Japanese Pitching

[HomeFish]

Somebody in the Iguchi thread talked about a young Japanese pitcher who throws something called a "gyro-ball". I found this intriguing and googled it, bringing up the following article:

http://www.robneyer.com/book_04_gyroball.html

Now, the source may be a bit unreliable, but I don't think Neyer would make something like this up entirely. The gist of it is that Japanese scientists have developed a new pitching model, and the result of that is a new pitch called the "gyro-ball". The article describes it as such:



The gyroball is simply another variation of breaking ball. The same could be said for the slider, the cutter, and even the screwball. Unlike the other pitches, the gyroball does not have a multiplanar path. As the ball leaves the hand of the pitcher throwing a gyro -- or as the Japanese call it, the "shooto" -- the ball comes off the middle finger with what appears to the batter as a pure counterclockwise spin. There is no snap of the wrist; it is a true "set it and forget it" pitch. The spin is an apparent rifle-like spin that keeps the ball true until it takes a severe, late left turn from a right-handed pitcher.

Let me say that again: the ball comes at the hitter looking like a hanging curve and then takes a hard, flat turn away from a right-handed batter.


The White Sox have shown that a Japanese pitcher coming into the AL with a never-before-seen pitch can be successful for at least 2/3 of a season, if not for an entire season. The White Sox have also been able to briefly make studs out of Loaiza and Shoey by teaching them new pitches. Why not teach the gyroball to one of our underperforming prospects, or even a rotation member such as Garland?

[SOXintheBURGH]

Somebody in the Iguchi thread talked about a young Japanese pitcher who throws something called a "gyro-ball". I found this intriguing and googled it, bringing up the following article:

http://www.robneyer.com/book_04_gyroball.html

Now, the source may be a bit unreliable, but I don't think Neyer would make something like this up entirely. The gist of it is that Japanese scientists have developed a new pitching model, and the result of that is a new pitch called the "gyro-ball". The article describes it as such:



The White Sox have shown that a Japanese pitcher coming into the AL with a never-before-seen pitch can be successful for at least 2/3 of a season, if not for an entire season. The White Sox have also been able to briefly make studs out of Loaiza and Shoey by teaching them new pitches. Why not teach the gyroball to one of our underperforming prospects, or even a rotation member such as Garland?
Shooto was in the movie "Mr. Baseball" starring Tom Selleck. It was called "The Great Equalizer."

[munchman33]

Shooto was in the movie "Mr. Baseball" starring Tom Selleck. It was called "The Great Equalizer."
You beat me too it.:smile:

[34 Inch Stick]

Slap some tzatziki on that gyro ball and throw it all in a pita and I will be all over it.

[SoxFanTillDeath]

Slap some tzatziki on that gyro ball and throw it all in a pita and I will be all over it.

:tongue: Good one!

To answer the question, there are a practically unlimited number of pitches out there that any given pitcher can learn without adding the gyro ball. If the pitchers can't even learn a basic change or curve or slider, what makes you think they can pick up easily on the gyro ball? If Garland starts throwing this pitch that's just one more pitch that opposing hitters can tee off on and smash outa the yard.

[anewman35]

Shooto was in the movie "Mr. Baseball" starring Tom Selleck. It was called "The Great Equalizer."
You mean "Mr. Baseball" starring Frank Thomas, right?

[RichFitztightly]

When I was in high school, I batted against a kid who had a similar pitch. I'm lefty and he was righty and the pitch darted right into my wheel house. I just yanked my hands through the hitting zone, kinda like Valentin did with every at bat, and it turned out to be the hardest hit ball I've ever made contact with. Though in a later at bat, the kid back-doored me with the same pitch. I gave up on it too early. I guess my point being, I don't think major league hitters would have great trouble hitting this pitch. Well, righty hitters might, but like any pitch, location matters.

[na_na_na_na]

It's very inprobable that a current mlb pitcher could learn this pitch. it's not simply a new grip but entirely new mechanics.

Current US and most JP pitchers use there linear motion to pitch. This is why having large legs and pushing off is so important to throwing heat.

To throw the gyroball you must use double rotational motion. The first rotation is of the hips. Similar to the way a hitter can gain power from turning the hips. The second is from rotating your arm from elbow bent up to down.(imagine pointing at the sky then at the batter than the dirt.) This produces a strait fastball(one jp pitcher can throw it 98mph).

The gyroball is then generated by the methods similar to a traditional curve.