Sale v Wood v Prior

[PackLandVA]

Have two questions/comparisons:

 

How would any of you compare Sale's herky-jerky motion with regard to stress on his arm/elbow/shoulder versus Wood's cross-body motion? Sale looks like he's always a pitch or two away from significant injury.

 

How is Sale's velocity/control/dominance compared to Prior's during Mark's first couple of years? Other than throwing with different arms, they seem very similar. Sale's 3/4 motion may make it more difficult for a lefty to hit him versus a righty against Prior.

[Guest]

Have two questions/comparisons:

 

How would any of you compare Sale's herky-jerky motion with regard to stress on his arm/elbow/shoulder versus Wood's cross-body motion? Sale looks like he's always a pitch or two away from significant injury.

 

How is Sale's velocity/control/dominance compared to Prior's during Mark's first couple of years? Other than throwing with different arms, they seem very similar. Sale's 3/4 motion may make it more difficult for a lefty to hit him versus a righty against Prior.

I think throwing the ball the way he does is a lot less stressful on the shoulder than a straight overhand delivery.

[Sammy Sofa]

I could have sworn I caught the weekend Sox show on the Score a few weeks ago and they mentioned something about Sale having the success he is having "despite throwing his fastball a couple of miles slower" or something along those lines. I have no idea if this is correct or not.

[Guest]

Doesn't look like any sustained velocity change to me: http://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfxo.aspx?playerid=10603&position=P&pitch=FT

 

http://i.imgur.com/zLupnyw.png

[jersey cubs fan]

Really? Looks like the averages are consistently lower in 12/13 than they were in 11. At least it looks like the averages drop from right around 95 to the 92-93 range.

[Guest]

Oh, I was just looking at 2012 to 2013. Sale was pitching in the bullpen in 2011.

[jersey cubs fan]

Oh, I was just looking at 2012 to 2013. Sale was pitching in the bullpen in 2011.

 

Oh,, then yeah, there isn't a consistent drop. There is a reduced low point of the range, but the averages, if anything, are higher.