Many of you know Brian Wilson of the San Francisco Giants because of his awesome beard; that’s no joke it is a sweet beard that has made him popular. What makes him more popular in San Francisco is his outstanding pitching. His stats are incredible and he is know to be one of the best closers in major league history. Just last season he had recorded 22 saves in 24 chances. Now that’s a guy the Giants or any team can rely on to close the game.
Now let’s take a look at Brian Wilson’s pitching mechanics and see where a lot of his pitching velocity is coming from.
Brain Wilson Pitching Mechanics Video
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG6tv7FVu5Q-A&w=320&h=240]
Brian starts of in the stretch position with excellent balance keeping the ball and glove aligned with his spine line (straight up and down). The ball and glove remain there (centered) until he begins his momentum toward the plate at which point both his glove and throwing arm separate at the same time leading to the equal and opposite position. Keeping the ball and glove centered will help you maintain your balance so you don’t waste any movement toward the plate.
At 13 seconds in the video you will notice Brian Wilson has a great delayed shoulder rotation. Pitchers need to remember that hips rotate before upper body allowing them to fully utilize their legs, hips and core to throw the baseball. This is where Brian receives a lot of his pitching velocity. Much of any pitchers velocity comes from hip and shoulder separation (delayed shoulder rotation) which is explained in great detail in our new pitching mechanics DVD.
Also, take a good look at 16 seconds on the video clip. Notice how his foot stays on the ground until he releases the baseball. His back foot (pivot foot) pivot’s all the way around and drags a bit, allowing him to have complete hip rotation. I often tell my pitchers to throw with legs and hips; pitching requires complete hip rotation to maintain optimal pitching velocity and maintain proper pitching mechanics.
If you are looking to add a quick 3-5 MPH to your fastball this season you’ve come to the right page. Get your own copy of our Pitching Mechanics/Coaching Pitchers DVD We break down each phase of the throwing motion for you making it easy to understand and put to practice. You will be happy with your results. As always, please let us know how we can help you improve your game.