A comparison between Bedard's follow-throughs in his best start of 2007 and what may have been his best start of 2008:
I'm not going to be one of those guys who pretends to know everything about pitching mechanics, but what I do know is that there's no clearer indication of a change or tweak to a delivery than an altered follow-through, and the top images are significantly different from the ones on the bottom. Note that the trailing leg came further around up top (two days ago), leading to Bedard's shoulders being more closed to home plate. Down bottom, he ends up in better "fielding position". This suggests that, against Boston, there was more energy in the trailing leg, and therefore less energy going to home plate.
I don't know what this means. It may not mean anything. But there you go. There's some potential evidence that Erik Bedard is throwing the ball somewhat differently than he was in 2007.
Note: there were pitches on 5/28 after which Bedard wound up open, and there were pitches on 7/7 after which Bedard wound up closed. Mechanics are never 100% consistent. I'm showing these images because I think he wound up open more often in the Texas start than in the Boston start, implying - but in no way confirming - some sort of change. Do not attempt to draw sweeping conclusions from this. It's something interesting, and nothing more.
0 recs | 15 comments
I wonder how often pitchers tweak their motions
Do you think you could pull say one start a month from 2007 and then say opening day 08 as a comparison?
Matthew - May 30, 2008
Don't have time right now
but I’ve gone over a lot of video, and based on this hopefully representative sample size his shoulders ended up “open” to home plate more often in 2007 than they have in 2008.
This is a pretty inexact science, which is why I don’t want to draw any conclusions or even assume that I captured something real.
Jeff Sullivan - May 30, 2008
If you don't mind me asking
Where do you get your video?
Edgar for Mayor - May 30, 2008
Dude it's right there in the subject
Jeff Sullivan - May 30, 2008
hehe
Missed that. I just looked at the pretty pictures
Edgar for Mayor - May 30, 2008
No gifs?
JI - May 30, 2008
Is there any significance...
...that his best game last year was on 7/7/07?
Maybe his next best game this year will be on Cherry/Cherry/Cherry.
/rimshot
ColbyInBoston - May 30, 2008
With our luck, that'll be an off day
seattlebruin - May 30, 2008
... it's vs the Rays
seattlebruin - May 30, 2008
Wow. That's a pretty dramatic difference.
You would think you’d have to make a concerted effort to change your follow through that much.
Thingray - May 30, 2008
Or have a hip injury of some sort you were laboring over
OlSalty - May 30, 2008
It's pretty easy to go from one to the other
It just indicates that there’s something different somewhere earlier in the process.
Jeff Sullivan - May 30, 2008
I suppose you're correct.
A smaller change early in the mechanics could show as a large change in the fielding position. Still seems pretty dramatic though.
Thingray - May 30, 2008
Bringing this up to Bedard would be pretty funny.
Interviewer: “So are you making adjustments and experimenting with your fastball or curveball….trying to figure out what’s more effective or…?”
Bedard: “No…just throwing strikes…try to keep my team in the ballgame.”
ThundaPC - May 30, 2008
It a pretty drastic Difference,
Not only is his leg in a different place. His back is as well. Is he starting on a different spot on the mount?
Edgar for Mayor - May 30, 2008
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