With the continued industry wide obsession with a pitcher’s data, there has been a decrease in focus on a pitcher’s delivery. I feel very strongly that a pitcher’s delivery directly affects the data, both good and bad. The data gives us an important piece of the puzzle; it tells us where each pitcher is at currently. And from pitch to pitch, the data changes. For example, a pitcher could throw a 4-Seam FB with 2000 Total Spin and 100% Spin Efficiency, and on the very next pitch the data could read 1800 Total Spin and 75% Spin Efficiency. What happened in the time between those two pitches? Why such a difference in the data? One possible answer could be a change in the pitcher’s delivery. Using pitchLogic pro’s Compare Mode easily allows us to check the data from pitch to pitch.

In Compare Mode, you can choose which pitches you want to compare and view them in the 3D Explorer. The data can back up what you have seen with the naked eye or have seen on video. I had a high school freshman throw for me the other day. I had noticed a delivery change when he switched from fast ball to curve ball. It appeared that his hands moved higher over his head when he was throwing his curve ball. I chose the fast ball and curve ball in Compare Mode. Below is a screen shot of those two pitches.

 As you can see, the data backs up what I was seeing. His hands travel higher over head when throwing his curve ball (highlighted in green). However, when I asked the pitcher if he felt a difference in his delivery from pitch to pitch, he stated he could not feel that he was doing anything different. Showing him the data enabled the pitcher to see there was in fact a difference in his delivery when he threw a fast ball and a curve ball. The data was a communication bridge, backing up what I was seeing and allowing me to communicate in a different way to reach the pitcher. Now, how do we tackle this issue at hand, developing a consistent delivery? Be on the look out for my next blog where I discuss an in-season throwing progression.