Something I noticed in Toronto

by Llewdor on Jun 12, 2008 10:22 AM PDT

Dustin McGowan's motion looks EXACTLY like Roy Halladay's motion.

I've always thought Halladay had a pretty distinctive delivery. He's very slow to raise his front leg, he points his toe while he's doing it, and turtles up at the top of his motion before uncoiling - quite slowly - to deliver the ball to the plate. His arm has a sort of whip action, and a 3/4 slot.

Dustin McGowan's delivery, which I only got a good look at for the first time on Tuesday, looks just like that. It differs from Halladay's delivery not at all (which all the more impressive because McGowan's the hardest thrower in baseball this year, so that slow motion is extra deceptive).

I'm thinking there's a common cause. Someone in the Toronto organisation is building pitchers, and they turn out like Roy Halladay (also built - or rebuilt - by the Jays).

Add to this their pitch-mixing and I suspect Toronto's going to have an excellent rotation for some time. They seem to be doing this on purpose.

This, folks, is what good coaching can do.

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Same kind of thing happened in Minnesota

With Francisco Liriano and Johan Santana.. They basically became identical in the pitching motion aspect until Liriano’s arm exploded

by seattlesundevil on Jun 12, 2008 12:36 PM PDT reply actions

I'd need to compare them side-by-side,

but also, are you sure it’s a trend and not just a random coincidence? It would be more insightful to know how McGowan pitched when he was drafted compared to now to see what, if any, changes have been made.

by Matthew on Jun 12, 2008 12:36 PM PDT reply actions

I'd find the coincidence argument more compelling

if Halladay had a less interesting motion. I noticed this first when I saw McGowan pitching and I thought he was Halladay. It wasn’t until I read the back of his uniform that I realised I was wrong.

Though, McGowan could be mimicking Halladay on his own.

I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.

by Llewdor on Jun 12, 2008 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions

Not a bad guy to mimick.

I like midgets more than I should.

by Thingray on Jun 12, 2008 2:38 PM PDT up reply actions

Mimic

Who are you, JI?

I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.

by Llewdor on Jun 12, 2008 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions

No. just having a bad typing/spelling day.

Might be too many beers last night plus no food until I just ran to Jack in the Box.

I like midgets more than I should.

by Thingray on Jun 12, 2008 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Halladay's might have influenced him

As a veteran starter in the Toronto organization, I would think that maybe it was Halladay tutoring him rather adjustments made by the coaching staff. Overall, i think Toronto mishandled McGowan by calling him up to early from the minors then changing his role from starter to reliever and back again. When he first came up he had control problems that were amplified by an injury in 2005, at the end of the season. McGowan made a big leap number wise, in preformance, after spring 2007. It would be interesting to see if he had a different delivery then from 2006 or even a different one from now, but that would require a look into archive video.

by tdot mariner fan on Jun 12, 2008 2:57 PM PDT reply actions