Pitching Mechanics Analysis
Luke Hochevar

2008.9.11

I was surfing around the web the other night and came across the clip below that compares the mechanics of Mark Prior and Luke Hochevar.

Mark Prior and Luke Hochevar

I think the comparison between Mark Prior and Luke Hochevar is quite apt, and that doesn't bode well for Luke Hochevar's long-term prospects. Let me explain why.

Mark Prior

If you look at Luke Hochevar's pitching mechanics, you see the same basic arm action as Mark Prior's...

Luke Hochevar

The thing to notice is how Luke Hochevar pendulum swings his arms and down and out (which is good) but in Frame 20 starts to pick up his elbows (which is bad). As a result, when his Glove Side (GS) foot plants in Frame 24 and his shoulders start to rotate (notice how the "Royals" logo on his chest moves) his Pitching Arm Side (PAS) forearm is not yet vertical. As a result, his PAS upper arm will externally rotate especially hard, which will increase the load on both his elbows and his shoulder.
     Now, I will grant that Luke Hochevar's arm action isn't as bad as the arm action of BJ Ryan or Mark Prior. However, Luke Hochevar's arm action is a bit borderline, and he does appear to have a timing problem, which will elevate his risk of experiencing elbow and/or shoulder problems.