Fun With MLB.tv Archived Video

A comparison between Bedard's follow-throughs in his best start of 2007 and what may have been his best start of 2008:

I'm not going to be one of those guys who pretends to know everything about pitching mechanics, but what I do know is that there's no clearer indication of a change or tweak to a delivery than an altered follow-through, and the top images are significantly different from the ones on the bottom. Note that the trailing leg came further around up top (two days ago), leading to Bedard's shoulders being more closed to home plate. Down bottom, he ends up in better "fielding position". This suggests that, against Boston, there was more energy in the trailing leg, and therefore less energy going to home plate.

I don't know what this means. It may not mean anything. But there you go. There's some potential evidence that Erik Bedard is throwing the ball somewhat differently than he was in 2007.

Note: there were pitches on 5/28 after which Bedard wound up open, and there were pitches on 7/7 after which Bedard wound up closed. Mechanics are never 100% consistent. I'm showing these images because I think he wound up open more often in the Texas start than in the Boston start, implying - but in no way confirming - some sort of change. Do not attempt to draw sweeping conclusions from this. It's something interesting, and nothing more.