What Rushing Looks Like:
Kerry Wood

6/25/2006

I believe the photo below suggests that Kerry Wood has a problem with rushing to the plate.

Kerry Wood

The thing to notice is that his glove-side foot is just about to plant (which will cause his shoulders to automatically start to turn) but his pitching arm side forearm is not yet vertical. As a result, his PAS forearm will lay or bounce back especially hard and he will tend to leave the ball up in the zone as a result.
     Below are a series of images that were taken from a video that someone sent me. They think it disproves my point.
     I think it proves it.
     Frame 75 represents about the same moment as the side view that I posted at the start of the thread. Notice that Wood's forearm is horizontal and his glove-side foot is just about to plant (it is planted in the next frame).

Kerry Wood - Frame 74

Kerry Wood - Frame 75

Kerry Wood - Frame 76

Kerry Wood - Frame 77

The thing to focus on when comparing Frame 76 and Frame 77 is that Kerry Wood's shoulders are starting to turn before his forearm is vertical. You can see that his shoulders are turning by comparing how much of the numbers on his back that you can see between Frame 76 and Frame 77.
     I believe that by starting to turn his shoulders before his forearm is vertical -- which is pretty much the definition of rushing -- Kerry Wood significantly increasing the force with which his forearm bounces or lays back and his upper arm externally rotates. I believe that that stresses the muscles of his rotator cuff and has contributed to his shoulder problems.
     I also believe that Kerry Wood is not alone in having this flaw. You can also see it in Chris Carpenter, Anthony Reyes, and Mark Prior.