Studying the idiosyncracies of certain Major League pitching styles can help you understand the effectiveness of different pitching mechanics.

But there's a catch. You can't truly understanding the internal mechanics at work by external observation. In other words, seeing a pitcher perform is not the same as being that pitcher. But, in truth, it's all any coach or instructor has to work with. Besides even pro pitchers aren't always aware of what they look like or how they sequence their movements.

However, as with anything in baseball, it's not only about what you see, but about why you see it done that way. So while this feature is far from complete (and not 100% a true interpretation - see side note), it might still help you break down what's happening. It might help you separate style from susbstance.


Hideo Nomo is famous for his full body turn on the post. It isn't for the fans, but an effective way to hide the ball and distract the hitter. In fact, everything about his delivery is extreme - from the high arm stretch, to the body crossing over on follow-through. Yet in the core of the pitch - the stride, hip release, and arm slot all show good fundamentals.
The David Cone style is far more compact yet just as effective. Why? He can give a hitter different looks - overhand, three-quarters and sidearm - so hitters don't get comfortable. His slider is tight and nasty, with late bite. The image shows the release point coming out of a 3/4 arm angle. The animation has the full pitch, start to finish.
More than height, Randy Johnson is about using his reach in as intimidating a way as possible. It starts with the stare over the top of the glove, elbows tucked in. Very narrow focus. Then, when the side-arm pitch comes into a lefty batter, the ball seems to come from first base and sweep across the strike zone. He also uses his height, throwing overhand. Even pitchers who don't have the reach can create the effect - from compact set to sweeping throw.

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield is the opposite of any power pitcher you'll ever see. While the stride shown here is good and there is some scapular loading (shoulders back) it is an effortless throw that relies on the ball dancing in for success. A knuckler is the pitch that every kid seems to practice but most are afraid to throw it in the game. In fact, try to minimize the time spent in practice on it unless they will use it from the mound.