Kinematic comparison of various types of pitches

Baseball - Throwing Mechanics

Barrentine SW, Matsuo T, Escamilla RF, Fleisig GS, Andrews JR. Kinematic analysis of the wrist and forearm during baseball pitching. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 14(1):24-39,1998

Escamilla RF, Fleisig GS, Barrentine SW, Zheng N, Andrews JR. Kinematic comparisons of throwing different types of baseball pitches. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 14(1):1-23, 1998

Fleisig GS, Kingsley DS, Loftice JW, Dinnen K, Ranganathan R, Dun S, Escamilla RF, Andrews JR. Kinetic comparison among the fastball, curveball, change-up, and slider in collegiate baseball pitchers. The American Journal of Sports Medicine 34(3):423-430, 2006

Dun S, Loftice J, Fleisig GS, Kingsley D, Andrews JR. A Biomechanical Comparison of Youth Baseball Pitches: Is the Curveball Potentially Harmful? The American Journal of Sports Medicine 36(4):686-692, 2008.

Comparison of Various Types of Pitches

In a comparison of the kinematics (motions) among pitch types, the largest differences were found between the fastball and curveball, and the fewest were between the fastball and slider. The curveball had significantly more forearm supination (32 degrees) than the fastball (17 degrees) or change-up (18 degrees). Fastballs had significantly greater pelvis (600 degrees per second) and upper trunk rotation velocities (1120 degrees per second) than curveballs (560 and 1070 degrees per second) and change-ups (540 and 1020 degrees per second). The lead knee extended 9 degrees from FC to BR in the fastball and 5 degrees in the curveball, flexing 4 degrees during the change-up deliveries. Pitchers landed with their lead foot 4 cm more closed (towards the third base side of the mound for a right-handed pitcher) when throwing curveballs compared to fastballs. Maximum elbow extension and shoulder internal rotation velocity (i.e. arm speed) were similar between the fastball (elbow 2210 degrees per second, shoulder 6520 degrees per second) and curveball (2160 degrees per second and 6480 degrees per second), but significantly slower in the change-up (1970 degrees per second and 6360 degrees per second).

The forces and torques experienced by the elbow and shoulder joints during various pitch types are very important for understanding the mechanics and potential injury risk of each pitch type. In collegiate pitchers, unique kinetic patterns for the fastball, curveball, change-up, and slider have been detected. Six of the nine kinetic variables were significantly lower in the change-up compared to the fastball. The fastball was kinetically very similar to the curveball; only elbow proximal force was significantly higher in the fastball. Kinetics were also very similar between the fastball and slider, though sliders were thrown with significantly higher shoulder horizontal adduction torque. One of the reasons for these kinetics investigations was anecdotal evidence targeting the curveball as a dangerous pitch for younger pitchers.

In a comparison of joint forces in youth (10 to 14 years old) pitchers, the fastball had significantly higher values than the curveball for elbow varus torque (35 Nm to 32 Nm), shoulder internal rotation torque (35 Nm to 32 Nm), elbow flexion torque (16 Nm to 14 Nm), elbow proximal force (462 N to 428 N), and shoulder proximal force (466 N to 433 N). Neither the curveball nor change-up had significantly higher values than the fastball, implying that curveballs were not more stressful than fastballs.

At all levels of competition, a good fastball is the foundation for successful pitching. Thus, the young baseball pitcher should master the fastball first. The change-up seems to be a good choice for a second pitch as it produces lower kinetics in the elbow and shoulder.