of their elbow at the release point.

Arm Slot - Perception

They believe that a pitcher's shoulders should stay level during the throw and that the thing that should vary is the bend of the elbow.
     They believe that if a pitcher wants to throw sidearm, they fully extend their elbow. They believe that if a pitcher wants to throw from a 3/4 arm slot, they bent their elbow 45 degrees. They believe that if a pitchers wants to throw from an overhand arm slow, they bend their elbow 90 degrees.

Jeff Suppan's Arm Slot

However, if you spend any amount of time studying photos of pitchers at the release point, you will find that their elbows are always fully extended -- and their elbows are just below the level of their shoulders -- regardless of the arm slot that they throw from.

Arm Slot - Reality

That is because the truth is that, as the diagram above shows, the primary driver of a pitcher's arm slot is the tilt of their shoulders at the release point, not the angle of their elbow. The photos below demonstrate that this is the case.

Pedro Martinez's Sidearm Arm Slot

Pedro Martinez throws from a sidearm arm slot. As a result, at the release point his shoulders are pretty much level and his Pitching Arm Side (PAS) forearm is extended out to the side.

Greg Maddux's 3/4 Arm Slot

Greg Maddux throws from a 3/4 arm slot. As a result, at the release point his shoulders are much more tilted than are the shoulders of Pedro Martinez. However, here too his PAS elbow is fully extended and is just below the level of his shoulders.

Hideki Okajima's Overhand Arm Slot

Hideki Okajima throws from an overhand arm slot. As a result, at the release point his shoulders are extremely tilted. However, here too his PAS elbow is fully extended and is just below the level of his shoulders.

Leading With The Elbow

A third common myth about pitching mechanics is that it is bad for a pitcher to lead with the elbow.

Greg Maddux Leading With His Elbow

However, if you look at video clips of every single major league pitcher -- such as the photo of Greg Maddux above -- you will see that at some point in their motion they come to this position. This is simply a by-product of the process of throwing a ball hard. If you want a more detailed explanation of why this happens, see my essay How Justin Verlander (Actually) Throws The Ball.

How To Teach Proper Pitching Mechanics

The way I teach pitching mechanics to new pitchers grows out of my research into proper pitching mechanics and my study of great, and durable, pitchers like Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens.
     While they are certainly differences between them, there are also a number of points of consistency in their pitching mechanics. I think those points of consistency represent proper pitching mechanics. I also don't think it's a coincidence that you see those same basic points of consistency in the pitching mechanics of other great pitchers like Tom Glavine and Nolan Ryan. More importantly, you do not see those point of consistency in the pitching mechanics of frequently-injured pitchers like Mark Prior and BJ Ryan.
     Because pitching is throwing with less margin for error, you first need to make sure that your new pitchers know how to throw the ball properly. A good place to start when it comes to learning to throw a ball is my article Sideways, Swing, Step, and Throw. Many of the things I talk about in that essay are directly relevant to the topic of pitching mechanics.

David Kopp

When I am teaching a new pitcher how to pitch, I break the motion down into a series of steps. Let me illustrate these steps using a number of frames from the clip above of St. Louis Cardinals prospect David Kopp, their third pick in the 2007 draft. I think David Kopp has excellent pitching mechanics.

Leg Lift

The first thing that I focus on when working with pitchers is making sure that they understand what a good leg lift looks like. Some people teach that pitchers should come to the balance point; that they should pause at the top of their leg lift. The truth is that this isn't what great pitchers do.

David Kopp - Frame 32

Instead of coming to the balance point, great pitchers get their hips moving sideways toward the target as they come to the top of their leg lift. This increases their linear momentum and helps to increase the rate at which their shoulders rotate.

Stride

After breaking their hands, I like pitchers to stride sideways toward the target. While they do this, I like them to do three things, all of which David Kopp is doing in the frame below.

David Kopp - Frame 56

First, I want them to keep their shoulders pointed to the PAS of the target. This helps them to keep their shoulders closed as long as possible. Second, I want them to break their hands back toward Second Base, because this helps them hide the ball from the batter and increases their deception as a result. Third, I want them to lead their stride with their Glove Side (GS) heel or the side of their GS foot. This helps to keep their hips closed as long as possible. I don't want their GS foot to open until just before landing, but when they land I want their GS toe pointed pretty much directly at the target.
     Also, while some people don't want pitchers to drop their back shoulders like David Kopp is doing in the frame above, I think that can be a very good thing. That is because it can give the pitcher's PAS forearm more time to get up into the high-cocked position before their GS foot plants. That is why, rather than keeping their shoulders level, many great pitchers over the years have dropped their back shoulders after they break their hands.

Glove Side Foot Planted

The position of a pitcher's PAS forearm at the moment their GS foot plants, and their shoulders generally start to rotate, will determine the long-term health of their elbow and shoulder.
     If their PAS forearm is vertical and pointing upwards at the moment their GS foot lands, then they will likely have a lower incidence of elbow and shoulder problems. If their PAS forearm is not yet vertical at the moment that their GS foot lands then they likely have a problem with rushing and will be at a significantly higher risk for elbow and shoulder problems.

David Kopp - Frame 74

As the frame above shows, David Kopp's timing is pretty much perfect. At the moment his GS foot lands, his PAS forearm is vertical.
     This frame points out a number of other good things that David Kopp does.
     First, notice the excellent hip/shoulder separation. David Kopp's hips are rotating well ahead of his shoulders, which will enable them to powerfully pull his shoulders around in a moment. Second, David Kopp's PAS elbow is in the perfect position just below the level of his shoulders. Third, notice how David Kopp is showing the ball to Third Base, rather than Center Field or Second Base, at the high-cocked position. Fourth, notice how, rather than flying open with his glove, David Kopp's glove is at his GS pec. Fifth, notice how David Kopp's GS knee is quite bent, rather than locked, when his GS foot plants. This will reduce the shock that is transmitted back up the kinetic chain to his arm. Finally, notice how David Kopp landed with his GS toe pointed pretty much directly at the target.

Release Point

The moment a pitcher releases the ball is the moment of truth. It is his last chance to impart that last bit of oomph to the ball.

David Kopp - Frame 81

David Kopp's position at the release point is excellent. First, notice how his PAS or back knee has come off the rubber and is bent roughly 60 to 70 degrees. This enables his hips to keep rotating through the release point which maximizes their ability to generate force. Second, David Kopp's GS knee has firmed up but is still bent. This will reduce the strain on his knee and hip joints. Finally, notice how David Kopp has tilted his shoulders to raise his release point above straight sidearm.

Finish

I pay attention to how a pitcher finishes because it will affect both his injury risk due to come-backers and how well he can field his position.

David Kopp - Frame 99

While David Kopp doesn't finish in as strong of a fielding position as Greg Maddux (who has won 14 gold gloves as a result), he is decent. His glove is still in the vicinity of his GS pec, which will enable it to protect his head and sternum, which are a pitcher's two greatest areas of vulnerability.

Dangerous Advice About
Pitching Mechanics

Just as there are some things a pitcher should do, there are some things a pitcher should not do because they increase the risk a pitcher will injure himself. Unfortunately, many of these things are taught by many well-meaning, but ill-informed, pitching coaches.

Showing The Ball To Center Field (Or Second Base)

Many, and maybe most, pitching coaches teach their students to show the ball to Center Field (or Second Base) at the high-cocked position. The problem with this advice -- which grows out of a lack of understanding of what a pitcher's arm actually does as they throw a ball -- is that it isn't what most major league pitchers do and, more importantly, can lead to elbow problems. For reasons related to pronation that are too complicated to get into here, most major league pitchers show the ball to Third Base at the high-cocked position because this reduces the strain on the elbow.

Getting Your Elbow Above The Level Of The Shoulders

Many people believe that pitchers should get their PAS elbows above the level of their shoulders at the high-cocked position because this will help them throw the ball on a downward plane. The problem is that people who say this do not understand where a pitcher's arm slot comes from. The truth is that, when it comes to a pitcher's arm slot, it does not matter how high their PAS elbow is at the high-cocked position. The only thing that matters is how much their shoulders are tilted at the release point.

Adam Wainwright's Hyperabduction

What's more, getting the PAS elbow too high at the high-cocked position, as Adam Wainwright is doing in the photo above, can lead to a condition called Hyperabduction and shoulder problems as a result. Consequently, at the high-cocked position I want the PAS elbows of my pitchers to be just below the level of their shoulders.

Breaking The Hands With The Elbows

Many pitching coaches have been told that they need to worry about their pitchers' arm action and that one way to "fix" a pitcher's arm action is to teach them to break their hands with their elbows. The problem with this advice is that it can contribute to elbow and shoulder problems by causing a pitcher to come to the Inverted W or Inverted L positions.

Anthony Reyes' Inverted W

Keeping The Fingers On Top Of The Ball

I'm not sure why, but many pitching coaches teach their students that they should keep their fingers on the top of the ball through their arm swing. Regardless of the reason why this is taught, the truth is that it can lead to elbow and shoulder problems by increasing the force with which the PAS upper arm externally rotates. As a result, I think pitchers should have their fingers on the side of the ball (showing the ball to Third Base) or even under the ball during their arm swing.

Studying Pitching Mechanics

One way to learn about pitching mechanics is to study major league pitchers and see how they throw the ball.

Pitchers To Study

There are a large number of active pitchers who have good pitching mechanics and who new pitchers should study and learn from. This includes...

     - Greg Maddux
     - Tom Glavine
     - Roger Clemens
     - Nolan Ryan
     - Jeff Suppan
     - Roy Oswalt
     - Dan Haren
     - Justin Verlander

Pitchers To Stay Away From

There are also a number of active pitchers who have poor pitching mechanics and who have had injury problems as a result of their poor pitching mechanics. This includes...

     - Chris Carpenter
     - Mark Prior
     - BJ Ryan
     - Kerry Wood

Needless to say, new pitchers should NOT study the mechanics of these pitchers.

Where To Go From Here

If you are interested in learning more about pitching mechanics, you have a number of options. First, every week or so I update my pitching mechanics blog. Second, every month or so I complete a new analysis of the pitching mechanics of a major league pitcher. Third, I have collected a number of photos of examples of topics related to pitching mechanics. Finally, if you are interested in what I think of a certain pitcher's mechanics, you should see my Pitcher Picks And Pans page.