Tim Lincecum Slow-mo

[bucksfan2]

YouTube - Tim Lincecum pitching in slow motion - Red Bull Moments

My elbow hurts just watching that video.

[traderumor]

Looks more like a skateboard flip than a pitching motion.

[RedsManRick]

Everybody talks about how unconventional it is, but it just makes sense to me. It's more like a normal player's throw -- specifically an OFs. He gets all of his weight back and turns his hips back to create the maximium amount of room for them to turn. From there it's just about uncoiling progressively from the feet to the tip of his fingers.

It's definitely different, but I think if you were to try to build a motion from a blank canvas, it would look an awfully lot like Lincecum's.

[traderumor]

With all due respect, RMR, that sounds contrarian to me. Contortions are not part of an OFers throw. An OFer's throwing motion is also designed more for distance with a bigger target for a "good" throw than a pitch. Repeatability would also be near impossible for all but a few, which is why "freak" is a great nickname here. It's horrid mechanics, wouldn't recommend it anymore than the one the Padres' reliever from last night uses. Repeatability is the most important factor for any pitcher at any level, and this is not really teachable.

[fisch11]

I never noticed how much he shows his pitch grip in his delivery. Tells you how good his stuff is even if you can pick it up before he delivers.

[RedsManRick]

With all due respect, RMR, that sounds contrarian to me. Contortions are not part of an OFers throw. An OFer's throwing motion is also designed more for distance with a bigger target for a "good" throw than a pitch. Repeatability would also be near impossible for all but a few, which is why "freak" is a great nickname here. It's horrid mechanics, wouldn't recommend it anymore than the one the Padres' reliever from last night uses. Repeatability is the most important factor for any pitcher at any level, and this is not really teachable.

It's an exaggerated form, obviously, but the basics are all there. It gives him the maximum amount of power from his frame. As you say, it has to be repeatable to be sustainable, but I don't really see what makes the delivery so "hard" to perform or repeat -- anymore than Arroyo's weird leg kick. I certainly don't see any part of it that is "contortionist".

All that said, one of the things that doesn't get talked about enough with Lincecum is that he trained specifically so that he could perform and sustain that motion. He focused on flexibility and core strength. Yes, his delivery is unorthodox, but I just don't see what's so amazing about it -- other than its effectiveness.

When I pitched when I was young, I had to use a similar motion because I could only be consistent with keeping my balance if I turned my back to the plate at the start of my windup. Of course, the other way that worked for me was if I threw like a SS charging a dribbler, dropping my hands and throwing sidearm -- e.g. Pat Neshak). Maybe I'm weird, but I certainly don't think the conventional motion is for everyone -- or even most people.

[Griffey012]

It looks pretty clean and fluid to me. If you watch a lot of pitchers deliveries in slow-mo it looks painful and hard on the elbow. That is because pitching is an unnatural act and it hard on the elbow. When I get some time I will look for some other pitchers slow motion videos to compare to Lincecum.

[Always Red]

Almost looks like a screwball- type release to me, in slo mo, without the exaggeration of a Valenzuela or Marshall. Lincecum, of course throws much harder. I don't see that screwball release in real time, but now I understand why his ball moves the way it does.

Also, we need to consider that this is a staged commercial, and not a true action slow motion video, for what it's worth.

[MrCinatit]

My arm almost exploded watching that.


That said, some super slow-motion footage of Tim Wakefield was shown on MLB last night. Not only does it not look like there is any way the ball could make it anywhere near the plate with that type of motion, but the ball danced like Astare, but had the rotation of the moon. Remarkable stuff to watch.