Pitching Mechanics: Michael Wuertz
by Kyle Boddy on May 19, 2009 6:19 PM PDT
in Pitching Mechanics
14 comments
I'd like to start off this article with a disclaimer: Michael Wuertz is a pitcher that I have liked for some time now, ever since he was with the Cubs and didn't get the high-leverage innings that (I thought) he deserved.
What's not to like about the guy? Check out his stats from the 2009 season:
Excellent control, nearly a strikeout per inning, and he limits the long ball pretty well. With the Cubs, he turned in some good years - never below average per ERA+, and though his peripherals went backwards in 2008, he remained quite serviceable.
Let's take a look at his pitching mechanics...
Look familar? How about Rudy Seanez?
Wuertz is very similar to Seanez in a lot of respects. Wuertz is 20-21 frames from maximal leg lift to footplant, has a similar arm action with the pendulum swing to driveline height - placing the ball near his ear before the acceleration phase, has an excellent ball release where he sticks the pitching arm shoulder into the mitt, and has a pretty good followthrough.
It's also obvious that both Wuertz and Seanez pronate through release on their fastballs, which is quite good.
Overall, I really like Wuertz's delivery, and I'll be using it as an example for my clients for sure.
Another pitcher who looks like these two (and will be chronicled in the future) is Michael Bowden of the Boston Red Sox.
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I don't know if it's because of the different camera angles...
But it looks like Rudy’s finish is more “athletic” (referencing Carlos Gomez) than Wuertz’s.
Also, it looks like Wuertz uses his slider an awful lot, though I have no idea whether or not he pronates that pitch or supinates it.
Aaron King is still my homeboy... iffy mechanics and all
If Dustin Pedroia played in Seattle, not many people would be talking about him.
by baetown415 on May 19, 2009 10:53 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
RE: Slider
I was talking to NoNameOnCard earlier today and told him I wanted to see high-speed video of his slider. However, he’s throwing a slider in the animated image above, and it looks like he’s pronating through release. Tough to tell without 300+ FPS video, though.
Webmaster of Driveline Mechanics
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com - An Unconventional Look at Scouting
by Kyle Boddy on May 19, 2009 10:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hahaha, oh yeah, I just realized that. I didn’t even really look at which pitch he threw until you pointed out he was throwing a slider in your clip.
On another note…. it seems to me that Wuertz’s arm action (and off the top of my head, Tommy Hanson’s too) come really close to what Dr. Marshall calls “looping”. Since you coach young people on a regular basis and probably see some of this and have to correct it, what cues do you give your trainee to help him eliminate the looping?
Aaron King is still my homeboy... iffy mechanics and all
If Dustin Pedroia played in Seattle, not many people would be talking about him.
by baetown415 on May 19, 2009 11:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Looping
Looping occurs when the hand is brought close to the ear (as Wuertz does) and typically happens because nearly all pitchers bend their elbow before starting their acceleration phase towards home plate. Dr. Marshall says that while it feels powerful, it is actually a mechanical flaw (and possibly an injurious one, though I don’t recall if he thinks it is – all of his pitchers exhibit “looping” and he claims none of them have injurious flaws, just mechanical ones).
I disagree. As long as the looping does not cause forearm flyout or late forearm turnover, I’m fine with it.
Webmaster of Driveline Mechanics
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com - An Unconventional Look at Scouting
by Kyle Boddy on May 20, 2009 12:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's essentially my opinion as well.
For Marshall, it’s a flaw because it generally leads to lateral movement of the baseball away from the pitching arm side of body. This creates centripetal force and increases the likelihood of forearm flyout.
It’s called looping because, when viewed from above, the path of the baseball makes a little loop near the ear.
by NoNameOnCard on May 20, 2009 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree that he appears to be pronating on this slider.
Of course, at 30 frames per second, even when slowed down, it’s hard to tell.
by NoNameOnCard on May 20, 2009 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Although...
The catcher seems to be reacting like it’s a sinker or change up. Kyle, are sure it’s a slider?
by NoNameOnCard on May 20, 2009 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wuertz's slider
That looks like his slider to me (disclaimer: I’m often really bad at distinguishing pitches). He throws it a lot and it tends to have a late, sharp downward break. Definitely his best pitch and the key to his strikeout numbers.
by colin on May 20, 2009 11:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Brooks Baseball
According to BrooksBaseball, he threw only fastballs and sliders last night, so it couldn’t be a changeup.
Webmaster of Driveline Mechanics
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com - An Unconventional Look at Scouting
by Kyle Boddy on May 20, 2009 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pitches
Pretty sure Wuertz only throws a fastball and a slider.
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1856&position=P#pitchtype
Actually, he throws a changeup 3% of the time. Seems unlikely that this is one of them, but it could very well be.
Webmaster of Driveline Mechanics
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com - An Unconventional Look at Scouting
by Kyle Boddy on May 20, 2009 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It would be interesting to learn the slider is pronated,
because it is by far his best pitch and is very good compared to other sliders in the league.
Space.
It's a problem we face.
So we never go anywhere.
We just stay in one place.
by hazel on May 21, 2009 3:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Wuertz and Seanez
Both have the foot off the rubber (or just coming off) at release which disrupts the base and transfers energy prematurely to the arm. Also, both twist toward the first base side rather than finish directly toward the plate. Seanez uses his upper body much better than Wuertz who has a nearly straight up finish. It’s difficult to make off-balance deliveries repeatable. Unbalanced motions also make control on the black and changing speeds more complex. Mark Buerhle and Jamie Moyer, for example, never had the arm these two have, but both are durable winners because they are balanced, can pinpoint all four quadrants, change velocity deceptively, and can throw the baseball into a teacup.
Richard J. Noyes
by Pitch Doc on May 28, 2009 11:06 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Mark Prior
Someone mentioned Mark Prior’s mechanics earlier, but I can’t find it. Prior broke in with excellent mechanics, balanced, toward the plate, used his legs well, deep finish. (His pitching hand was six inches below his knee at the end of the follow through.
Second year: still good mechanics,
Third year: pitching hand thigh high in finish, late life on fastball diminished, arm problems,
Fourth year: Inconsistent, but still effective due to huge natural ability.
Fifth year: pitching hand wrapping around waist in follow through, mostly ineffective.
Richard J. Noyes
by Pitch Doc on May 28, 2009 11:23 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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