Wood's mechanics

[bc2k]

What are the differences in Kerry Wood's mechanics since he's returned from the disabled list? I've noticed that his posture is better and he seems to be smoother, but what specifically has been changed? What specifically did Rothschild change?

 

I'm impressed with his results, like pitching efficiency, less walks, and of course the bottom line: W. My biggest complaint on Kerry has always been walking too many and throwing too many balls, but it looks like that could all be in the past.

 

[first post]! :D

[wekse]

welcome!

[UK1679666180]

He's basically stream-lined his delivery, which just means it is shorter and more compact. More of his energy is directed towards home plate instead of body parts flying everywhere. He'll still revert back to his style of pitching, but it is a work in progress. I think Rothschild improved Kerry's center of gravity and balance during the early stages of his windup, if I was to make an uneducated guess.

 

(welcome to the boards, btw)

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

i'd still like to see him drive more with his legs...like Clemens does.

 

 

 

<---- never 100% pleased, lol.

[katway]

Welcome!

 

It looks to me like Kerry is simply slowing down his delivery. Specifically, his legs aren't moving too far in front of his arm. I always got the impression that his foot would hit and then his arm would follow like a sling with a slight tilt sideways. Now it looks like that doesn't happen anymore because he has slowed down his legs so they are not soo far in front of his torso that his upper body slings forward. This is excellent if he can keep it up long term because he will have greater control and put less pressure on his back and arm; instead, a slower smooth motion puts more of his entire body into his velocity. He seems to have maintained velocity and movement on his pitches, which bode well for him to continue having confidence in his mechanics so he doesn't revert to his old mechanics.

[imb]

Something is working.

 

Here he is since coming off the DL

 

24.2IP 16H 4HR 6BB 24K

[rawaction]

Something is working.

 

Here he is since coming off the DL

 

24.2IP 16H 4HR 6BB 24K

 

He's just a good pitcher. He's shown he can be a top 10 pitcher in baseball with a screwed up delivery. But he won't stay healthy doing it. If he can keep his delivery sound and stay on the mound, he will perform well. Too much talent not to.

[JGalt73]

BP's Will Carroll weighed in 7/5 and noted: "...slower leg kick amounts to stopping at the bottom, essentially adding a second balance point [that] is unnecessary and counterproductive...the changes don't amount to much. Worse, [they] have had no effect on Wood's motion from the stretch. Each pitch ended with him going violently towards first base due to late hip motion. I'm not sure if this new mechanical set-up is more sustainable than the previous one. I do know it probably doesn't matter."

[imb]

I agree that his recent success is as much a result of him being healthy as it is because of his new mechanics.

[ZZ Thorn]

Before Wood hurt his tricep in '04 he was pitching the best and most consistently as he ever had. I agree with the health over mechanics assessment for his recent success.

[Beer Kaese]

Get ahead early in the count, don't fall behind.

 

I haven't seem him pitch but I'd imagine it's like shooting free throws. You want a smooth easy motion and you want to repeat it exactly, everytime. Hard to do but possible. Focus and concentration.

[nolanwood]

one thing is for sure - Woody has looked pretty sharp since his return from the DL. I love the fact that he's got his BB's down considerably, and his motion does look alot less jerky and smoother.

 

Go Wood!!

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

I watched him in his rehab start in Nashville. In his better innings he repeated a smooth north-south delivery. Basicly yes he slowed everything down a bit to allow his arm to catch up and not get behind his body opening up. He repeated his delivery on the front end and most of the time on the back end.

 

The inning he struggled the worst he visabily regressed to a thrower who was landing all over the mound. IE; he was opening up to early leading to his arm being drug through to the release point. This is where his sholder problems stem from. Most of the time it is simply a guy trying to throw the ball through his catcher and the backstop. This is another reason he leaves so many balls up and misses locations.

 

The effectively wild Wood is the guy who trys to make the adjustments, the Wood we would like is a pitcher, and the Kerry Wood who gets hurt is the thrower.