Why Pitchers Should Not Copy Major League Pitcher’s Mechanics

There is a good reason why pitchers should not copy the pitching mechanics of major league pitchers.

According to sports scientist and the late biomechanist James Hay…when you copy a champion’s style or mechanics you also copy their biggest flaws.

Detroit Tigers and former Florida Marlins unorthodox lefty Dontrelle Willis seems to have had a mechanical meltdown over the past couple of seasons. His delivery is hardly what any pitcher would want to try to repeat. And it seems that Dontrelle cannot repeat his.

This article explains his recent Spring Training debut. It was not pretty. Another article said this about Dontrelle: “They tweaked his mechanics by abandoning his trademark high leg kick.” Now that makes sense. But did they go far enough and fix his other flaws that cause him to splin off at the end and hyperextend his landing leg much too early? His stride is far too short for a 6’4″ pitcher.

http://tinyurl.com/cypnw5

New Tiger’s pitching coach Rick Knapp, formerly the Twins’ minor league pitching coordinator, seems hesitant to make any big mechanical changes. According to a recent article Knapp is more focused on Dontrelle not losing his personality rather than making needed mechanical changes.

But because of Dontrelle’s very complicated and flaw ridden delivery, does Rick Knapp have an option. I don’t think so.

It is clear that Dontrelle’s delivery breaks every mechanical efficiency test by a country mile. He breaks all the rules and it seems only uses what has come natural at the expense of control. I am surprised his arm has not been injured.

If you watch Dontrelle’s finish it is clear that he is not stable at the end. How pitchers finish is an indication of how they begin. So fix the beginning. Get Dontrelle to just understand how to move his body sideways in the direction of home plate while focusing on lengthening his stride, breaking his hands later and keeping his shoulders level while landing in a stable position.

I would have him working only out of the stretch using only a slide-step to simplify things rather than having him lift his leg…which only complicates his delivery and slows him down.

If a pitcher is spinning off at the end after the ball is released you can be sure he is not moving his body in a straight line to the plate and not getting his weight properly distributed on his landing foot. When the weight is forced to the outside of the pitcher’s landing foot then that is where he will go.

I wish Dontrelle well. He is a nice young man but he needs to make a big mechanical change. This should have been started as soon as last season ended. But it is not too late.

Unfortunately…like many amateur pitchers Dontrelle Willis does not have a delivery that is worth repeating.