Pitching mechanics explained

This is how I know that even though I understand pitching mechanics extremely well, I still need a greater understanding of how to explain it. I was planning and beginning to put together a very detailed post about pitching mechanics and what are good and how to correct the bad.

Paul Nyman of The Hardball Times (THT) however has one of the (if not the) best articles ever on pitching mechanics. If anyone wants to understand this complex motion and how minute differences alter the results greatly, please read it here.

I want to highlight one particular note:

I am holding the arm flexed for .02 seconds into the simulation. In Figure 3, I am holding the arm flexed for .01 seconds into the simulation. A difference of only .01 seconds. Yet this change has dramatic results on the final throwing of the ball, achieving a maximum speed of only 78 mph—an 8 mph difference from the previous simulation.

A difference of only 1/100th of a second resulted in a loss of 8mph on his velocity. Amazing.

If you are at all interested as to why some players get hurt or lose their velocity without any injury, please read this. It is truly an amazing post.