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July 13, 2012

Raising Aces

Back to The Futures Game, US Team

by Doug Thorburn

The pitching staff for the U.S. team was stacked for last Sunday's Futures Game, setting up a showcase of former first-round draft picks to satiate the All-Star appetite. The pitching rotations were pre-set on both sides, with starters Jake Odorizzi and Yordano Ventura representing the hometown Royals in a first-frame showdown. Three of the top four picks of the pitcher-heavy 2011 draft were on the U.S. roster, with Trevor Bauer's recent big-league promotion the only thing preventing a clean sweep of the historical top four, and the crew was joined by the top arm of the 2010 draft, Jameson Taillon. The aces-in-training put on a spectacular show, and I was extremely impressed by the mechanical profiles that Team America had on display.

Jake Odorizzi (Royals-AAA)
Odorizzi had a somewhat boring delivery, which is higher praise than it sounds, as the absence of a weak link offset any lack of an elite mechanical tool. Slow early momentum set up a late burst as he shifted gears near foot strike, and the right-hander showcased strong balance as he entered the rotational phases of the delivery. His posture was inconsistent on Sunday, with late spine-tilt that was more pronounced on curveballs than heaters, though the difference was subtle and his posture was respectable overall. Despite the postural inconsistencies, Odorizzi was able to repeat the timing elements of his delivery with a calm approach into foot strike that set up a storm of rotational velocity. The only mechanical issue was a lack of hip-shoulder separation, with late-firing hips that stuttered before rotating toward the plate, triggering the rotation of hips and shoulders in near-unison.

Gerrit Cole (Pirates-AA)
In addition to his elite stuff, Cole had some of the best mechanics in the 2011 Amateur Player Draft with average-to-plus marks across the board, almost all of which were on display Sunday afternoon. His balance and posture were impeccable, though he did show a slight hitch with a head that trailed from max lift into foot strike. His torque contains equals parts upper-body load and lower-body rotation, producing excellent separation and explosive arm speeds that light up radar guns to the tune of triple digits.

Cole takes a direct line to the plate, though his momentum has slowed a bit when compared to his UCLA days, with a stride length that is spared by an extremely late gear-change. I would register the modest momentum as a negative in isolation, but in Cole's case it appears to be linked to a new time signature that he has learned to repeat with greater consistency and advanced sequencing. Surprisingly, the right-hander actually moved more slowly to the plate on some of his pitches from the stretch, maintaining his standard leg lift without increasing his thrust to the target, and his stretch timing was inconsistent overall. Cole has graduated from the Roger Clemens school of hip-heavy torque, creating excellent hip-shoulder separation with minimal upper-body load. It is rare for me to focus on a pitcher's follow-through, but I am concerned by the violent recoil of Cole's throwing arm that takes place after release point.