Very OT- Yu Darvish pitching GIF
I came across this last night and if you're a baseball fan it's truly one of those "wow" type of deliveries. He throws 5 different pitches, at the same arm angle and same speed in his delivery, just crazy how fluid it all looks.
http://mlb.si.com/2013/04/25/gif-the-wide-wide-world-of-yu-darvishs-pitch-selection/
Not sure who I am more impressed by, Darvish or the guy who made this gif.
I'd be curious to see other pitcher's arm slots compared across their entire arsenal of pitches.
That would be interesting.
This is kind of related, but I read an article about Trevor Bauer (former D'Backs prospect, now with the Indians) where he would set up a ring a few feet in front of himself to train himself to throw all of his pitches from the same slot. As a former college pitcher, I just don't know how these guys do it. I threw a fastball, change, and curve, and couldn't throw my curve from the same arm angle. I had a more 3/4's delivery with my fastball/change, but my curve was more over the top (it was a 12-6 variety).
Some pitchers just seem to depend on a consistent arm slot for deception more than others. Guys like JV probably don't need to as much. This has more to do with grip, but I remember when Kenny Rogers played for Detroit he would throw his 12-6 curve with his index finger pointing straight out in the air, but it didn't matter that it was a dead giveaway, guys still fanned on it.
That's incredible. It's no wonder he's been so hard to hit. You basically have no idea what he's throwing until it's out of his hand. For something like a slider, you're screwed.
Sidenote: it's a little surprising he doesn't throw a changeup. Although what they chart as "Slider2" could actually be his changeup.
A changeup wouldn't have that sharp of a break as seen in the pitch labeled slider2.
Most pitcher's change ups will move toward the throwing hand side of their body, away from their glove side. The only pitches that move like this in the gif are his fastballs. Maybe he doesn't have a change, doesn't seem to limit him.
Given his FB velo, that's most likely a curve. Having a faster and slower curve is common-ish.
Slider #2 looks more like an actual slider. Slider #1 looks more like a cutter to me.
Yeah, but which one was Pujols swinging at?
/s
Very cool gif. I would love to see this done for other top pitchers to see how different their motions and release points are.
My guess is he was swinging at the wicked curve.
And yet I have friends that will argue that hitting a golf ball where you want it is more difficult than hitting a baseball.
God dammit, Pujols. You've got 5 balls to hit there.
You had one job...
5 balls 1 glove
No Eephus?
Why isn't anyone giving any love to the catcher who caught 5 balls at the same time?! Seems equally as amazing to me.
That is sick. And awesome.
Darvish is an animal! Seen him pitch at least 7 or 8 times and he's been lights out every time.
it looks like the only thing that changes is the angle his elbow is bent and his follow-through. That curveball is wicked.
But can he throw the Denard bouncing sinker? Didn't think so.
Where is the GIF with Yu hurling the Gyroball?
I think he'll win the Cy Young this year. He's racking in the K's and dominating lineups all game long. Not just the first couple times through the order.