What's Wang with Wrong

Pitching mechanics can be terribly complex things, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised when two intelligent people can look at Chien-Ming Wang and come up with two seemingly contradictory conclusions.

First, there's Dan Plesac who provides some great insights into the differences between Wang's 2008 and 2009 deliveries. His conclusion is much along the same lines of what the Yankee coaching staff is saying, which is that Wang isn't standing tall on the mound this season, and that's depriving him of the essential downward plane.

While Plesac's analysis is compelling, it provides a conundrum when you look at Mike Axisa's
excellent examination of Pitchf/x data culled from Wang's starts. With that data, Axisa shows that Wang has actually lost more horizontal movement than vertical, and that he's actually using a higher release point now than he did in 2008.

So, who's right? Should Wang's release point be higher or lower? The answer, I think, is both, and the reason lies with Wang's left foot. It's a bit difficult to see in the video, but it seems to me that Wang's stride is a bit shorter now than it was last season, meaning that he's planting his left foot a little closer to his right. This would have the dual effects of making him taller on the mound when he releases the ball, as Axisa noticed, and robbing him of some of the power generated by his right leg.

This, however, doesn't negate Plesac's observation that Wang's upper body is hunched over, keeping him from getting on top of the ball. In fact, if you look again at Axisa's charts, you can see the effect this has on the horizontal position of Wang's release point, which is now well to the right of where it was in 2008. Thus, while his release point is higher relative to the ground, it's actually lower relative to his body, keeping him from getting on top of the ball the way he needs to.

So, in my admittedly inexpert opinion, what Wang needs to do is follow Plesac's advice to straighten his back, increase his leg kick and tighten his hands, plus lengthen his stride. It seems, perhaps, like a tall order, but certainly within Wang's abilities.