Pitching Mechanics Analysis
Greg Maddux

7/15/2008

Below are three views of Greg Maddux pitching during the 1997 NLDS.

Greg Maddux - Clip 1

There are several things to notice in the clip above of Greg Maddux as well as in the two clips below.
     First, notice the dramatic tailing and sinking action on all of his pitches. This movement puts Greg Maddux's fastball on the edge of the screwball range and is likely achieved by significant pronation of his forearm.
     Second, notice Greg Maddux's clean arm action. There is no sign of breaking the hands with the elbows and the Inverted W or Inverted L as a result. Instead, Greg Maddux leads his arm swing with his Pitching Arm Side (PAS) hand.
     Third, notice Greg Maddux's excellent timing. Notice how his PAS forearm is pretty much vertical at the moment that his Glove Side (GS) foot plants and his shoulders start to rotate. This decreases the load on both his PAS elbow and his PAS shoulder.

Greg Maddux - Clip 2

Greg Maddux - Clip 3

The interesting thing to note about Clip 3, compared to Clip 1 and Clip 2, is that Greg Maddux missed his spot. In Clip 1 and Clip 2, Greg Maddux kept the ball low and away. However, in Clip 3 the ball drifted back over the plate, which is why the batter swung at and was able to hit it.