Stretch v. Windup

[Comebakatz3]

Well, I never really thought I would ever be having this conversation, but it has become a pretty big trend of late for pitchers to pitch exclusively from the stretch. In fact, our newest commitment Sam Wibbels is a guy that pitches exclusively from the stretch and throws in the low 90s. What do you guys think of this? Is it going to become an even bigger thing? Is the windup going to be a thing of the past, or will this be a trend that somewhat goes away? Do you think it is a good thing or a bad thing? Are there any other developments similar to this in baseball that are taking off?

 

[CatsFanGG24]

I think it is popular for 3 sets of guys:

Big hard throwing guys with accuracy problems
Guys injury prone or coming back from injury
Former bullpen guys (obviously)

Just a way to take as much movement out of it - less room and time for mechanical mistakes and easier to replicate.

I think it will level out but stay normal - I still believe most the big time guys in the MLB that kids look up to start from windup, so kids will still do so. I also remember growing up that the step back wind up (from a stretch looking position) was pretty regular, and I see some guys like Strasburg and Jon Gray have moved to that after injury...anything that is repeatable will stick around.

 

[Comebakatz3]

It was a rarity to see a guy exclusively throw from the stretch and I remember many pitchers growing up that struggled to throw from the stretch and often did better with the bases loaded because they could go back to throwing from the windup. So, it is strange to think that it has now, in some senses, flipped entirely.

 

[CatsFanGG24]

I will say that I only recall people going from the stretch only or stretch step back wind up in younger ages....I don't recall facing any stretch only guys in HS or college.

 

[CatsFanGG24]

Not to hijack your thread - but another Fad (or is it) is the hype on launch angle...I really just believe that cameras are better and can see swing paths a little more, plus explanation of swings are better...

The old things taught - swing down on the ball, level swing etc...but people weren't really chopping wood out there or swinging flat...down and to, up and through is kindve how I see real swings. With the new launch angle research its not like guys are straight upper cutting everything, just seems like a hype thing now that they can track launch angle and exit velo...but IDK.

 

[Comebakatz3]

I kind of get tired of hearing about those two things. They are kind of neat, but it is just constant.

 

[CatsFanGG24]

Yeah - it's not new, they just have gadgets now and try to make it interesting.

 

[Comebakatz3]

I suppose it is a good indication of how they can continue to better study the game and ensure that your mechanics are right and consistent.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

When I pitched in high school, which wasn't very often, but I was more comfortable in the stretch. Too much movement in my motion. But I threw mainly sidearm so there's that.

 

[CatsFanGG24]

When I pitched in high school, which wasn't very often, but I was more comfortable in the stretch. Too much movement in my motion. But I threw mainly sidearm so there's that.

That's a good point...sidearmers/submarine guys seem to be stretch guys - at least the ones I can think of.

 

[JonathanW]

Well, I never really thought I would ever be having this conversation, but it has become a pretty big trend of late for pitchers to pitch exclusively from the stretch. In fact, our newest commitment Sam Wibbels is a guy that pitches exclusively from the stretch and throws in the low 90s. What do you guys think of this? Is it going to become an even bigger thing? Is the windup going to be a thing of the past, or will this be a trend that somewhat goes away? Do you think it is a good thing or a bad thing? Are there any other developments similar to this in baseball that are taking off?

I don't think mechanically or in terms of performance, one method is better than the other. It's about comfort and confidence. Many pitchers feel more comfortable pitching from the windup. But some, to keep things simple, only pitch from the stretch, and thus they become more comfortable with that.

Even though sidearm/submarine more often pitch from the stretch, I was decent going submarine, but could only do it from the windup. I'm sure with some practice I could have mastered it from the stretch too, but that wasn't my normal practice stance.

 

[JonathanW]

Not to hijack your thread - but another Fad (or is it) is the hype on launch angle...I really just believe that cameras are better and can see swing paths a little more, plus explanation of swings are better...

The old things taught - swing down on the ball, level swing etc...but people weren't really chopping wood out there or swinging flat...down and to, up and through is kindve how I see real swings. With the new launch angle research its not like guys are straight upper cutting everything, just seems like a hype thing now that they can track launch angle and exit velo...but IDK.

"Swing down on the ball" was always poor advice. I get the intent, to get kids to stop upper-cutting (thinking that is how to hit a HR). You want a swing that is a slight upper cut. Why? Because you want the bat path to be similar to the path of the ball. If you chop down (or even swing level) there is a very small area of intersection between your bat and the ball; even a smaller area if you want a hit. But with a slight upper cut you have a similar path as the ball allowing yourself most of the zone LF-line to RF-line) to hit the ball. The launch angle is determined more on where the ball hits the bat relative to it's center-line, than the path of the bat.

 

[CatsFanGG24]

Once I heard a swing path described as an airplane touching down and then immediately taking off again. Your hand do take a downward path, but its not "swinging down" at the ball, that's always a bad way to explain it and I have heard it a bunch. Hitting is a tough thing to teach.