So were all those guys in the previous 150 or so years just wrong?
What happened to the windup?
- Thread starter Bulldog Bruce
- Start date
Agree, I would think a windup helps you use your legs more, get a little more velocity and rhythm.
I saw a RH pitching for the Yankees today. He stood on the rubber as if he came set from the stretch. Except, that's the position he started his windup. He took a small step back (towards 1st), leg kick, pitch. Very simple windup. That looks like he does throw out of the stretch in every situation.
May be it is what they teach.
May be it is what they teach.
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I watched some old timers on YouTube, guys from the 40s and 50s. They have a wind up and they hide the ball very well, you can’t pick up the ball as a hitter. I also notice they can pitch a lot more innings on shorter rest without injury.
In baseball it seems the old timers knew things we forget and then discover again
In baseball it seems the old timers knew things we forget and then discover again
Theres a LOT of that now. Watch Max Fried. Prime example. Windups are almost obsolete now its wild
That is absolutely what they teach. I remember when the first relief pitchers started always pitching from the stretch because that was potentially how they would mostly pitch when they came in the game. It has been fully expanded.
Things can change and it's possible for that change to even be progress.
Should everyone learn to pitch like this, or can increased power, accuracy, and longevity be accomplished in a different way?
Should everyone learn to pitch like this, or can increased power, accuracy, and longevity be accomplished in a different way?
I researched a little. The pitcher is Marcus Strohman for the Yankees. He was throwing 90-91. I was thinking if he had a little more wind up, he could hit 93-95.
Late 80s I went to MSU baseball camps. I went to camp with a windup that was similar to Fernando Valenzuela. Coach McMahon told me to cut out all the wasted motion. Wes Johnson (Kinesiology professor) was a player then and had my windup more like Tom Glavin when I left. Although I couldn't pitch as well as Glavin. Ha.
But nobody is winding up like in the past. I am calling winding up swinging your hands over your head. Yes there still is a body turn that happens so it is technically not a stretch.
It is funny that one of the MSU pitchers does kind of stretch his arms over his head before he pitches but it is not part of his pitching motion.
And golfr change is fine. However sometimes change is more of a construct than an improvement. The underhand free throw comes to mind. It is possibly the better way to succeed but no one does it because it looks bad.
Hey Bruce you should go hang out at the travel fields sometime, I really think you'd laugh your *** off and get some high level entertainment from the spectacle of it all. I think you're in Desoto, right? Head over to Snowden Grove. Everything is follow the leader hivemind. Talking about these windups, well all the kids are near about doing the same things these days with the delivery. There is this cringy thing they do after the delivery where, instead of letting all their weight swing from the right to left side (for a right hander), they swing their right leg around and do kind of a sick pathetic cocky little 'waggle' or something. It's so terrible.
Either way, I think baseball, if changes aren't made soon, is a dead game, at least nationally. All this exclusive, tournament-based transactional jewelry-shoppin'-money driven shlt can't continue. The game is getting worse. If MLB didn't have the Dominican players they'd be even less relevant than now.
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Greg Maddux, simplest , most effortless mechanics you will see. Very smart guy.
I wonder if even Maddux would have gotten wrapped up nowadays in all the tech and just focused on velocity. That's what Lincecum did, he will tell you that he went to Driveline to learn how to throw harder. And it cost him the end of his career too. Of course we are talking about 2 top flight arms anyway - remember, Maddux would hit above 90 in his younger days.
The arm epidemic starts in the youth ages. Just gets exasperated as they get older and start doing velo lessons. It's all focused on more velo, instead of letting your arm be what it is. No one will ever train to be a Maddux again.
I know the theory, and it says more velo wins, and that's fine. It's just a shame, that era of baseball is gone and never coming back, and the overall game of baseball might be going with it.
I think the argument is the less moving parts the easier it is to achieve consistency.
I was definitely not a high level player but a pitcher with a unique or power windup always gave me more problems than velo. Hiding the ball and adding distraction can be as good of a weapon as velo.
I was definitely not a high level player but a pitcher with a unique or power windup always gave me more problems than velo. Hiding the ball and adding distraction can be as good of a weapon as velo.
Steve Susce's windup was classic. Then he would throw it to the back stop to intimidate the batter.
At least to me, pitching from the stretch would be more similar to the underhanded FT in basketball. The idea of a simplified, more repeatable motion improving efficiency and consistency of delivery.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the strike zone is smaller than ever. So sacrificing placement for velocity with a big wind up made more sense when the zone was letters to the knees.
Maddox would be crazy to change anything, just effortless perfect mechanics with outstanding control.
lincecum had some crazy mechanics with a long stride his dad taught him that are just very hard to duplicate but which produced outstanding velocity.
I used to love going through a windup. The stretch is for losers that allow baserunners.
Look up Steve Dalkowski. Reportedly threw it 115 mph+ , left hander. Would walk 18 and strike out 18. I would not want to bat against that guy.
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