Umps Don't Like Price's Mechanics Either

[TonyPenaNeverJuiced]

David Price Doesn't Understand Why Major League Baseball Is Warning Him About His Wind-Up

According to Price, the MLB Player’s Association has already given him the head’s up that MLB umpires have him in their cross-hairs.

MLBPA special assistant Kevin Slowey recently informed Price that umpires are evidently uncomfortable with the way the lefty sets up when in the wind-up or stretch, suggesting there might be too much deception.

“It’s the same wind-up I’ve had for the last seven years. There’s never been a red flag or anything,” Price told WEEI.com. “There’s definitely a distinct difference between my wind-up and my stretch. He just told me I need to tell the umpire whenever I have a runner on third base, if I’m going from the wind-up or from the stretch.

“I guess they say there’s not a distinct difference, which is false.”

As I highlighted in this thread, David Price has actually changed his windup a TON over the last 7 years. Maybe he just doesn't notice it. See HERE for my somewhat-scientific breakdown of his mechanics.

Price made changes in the middle of last year, with the help of our second baseman - but whatever he did, it either aggravated or did not alleviate the concerns of umpires.

“Mine is a distinct difference,” he said. “I’m set at a 45-degree angle whenever I’m in the wind-up. My hands are in the glove and my hands are down here. Whenever I’m in the stretch it’s straight at home plate, my glove is up here and my hands are on my leg. I don’t understand.”

To my eye, Price does make small changes when in the wind-up vs. the stretch, but they're extremely subtle. Several times last year he pretty much flipped his hand positioning for the stretch vs. the windup - his lack of consistency kept leaving pitches up in the zone.

My suspicion is that Price has trouble being consistent with two different styles, and short of only pitching from the stretch (something Pomeranz has been doing since late 2013), he's tried to make them as similar as possible.

Lastly, I'll point folks to [trigger warning] Clemens' breakdown from last year, that features some good takes as well as good video (apologies for the quality, it's all I could find on youtube):
Link to NESN article with pictures and quotes
Crappy video of Clemens breaking it down

 

[JimBoSox9]

Just FYI that top link is dead for me on mobile Chrome

 

[TonyPenaNeverJuiced]

Just FYI that top link is dead for me on mobile Chrome

Fixed. Thank you.

 

[TonyPenaNeverJuiced]

And this, from Olney:

'Price Rule' helps umps ID pitching delivery with runner on third base

 

[Van Everyman]

Nice thread title.

I want to know what Andy Pettitte thinks of this before rendering an opinion. But I do find this passage of Olney interesting, given how mucked up Price's mechanics got last year:

Price was first informed about the umpires' concern in spring training of 2016, according to a source familiar with the conversations.

 

[Green Monster]

Price's delivery is a concern...........but no issues here

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/21753540/v73287783/miaatl-capps-hopstep-delivery-analyzed

 

[santadevil]

Price's delivery is a concern...........but no issues here

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/21753540/v73287783/miaatl-capps-hopstep-delivery-analyzed

Great article from our very own Justin Gorman up on the .com about Capps even more illegal delivery.

 

[SoxInTheMist]

Um, what? I don't get it. Since when is there a rule that you have to have a different delivery for windup than stretch? And why would he have to tell the umpires which he's doing? Isn't every pitcher free to either pitch from the stretch or the windup regardless of how many, if any, baserunners?

I suppose it's just a poorly written article. I'm guessing what the umps are trying to say is that his "normal windup delivery" would be considered too deceptive, and thus a balk, if he used it with runners on base and therefor if he chooses to use his windup he needs to tell umpires who would then, I assume, tell the baserunner??? That's ridiculous.

Then again, the whole lefty pick-off move has always been a craptastic part of the rules. And I say that as former left-handed pitcher who took full advantage of it.

 

[teddywingman]

The inconsistency of his delivery is weird. It makes me wonder what is going on with the coaching staff.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Manfred: Price is on Double Secret Probation
Gammons: Double Secret Probation, Commissioner?
Manfred: There is a little-known codicil in the MLB constitution that allows the Commissioner to put a player on Double Secret Probation

 

[Flunky]

I only wish his ERA was 0.0

 

[BigJimEd]

Um, what? I don't get it. Since when is there a rule that you have to have a different delivery for windup than stretch? And why would he have to tell the umpires which he's doing? Isn't every pitcher free to either pitch from the stretch or the windup regardless of how many, if any, baserunners?

I suppose it's just a poorly written article. I'm guessing what the umps are trying to say is that his "normal windup delivery" would be considered too deceptive, and thus a balk, if he used it with runners on base and therefor if he chooses to use his windup he needs to tell umpires who would then, I assume, tell the baserunner??? That's ridiculous.

Then again, the whole lefty pick-off move has always been a craptastic part of the rules. And I say that as former left-handed pitcher who took full advantage of it.

I'm far from an expert in pitching positioning but there are some different rules. You need to come to a stop in the set position. Not in windup.
Umps need to determine his positioning in order to determine if his motion constitutes a balk or not.

Whether he's in the windup or stretch should mainly be determined by how his feet are set not by asking him.

 

[Rusty13]

 

[Van Everyman]

 

[teddywingman]

Tommy John, here we come.

 

[lexrageorge]

We'll see if this whole topic is moot this season, but this appears to be more "lol boo-hoo" to the umpires as opposed to a reason to hate on David Price.

 

[TonyPenaNeverJuiced]

I'm not gonna sit here and claim that the two (these umps & his elbow issues) are directly related, but in previous threads I'd posited that all these tweaks meant that Price was too slow in getting his arm to the release point, leaving the ball up and lowering velocity. Those would also put great strain on the elbow (and other parts of the body). Of course the IP totals, general wear & tear, etc. are huge factors, if he has an injury that kinda came out of nowhere, and we have documented evidence of a change in mechanics that would strain him... well, I hope the Sox have people much smarter than me laughing at this post right now.