Pitching Mechanics Analysis
Sonny Gray

2016.7.31

To date, the Oakland A's have been remarkably good at dumping pitchers at the point where their trade value is maximized and any injury problems have yet to clearly manifest themselves.

It looks like that streak may end with Sonny Gray.

However, the way the A's ended Sonny Gray's 2016 season, with him pitching one solid inning and then being pulled before anything could go wrong, likely means that the A's will get at least some value out of him.

They might even find a sucker who will over-pay for a pitcher with deeply flawed pitching mechanics.

Sonny Gray's Inverted W

Despite its being quite easy to see, the root cause of Sonny Gray's injury problems is NOT his Inverted W.

Sonny Gray

Rather, the root cause of Sonny Gray's injury problems is that his Inverted W creates a Timing problem.

As I explain in the Science Behind The Epidemic, Timing problems are the main driving force behind the Tommy John surgery and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome epidemic.

The Inverted W likely gave Sonny Gray a velocity boost when he first learned it, but it is now taking its toll on his arm.

Sonny Gray

By holding the Inverted W into foot plant, and not just passing through the position, Sonny Gray ensures that his arm will not be in a safe position when his shoulders start to rotate.

In short, Sonny Gray's arm is FLAT at foot plant when it should be UP.

Sonny Gray

For obvious reasons, I call this Flat Arm Syndrome.

Sonny Gray

What's worse, Sonny Gray holds a prematurely pronated position as his arm starts to externally rotate, making it even later and putting even more stress on his arm.

Hopefully, that will just get Sonny Gray's elbow.

However, I see some things that make me worry that it may be getting both Sonny Gray's elbow and his shoulder.

Anthony Reyes

That is the worst-case scenario and exactly what happened to Anthony Reyes and C.J. Wilson.