I was surfing on YouTube the other day and found some pitching clips of Sandy Koufax. I thought I’d share and let you have a look at his mechanics.
While things have changed with our understanding of how the body works more consistently in a pitching delivery, there are a couple things to note in this clip.
First, if you pause the clip just as the timer moves from :02 to :03, (just as right leg begins to decline) you’ll notice how much he has led with his hips. We’ve preached this idea often and it’s the cornerstone of gaining momentum to the plate.
Next, pause the clip again just as the timer rolls over to :11 (just before his foot hits the ground). This is another ingredient in creating velocity. Notice how his shoulders are closed, yet his hips are beginning to open? This is what we call delayed shoulder rotation. We find most athletes we do pitching lessons with aren’t doing this when they come see us for lessons. It’s a massive part of mechanics and will not only improve velocity, but will save your arm. Dan talks more about it here in his living room.
Enjoy the rest of the clip from a true pitching great. And if you’re itching to learn some more mechanics, our DVD series is a great place to begin.
