video thoughts please

quote:

Originally posted by JDsDad:
Thank you


http://youtube.com/watch?v=latXRe2oQc4

I see a couple of things that may help. I don't think he is getting to a high **** position, it looks a little short armed. Second, I think if he bent his back leg more as his front goes toward the plate, he would finish in a better fielding position. His fielding position looks like an accident waiting to happen, with aluminum bats. On a positive note, he looks to be in charge when he's out there and he has a quick move to first. These are small things and just my opinion. How old is he and how fast does he throw?

quote:

I see a couple of things that may help. I don't think he is getting to a high **** position, it looks a little short armed.

He will be a sophomore next year. I'm not sure how hard he is throwing. He hasn't been gunned this year last year he was throwing 78 max effort so I imagine he's around 80 pitching this year.
He does seem to finish short with his arm sometimes and when he tries to throw extra hard he does'nt end in a good fielding position. What was the word that was censored?

Make sure he is carefull when climbing to the top of that mound ....wish they were like that when I pitched.

Deemax, It is definitely a mound. I think they actually took a an inch or two off of it. He's only 5'5" so every little bit helps

I'm no pitching coach but I stayed at a Holiday Inn one time I will add my 2 cents. (and it may be over priced at that) You son has a lot of movement and effort after the pitch is released. Work with his delivery in slow motion. Watch some videos and work with trying to sync his upper and lower body. Work with his follow throughs and see if he can establish a good smooth balanced follow through. He is showing a lot of "arm deceleration" after the pitch is released. My son had to really focus on his follow through when he would change from catching to pitching. I think this would help with your son's velocity and his control.
Fungo

Fungo, I think he was trying to overthrow he was trying to impress it was his first time pitching against varsity level guys. He is always a max effort guy. I think that hurts him. He's always been able to throw as hard as he can and still throw a lot of strikes.I think he feels if he backs off a little that he can't be as effective. He had to stop throwing for about a month during the spring season this year. He strained a ligament in his elbow.

He was in a cast for a month as a 6th grader and couldn't throw for 2 months. He pulled a piece of bone away from his elbow. This last time the orthopedist we took him to gave him tubing exercises for his shoulder to strenghten it so his elbow doesn't take so much strain. He's been pretty faithful with doing the exercises so hopefully that will help.

He has a great pickoff move. His mechanics are a little shaky, he seems to and flat footed on the step more often than not. Great presence on the mountain!!

quote:

Originally posted by JDsDad:

quote:

I see a couple of things that may help. I don't think he is getting to a high **** position, it looks a little short armed.

He will be a sophomore next year. I'm not sure how hard he is throwing. He hasn't been gunned this year last year he was throwing 78 max effort so I imagine he's around 80 pitching this year.
He does seem to finish short with his arm sometimes and when he tries to throw extra hard he does'nt end in a good fielding position. What was the word that was censored?

c-o-c-k was the word that was censored. Crazy, huh? Well, after what you just told me and hearing the injury stories you related to some others, I would say take him to a good pitching Coach for private lessons on his mechanics. If that's not an option, I can tell you that the best thing to do other than having lessons is to immulate the mechanics of a great pitcher. I would pick Clemmons, Smoltz or someone else you like that hasn't had many arm problems. Play the video of your son and the video of them and try to get him in the same positions. Break the delivery into parts and build it from finish to start, not the other way around. That part needs to be fixed ASAP before he gets hit with a liner! I will tell you that the high c-o-c-k position is the throwing arm in an "L" position with the ball facing 2nd base. The timing should be as the ball of the foot hits the ground he should be in the "L".

I agree he needs a good pitching coack. Lots of issues. Back leg should collapse a bit at load. His stride is was too short and his motion is all arm. Too up right and doesn't finish well.
You need a good pitching book if you can;t get a good pitching coack. Try getting other pitchers to do a group lesson to reduce coasts.

Bobblehead, Do you see his stride as being short every time? He was the last of probably 4 different pitchers that game. I think he was fighting falling in a hole left by the previous guys. This was also the first time pitching in over a month so he was rusty. He was having trouble locating his fastball which is unusual. Maybe it was related to the stride length.

As far as being too upright I agree, lately he's added an extra bounce kind of like Freddy Garcia if that makes any sense.

He definitely needs to clean up his finish. I think he thinks he's K-Rod or something.

That mound appears to be too tall and the slope too steep. I would hesitate to pass judgement on the pitcher's mechanics while throwing on that mound because, in my mind, he has probably modified his mechanics to accomodate the parameters of the mound. And that's not good.

quote:

Originally posted by Roger Tomas:
That mound appears to be too tall and the slope too steep. I would hesitate to pass judgement on the pitcher's mechanics while throwing on that mound because, in my mind, he has probably modified his mechanics to accomodate the parameters of the mound. And that's not good.

This is very possible, because I think if he took a normal stride he may end up on flat ground. I was surprised to hear he was only 5'5" tall. He looks much taller on the mound.

quote:

I was surprised to hear he was only 5'5" tall. He looks much taller on the mound.

I'll definitely make sure he reads this.

The mound has been like that for years. I don't know why the other schools don't complain about it. Taller players do stride onto flat ground.

JGsDad

His mechanics need a lot of work. Not trying to be nasty but I am not going to sugar coat it either.
His tride is way to short in all the pitches I saw. His back leg is too straight, and he is too upright which combined with the hop at the ned is the reason he struggles with control. I don't know what pitching coaches he has had but he needs help.
The mound appears to be okay and if there is a hole he should fill it in. We see this all the time and you do a little filling in.

5'5" on the ground, 8'7" on the mound. Way too high. Coaches or parents, if they're allowed to, should work that mound down and out a bit. As RogerT says, hard to judge coming off Everest. As for holes, always remember to tell him that he must fix what portion of the mound he can when he gets out there between innings. Never pitch in a hole you don't like, groom it the best you can. Lots of issues, but many could be mound related.

There is no way that mound is abnormally high. Most pitchers would love a 3' high mound that you suggest. It appears to be 18-20" max.