Request: King Felix Hernandez

by JonBBT on Jan 3, 2009 1:37 AM PST Comment 7 comments

Hey guys. I just stumbled across this site and am finding it very interesting.

I would be very interested in seeing a mechanical breakdown of Seattle Mariners RHSP Felix Hernandez. I've heard mixed things about his mechanics, but haven't seen anything very detailed. SB Nation blog Lookout Landing does Pitch F/X, so I would definitely be hoping for something on whether or not he might be an injury risk, something similar to the Brandon Morrow piece you did in September.

Is King Felix an injury risk? My gut tells me yes, but I have no idea and would love some clarification.

Thank you in advance.

Also, is there any reading you would recommend for getting a foundation in pitching/hitting mechanics?

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Good suggestion

Others have asked for him as well, and I should do this since I live in Seattle.

In the meantime, Chris O’Leary has done a writeup of him here.

Webmaster of Driveline Mechanics
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com - An Unconventional Look at Scouting

by Kyle Boddy on Jan 4, 2009 1:19 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I was also wondering if you had any idea what this pitch might be

It looks like a mistake curve or something, but hardly a “mistake” because it would be such an effective pitch.

by JonBBT on Jan 4, 2009 2:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Mistake pitches

Accidental releases of pitches happen all the time – sliders that just spin, curves that hang, changeups that don’t fade, etc. The pitch in question looks like a changeup for various reasons:

-The lower release velocity
-The movement to the arm side
-The hitter is a LHB
-The position of Morrow’s hand in this frame indicates he is not supinating through release, making it unlikely to be a breaking ball:

As for books to read, I don’t recommend anything as a bible of pitching mechanics, however the following books can get you started on a scientific path:

-Art and Science of Pitching, Tom House
-Dr. Marshall’s Book on Pitching (available for free at his website, drmikemarshall.com)

Webmaster of Driveline Mechanics
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com - An Unconventional Look at Scouting

by Kyle Boddy on Jan 5, 2009 5:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That does seem like a changeup after your explanation.

Before I assumed it was some kind of breaking ball, so it didn’t even cross my mind.

Right off the table…

by JonBBT on Jan 5, 2009 9:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Screwball or shuuto, possibly.

If he pronated especially hard on the pitch, it would almost be like a screwball or a shuuto. If you don’t know what a shuuto is, this SAT analogy might help:

Shuuto : Screwball :: Slider : Curve

Webmaster of Driveline Mechanics
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com - An Unconventional Look at Scouting

by Kyle Boddy on Jan 5, 2009 10:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs